Your cousin and his new wife just flew to the Greek Isles for their 10-day honeymoon. Facebook tells you your co-worker just proposed to his fiancee in front of the Eiffel Tower. And you’ve just been invited to your buddy’s bachelor party in Iceland.
These days, it seems like you have no choice but to go big when it comes to making a romantic statement. Now that you finally snagged a date, it’s time to avoid the ordinary. You may not be taking a private jet with a bottle of Cristal, but you can stand out by arranging a date with one of these unique and adventurous ideas.
Hitting the Pavement with Paws
Where do you and your date’s interests collide? If you’re both fitness-minded, check out a local dog shelter where you can volunteer to run with a pup. The excited and boundless energy of your four-legged running partners is sure to spread good vibes throughout your date (even if you end up not being a true match). Especially for the pet-less, becoming a dog-running volunteer is great for lifting up your spirits, getting your heart rate up and getting to know someone.
IKEA Adventure
Fall in love at your closest IKEA store à la “(500) Days of Summer”—but with hopefully a better outcome. You can follow in the footsteps of Tom and Summer by flirtatiously playing wife and husband from the kitchen to the bedroom. If your relationship is not yet at the level of role playing, casually shop around the store. Room displays and cool accessories can become conversation starters as well as insight into one another’s style or creativity. Afterward, embark on cultural cuisine experience at the IKEA restaurant. Noshing on the Swedish meatballs is simply IKEA tradition.
Restaurant Hopping
Take a fun spin on the classic dinner date by going on a restaurant tour. Mix and match your evening with happy hour drinks at a local bar and then move onto a swanky spot for shared bites. Hop to the next restaurant for a delicious main course and then top it off at a gelato spot or ask to see the dessert menu at a final restaurant. Both you and your date can choose a favorite and experience one neither of you have been to.
Since new locales are likely on the agenda, you may want to download OpenTable onto your smartphone. Use this app to make a reservation, digitally view and pay your check and leave as soon as you’re ready for the next course. Use your Apple iPhone 6s to check and see if the restaurants of your choosing accept Apple Pay for even faster, easier payment.
Mixologist for the Evening
Sure, you can become a chef and artist for a day with cooking or painting classes, but what about mixing up cocktails behind the bar as a team? Couples Mixology Classes teach romantic duos how to shake, stir and taste in hip cities like Austin, Chicago, Denver, Vegas, L.A., Portland and San Diego. Your private mixologist will teach you the impressive bartending skills displayed by the pros. Before you know it, you’ll be bonding with your date as you craft beautiful cocktails and unique drinks with fresh, delicious ingredients.
Wedding Crashers
Oh “Bachelor” nation remembers: 2015 “Bachelor” Chris Soules and winner Whitney Bischoff crashed a wedding and danced closely under the stars. Allegedly staged (or not!), this crashed wedding looked quite exhilarating, spontaneously romantic and undeniably memorable. Imagine your heart racing like it never has before on a date, surrounded by strangers celebrating in-love newlyweds. In fact, you can actually download the app Crash Corsage for a list of dates and locations of nearby weddings and festivities. But make sure to review The Knot’s guide “How to Deal with Wedding Crashers” to know what to do to not get caught.
