If you’re planning on going out for Valentine’s Day this year change it up. Don’t go on the cliché and typical dinner date. Get to know your date in a unique environment by going on a more adventurous date. El Paso has a lot of great restaurants, but the entries on this list are places that get overlooked or are not as well known. Any one of these places is a great alternative to the small talk over dinner and forces you to get to know your date better.

1. Old Mesilla 

This charming town North of El Paso is the perfect place for an all-day date. Old Mesilla is rich in history and full of interesting shops. This is almost like walking through the streets of Mexico. Spend the day exploring all that Old Mesilla has to offer and end it with dinner at any one of their unique restaurants.

2. Vineyards

If you’re over the age of 21, driving out to a vineyard for Valentine’s Day is the ultimate romantic date. Take a tour of the vineyard and learn how wine is made, and the best part is all of the wine samples you get to drink. The El Paso/Las Cruces area has over four vineyards to chose from. Sunland Winery, Zin Valle, La Vina and Sombra Antigua. 

3. Shundo Dance Studio

This dance studio offers dinner and classes every Friday, and they’re constantly changing up the dance lessons they offer. Take your date here if you’re comfortable enough to dance a with them. Even if you’re not that comfortable it’s a great way to loosen up and get closer. The lessons are usually $10 and its always BYOB.

4. Disaster Room

This date is like none other on this list. At Disaster Room you work in a team to solve riddles and make it out of a room in an hour. It’s a great way to connect with your date because it involves a lot of communication and working together. The themes for each room are different. This month the mystery room themes are “Prison Break Blackout” and “Wild West Meth.”

5. X-Motoball Paintball 

Do something adventurous and different this Valentine’s Day. Take your date paintball shooting. X-Motoball offers the biggest park in town and the cheapest paintball prices. This might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely not your typical date.

6. I Painted That

The sip and paint social art studio provides step-by-step art lessons by local artists. You’re welcome to take your own drinks and snacks for the lesson. There is no way you could go wrong with packing your favorite snacks and getting to paint. This is a more intimate place to take a date or even your friends. Most classes are two hours  for $35 and all of the painting materials are included. There are two locations, one on Mesa and one on Trawood.

7. Alamo Drafthouse

This theater is unlike other movie theaters because you can eat while watching a movie. For a date night, and to avoid the hectic stress of watching a new movie that could be shitty, take a date to a Movie Party that the Drafthouse hosts. The tickets are usually discounted, the movie’s awesomeness is guaranteed and the party aspect makes it a treat. The interactive setting makes for a totally unique date night.

8. Transmountain Elephant Hike

If you wake up at the crack of dawn and can power through a near three-hour hike, it can be fun. Doing it with a person you like is even better. Pack a lunch for two on the way up and camp out in the cave that looks over the Westside of El Paso. Perfect spot for nature views and a cost effective date. Best time to go is around 3 to 4 a.m. so you can watch the sunrise over the horizon. Makes for a cliché, yet romantic trip.

9. Ice Skating

Winter is not over at the El Paso Event Center. Go ice skating in the Sun City. They rent out ice skates, and all you need to bring is your date and a jacket. If you’re inexperienced, they also offer skating lessons that you could take together. After much exhaustion you can just head over to Chico’s Tacos across the street.

10. Wyler Ariel Tramway

For those who are wimps and can’t take hikes, the Wyler Arial Tramway takes people from the base of the mountain all the way up to the peak of the Franklin Mountains. The experience is fun and it allows anybody to experience heights they’ve never dreamed of seeing before. A perfect couples’ spot that has room for dinner afterwards.