“Let’s go on a date!” Those five words are music to my ears every time. Quality time is my love language, so dates are my happy place. Dates take you back to when you would first get butterflies, change your outfit a thousand times, and keep plenty of mints on hand—back to when you were just finding out who this person is. Maybe you don’t get the butterflies as much anymore, because eventually in relationships, we get to upgrade to comfort, unconditional love, vulnerability, and a deeper affection than butterflies. But dating your spouse has a lovely way of reminding you of those beginning feelings. Dates also remind us that our spouses are fun! It takes us out of doing dishes, folding laundry, work, driving the kids to extra-curriculars, paying bills, etc. Side note: On a date, don’t talk about bills, grievances, and household management; dates are supposed to be a fun way to connect. If you have kids, dates show them that your marriage is a priority and that you continue to choose your spouse way past the vows on your wedding day.
Okay, so dates are important, and we should be dating our spouses. Now let’s talk summer date ideas!! I tried to include air conditioned options because it’s Texas. Enough said.
Feeling young at heart?
How about a putt-putt date? We have several places in the area where you and your spouse can play putt-putt, and depending on where you go, maybe hit the batting cages, bumper boats, arcade games, and go-karts. If y’all are a competitive couple, maybe loser does dishes that week; or if that would send one of you to the couch that night, maybe just skip the wager part. There is even The Puttery at Grandscape if you want to do putt-putt inside and without kids; it’s 21 and up.
Y’all could go bowling if putt-putt isn’t really your thing. Most bowling alleys have pool tables, arcades, and laser tag, and some even have ropes courses, so y’all could do so much more than bowling!
If you want something with a little more adrenaline, you could go to Six Flags. Ride the rollercoasters, eat funnel cakes, and hold hands as you scream through the loops and drops. It’s good for bonding, I swear.
Maybe y’all are the athletic or adventurous type.
We have fun rock-climbing gyms in the area! They have all of the gear, so you just need comfortable shoes. They’ll do an orientation if you’ve never climbed before, and off you go. It’s fun, challenging, and something different.
There are places that offer axe throwing and archery if you trust your spouse and their aim/vision. You know how earlier I said don’t discuss grievances? That counts double if you go on this date.
Dates where you get to experience art and culture in Dallas are always some of my favorites!
We have so much in the DFW area. You can go to any of our amazing museums, like Dallas Museum of Art or Kimbell Art Museum just to name a couple. You could go to the theater at Music Hall at Fair Park or Bass Performance Hall to catch incredible shows.
If music is more your thing, find some local live music or look for some concerts coming to town. Legacy Hall and Lava Cantina have fun bands that come all the time, and both venues are relaxed and more accessible than some of the larger venues. We have so many venues in Dallas, so just check out who’s coming to town at House of Blues, Dos Equis Pavilion, American Airlines Center, and Toyota Music Factory.
Embrace your laugh lines and see what comedians are coming to town. Some come to the larger venues I mentioned above, but there’s also The Addison Improv, The Plano House of Comedy, and The Comedy Arena. Laughing with your spouse is just good for the soul.
Good old standbys:
Dinner and a movie! This is a classic for a reason. Even though you don’t get to talk during the movie, it’s still time spent together, and you can always chat at dinner. If y’all want a more relaxed atmosphere where you can talk, Legacy Hall has movie nights outside, and it’s such a nice time outdoors with your love.
You could skip the movie and after dinner get an iced coffee and walk around. We have so many cute areas where it’s nice to just take a stroll. Downtown Plano, Downtown McKinney, Shops at Legacy, etc.
Maybe it’s last minute, your budget went to summer vacations or summer camps for the kids, and you need something low key and cheap. I got you. If you won’t be tempted to spend money, grab some coffee and do some window shopping. You can go to an outdoor shopping area, the mall for air conditioning, or even Nebraska Furniture Mart. I know it sounds weird, but we love going to NFM and just walking around to plan, dream, poke fun, etc. NFM has wine when you go in the store, too, so unless that beverage will make you pull out your wallet, you can even sip some vino while perusing.
You don’t even need to go out if that’s not in the cards. Send the kids to bed if their bedtime is early enough, and if they’re older, then let them watch a movie while y’all go to the patio, living room, or any space in your home where you can be alone. You can make your own charcuterie board, play a board game, watch a movie, listen to an album the whole way through, etc. You don’t have to leave the house or spend money to have a date night; you just have to put forth a little more effort and actually treat it like a date. Get ready like you’re going out, don’t do the dishes right away, and don’t switch out laundry; you’re on a date!
I hope this inspired you to cherish date night with your spouse and make it a priority. It doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. This list was just a drop in the bucket, so we’d love to hear what dates you and your spouse enjoy and find refreshing to your marriage.
