Creative "Date night" ideas...anyone?

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My hubby and I, now that are kids are older (12 and 15), are able to go out for an evening, a little more frequently than we used to. By frequently, I mean, once per week, or every other week. My husband has a hectic work schedule so sometimes, it might only be once every two weeks. But, at any rate…he has asked me to come up with some creative ideas to do together…here is what I have come up with so far…
  1. taking up golf together (both VERY excited about this because we are not golfers at all, and my sister is GIVING ME her clubs, as she is buying a new set–so it won’t cost us much to get started!👍 )
  2. visiting art gallery ‘grand openings’ (he is a little:rolleyes: on that one lol but he’s game)
  3. beach picnic
  4. wine tasting and wine classes (we did this last summer and loved it)
  5. taking cooking class together
  6. enrolling in photography class
  7. ???
And then I’m stumped. 😊 My husband loves art, but…he isn’t too keen on hanging out with local artists all night…but, it might be cool for a try, he said.

Outside of the typical dinner & a movie, which is always a good staple…anyone have creative ideas, that can be done either in an afternoon, or evening? Thanks in advance.🙂
 
colorful said:
what about skating? (roller or ice!)
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Hmmm! Hey now, I hadn’t thought of this. Thanks! We both ice skated in the past…that could be fun.🙂

My husband’s idea was to go to an indoor football game? Not sure about that one!😛
 
I live out in the country, but if you can get away from the city lights on a clear night (moonless, preferably), pack a light picnic (cheese, fruit, a little wine or coffee maybe) and a blanket and go look at the stars, meteorites, satellites, etc. If you have a pickup truck, just lay the blanket down in the bed and watch the heavens. Talk about cheap entertainment! You can always check on the Internet for the best dates and times to view meteor showers (mid-August is always good and only a couple weeks away!)

When DH and I do this (on our back deck) we somehow always seem to get into the deepest conversations of our lives and learn more about each other than we would over dinner in a restaurant. We love it!
 
Snorkeling.

Fishing.

Ballroom dancing or swing dance lessons

Local little theatre (not just going to the plays, but, becoming part of the production).
 
bluerose said:
I live out in the country, but if you can get away from the city lights on a clear night (moonless, preferably), pack a light picnic (cheese, fruit, a little wine or coffee maybe) and a blanket and go look at the stars, meteorites, satellites, etc. If you have a pickup truck, just lay the blanket down in the bed and watch the heavens. Talk about cheap entertainment! You can always check on the Internet for the best dates and times to view meteor showers (mid-August is always good and only a couple weeks away!)

When DH and I do this (on our back deck) we somehow always seem to get into the deepest conversations of our lives and learn more about each other than we would over dinner in a restaurant. We love it!
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I really have tears in my eyes reading this, truly. :o My husband loves astronomy, anything doing with star gazing, etc…and this might be perfect. Oh wow, he would love this idea!!! I actually live in a more rural area (that is booming now with great restaurants and stores, etc) than a city area, so we might not have to go very far…although, there are big bugs here in Florida. 😊
 
kage_ar said:
Snorkeling.

Fishing.

Ballroom dancing or swing dance lessons

Local little theatre (not just going to the plays, but, becoming part of the production).
Click to expand...
these are great people–do you all moonlight as dating coaches, or something?😃 I like the participating in plays idea…thank you!!
 
Have you heard of geocaching? Check out www.geocaching.com DH and I bought a GPS unit for our birthdays this year and have spent a lot of time together searching for geocaches. We’ve been hiking, done some urban caching. It’s been really fun and helped us reconnect as a married couple.

We also go shooting together too. We have the best dates. 😃
 
In the summer your city may have some outdoor movies or plays, sometimes concerts. Our city does jazz concerts which is fun to go to because couples dance.

Also in the summer, check for drive-in movie theaters! I love going to the drive-in. It’s so much fun!

Then there’s:
picnics, fairs/festivals, bowling, skating, hiking
 
I am excited to see the ideas. We have been finishing our basement for the last three years so all our dates consist of going out to eat and then shopping for the basement. My husband and I can’t agree on movies and I usually just fall to sleep anyway. My husband complains about our date life all the time, but so far he isn’t willing to help come up with ideas or shop for the basement with kids:shrug: .
 
**I second the dance lessons idea! It is something I have wanted to do with hubby since before we were even married (don’t you just love the “we don’t know how to dance so we’ll just hug and move First Dance?”)😛

and my contribution to your thread is going horseback riding. It was something I used to love back in my younger years and I actually convinced hubby to go one time a few years ago and he actually had fun (a little sore, but still fun).
**
 
What great suggestions.

Check your local paper for community events. Where I live there’s usually outdoor concerts and festivals going on. We also have a presidential library that usually has great exhibits – right now there’s one on professional baseball through the years that seems like it would be interesting. You could drive to a small town and just check out the main square – they usually have neat little antique shops and mom&pop restraunts.

Just my two cents 😃

Paula
 
Here’s a list of creative date ideas I made a few years ago when I was dating a man who did nothing but take me out for dinner. That ended quickly, but I saved the list in case I ever needed ideas. Then when I was single I continued to add to the list everytime I wanted to do something that would have been nice for a couple to do. I’d be happy to share my list with you.
  • Try a new sport
  • go to a sports game
  • cook together
  • play board games
  • learn a language together
  • go to a spa
  • get a massage
  • go window shopping
  • take photographs
  • take a roadtrip
  • make a scrapbook
  • read stories aloud
  • go to an outdoor market
  • go to a beach
  • eat a local specialty food
  • host a party
  • paint pictures outdoors
  • make a project
  • go to a concert
  • go to the circus
  • go to an amusement park
  • go ice skating
  • rent a bicycle built for two
  • play with firecrackers
  • rent a canoe or a kayak
  • go rafting
  • visit a local tourist attraction
  • try a new foreign restaurant
  • fly kites
  • play pool
  • play video games
  • go bungee jumping
  • visit a local ethnic neighbourhood (like Chinatown)
Take them or leave them - they’re up for grabs.
 
