For Valentine's Day, restaurants usually unveil a prix fixe menu or special offerings in addition to their regular menu. If a nice meal out isn't your thing, here's my list of other Valentine's Day activities, including cooking classes and chocolate tastings.

Here are a few dinner options that I spotted in my inbox or online:

• Durham's West 94th Street Pub is offering a four-course meal Friday through Valentine's Day and 50 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Dinner costs $25 per person or $35 per person with beer or wine.
• There will be a Valentine's Day Food Truck Rodeo and Fundraiser in Carrboro from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday. See my earlier post for details.
• The Point in Raleigh's Five Points neighborhood is offering a three-course menu for $40 a person. Go HERE to see the menu. (Scroll down a bit to see it.) They are offering that menu on Friday, Saturday and Valentine's Day.
• Tribeca Tavern in North Raleigh and Cary is offering a three-course meal for $50 per couple or a la carte off their special menu. Go HERE to see it.
• Twisted Fork, also in North Raleigh, also is offering a special Valentine's menu.
• Cary's Coffee and Crepes is offering a Valentine's special: a strawberry and nutella crepe. As the owner Terri Pastrana says, "Pair it with a hot mocha latte and you have a smiling date that won't break the bank."
• Raleigh's 42nd Street Oyster Bar is offering a three-course menu for 2 for $65. Go HERE to see the menu.
• bu.ku in Raleigh is offering a special three-course menu that is $75 per couple. The special starts Friday and runs through Valentine's Day. Go HERE to see the menu.
• Jibarra in Raleigh is offering a three-course meal and a margarita for $49. Plus, they will be offering some other specialty cocktails for the occasion. Go HERE to see a menu.
• The Angus Barn in Raleigh is offering a four-course meal on Saturday for $95 with live music and dancing in the pavilion after dinner. Go HERE for details.
• Daniel's in Apex is offering an Almost Valentine's wine dinner on Thursday offering five courses for $75. Go HERE and click on Wine Dinner for details. Daniel's is also offering a special Valentine's Day menu, including lobster bolognese for $22.
• The Matthews House in Cary is offering dinner and dancing from 6:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday. It costs $50 per person. Plus, one lucky couple will win a night in the honeymoon suite. Call 467-1944 for more details and reservations.
• Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary is offering a five-course tasting menu for $85. You can get wine pairings for an additional $35. You can take your date for this special meal on Friday, Sunday, Monday, Feb. 13 and then Feb. 15-Feb. 18. Call 447-4000 for a reservation.
• La Residence in Chapel Hill is offering a three-course meal for $49 or a four-course meal for $65 on Valentine's Day. Call 967-2506 for a reservation.
• Taste Carolina is offering walking tours in Durham and Raleigh on Valentine's Day. Tickets cost $62.50.
• Dos Perros in Durham has posted its Valentine's Day menu, which it will be offering in addition to its regular menu. I'm most intrigued by this drink, which could stand in for dessert: Mexican Affogato, a Mezcal-spiked coffee poured over mole ice cream with house-candied orange peel. 
• Its sister restaurant in Chapel Hill, Jujube also has posted its Valentine's Day menu.
• The Fairview Dining Room at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham is offering a five-course meal for $65. Go HERE for details.
• The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill has a series of dining and overnight stay packages starting at $129. Go HERE to see their offerings. UPDATE: If you just want to dine at the Carolina Crossroads restaurant, there is a special four-course meal with champagne and a rose for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day for $75 per person. On Feb. 11-13, you can enjoy a four-course meal with champagne for $65 per person. Call 918-2735 for a reservation. 
• Il Palio at The Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill is offering a five-course meal for $95. Go HERE to see the menu.
• Chef Chip Smith, formerly of Bonne Soiree, is now cooking at The Inn at Celebrity Dairy in Siler City. They are offering a Valentine's Day menu on Saturday, Sunday and Valentine's Day. Call 742-5176 for details.
• Watts Grocery in Durham is offering a three-course meal for $50. Go HERE to see the menu.
• Foster's Markets in Durham and Chapel Hill are offering a three-course take out meal for two for $75. You must place your order by Saturday to pick up on Valentine's Day. Go HERE to see the menu.

If you would like your restaurant added to this list, please send an email to aweigl@newsobserver.com and put "Valentine's Menu" in the subject line.

Next month, we have teamed up with Taste Carolina, the food tour company, to do a Triangle Foodie Tweetup mini tour. For $15 plus fees, you you'll enjoy visits to Busy Bee Cafe (@BusyBeeCafe), Market Restaurant (@MarketRaleigh), Escazu Chocolates (@EscazuChocolate), and Foundation, where Crumb desserts (@JustCRUMB) will be waiting. Along the way, Taste Carolina (@TasteCarolina) tour guides will share information about the history of the area. The tour is 2-5 p.m. May 22.

Included in your fee is: beer and snacks at Busy Bee, a farm-to-table plate and a cocktail at Market, a tour of Escazu's chocolate factory and a chocolate tasting, and Crumb dessert at Foundation. Additional drinks will be available for purchase at Foundation and along the way.

So join me (@andreaweigl) and Johanna Kramer (@durhamfoodie) for this tour around Raleigh. This walking food tour is limited to 45 people, and tickets must be purchased by Friday, May 13th.

Go HERE to purchase tickets. Ticket sales start at 6 a.m. tomorrow.

And follow the discussion on twitter using this hashtag: #trifoodietweetup

Just a reminder if you are looking for weekend plans: Taste Carolina, a local food tour company, is offering a progressive lunch THIS Saturday of North Hills mall's restaurants and farmers market. The tour runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

For $39.50, you can enjoy tastings at the Midtown Farmers' Market, Mura, Vivace, Coquette and two more restaurants. Other future dates are July 31 and Aug. 14.

For more information, go to www.northhillsraleigh.com or www.tastecarolina.net.

Taste Carolina, a local food tour company, is offering a progressive lunch every other Saturday of North Hills mall's restaurants and farmers market. The next one is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 17.

For $39.50, you can enjoy tastings at the Midtown Farmers' Market, Mura, Vivace, Coquette and two more restaurants. Other future dates are July 31 and Aug. 14.

For more information, go to www.northhillsraleigh.com or www.tastecarolina.net.
 

Lesley Stracks, co-owner of Taste Carolina walking food tours, sent a note about there being plenty of room in this Saturday's tour in Durham. Here are the details:

"Participants walk from the American Tobacco Warehouse through downtown and over to Brightleaf Square. They will stop along the way to sample food at fine dining restaurants, mom and pop sandwich shops, plus beer, wine, chocolate, cupcakes, and gourmet popsicles."

Meet at the Bull City Apartments, corner of Pettigrew and Blackwell. 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday. $37 per person. Register in advance here.