jacquieandryan Spring reminds me of fresh starts so I’ve been thinking up some fresh ideas to try for dates in the coming weeks. I love to get outside when the weather starts to turn, so naturally I started thinking up date ideas that can be done no matter where you live. But I’m also including a few suggestions for things to do in Chicago for Chicago date ideas, so read the sections carefully. You’ll find a good mix of indoor and outdoor dates too!
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1. Take advantage of the last few rainy days and visit a coffee shop and sit by the window so that you can watch the rain fall.
2. Find your nearest Tulip Festival/Farm or a flower field and go during peak blossoms. If you’re looking for a family friendly Tulip Festival near Chicago, check out the Richardson Tulip Festival in Spring Grove. They don’t have hard dates for the festival yet but typically mid April – mid May is the sweet spot (we are at the whim of Mother Nature). You can stay up to date by visiting their website here. They feature 5 acres of tulips near their 36 acre lake, gift shop, wine tastings, fresh snacks, food trucks, weekend music and it’s dog friendly!
3. Pack up some goodies and find a nice park or your backyard and have an picnic date outside. One of our fondest picnic memories involved a wine tasting, music playing on our phone, and people watching. Bring a game or two or books & music.
4. Pack a cooler and take a walk to a nice spot or grab some ice cream to-go along the way. This one is cheap and simple but such a sweet way to break the monotony of your hectic week.
5. Wear a few layers and take a walk on the beach together before it gets busy for the summer. (You’ll likely have a good stretch of it all to yourself).
6. It’s almost Farmer’s Market season! Hit up your local market or even go to a different one every weekend or month. We can usually find fresh flowers, some produce to bring home, and even a nice lunch/snack to have while we are there.
7. Head to your nearest botanical garden to see all the spring blossoms. If you’re in the Chicago area, some of our faves for enjoying nature include Chicago Botanic Garden, Garfield Park Conservatory, Morton Arboretum, and Lilacia Park! If you’re looking for a change of pace from city life – I think this is one of the most romantic things to do in Chicago as a couple.
8. Cozy up and read a book together! We highly suggest checking out The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Its an easy read and dives a bit into the love languages to help you understand your partner and how he/she/they best receives and show love.
9. Set up an indoor picnic with all the bells and whistles! Order or create a grazing board or charcuterie, grab some drinks, and play a game or a movie.
10. Be playful and take it outside with sidewalk chalk! Go for a walk and leave nice messages behind for the next person to find, or simply have fun with some hopscotch, or silly pictures of each other!
11. Spring clean your relationship. Sound funny? Stay with me. Hitting reset in some area of your relationship for a “fresh start” can be really refreshing. We suggest taking or re-taking the 5 Love Languages quiz, learning something new together, or committing to planning dates for one another throughout the month or several weeks.
12. Rent Paddle Boats! Find a nearby park that offers paddle boat rentals and go for a romantic ride. This is perfect for a warm weather date. Play a little music on your phone or just enjoy the sounds of nature.
13. Go on a food tour. You can research and find a local food tour or plan one of your own in an area with lots of food options. Spring is the perfect time of year to hop around trying different food places together.
14. Similar to the above – you could do the same idea but with drive thrus. If dinning in isn’t an option or you don’t have a sitter, you could do a food tour from your car and park someplace pretty to eat. Go to one drive thru for an appetizer, another for the main course, and end at a different place for dessert!
15. Brewery! Breweries always release new brews when the seasons change. Find a local brewery and split a flight. Bring a deck of conversation starter cards along for an easily elevated date experience. If you’re in or near Chicago check out a few of our local faves like, Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville or Chicago (pictured below), 2 Fools Cidery in Naperville, Revolution Brewing in Chicago, Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove, Noon Whistle in Naperville or Lombard, or Whiskey Hill Brewing in Westmont.
16. Do you have a local winery you haven’t visited lately? Go, relax, sip some wine and eat some cheese!
17. When is the last time you went for a bike ride? Played mini golf? Kicked a soccer ball around? Or played a round of tennis? All of these can be great opportunities to bond and laugh, plus they can be free or virtually free activities. You’re welcome!
18. Conversation starter games. Above we mentioned bringing a deck to a local brewery, but you can just as easily take them to a park, to the backyard, or on an easy walk. One of our favorites for a quick grab and go is Our Moments conversations starters for couples.
19. Explore a nearby neighborhood that you haven’t fully explored before! We just shared an extensive Logan Square IG guide if you’d like to get some inspiration for a Chicago fun date idea exploring a local Neighborhood. You can view it here!
20. Do something sweet for your partner this spring by speaking their love language. For example, if your partner’s love language is; Quality Time – go fruit picking together. Acts of Service – make them a spring playlist. Words of Affirmation – write them a love note. Receiving Gifts – surprise them with their favorite spring treat. More ideas below!
