Watch a 1931 Movie Palace Turn into a Valentine's Tradition
On Valentine's weekend, the marquee lights of downtown's Broadway theatre district pull a crowd that spills from the sidewalk into the lobby of the Los Angeles Theatre, a 1931 movie palace normally closed to the public. Cinespia has historically screened The Notebook here as a Valentine's tradition, with a post-film party in the ornate hall afterward. It is not confirmed annually, so check Cinespia's calendar before you build the night around it. If it is on, buy early and arrive before doors to take in the gilt and chandeliers while the room is still filling.
For a lower-key screening, the rooftop of The Montalbán in Hollywood runs an open-air Valentine's pop-up with a bar, concessions and Wagyu burgers; doors open around 6pm and the film starts around 8pm, 12 and over only. The Paramount Drive-In pairs you with a double feature for a single ticket, from about $13 on weeknights, and you should arrive 30 minutes before showtime. In Downtown, Lucha VaVoom brings masked Mexican wrestling, burlesque and comedy to the Mayan Theatre most years around Valentine's; doors open roughly an hour before showtime and it sells out.
Take to the Water, the Hills and the Skyline
Valentine's Day falls on Sunday, February 14, 2027, which gives you a full weekend to work with. Book a Venetian gondola with a captain through Gondola Getaway on the canals of Naples Island in Long Beach, priced per boat from about $150. Closer to the center, rent a swan boat at Echo Park Lake from $13 an hour — reservations are required and there are no walk-ups, and the night rides put you on lit boats with skyline views. Sunset Ranch Hollywood leads guided horseback rides into the Hollywood Hills at sunset, priced by ride length; call to confirm.
Free options hold their own. Griffith Observatory has free entry, closed Mondays and open Tuesday to Friday 12–10pm and weekends 10am–10pm, with trails open longer. Santa Monica Pier is free and open daily 6am–10pm. In San Marino, The Huntington's 16 themed gardens, including the Rose Garden and Conservatory, run from $29 adult admission on the weekday tier; it is closed Tuesdays and open 10am–5pm otherwise, and timed tickets are advised. Griffith Park and Echo Park Lake are the reliable backups if dinner plans fall through.
Book a Table Where the Room Does the Work
Most LA restaurants post their exact Valentine's menus and pricing in early February, and reservations for the 14th typically fill two to three weeks out — so treat anything circulating before then as a planning guide. In Topanga Canyon, Inn of the Seventh Ray sets candlelit tables under string lights beside a creek, with an award-recognized wine list; a Valentine's prix-fixe ran in 2026 and is expected to return. The Front Yard in North Hollywood is à la carte with a fireplace patio, full bar and private dining room, and happy hour Monday to Friday 3–5:30pm.
Cara Cara sits on the rooftop of the Downtown LA Proper Hotel with skyline views and a wood-fired menu, open until 11pm Sunday to Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. Lumière at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City is a French-leaning brasserie where the hotel has previously bundled Valentine's dinner, brunch and spa into packages; weekend brunch is booked separately from dinner.
Order the Cheesecake Before the Week Fills Up
Eastside Cheesecakes delivers across LA, offers curbside pickup and ships nationwide, with Valentine's flavors that rotate each year. Stock sells out during Valentine's week, so order early — the same goes for flowers. If you are single or going out in a group, LA Fun Events runs speed dating year-round across Sherman Oaks, South Bay, North Hollywood, Long Beach and other neighborhoods, sorted by age bracket on a rotating schedule.
Know the Traffic Before You Commit
On February 14, traffic and parking run heavier than usual near DTLA and Hollywood venues, so build in time or plan around a single neighborhood for the evening. With the holiday landing on a Sunday in 2027, the smart move is to lock in a Friday or Saturday reservation, keep Sunday for the free trails and the pier, and confirm the ticketed events — Cinespia's screening, the Montalbán rooftop, Lucha VaVoom — against their calendars as early February menus and dates go live.