A traveler’s Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to involve just chocolates and champagne in a hotel room. There are plenty of more intellectual pursuits taking place this weekend where you can learn about the birds and the bees, and everything in between!

At the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park, visitors get a firsthand look at the zoo’s romantic pairings and breeding success stories. Their zoo’s great cat curator and cheetah keeper will lead the tour, showcasing the newest additions: seven lions and two cheetah cubs. Cap off the day by decorating your own Valentine’s cookies. Tickets are $15-$25.

Talk about catching the love bug. On Saturday, February 12, entomologists at Albuquerque’s Bugarium Rearing Laboratory will demonstrate techniques used to get insects and spiders to breed. Just don’t get too many ideas: some of these creatures eat their mates! Tickets are $10.

On Friday, February 11 and Saturday, February 12, adults can visit Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo during evening hours for a guided tour of animal pairings. Included is a progressive meal that takes place at various animal habitats throughout the park. Parents can take advantage of the zoo’s childcare services, which include pizza and entertainment for the kids. Tickets are $50-$55 (not including childcare).

Rainforest aficionados and shark lovers should especially enjoy the one-hour Love Tour at the Minnesota Zoo on February 14. Guests are taken on a tour along the Tropics Trail indoor rain forest, with an expert guide explaining the breeding behavior of animals encountered along the way. Following the tour is a romantic dinner at Discovery Bay, the multi-aquarium marine center featuring more than 1 million gallons of water. Tickets are $175 per couple.

Carrie Bradshaw may be a die-hard New Yorker, but leave it to L.A. to bring Sex and the City to the zoo. The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden is hosting Sex and the City Zoo II on February 14, giving insight into the pros and cons of animal relationships in a provocative presentation. Extra bonus: the event is sponsored by a Whole Foods Market and Herzog Wine Cellars so you can expect desserts and wines worth swooning over.

Forget about a night at the museum. Roar and Snore is the adults-only sleepover at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Explore the park after dark with guided walks to learn about the love lives of animals and breeding practices at the zoo, along with a candlelit dinner and a romantic night in a tent.

Two real-life lovebirds, Georgia Aquarium‘s Senior Animal Care Specialist Patrica Dove and her husband, Dr. Al Dove, are hosting this year’s Motions of the Oceans. This “kinky” program is centered around the sex life of marine animals. The lecture and dinner costs $76-$168.

Spend an evening under the stars … literally. The Daniel M. Soref Planetarium at the Milwaukee Public Museum is hosting a three-evening event February 12, 13, and 14 inside their planetarium, with an astronomy lesson that focuses on constellations relating to love. Admission is $20 per couple.

The Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History is also hosting a Valentine’s Day event. Here guests will eat chocolate-covered strawberries in the planetarium while listening to the Josh Rutner Quartet. During the second part of the evening visitors are guided through romantic myths and legends that relate to the night sky. Admission is $75 per person.

Gallery talks are a regular event at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, but this Valentine’s Day the talk is themed for the occasion: Venus: Goddess of Love. Taking place every Saturday at noon, this 20-minute talk takes a look at the various works of art depicting the goddess of love.

On February 12, the High Museum in Atlanta will be transformed into a French cabaret in honor of the current Toulouse-Lautrec & Friends exhibition. This means classical French guitar, French food, a cabaret singer, and French dance performances. Turn this into a participatory event by taking advantage of cancan lessons! Tickets are $25 or $40 per couple.

A naked scavenger hunt? Well, sort of. Watson Adventures organizes naked museum scavenger hunts around the country. But rather than participants roaming the streets in the buff, the scavenger hunts involve clues in the artwork that feature nudity. Hunts take place in various museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Philadelphia Museum, and the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.

By Jessica Kate Soberman for PeterGreenberg.com