Top Summer Date Night Ideas

The summer is quickly winding down and I feel as if Steve just moved here. As many of you know Steve and I have finally been able to put being long distance in the past. After years of Skype dates, late night phone calls and some good old fashion snail mail, we have finally been able to enjoy dinner together in person and not through a computer screen.

No more 20 second delays or talking to myself while his face was frozen on the screen and the connection had been dropped.

Now while Steve may argue that normally my to-do lists and list making in general is a little out of hand, when it comes to my “Date Night Ideas” list I think he may differ.

Of course the first thing I did when I found out he was officially moving to the city was make a list of all the places we could go on dates. Forget helping apartment hunt, we’ve got things to do. So while he may have been living on the streets, at least I had some great date ideas planned for us;)

I can’t say we knocked them all off the list yet, but we’re sure hoping to try.

Summer Date Night Ideas

Picnic in the Park

Food, wine, fresh air, what’s not to love. Grab a bottle of wine from your local food market along with some picnic bites and a blanket for a night in the park with your loved one. Plus if you live in the Chicago area and don’t have time to prep a meal, be sure to check out local restaurants as many serve on-the-go picnic menus to grab on your way home from work such as this delicious smorgasbord from Goddess and the Grocer. Plus how cute is this picnic-ware from Martha Stewart’s line at Macy’s! Dishwasher safe too…talk about ultimate quick weeknight date;)

Tourist for a Day

Often times we don’t think to do the typical tourist things since we live in our city or town everyday. So to change things up do something that you would recommend for a friend who’s visiting or a neighbor who just moved in. The other weekend Steve and I did an Architecture Firework cruise with Shoreline Sightseeing and not only did the city’s history blow me away but the view of the fireworks at the end was beyond breath taking.

Summer Festival

We’ve all done the bar hopping night, but this summer dedicate a day to festival hopping. Summertime calls for an endless number of festivals so make the most of it by hopping around to all your local festivals one day. Maybe grab a beer at one, a fried oreo at another and then bring home that street art from the last. With so many things to do at each, you’re sure to have a blast. Local Chicago guide here.

Outdoor Movie Night

While the winter is for Netflix binging, the summer is for outdoor movies. Check out your local movies in the park or outdoor drive up theaters for the perfect date night movie.

Be Active Outdoors

While date nights usually happen over food and drinks, that doesn’t always have to be the case. Take a walk around the local zoo or maybe a bike ride down the trail to a new part of town. I admit I too love those date nights that consist of a chocolate coma followed by a glass of wine, but sometimes getting some fresh air and breaking a sweat is much more refreshing.

Farmers Market

Last but not least, nothing beats the fresh fruit available during the summer months. Head to the local farmer’s market and pick up some of your favorite fruit and maybe some fresh flowers for a little cooking date night in.