If you’re ever feeling a need for inspiration on what the heck to do for your sweetie for a surprise, or just for your weekly/monthly/yearly date night, a wise couple once gave me a great idea that i had to share with all our date night blog readers.
They made a long list of things they both wanted to try: local area restaurants, movies to go see or rent, events to hit up, attractions to visit… And they put these ideas on little scraps of paper. These scraps went into a jar, to be saved for a rainy day.
[Cute Jar!]
When Date Night rolls around, you simply draw an idea from the jar. You don’t like the idea you drew? Well, the rule is you HAVE to do it! … but if, say, your date involves planting an herb-garden outside, yet it’s pouring down rain, well, i think that gives you liberty to draw again.
So, i suggest you make your own jar-o-fun! Here is a sample list i found on About.com to get you started. Take some or all of these as your starter dates, and, as a new restaurant opens that you want to try, or you hear of a fun new massage parlor in town that’s open late night, a local burlesque show opens up down the street, or your sweet pea mentions their love for Opera… throw it in the jar, and ENJOY!
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1. Pick up the ingredients you need to create a fabulous meal at the grocery store and then return home and cook it together.
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2. Throw a slumber party for two. Have dinner in bed and have each other for dessert.
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3. Plan a movie night. Rent a flick that you’ll both enjoy, make popcorn, and get cozy under the blanket on the couch.
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4. Go for a hike or long walk together.
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5. Get coffee at your favorite coffee house and just talk to one another.
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6. Swim, lounge, and enjoy a day at the beach or pool.
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7. Go to a theme park and clutch each other on the scary rides.
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8. Perform a duet at a karaoke bar.
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9. If you’re adventure seekers, you can go skydiving together.
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10. Head to the zoo or museum. Stroll through the exhibits, hold hands, and comment on what you see and learn.
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11. Attend a concert and sing out loud to one another. Rocking out – even if you’re more Beethoven than Bon Jovi – is a great stress reliever.
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12. Take a sculpting or drawing class together. Or go to one of those stores where you can paint pottery. Your art will give your beloved a new window into your personality.
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13. Miniature golf, bowling, pool, or the arcade are always great for some old-fashioned fun and friendly competition.
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14. Go to a diner and share a milkshake. Delicious!
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15. Sledding is a delight for children of all ages.
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16. Rent a motor scooter and go for a spin. Think Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday!
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17. Flowers are an eternal symbol of romance. Head to the botanical gardens and learn all about them together.
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18. Take a road trip to the city if you live in the country or to the country if you live in the city. See how the other half lives.
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19. Fill up a picnic basket with goodies – bread, wine, cheese, fruit. Go to the park and share your feast with one another. Don’t forget your picnic blanket.
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20. Act like tourists in your own neighborhood. Go to one of the major sites, take photos, and pretend you’re seeing this place again for the first time.
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21. Draw sketches of one another. Even if you can’t draw, you’ll have fun and create a lovely memory.
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22. Shoot each other – at your nearby paint ball or laser tag facility.
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23. Glide at the nearest ice skating rink.
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24. Camp out and kiss under the stars. Roast marshmallows to boot. If you are not the outdoor types, head to the planetarium for safer star gazing.
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25. Root for the home team at a sporting event of your choice. Indulge in hot dogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jack.
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26. Climb a wall or a real mountain together. This sort of activity is fun but also helps couples build trust.
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27. Wine. Tasting.
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28. Volunteer for a worthy cause together. Visit the ill, organize a fundraiser for a non-profit, or work at a shelter. You’ll spend time with each other, but you’ll also make a difference and help others.
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29. Try your luck at a casino.
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30. Look at the homes and properties for sale in your area. You may find a bargain that you’ll actually buy or you’ll just dream out loud about your future together. Either way, you win!
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31. Have a tournament of your choice – Battleship, Monopoly, cards, Playstation, etc. For a twist, the winner has to take the loser out to dinner for another date night.
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32. Think outside the box and go out for a romantic breakfast instead of dinner.
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33. Shop together for something you want but do not actually need – a stereo, fancy barware, a home theater.
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34. Go to a club and dance all night like you did when you were single – but this time dance with each other.
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35. Have dessert for dinner – a huge sundae, sinful brownies, decadent cheesecake.
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36. A poetry reading can spark romance – or at the very least a stimulating conversation.
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37. Political rallies get couples united behind a candidate who they think could improve their lives. It gives them a sense of accomplishment, too.
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38. Make love and go all out. Wear sexy lingerie, send each other naughty text messages beforehand, light candles, throw rose petals on and around the bed, use edible body paints – whatever you must do to take the romance up a notch.
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39. Take a hot air balloon ride.
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40. Watch the sun rise or set from a beautiful location.
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41. Pick a restaurant that serves an exotic, ethnic cuisine neither of you has ever tried before. Be as daring as you can with what you order. You just might like it!
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42. Learn a romantic foreign language – French, Italian, Spanish. Then, practice talking to each other around the house but especially when you’re in the mood for love.
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43. Rent a boat or head to a dock and go fishing. You can cook your catch later in the day, so it’s like two dates in one.
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44. Accomplish a fun home project. Paint your basement a bright, new color, install your home theater, create a collage of wedding photos for the wall. You’ll work as a team and feel a whole new kind of satisfaction when you’re done.
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45. At your favorite local pub or bar, order champagne and flirt with each other all night long. If you’re into role playing, you could even take on different personas for the evening and act like you’ve just met. Stay in character until you get home.
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46. Have a snow ball or water balloon fight. Water pistol shootouts can be lots of fun, too.
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47. Make out like teenagers on the couch.
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48. Have high tea replete with scones and cucumber sandwiches at a ritzy hotel or tea house.
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49. Bump each other with bumper cars.
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50. Get a couple’s massage at a spa. You’ll get the knots out of your back while bonding with your spouse. How relaxing!
