Post a Favorite Date Idea & Win a Date Night Gift Basket for Two

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Sep 28, 2011

Valentine's Day may be months away but that doesn't mean a great date can't happen tonight, this weekend or this month. Whether you're single, dating or married, it's always a good idea to have a few solid date ideas in your back pocket for the right occasion.

Dinner and a movie is a classic. But even the classics can use an update every once and a while. And, for many of us, a free hour, afternoon or  evening  is incredibly precious. So let's make sure that time is best infused with fun, excitement and a little bit of romance.

The SheSpeaks Team has put together 5 Great Date Ideas that are pretty easy to put into action. But we want to hear from YOU. What date ideas make it on your Top 10 list? What have you dreamed about? Or what great date did a friend go on that you wished someone would do for you? Let's share our Best Date Ideas and create a fantastic resource for SheSpeaks members to turn to whenever a little inspiration is needed.

And your efforts won't go unrewarded. Post a great date idea below and you'll be entered to WIN a Romantic Dinner for Two Gift Basket. A second lucky winner will receive a Picnic Backpack ($50 value) and a third winner will receive a Best Romantic Classics 100 CD.The contest will start Wednesday, September 28th and will end Tuesday, October 4th at midnight EST.

 

5 Date Ideas:

1) Spend an afternoon in an orchard

You probably haven't been to an orchard since you were a kid. Or if you have kids, you haven't enjoyed the experience alone. Take advantage of the fall weather and drive into the country together and pick some fresh fruit, take a hay ride, and get some apple cider. Then go home and bake a pie together!

Not sure how to find your local orchard? Try this website http://www.applejournal.com/trail.htm

2) Bring it Indoors

Sometimes after a long week, the only place you want to be is home. That's ok. Bring the romance indoors. Pick up some delicious dessert, place a blanket and pillows on the living room floor, light some candles, dim the lights and put on some relaxing music. Don't forget to turn the TV and cell phones off and you'll be transported to your own personal paradise.

3. Get your hands dirty

Take a class together! Cooking in the kitchen alone may not be that much fun, but doing it together can be a wonderful exprience. Sign up to make sushi, croissants or chocolate truffles. If you want out of the kitchen, try a pottery or dance class. The point is to get out of the house and try something new... together.

4. Stargaze

A star-lit sky can be incredibly romantic. If you live where the city lights won't get in the way, pack a picnic with wine, cheeses and sweets and find a great place to look up at the stars and enjoy the fresh air before cooler weather arrives. If you're near a city, don't worry. Visit your local planetarium. The view can be just as amazing. To find your local planetarium... http://www.planjam.com/planetarium.html

5. Build something you can play with

Take a trip to your local hobby shop and pick out a project you can work on together. Maybe build a boat, a rocket or a kite and then take it out for a spin once you're finished.

 

Now it's Your turn. Tell us your Great Date Ideas!

And, if you have skills in the kitchen and have great date night recipes to share, please check out and add them to the new Recipes section on the SheSpeaks website. Visit http://www.shespeaks.com/recipes

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redwagon by redwagon | Long Prairie, MN
Oct 04, 2011

Fortunately, I live in a small rural town that still has a drive-in!!!!! A great date night is ordering a pizza to go, which we pick up just before heading to the movies (always a double header). Along with the pizza we bring along a small cooler with mini bottles of wine. There is nothing better than a warm, summer evening eating pizza, sharing some wine and watching a great movie .... all in the comfort of your vehicle!!!! : )

meggerhun by meggerhun | E WENATCHEE, WA
Oct 04, 2011

One of the things we love to do together is visit the creamery on the local university campus and get ice cream and watch the sun set. We also get to people watch with all the college students milling about and meet new people. It's great fun and an amazing view!

kelseytostar by kelseytostar | columbia, CT
Oct 04, 2011

My boyfriend and I don't have a lot of money, so we like to get in touch with our inner child. We go to the craft store and buy all these cheap little kiddie crafts and we sit down at the kitchen table and just make our crafts and share all the silly little things we used to do as kids. It is not only fun to be a kid for a moment, but we learn a lot about each other from our childhood stories.

krislovejmt by krislovejmt | MASSILLON, OH
Oct 04, 2011

My husband usually plans surprise dates for us, so I like to do the same and plan "guy dates". A guy date is when your date revolves around your man. I'd take him to see his favorite team play, a concert he's really into, or take him to see a movie he really wants to see. Have dinner at his favorite restaurant, and do some of his favorite things. Then we'd head home and put on his favorite "outfit" *winkwink* and have a memorable night.

