Spring Date Ideas to Get You Out of the House
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Spring fever is upon us, and everyone is ready to shed their layers and get out of the house. Warmer weather means your date nights can move outdoors. Here are some fun ideas that will get you and your partner out of wool blankets and off the couch.
Take a Hike
Hiking is a great workout and a fun date. If you and your partner take the right trails, you can have a very scenic hike and get some great photos. While hiking may not be everyone’s favorite pastime, there are trails with different difficulty levels, and the easiest ones are always an option!
Some trails near College Park are Azealia Trail in Greenbelt, Indian Creek Trail in Berwyn Heights and Paint Branch Trail in College Park.
“Hiking is a good date idea because you get quality time with your significant other. You get to just spend time talking with each other while getting to be out in nature,” said sophomore psychology major Izzy Bennet.
Visit a Farmer’s Market A date at the farmer’s market is a fun outing for all the foodie couples out there. You can pick up fresh produce, try a niche meal and get a great insta-story picture all while supporting local vendors.
A few distance-friendly options are The Farmers Market at Maryland that is right on campus outside of Tawes and opens April 1, the Downtown College Park Farmers Market on Knox Road and the Riverdale Park Farmers Market in Riverdale Park.
Drive-In Movie
Warmer weather doesn’t mean you can’t relax with a movie night; you can just move it outside! Take your car, grab some blankets, make a bag of popcorn and watch a newly-released flick in the great outdoors.
Spencer Varzendah, a sophomore information science major, prefers going to drive-ins than regular movie theaters with his girlfriend because he believes they are “more personal.”
While there are no drive-in theaters close to College Park, you can always travel back to your hometown for the weekend and go to your local drive-in!
Pack a Picnic
A picnic date is a timeless cliche, but romantic nonetheless. Treat your significant other to a homemade (or takeout) meal in the spring air. This is a cheap way to spend time with your partner and makes for a great, thoughtful gesture.
A few scenic places for your picnic spread are Meridian Hill Park in D.C., Dumbarton Oaks Park in Georgetown and Theodore Roosevelt Island Park next to the Potomac River in D.C.
Go to an Outdoor Concert
There is nothing quite like bonding over live music. A concert date is not hard to plan because there is seemingly always some artist, big or small, performing in D.C. This doesn’t even have to be an expensive outing if you opt for a smaller artist!
While there are a ton of indoor local music venues, there are still a few outdoor venues in the area. Some good options are Carter Barron Amphitheatre in D.C, Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland and Nationals Park in D.C.
Visit a Botanical Garden Springtime means flowers are in bloom, and who better to check out the blossoms with than your significant other? Not only is a walk through a garden a relaxing way to get out of the house, it is also the perfect opportunity for a spring photoshoot!
Washington, D.C. has a lot of great places to smell the roses. Some of these scenic places include the U.S. National Arboretum, the U.S. Botanic Garden, the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., as well as American University’s campus that is an arboretum!
Scooter/Walk Around Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., is simply a beautiful city with a lot of great places to visit. The city has a wide array of museums including the Air and Space Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and Glenstone.
The city is also home to the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, which are all great places to walk or scooter to!
Madison Bescak, a junior communications major, took her boyfriend for a D.C. trip in February.
“We decided to go to D.C. ‘cause it’s super easy to jump on the metro from College Park and there’s always something to do,” said Bescak. “Both the museums we went to are free admittance, which is really awesome and it was super easy to navigate.”
Take a Trip to the Zoo
Calling all animal lovers to a zoo date! This is a perfect outing for couples who share a love for all things wild. Take your partner out on a sunny day for a walk through the zoo and spot your favorite animals.
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park in D.C. is a great spot for this date. The park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. every day. The zoo is home to a wide assortment of animals like cheetahs, pandas, elephants and many more!
Mini-Golf Date
Mini-golfing is a fun date that allows you to get a little competitive with your significant other. The beauty of mini-golf is that it requires little skill but is always a great time.
The closest place to carry out this date is East Potomac Mini Golf in Washington, D.C. This course offers 18 holes and is open from 10 a.m. to 8.pm.
Grab your putt and start swinging!
Attend a Sporting Event
If your significant other is a big sports fan, this is the perfect date to treat him or her. Springtime sports are a lot of fun and include baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis and track. You can either choose to go to a professional game like one for the Washington Nationals, or support our University of Maryland teams!
Put on your team’s jersey, grab a hot dog and take your partner to a date on the bleachers.
It is always important to get out of the house and do something special with your significant other, so pick an idea and plan a date!
