Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about expensive activities. Take your date and a picnic blanket, and head to any of these city spots for a day of free love
There are plenty of spots in the city to enjoy a lovely date without shelling out money. Representational pic/istock
Sagar kinaare dil ye pukaare
Pic/Wikimedia Commons
Craving the sound of crashing waves and sand between your toes? Skip the crowded Girgaum and Juhu Chowpatty and head straight to Bordi Beach in Dahanu. This pristine beach is yet to be discovered by most Mumbaikars and is perfect for lovebirds looking to get away for the day. You can drive down from Mumbai, which takes between three and four hours, or you can take a local train to Dahanu and then catch a bus or autorickshaw to the beach, which will take about two-and-a-half hours. Be sure to pack plenty of snacks for the journey, a picnic mat to snooze on at the beach and a playlist with some romantic tunes to set the mood for your beach date!
Did you say cheesy?
Cheese and crackers, sandwiches, hot coffee or cool lemonade—what more do you need for a cute picnic date at Five Gardens in Matunga? This is one of the few public parks in the city that allow food inside, and we say there’s no time like Valentine’s Day to make full use of this. The weather gods continue to bless us with pleasant mornings and evenings this month, and the garden is abloom with winter flowers. Lay out a couple of blankets and enjoy a heart-to-heart conversation with your beloved, or make things more exciting with a board game.
Blush with flamingos
Pic/Rane Ashish
For some pink romance, take a picnic blanket and head to Flamingo Point behind Delhi Public School on Palm Beach Road, Navi Mumbai. Mumbai is in the midst of its peak flamingo-watching season, when lakhs of these long-legged beauties can be spotted at wetlands across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Early mornings and evenings are best for sightings, as the flamingos take off to find shelter during the hotter afternoon hours. There’s no need to book expensive boat rides, just settle down on the banks of the water body and wait patiently—the birds will appear.
Romance through the ages
File pic/Ashish Raje
Nothing says timeless romance like art. Take your date to the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, which reopened just last month after a four-year hiatus during which the 19th-century structure underwent extensive restoration. The exteriors and interiors both are painted a fresh celadon green—the shade used for Russia’s famous State Hermitage Museum. The interior also features a breath-taking grand staircase and hall, adorned with gold gilding.
The golden hour date
A sunset date by the sea at the Bandra Fort promenade is sure to impress your date. PIC/ASHISH RAJE
Sure, Marine Drive is iconic, but Bandra now has its own promenade that’s just as pretty, with the same iconic views of the Sea Link. Head to Bandra Fort, which recently opened after an extensive two-year makeover, for a romantic sunset date by the sea. Take a stroll along the promenade and feast your eyes on the beautiful garden. Also check out the historic fort itself, which was built by the Portuguese in 1640 as a watchtower by the Arabian Sea. Two decades later, it was also used to keep an eye on the seven islands of Bombay to the south of Bandra that were handed over to the British. Just keep in mind that the gardens are only open between 6 and 10 am, and 4 and 6 pm, and time your date accordingly.
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