I’ve got to give a resounding “yes” to the dance lesson suggestions. Back in the early 90’s, when we were in our late 30s, dh and I started ballroom lessons at our local studio. I had always wanted to learn; I can’t sing to save my life, but had always wanted to dance, and had never taken ballet, Irish step dancing (which was big in the Boston area when I was growing up), etc., so this sounded great. Our daughters’ pediatrician and her husband brought us to the studio for one of their “dance parties” as guests, and I was hooked. DH wasn’t as thrilled at first, but we had excellent teachers and he is very musical and can hear the beat, so we did pretty well. I stayed with it for years, and competed on an amateur level (swing, West Coast swing and cha cha were my favorites.) I can say it is the most fun I have had as an adult.

We live in an area that is very social, with Mardi Gras and other balls (live orchestras and all) so we get a chance to dance every now and then. We’d been to a dance just last week and decided to look into one of the newer studios that have frequent group lessons (MUCH less expensive) and “parties” where you can practice. There are also lessons offered through local universities for very little money. It is such fun, not to mention great exercise, and a whole lot more interesting than my treadmill!

I really urge you to look into this; men often loathe the idea at first, but if your dh can actually hear a beat, you’re home free. (Now, be patient; women have often been waiting their whole lives to take up ballroom dance and tend to learn more quickly. And DON’T try to lead!)

Have fun trying out all the suggestions (I’m going to take another look at that long list, too…
 
Just_wondering said:
Here’s a list of creative date ideas I made a few years ago when I was dating a man who did nothing but take me out for dinner. That ended quickly, but I saved the list in case I ever needed ideas. Then when I was single I continued to add to the list everytime I wanted to do something that would have been nice for a couple to do. I’d be happy to share my list with you.
  • Try a new sport
  • go to a sports game
  • cook together
  • play board games
  • learn a language together
  • go to a spa
  • get a massage
  • go window shopping
  • take photographs
  • take a roadtrip
  • make a scrapbook
  • read stories aloud
  • go to an outdoor market
  • go to a beach
  • eat a local specialty food
  • host a party
  • paint pictures outdoors
  • make a project
  • go to a concert
  • go to the circus
  • go to an amusement park
  • go ice skating
  • rent a bicycle built for two
  • play with firecrackers
  • rent a canoe or a kayak
  • go rafting
  • visit a local tourist attraction
  • try a new foreign restaurant
  • fly kites
  • play pool
  • play video games
  • go bungee jumping
  • visit a local ethnic neighbourhood (like Chinatown)
Take them or leave them - they’re up for grabs.
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Can you plan our date night, JW?:o Seriously, your ideas are great! I like the local ethnic neighborhood idea, and also the board games. My husband and I love monopoly, but have gotten away from it. He taught me how to play poker a few years ago, but that was kind of a disaster…lol I don’t have a poker face, let’s say, but it was funny to watch a beginner, he said.😛 Thanks so much for these thoughts…these will keep us busy for a year, or so!🙂
 
Feanaro_s_Wife said:
**I second the dance lessons idea! It is something I have wanted to do with hubby since before we were even married (don’t you just love the “we don’t know how to dance so we’ll just hug and move First Dance?”)😛

and my contribution to your thread is going horseback riding. It was something I used to love back in my younger years and I actually convinced hubby to go one time a few years ago and he actually had fun (a little sore, but still fun).
**
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It’s funny you say horseback riding, Malia…we moved from PA to a semi-rural area (although there are plenty of cool shops and restaurants) there are still plenty of cow and horse farms not too far from us. It’s sort of an ecclectic area, with farms and golf courses, lol. There is actually a horse farm literally less than 3 miles from our home, and my dh LOVES horseback riding…I’m a little skittish, as it’s been years since I have been on a horse, but I’m game, I guess. Good idea!🙂
 
Dance lessons, YES!!!

How about massages at a spa followed by romantic dinner? Or massage lessons?

How bout renting scooters or jet skis and having some outdoor fun? Some places have those Segway scooters now and tours?

Dinner cruise?

Local live theatre tickets?

Mini-golf and go carts? karoke nights? crazy fun there…:rolleyes:
 
Try: antiqueing, birdwatching, polka lessons (the ultimate aerobic dance) square dance lessons (great way to meet folks), joining a local bridge club and taking painting lessons to be followed by painting outdoor scenes.

And, check out the local colleges during the academic year. Colleges offer good public lectures, plays, sporting events, concerts, student recitals. Most activities will be free (or with a modest charge for non-students).
 
I am completely stealing all ideas in this thread! 😃

My dh & I just had a date night - a freebie one, no less, as my IL’s had our son, so no need to pay a babysitter - last night. We went out to dinner (we’ve only had the gift cards for this for 6 months now LOL), and then it was like we both stalled out - we had no clue what to do. We joked that we’ve both turned old (hardly, as I’m 32 and he’s almost 37) and boring already, and only 7 1/2 years into our marriage! haha

We finally settled on just roaming; ended up walking around Walmart, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble. 🤷 At least we enjoyed just being together without interruptions! 👍
 
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