"Date Night" is a wonderful way to reconnect on a personal level with your spouse and step away from daily parenting duties. Here are some date night ideas to make your time away even more enjoyable, instead of just the same old dinner and a movie.
Live Music
Check out some of the local live music options such as Garcia Brogan's or Ward 8. COOL, the Cultural Organization of Lowell, has a great list of live music venues and open mic nights. Stonehedge Inn in Tyngsboro also hosts live music events.
Go Bowling
There are several options for bowling in Greater Lowell. Check out the new Wamesit Lanes in Tewksbury, which includes an onsite restaurant and arcade, or Brunswick Zone in Lowell. It's a good idea to call ahead in case you need to reserve a lane or see if they're full with bowling leagues.
Paint Night
Sign up for a Paint Night class together! These fun one-time classes usually take place at a local restaurant or small function hall. Generally, you can order wine or drinks, or bring your own. A trained artist will take you through the steps of creating your very own masterpiece. All supplies are provided. Paint Nights are generally around $35 per person. Check out Paint Nite, Magic Brush in Tewksbury, I Paint Today in Chelmsford, Graffiti Paintbar in Nashua, and Artdetox with Markus + Leslie.
Beer or Wine Tasting
Do both of you enjoy beer and wine? Spend an evening tasting wines or checking out new microbrews. The Craft Beer Cellar in Westford hosts occasional beer tastings, and a new Craft Beer Cellar will be opening soon in North Chelmsford. Local wine shops, such as Harrington Liquors in Chelmsford, and the Stonehedge Inn in Tyngsboro host wine tastings.
Take a Class Together
Learn something new, improve current skills, or really step outside the box -- local community education centers have classes in photography, zentangle, massage, gardening, meditation, auto repair and more. My husband and I took a photography class together. It was both helpful and fun, especially seeking out beautiful scenery or patterns during our photography sessions on the weekends.
Volunteer Together
Many local organizations need help during evening or weekend hours -- restocking food pantry shelves, picking up donations, sorting through items, preparing and serving food. See Volunteermatch.org to look for volunteer opportunities in your town. You can search for certain terms (such as "pantry", "meals", "Scouts", "outside"), depending on your interests.
Visit an Art Gallery
Enjoy art? Lowell has a wonderful selection of galleries and artist studios such as Brush Art Gallery & Studios. See COOL's helpful list of art galleries.
Enjoy Live Theater
Lowell and surrounding towns have a variety of live theater options. Check COOL's list of Lowell theaters but also look into local town productions such as The Nashoba Players (Westford), The Cannon Theatre (Littleton), and the Burlington Players,
Watch the Sunset
In the summer, visit a local park and watch the sunset. Even better, stop first at your local gourmet shop or takeout place and pick up a picnic. Make it fancy -- bring a blanket, a picnic basket, your favorite gourmet items, and a bottle of wine!
Go Rollerskating
Get active and try rollerskating to music and videos! Roller Kingdom in Tyngsboro has an 18+ Adult Night every Sunday night. Skate to your favorite music with rollerblades or traditional roller skates. Saturday nights are Top 40/Hip Hop too.
Go to an New (to You) Ice Cream Shop and Try a Different Flavor
Step outside the box! Try a flavor you've never had before. Get the kiddie size if you're watching your wallet or waist but be open to new flavors and textures. See our list of local Ice Cream Shops.
Work on your Bucket List
In order to get all those crazy things done in life that you want to do, you need to plan! So, sit down with your loved one over a meal or coffee and work on that bucket list. Think of all the things you'd like to do (bungee jumping? learn to ride a horse?) and places you'd like to visit (Thailand? The Vatican?) and write it all down. Have a family bucket list and also a personal bucket list. Break it down by year -- what special things do you want to do in 2016? While you're planning, enjoy a special dessert at a local cafe, such as Cafe 12 or The Java Room in Chelmsford, or unique appetizers at Moonstones in Chelmsford.
Set up a Book Club or Dinner Club with Friends
Share your date night with friends! If you and your friends have kids that are old enough to play well together unsupervised, set up a monthly get-together for a potluck dinner or book club. Try a new cuisine, test a new cookbook, or prepare a bunch of frozen meals together for easy dinners later in the week. Or, agree on a book and get together monthly to discuss it.
Use a Groupon to Try a New Cuisine
You may need to venture into Boston for this date night. Purchase a coupon from Groupon for a new restaurant or cuisine you haven't tried before. Just a quick scan of Groupon brings up all kinds of options: Japanese, Caribbean, German, Brazilian, Middle Eastern, Soul Food, Indian, Cambodian, Peruvian and much more.
What are some unique Date Night ideas that you've tried? Please share in the Comments!
