Some suckers don’t like Valentine’s Day. To them I say, “Go fish!”

It was my turn to plan our Valentine’s Day activities this year. I kept it simple yet themed. In the morning, I adorned Jason’s office with sappy aquatic valentines, a hint of what was to come.

In the evening, Jason and I went to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium for its Kisses & Fishes event. All the exhibits were open for this special occasion. Tasting stations and energetic music added to the celebratory feel of the affair, but more importantly, children were not allowed to attend. I repeat, no kids! If you’ve ever gone to an aquarium when it’s so packed with children that you can hardly navigate around the tangle of strollers or see past the faces smashed against the glass, you’ll understand the pleasure of a kid-free experience.

I love otters, so we spent a large share of the night watching these playful fellows dive and frolic. We also loafed beneath the aquarium’s 15,000-gallon shark tank while spotted leopard and white-tip reef sharks glided over our heads.

It was a sweet and salty evening. Although relaxing, our plans were still worthy of the holiday. Valentine’s Day celebrations don’t have to be extravagant to be memorable. Take that all you Valentine’s Day whalers!