Love is In the Air ... In Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley

Have a hot date for Valentine’s Day? Whether it’s your longtime significant partner, a new flame, or good friends you plan to celebrate with, there are tons of memorable ways to celebrate (and spice things up a little) in Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley this year.

But you don’t want to be left out in the cold . . . space is limited and the big day is fast approaching. Make sure Cupid’s arrow doesn’t miss its mark. Make plans now . . .  like, right now!

Need a place to start? Here are some of the possibilities:

Why not get away from it all for the weekend? The Hilton Wilmington/Christiana has put together a special Valentine’s Weekend Dinner Package (available February 12 – 14) that will take your special someone’s breath away. It includes a gourmet four-course dinner for two delivered to your guest room, a bottle of Verdi champagne, and a stay in one of the hotel’s King Deluxe rooms. So romantic! Click here for the details and to book your stay.

Over at the HOTEL DU PONT, you can celebrate three different ways: in the recently reimagined Le Cav brasserie, at home or in one of the HOTEL’s private dining rooms. And an overnight stay with V-Day in-suite dining is always an excellent option. Whatever you choose, a decadent special menu awaits (think Lobster Louie and Duck a l’Orange). If you do plan to stay in, be sure to place dine-at-home orders at least 24 hours in advance. Click here for the full offer.

Looking for the perfect finish for that special day? (And no, guys, we don’t mean the Super Bowl). The HOTEL’s Spark’d Creative Pastry, in the DECO food hall, is having a Valentine’s Day bake sale with festive sweet treats available for pre-order and pick-up. Just 48 hours’ notice is needed. The Forest Berry Chocolate Pie and the Strawberry Mousse Cake look particularly good to us . . .

If you really want to wow your Valentine, consider making a date at Caffé Gelato on Newark’s Main Street. The restaurant has pulled together a special seven-course dinner for Valentine’s Day. . . complete with wine, champagne, one red rose, and tea lights. We promise you’ll fall in love . . . with the food.

You have a choice of dining in the privacy of your own home or dining in the restaurant. But it doesn’t end there. You can also book space, while available, in one of the restaurant’s intimate private dining spaces: the wine cellar, the glass greenhouse, or our favorite space  . . . the glass wine room. This offer is available February 11 through 15.

If you are set on a romantic evening at home, two can’t-miss to-go only options (with special V-Day selections) are Toscana To-Go and the newly opened Park Café.

Looking for a non-food-centric way to show them how much you care? Might your love be a nature lover?

Then why not head over to Brandywine Creek State Park for a little Valentine’s Day pre-game? On February 13, the park will host a Valentine’s Day group hike. The focus? Romantic Bird Folklore. Yes, indeed. Apparently, Valentine’s Day is not just for people. According to our sources at the park, romantic poets of the middle ages wrote about how this was a very important day on the social calendar of birds as well. Bundle up, take a refreshing walk through the trees, and listen for the songs of birds as your guide clues you in on the bird legends related to this romantic day. Pre-registration required, and space is limited.

Or, head on over to Longwood Gardens to treat your honey to a feast for the eyes at Longwood Gardens Winter Wonder exhibition. While not specific to Valentine’s Day, nothing spells romance like a cozy (and warm) walk through the vibrantly designed indoor garden spaces. Head outside for a tranquil walk amongst the winter grasses and dramatic trees that stretch far into the sky. Cap it off with a steaming hot bowl of mushroom soup at the Café. See … we couldn’t help but work in the food angle again somewhere . . .

You could also make a day of it at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, touring the lovely wild gardens with the snowdrops in full bloom, or head over to the Delaware Art Museum to see its very romantic (and internationally noteworthy) collection of pre-Raphaelite art.

Still not settled on how to mark this special day? We suggest you head over to VisitWilmingtonDE.com where you’ll find tons of other ideas. We’ve even got a handy live chat (staffed by people that know our area intimately) where you can get one-on-one advice that could make this your best Valentine’s Day ever. Who knows?

In closing, we just want to reiterate that you need to make reservations and plans right now. As we said before, space is limited on Valentine’s and even more so this year because of COVID-related occupancy limitations.

Don’t fall short this V-day. Make it really special this year. With our help, of course.