In lieu of Valentine’s Day that’s around the corner (less than a week away, OMG!), I thought it’d be fun to give you all a list of fun date night ideas just to spice things up. Going to the movies and having dinner is fun and all, but it’s a little played out by now. SO, let’s get straight to it then, shall we?
DISCLAIMER: This list of ideas is meant for you and your partner ONLY. If you have kids, plan a night where they can stay at grandma and grandpa’s or Auntie’s house. These date ideas are all about you and your boo – learning one another again, enjoying each other’s company, and discovering and experiencing something new with one another. Also, should you decide to indulge in one of these date ideas, keep an open mind and let loose a little. Enjoy yourselves.
NOW, back to the regularly scheduled program.
- Dinner at a restaurant neither of you have been to. It’s easy to fall into the regular routine of eating at the same place every Friday night, but doing this becomes redundant and quite simply: boring. Let this date night be the one where you finally try the new place that just opened up Downtown, or the place you’ve both passed on your way home from work since it opened and just haven’t found the time to try. You’d be surprised how good it feels to try something new. And while you’re at it, take a walk around the stores or area that surrounds the restaurant. Visit a boutique and find yourselves a small souvenir as a reminder of the night you both shared. This will help you remember this night when you each fall back into the swing of everyday life.
- Dinner and an arcade. Arcade’s are the place you go to when you want to feel like a kid again. They are so much fun and they really allow you to let loose and live in the moment. You and your boo could enjoy a couple of drinks, play some air hockey or pin ball, all while laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Isn’t that what date night is all about? There couldn’t be a better option for two lovebirds who want to laugh with one another.
- Farmer’s Market Dinner. Now this is an option that takes a bit of preparation and could possibly be two dates in one (depending on your schedule and planning). For this at home date, you and your other half would first decide on a recipe you’d like to cook together (Here is a link to my Pinterest board of FOOD). Then you could spend the afternoon at the farmer’s market finding all organic and locally grown produce/ingredients for your recipe. Spend the evening with a glass of wine, cooking and listening to your favorite Pandora station. See where the night takes you once you’ve had dinner and some wine. *Wink wink*
- Visit a museum or art exhibit. I’m a firm believer in experiencing and learning together as a couple. Do I think buying each other things is nice and exciting? Yes, of course! But there is nothing like learning together. Creating memories that last a lifetime is more valuable than stuff. Period. So with this idea, choose a museum or art exhibit that interests you (Korner’s Folly in Kernersville, NC, Civil Rights Museum, Greensboro, NC, Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNCG Campus to name a few). Learn all that you can and talk about it with one another. This allows you to grow in knowledge independently and grow in communication with one another. Such a rewarding and humbling experience, I promise.
- Visit a self-care store and buy each other a gift to use that night at home. This date night idea can be paired with other ideas on this list or done separately. However you choose, this is certain to be a sensual date night experience. Stores like Lush, Ulta, and Target (my all time fav) offer an assortment of self-care products that you each can use separately or together. Get creative. Remember to remain open minded. You will be happily surprised.
- Flip a coin. Heads is left, tails is right. This last date night idea holds a special place in my heart. On Tim and I’s first date, we took a penny and flipped it at each intersection or road we came across. Head’s was left and tails was right. Instead of choosing a place to eat, the penny lead us to this place called Mac’s Speed Shop. It was fun because it took us to a place we had never been but it also made things interesting and for us, it helped break the ice being that we were both nervous. This idea is non-conventional and it may lead you to a place you’ve been to (or to the middle of nowhere, which if this happens you can play by your own rules) but the point is to do a new thing.
You and your significant other deserve the best of one another. Sometimes, life and hardships get in the way, but you are each deserving of the other’s time and attention. I hope you’ll find these ideas to be useful, fun, and worthy of trying out.
Now it’s your turn. I want to know what you thought of these ideas. Perhaps you tried one, I want to know how it went, what you changed up about it – all the details. Leave a comment below! Share the love with all your friends too and tell them to follow us so they can join all the fun we have here at The Juicy Pepper! As always, we hope you’ve enjoyed and we look forward to hearing about your experiences. Peace and love.
xoxo, Caitlin
