BUCKHANNON – Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and love is in the air.

Have you figured out how to serenade that special someone?

Regardless of whether you’re paired up or single and ready to mingle, Buckhannon is going to be a lively place this Valentine’s Day with a variety of options from which to choose, whether you’re looking for a traditional romantic date, a good time with one of your girlfriends or searching for a special place to treat yourself.

And there’s no need to head north, south, east or west – local restaurants, clothing shops, ice cream parlors and bars are joining in the heart-themed festivities right here in Upshur County.

The 88 Restaurant & Lounge has arranged a four-course plated dinner. Guests will be allowed to choose an appetizer, soup or salad, entrée and dessert from their special Valentine’s Day menu. The options for the entrée will be a mushroom tart with gruyere cheese, Vietnamese spring rolls with a trio sauce or fontina-bacon wrapped dates with a balsamic reduction.

The choices for the soup or salad will be shrimp bisque with jumbo crab or mixed greens with caramelized fennel pickled beets, sweet and spicy pine nuts, goat cheese and a red wine vinaigrette. The entrée choices include prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast with a mustard glaze, gruyere risotto and wilted spinach; lobster ravioli in a sherry crabmeat cream sauce; or a grilled 6-ounce sirloin with potatoes Anna, roasted Romanesco cauliflower and bordelaise sauce.

Don’t forget dessert: options are a dark chocolate peanut butter bombe with peanut brittle or trio of cream puffs with white chocolate drizzle: raspberry orange, coconut lime and lemon ginger.

This special Valentine’s Day menu will be the only one on the docket for the evening, and dinner will be served from 5-9:30 p.m. The dinner will cost $39.95 per person and reservations are not required, but bartender and waitress with the 88 Lindsey Putzulu said she recommends them.

“We always have a really good turnout for our Valentine’s Day dinners,” Putzulu said. “It’s a great atmosphere and really great food, perfect for a date night.”

She also said the evening will have entertainment with Emay performing.

“She’s really good,” Putzulu said. “She’s played here before and I think it will be a really nice night with some fun music and good food.”

Another local restaurant offering a romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day is Fish Hawk Acres.

Fish Hawk Acres will be serving a four-course dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It will include an appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert. The appetizer course will be wild mushroom strudel with goat cheese and oven-roasted tomatoes with micro basil. The salad course will be chef’s choice garden salad and FHA bread basket and butter.

The entrée choices are smoked beef short rib with red wine demi-glace with bouquetiere of baby vegetable or Coquilles St. Jacques (Gratineed driver scallops) with bouquetiere of baby vegetables or mushroom and spinach ravioli with chive butter sauce.

The dessert course will feature tuxedo strawberries with callabeaut chocolate, tiramisu or a lemon tart. There are two seating times for the dinner – at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the cost is $50 per person.

Acclaimed chef and FHA owner Dale Hawkins said the 7 p.m. seating is already almost full.

“I think people should come here because we have darn good food,” Hawkins said. “We really try to make it special for the love birds.”

Fish Hawk Acres is also offering “Sweets for your Sweetie,” where customers may place an order of limited-time special Valentine’s Day desserts – some may not return to the ‘Hawk until next Valentine’s Day. These desserts can be preordered or ordered on or before Feb. 11. Choices comprise chocolate-covered strawberries; tuxedo strawberries and heart-shaped linzer cookies; berry tarts; and cheesecake for two in three different flavors: New York-style, triple chocolate or chocolate raspberry. Other options include chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache, red velvet cupcakes, heart-shaped brownies, Rice Krispy treat hearts and Valentine’s Day cut-out cookies.

Alfredo’s Restaurant will be offering two special dinner options this Valentine’s Day.

A couple can choose between the $24.99 option, where they may select two from the follow array of items – spaghetti, mancotti, ravioli or mixed pasta lasagna. There’s also the $29.99 option where the couple chooses two options between the shrimp or chicken de’ lgiardino, alfredo, or spicy pasta cacciatore. Both options come with bread, salads and drinks.

Alfredo’s opened it’s Buckhannon location in the fall. The Italian and Greek restaurant is located our Route 20 South in Tennerton. It’s open Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant can be reached by phone at 304-439-2656 or 304-439-2657.

Thirsty for an after-dinner drink? Stop by The Social Bar’s “I Love Beer, But I Love You, Too” Valentine’s Day party, which will take place form 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. They’ll have a couple of special drinks available as well: a bleeding heart cocktail and a chocolate-covered strawberry shot.

Still looking for the perfect gift for that special someone?

Caroline’s Closet – a specialty boutique located in Northridge Plaza – is also joining in the Valentine’s Day spirit by offering a Valentine’s Day giveaway. Caroline’s Closet prides itself in being on the cusp of the latest fashion trends, carrying an array of stylish clothing, jewelry and handbags.

Whenever a customer spends $25 in the store, her or his name is entered in a drawing for either a $50 Visa gift card and a dozen roses. The drawing will take place Feb. 12.

Sweet-a-licious also has a few Valentine’s Day themed treats on the menu.

“This week in the shop we are having a variety of chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered pretzels,” said owner Michelle Jack. “It is best to place an order for these ahead of time but will have some available in the shop. You can place your order by going to our Facebook page and sending us a message or by calling the shop at 304-472-6189 or 304-677-8393.”

Couples can also stop by beginning on Valentine’s Day for some sweets made for two.

“On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we will be featuring a few special sweet treats to share with your ‘sweetie’ — a banana split for two, a hot fudge sundae for two and a strawberry milk shake with chocolate drizzle and cookie straws,” Jack said. “We encourage couples to come into the shop and share a delicious treat while listening to Valentine radio on Sirius. We also have some gift baskets available which feature a bag of Mountain Roaster Coffee, a Hershey’s coffee cup, a soft throw/blanket, a few assorted candy bars and a gift card for a free ice cream.”