Date nights are simple in the colder months. You curl up on the couch, order a take-out, and watch the latest Netflix series while huddled under blankets, or else you brave the outside elements for a night at the theater or cinema.
However, when the weather turns hot, it can feel a little trickier, despite the visions you had of frolicking through the grass together at sunset. You don’t want to eat a hot meal, and missing out on the sunshine to watch the latest movie doesn’t feel right. Suddenly your entire dating life becomes about which places have the best air con rather than reigniting the spark between you.
Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here are five summer date night ideas to help you keep the romance alive, even when it’s scorching outside.
Picnics are effortlessly romantic. So pack a bottle of wine and a blanket, rustle up from grub, and find a shady spot where you can watch the sun go down while enjoying your favorite foods together. If date nights are a weekly occasion, you could take it in turns to prepare delicious salads for one another – this delicious Thai beef salad recipe is a good place to start, and then for dessert, something as simple as strawberries and cream can be more than enough.
You don’t want to spend a glorious summer evening stuck indoors, so why not head to an open-air movie theater? Depending on where you live, you may have the choice of watching a movie in a park or pulling up to a drive-through cinema instead. Either way, look for a screening of a movie you both love (or one you both want to see) and pack a big bag of popcorn so you can date 1950s style.
Although swimming is often considered more of a leisure sport than a romantic activity, hitting the pool together can be incredibly bonding; plus, it will help you become more active as a couple, rather than always sitting in front of the air con unit watching TV. On hot nights, you’ll want nothing more than to don your best cheeky bikini, dive into a pool of chilled water with your significant other, and practicing your breaststroke together will help you feel relaxed. Better yet, head to a pool with a spa and treat yourselves to a couples’ massage afterward.
If you’re strapped for cash or want to spend some quality time in each other’s company, there’s nothing like a spot of stargazing to spark romance in a relationship. Take a blanket or throw out into your backyard or to your nearest park, pack a bottle of wine or some cooling beverages, and enjoy an old-fashioned summer night taking in the natural elements.
Get out on the water together and absorb some incredible views. You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a boat ride with your partner either – in New York City, for example, you can take a ferry to Staten Island for free. It’s not about the destination, however. It’s about making the journey together and using the experience to bond.
