My boyfriend, Robert, and I have been together for four years and we absolutely love going on dates, whether it be a walk to the park, a quick lunch, or adventuring out of our city. In honor of Valentine's Day, I bring to you some of our favorite dates for any occasion.

Eats

To start off, we're complete foodies! We love trying out new restaurants and foods any chance we get. This is a simple, but classic type of date. You can go all out fancy or even just go out for a simple dessert. When planing a dinner date, research the restaurant you want to go to. Find out their pricing, their dress code, their best dishes, and any deals. Always check if you need to make a reservation in advance, and even plan to eat during the times the restaurant is less busy. Some of our most memorable dinner dates include beautiful sceneries and great food: The Colosseum at Pelican Hill and Mr. A's.

Tip: Here's a secret!!! Some of our favorite places to get food is Kitchen 4140, Soda and Swine, The Great Maple, and Queenstown Public House. 

Activities

What's better than going out and having some good old fun! Our favorite activities to do together besides shopping (lol) include kiting, biking, and having picnics. Doing activities can be awesome because you get to learn what your date likes and see how they are in their own element. Sometimes, for me, this means being a baseball-runner when Rob needs to go hit, but I love watching him tuned in to his first love (baseball, of course). He also taught me how to kite, which is something he learned from his dad as a kid. Even though I frustrate him when I get the strings tangled, I know we both appreciate that we get to share a fun, relaxing pastime that we can pass on to our future children.

Tip: Take turns doing each other's favorite activities, you'll quickly find out what you both love and what you can let the other do in their own spare time. There are so many places to picnic, even if it's in your own backyard! Some of our favorite places include Sunset Cliffs and the Balboa Rose Garden. You can order to-go something you know your date loves, or you can show off your cooking skills.

Concerts

Some of our favorite memories have been jamming out at concerts. They're such a great way to connect with someone who shares the same music interests as you, and no matter what stage of the relationship you find yourself in, there's always a show to keep the intimacy or break up the awkwardness. 

Our first concert together was Mumford & Sons on their Summer Stampede tour back in 2013. I remember standing on the seats all night holding on to Rob's shoulders while we sang along with the crowd. We didn't know much songs, but the band was amazing and we fell in love with them right away. Now, we almost never skip a Mumford song when it comes on in the car and it's usually accompanied by obligatory scream-singing.

Beyonce and Jay-Z's On The Run Tour was our most recent concert and it was so fun dancing in the rain and watching their chemistry light up the stage. However, Rob and I share a mutual crazy love for everything and anything John Legend, so when he surprised me with tickets to his All of Me Tour, I just about lost it. It was so romantic and a few days later, we even got to meet Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen! 

Tip: Concerts can be on the pricey side, but don't be afraid to go Dutch on tickets because the shared experience is worth it. To score some deals, sign up for radio contests or concert websites to earn pre-sale codes. One of my favorite websites for event tickets is Scorebig.com because you can bargain your price. 

Day-Trips

My absolute favorite thing to do is get away from town for a bit. The great thing about daycations are that you don't have to set aside large amounts of time or money to adventure to some awesome nearby places. Living in Southern California, there's so much places to explore that are just a drive away. For us, it can range from Encinitas to Los Angeles. Usually we'll do our trip to Disneyland and maybe even stop in Irvine along the way. Sometimes, we'll go to LA and hit Hollywood or Santa Monica. But our favorite daycation spot is Laguna Beach and into Newport. We just visit different beaches and food spots and maybe even shop at Fashion Island. So even though we spend the day traveling, we still get the chance to relax.

Tip: Make a list with your partner or friend on the places you want to visit-- start with the closest location and work your way to the farthest, or just visit the places you want to see most. Remember that even if you've never heard of a place, you never know what treasures you might find; it doesn't hurt to take the scenic road. And if you live close enough, invest in a Disneyland annual passport (because why should you ever say no to Disney)!

PS.

When your relationship really starts to develop, you can revisit all the places you once enjoyed at the start of your relationship. Robert and I still love going to the sushi restaurant where we had our first date. And we sometimes find ourselves sitting or watching movies in the same spot on the beach where he asked me to be his girlfriend. Not only do you know the both of you enjoy these things, but it reminds you and your significant other of how far you've come and gives you extra brownie points for remembering your "firsts".