The Best Date Ideas in Vancouver

Dinner and a movie makes for a decent enough night on the town (particularly since Fifth Avenue banned the under-19 crowd—sorry, not sorry), but more intriguing itineraries await.

Cook Up a Storm

Judy Lam Maxwell is your third-wheel-slash-food-guru for a delicious dumpling masterclass: follow her through her fave Chinatown markets as she scouts for ingredients before heading back to the Sai Woo kitchen to get hands-on and wrap, pinch and fry together like a pro. Dumpling Masterclass, Chinatown, three hours, $127 per person, airbnb.ca/experiences

Get Your Groove Back

Even the most feeble-footed date can’t help but bust a move when the Supremes come on, so come to the Fox Cabaret on Motown Party night (the last Friday of every month) prepared to sweat and strut the night away as DJs spin Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5 and the like. Motown Party, 2321 Main St., $8 advance tickets, foxcabaret.com

Make a Perfect East Van Pairing

When “grabbing a drink” extends into two or three, you’re going to need a little sustenance to keep the good times rolling: so start your night at Boxcar exploring the 24 craft beers on tap, and when the time comes to carbo-load, pop next door to Pizzeria Farina to grab a takeout pie (try the fennel sausage-topped Finocchiona) and bring it right back to your table without missing a beat. The Boxcar, 923 Main St., thecobalt.ca/the-boxcar; Pizzeria Farina, 915 Main St., pizzeriafarina.com

Head for the Hills

Is moonlit fondue a little bit cheesy in more ways than one? Sure. But if we’re not leaning into a little winter romance now and again, what’s the point of living next to these mountains? A guided Cypress snowshoe tour will take you out to explore winding, snowy forest paths and up to Hollyburn Lodge, where the bubbling pots of cheese and chocolate (and a good excuse to snuggle for warmth) await. Cypress Mountain, Cheese and Chocolate Fondue Tour, four hours, $89 each, cypressmountain.com

Treat Yo’self

This is the marathonof all couples’ spa treatments: Chi, theSpa at Shangri-La’s Couples Retreat package offers over three hours ofside-by-side treatments that take you and your boo from foot bath to West Coastscrub and wrap to the infinity bath and matching massages. And if, somehow,you’re still stressing, linger in the whirlpool or grab a vaguely health-mindedcocktail in the Ginger Juice Bar—because everything tastes better when you’rewearing bathrobes.

Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La, 1128 W Georgia St., three hours, $750 per couple, shangri-la.com