Valentine's Day is only about a month away, which means now is the time to start planning for the big day. Most Valentine's Day dates pretty much just amount to dinner and a show. That can be a nice date, but it isn't very creative, unless you take your date to watch the new Deadpool movie (which isn't a love story, despite the claim of some previews). If you are looking to be original this Valentine's Day, try one of these five unusual date ideas.

Take Monday Off

Valentine's Day this year falls on a Sunday. If you plan in advance, this is a great opportunity to make your date a long weekend. By gifting each other the extra day, you can both enjoy an extended romantic date with less stress from having to worry about returning to work. The best way to take advantage of the extra day is to take a trip for the long weekend (like a ski trip) and then enjoy hassle free travel on Monday when you return.

Couples Trivia (or Golf or Card Games...)

Are you and your significant other competitive? Embrace your competitive nature by engaging in some kind of competition with other couples. You get to enjoy all the bonding that is involved when cooperating with your loved one while also enjoying the competitive nature of trying to win as a team. It is a Valentine's Day date you will remember forever.

The Online Date

If you met on an online dating site this is a perfect way to reminisce about your first meeting. The trick to an online date is to take advantage of the internet as much as possible in a way that inclusively includes both partners. Spend some of the day shopping together, order food online for lunch, dinner, or both, and watch romantic or funny videos on YouTube. One of the nice benefits of this type of date is that you don't need to ever leave your home, if you don't want to, though you may enjoy it more if you dress in your absolute finest and go to a cyber cafe.

Summer in February

The biggest downside to Valentine's Day is that it occurs in the middle of February, one of the coldest months of the year. That doesn't have to stop you from enjoying the day like it is the middle of August. Between resorts and country clubs, you can easily find plenty of traditional summer activities that are available even in February. If you know where to look, you can even find an indoor beach that is open year round. Romance will definitely be in the air when you and your date are pulling out your shorts, sunglasses, and beach towels for a summer themed Valentine's Day date.

Recreate Your First Date

Simply going to the same restaurant and watching the same movie isn't enough to make this a great Valentine's Day date (though, hopefully your first date was more creative than dinner and a movie). To truly make it special, recreate the day perfectly. Put on the same music that was playing at the time, pull out the same outfits that were worn, even change your hair if it was different then (or wear a wig). This is particularly effective if you have been dating for many years and the date is a throwback to another decade.