This year, the southern city is celebrating romance in its cultural and performing arts.
Forget the clichéd crowded restaurant with blasé Valentine's Day inspired menus (assuming you can get a reservation). This year, mix it up a little. In Georgia's capital, you can peruse works of art, watch a jaw-dropping dance company, or take a scenic drive to wine country—far more memorable than chocolate, hearts, and roses.
Now an annual Atlanta tradition, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the city to perform a series of shows at the Fox Theater beginning on Feb. 10. New works will be presented, as well as old favorite Revelations. The opening show is Ailey Fan Night, with tickets priced at $25.
If you've ever wondered about star-crossed puppets, the Center for Puppetry Arts has just the event for you. On Feb. 13, it will host a date night featuring puppet couples throughout their museum exhibits. Beer and wine will also be sold at a cash bar. The cost of admission is $20 per person.
Atlanta's most historic cemetery is not only a stomping ground for honoring souls, but for remembering past lovers and their stories, too. In this tour which takes participants through 25 stops throughout the cemetery, guides recount historic romantic tales of famed Atlantans. Tours will take place on Feb. 13 and 14 and last approximately an hour. Ticket prices start are $16.
Love is in the air and musical notes will be, too, at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's free Valentine's Day concert on Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. Online reservations are required; but you'll celebrate some of the greatest young romances through classical music from pieces such as Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, Bizet's Carmen, and Puccini's La bohème, among others.
A soiree complete with dancing, cocktails, romance, and a chance to get snazzy is in store for Valentine's in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The biggest draw? You can see Orchid Daze, an exhibition featuring the U.S.'s largest orchid, at night. Tickets are $35, with an option for interested couples to partake in a vow renewal ceremony, too.
Drive away from the hustle and bustle and into the scenic region where wineries abound in the north Georgia mountains. Wineries such as Three Sisters and Montaluce offer exclusive tours and wine tastings. Montaluce also has a full restaurant, Le Vigne, on site with a tantalizing menu and stunning views.
Artistic expression and bonding is the sole purpose of this painting class at Spruill Arts Center in Dunwoody. Each pair—whether couple, friends, or siblings—will create a piece together, taught by European artist Diana Toma. All supplies will be provided, but each two-person group is asked to bring a canvas to the class. The class fee is $100 and registration is required.
