How often do you break out of your normal routine and enjoy activities that are new and out of the ordinary with your spouse? Do it more often and it could be good for your marriage! Research conducted by the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia has found that couples who enjoy regular date nights have stronger and happier marriages. This makes it less likely that couples will take each other – and their time together – for granted. While there’s nothing wrong with the standard dinner and a movie, novelty and creativity are important components of memorable dates. To help you plan your own, here are some ideas of things you might do on your next date night.
1. Head out on the water. Rent a couple tubes (or rafts, canoes, or kayaks) and bring along a picnic basket for a romantic river float down the Chattahoochee. Set aside a few hours to float and then enjoy a sunset picnic out on the water.
2. Fine dining. There are a lot of great restaurants right near the square. Favorites of Tapestry counselors include, Taqueria Tsunami, La Famiglia, and The Butcher The Baker. For dessert, you may want to stop in Sugar Cakes or Sara Jean’s for ice cream or head over to Cool Beans for a cup of in-house roasted coffee.
3. Check out the local music scene. If you’re music lovers, you’ll enjoy the concerts in Glover Park (there’s still one more concert left this season!) or the bluegrass jam outside the Australian Bakery. Also, several of the restaurants and pubs around the square feature live music on the weekends. You may want to check out The Strand’s rooftop terrace, a popular spot to hear good music and enjoy the downtown view.
4. Go for a hike. Lace up your boots and hit the trails up and around Kennesaw Mountain. With miles of trails to choose from, you can hike a different section each time you visit. Consider having a picnic here, too, and keep your eyes open for deer! For a more leisurely option, take a romantic and relaxing stroll through the beautiful Smith Gilbert Gardens in Kennesaw.
5. Take in a show. Whether you’re there for a play, musical, concert, or a classic movie, you’ll really enjoy the historic Strand Theatre.
6. Visit a museum. Take in the exhibitions at the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art. You may even decide to take one of the art classes they offer. Instead of art, you may be interested in spending some time at the Marietta Museum of History or the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History.
7. Play games. Go out for a round of miniature golf (and kiss each hole-in-one). You could also visit a driving range and split a bucket of balls. Shoot hoops, toss a Frisbee, have a catch, go bowling, go climbing, whatever! Just have fun together.
8. Hop on your bikes and take off on the Cochran Shoals trail that runs along the Chattahoochee River or, for a longer ride, head out on the Silver Comet Trail.
9. Visit the Marietta Square Farmer's Market, open year round on Saturday mornings. Pick a recipe for lunch ahead of time, and shop for the ingredients together while taking in the sights and sounds. Go ahead and try something new, you never know what you might discover together!
10. Wander through the antique shops around the Square. If you and your spouse are competitive, turn it into a scavenger hunt! Google "antique store scavenger hunt" and you'll see lots of options, free to print out and fill out together, or make it a race. Pick something small out as gift for each other as a keepsake from your day.
Whatever you choose to do, keep thinking outside the box and your marriage will reap the benefits for years to come.
How often do you break out of your normal routine and enjoy activities that are new and out of the ordinary with your spouse? Do it more often and it could be good for your marriage! Research conducted by the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia has found that couples who enjoy regular date nights have stronger and happier marriages.