If you would like to surprise your partner, you can have a friend help you and schedule a fake outing for that day so that your partner won’t have anything else going on. For example, your friend could plan an activity with you and your partner on that same day and then cancel at the last minute, ensuring your partner’s availability without giving away your romantic plans.

You could make a list of some of your partner’s favorite things and find a way to include them in your evening. For example, if your partner loves nature, you could make sure that your romantic evening includes a walk on the beach.

Staying at home is a good choice so that you will have privacy and not be distracted by other people. Going out is a good choice because it can make for a special evening by doing something out of the ordinary.

If you are trying somewhere new, read reviews first to make sure that people had a good experience there. You could look on Yelp to see how other people liked the restaurant. Look for a place with a romantic ambiance rather than a family-style dining place. It should be a restaurant where you will be able to talk and that has a good tone, like candlelit tables and tasteful artwork on the walls.

Planning ahead and making a reservation is an actionable and romantic way to say, “I care about you. ”

Depending on where you go, you may need to buy tickets in advance. You could also keep it low key and simply take a moonlit walk together.

You could have a mediterranean-style dinner with bread, cheese, olives, ham, grapes, and salad. It is elegant and requires very little preparation. Don’t plan any meal that will be too heavy or you won’t feel very romantic afterwards. The same goes for spicy foods.

You could make a playlist or stream music, just make sure there won’t be any commercials, which will damper the ambiance.

Just make sure to use caution when dealing with open flames. There is nothing less romantic than setting your house on fire!