BaileyR by BaileyR | ramer, AL
Oct 04, 2011

The best dates my husband and I have are the simply ones. We have been planning a date for our anniversary this month and we want to do something simply but new. We just went on a cruise last month so we want our anniversary to be romantic but inexpensive. So we decided that we would cook a romantic dinner together. We plan to setup our dinner table with wine, candles, chocolates, flowers, and any treats that suit us. On our anniversary we always have a conversation about what we liked most about each other for the past year. We keep the conversation positive and only discuss the moments that we felt supported, loved, and happy. Just a simple dinner, positive conversation, and then we will retire to bed.

dogtrainer by dogtrainer | Porter, TX
Oct 04, 2011

Instead of going out to dinner that costs so much, we go out to breakfast instead. We are not so tired in the morning and have more to talk about. With a traveling husband, we need to take the time when we get it.

BridgetO by BridgetO | NORMALVILLE, PA
Oct 04, 2011

Date Night ??? What is that. Haven't been on a date in 11 years..lol With 4 kids..2 of my own and 2 who recently moved in with us due to their parents splitting up and neither parent has time for these 2 kids, a full time job, a part-time at home business and taking care of my 87 year old grandmother I would just really like to eat my dinner while it is still atleast warm.

Bond7Girl by Bond7Girl | Belle Chasse, LA
Oct 04, 2011

My husband and I just got stationed in New Orleans, and don't know anyone we trust to watch our son, so we haven't been on a date in months. We go out and spend time together, but it's always a family affair, which is fun, but there are places I want to go that aren't exactly 3 year old appropriate. I would love to have our son spend the night with someone while we go out to dinner somewhere upscale, go on a ghost and vampire tour, then spend the rest of the night hopping between chill bars and dance clubs. I miss going out alone with him, although family picknicks and trips to the zoo are fun, it's nice to just be alone with my husband.

jannadavis by jannadavis | Fort Collins, CO
Oct 04, 2011

The best date idea I would say is to leave a whole day open, and each one of you take turns on coming up with something to day such as hiking, picnic, shopping, hot air balloon ride, aquarium, theatre shows, and maybe ending the night with a romantic dinner!

incognito by incognito | COKATO, MN
Oct 04, 2011

A motorcycle ride along the north shore of lake superior and looking at fall colors is an awesome date. Bring along a camera and take pictures of each other in the beautiful scenery.

desireer13 by desireer13 | CINNAMINSON, NJ
Oct 04, 2011

My idea of a perfect date would be a home cooked meal on a cold day (the house smelling amazing) followed by a movie night (we get our movies from our local library). Candles lit followed by dessert (the best part)! To top it off a nice night of snuggling!

mardel by mardel | SCHAUMBURG, IL
Oct 04, 2011

I have been married for 15 yrs. We go on a date once a month or when we could get away. We try to do different things. Our latest date included a Segway ride by Lake Michigan, dinner in a totally new restaurant we never heard off. Our date was finished by my husband knowing we rarely get a chance to do personal shopping took my on a shopping spree. It might not sound totally romantic but if we have been married this long, we must be doing something right. Thanks

rosiewith2 by rosiewith2 | Gainesville, FL
Oct 04, 2011

My favorite date would be my first date with my husband. He took me to the beach, at night, for a romantic picnic dinner. There was wine, my favorite meal, a lovely story about and sailor and the love of his life, and fireworks. No, not the kind from a kiss...that was later. He really had a buddy from work set off fireworks. I was hooked ever since. To replay the picnic dinner on the beach at night with the cool breeze, just the two of us...cuddling under a blanker with the stars overhead. That's my kind of date.

steelkat by steelkat | Beaumont, CA
Oct 03, 2011

the most romantic night ever here!!! my not yet husband picked me up from my cocktail job at 2 am very unexpectedly I might add.... he drove me up to the mountains where he had a cabin near the man made lake... this was in Co... Grandbe lake... he had paid the people who ran the cabins to do some set up for him before we arrived.... they had a fire going the bed turned down and a to die for breakfast make and ready to eat... he brought me a very romantic change of clothes which he had me change into before we got to the cabin.... he picked me up out of the truck carried me into the cabin with the flowers crackling fire and the best breakfast I have ever eaten.... and the drive into the Mts at dawn was breath taking.... BTW well I will let your minds run wild after we ate as to what happened from there... LOL but I will say this it was so romantic!!

jen9479 by jen9479 | Fall Creek, WI
Oct 03, 2011

A picnic lunch at one of our local wineries on a fall afternoon complete with a bottle of wine...It is a great time to have some great conversation and catch up on our crazy lives