Date night is one of those things that - like most couples with small children - we never do enough of. A lot of the time we send the kids off to ‘Camp Grandma’and then sit and watch Netflix. Not a bad way to spend time together sans kids, but not the best way to use a night of freedom. No more! It’s time to spice things up a little. If your date nights are dull, here are 25 ways to get your groove back this Spring.
1. Strap on your skates and take a spin around the lagoon at Bowness Park. Then warm up with hot chocolate. (City-run skating rinks are typically open until mid-March.)
2. Show off your inner artist. Take a class at 4Cats Art Studio, learn to draw or master your art skills at Aliki’s Art House or if you like to paint-by-numbers, try one of the classes at Vin Gogh Paint & Sip Studio.
3. Line ‘em up and knock ‘em down! Spend an hour or two bowling at Chinook Bowladrome, Fairview Bowling, Mountainview Bowling or the National Beerhall on 10th Avenue (they have a great bowling alley downstairs).
4. Go sightseeing. Take a walking tour of downtown Calgary. The City of Calgary has an extensive list of self-guided walking tours for a variety of downtown locations including Cemetery Hill and the Mission district: calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Pages/Heritage-planning/Heritage-Publications-and-Walking-Tours.aspx
5. Sing-a-long. You know all the words to your favorite song - now take your shower skills on the road. Find one of Calgary’s many karaoke bars and let your inner star shine.
6. Rent snowshoes. Snowshoeing is a great activity because you don’t need a lot of snow and any park will do. If you’re itching to challenge yourself, there are lots of trails within an hour of the city limits.
7. Ignite your passion for great food and great conversation with the person you adore at the Highwood Dining Room or Fairmont Palliser Hotel.
8. Practice your smooth moves and sign up for an adult dance class. For a variety of adult dance classes offered, check out the Calgary’s Child Winter/Spring 2016 Class & Program Guide at calgaryschild.com/resources/class-program-guide-winter-spring-2016
9. Explore the secrets of the Glenbow Museum’s vaults and learn about rarely seen art and artifacts in one of their ‘Behind the Scenes’ tours.
10. If you’re tired of playing Candyland, Old Maid or Trouble, check out one of the city’s board game cafés. PIPS in Kensington or Metal Galaxy Social Games & Bistro in the southwest will teach you all the rules of a fun night out.
11. If your spouse already thinks you’re a know-it-all, prove them right and challenge all comers at a local trivia night.
12. Whether you are looking for laughs, big emotions or anything in between, Calgary has a vibrant theatre scene. Vertigo, Pumphouse and even the Lunchbox Theatre provide unique performances for less money than you might think. Or enjoy a parents’night out at the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra for a riveting performance!
13. Keep on rollin’. Learn how to make sushi at the SAIT Culinary Campus.
14. You broke free from the kids, but can you get out of an escape room? Calgary has a number of these spaces varying in themes and levels of difficulty.
15. The second Thursday night of every month is Adults Only Night at TELUS Spark. Grown-ups can enjoy unique programming, an open bar, workshops and kid-free play.
16. Go geocaching at night. Grab a headlamp, your phone and some mittens, and discover treasures you never expected.
17. Indulge in a theme night. For example, tour Chinatown and then go for Dim Sum or visit one of Calgary’s Italian markets before heading out for pasta.
18. Practice for the zombie apocalypse and experience the thrill of axe throwing at the same time at the BATL Grounds.
19. Do a good deed together. Volunteer to spend time with seniors or feed the homeless.
20. Tour one of Calgary’s breweries like Big Rock, Wild Rose, Tool Shed, Village, Last Best or Minhas breweries.
21. Grab some warm blankets and a thermos of hot soup or cocoa, and go stargazing at Rothney Astrophysical Observatory.
22. Try dog sledding. What better way to re-ignite the romance than cuddling up in a blanket together in a sleigh while enjoying a uniquely Canadian outdoor adventure!
23. Get out of town. Spend a day touring The Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, rejuvenating in the Upper Hot Springs and then rounding it all out with fondue at The Grizzly House.
24. Learn how to play chess, dominoes or bridge over a bottle of wine and enjoy adult conversation. (And you don’t have to keep your voices down because the kids are spending the night at grandma’s house, right?)
25. Relive the magic of your first date. Did you go rollerskating or go to a movie theatre to catch a flick? Do something or go somewhere you both loved when you first met.
Whatever you do, date nights are an important part of maintaining a healthy marriage. Just remember, it’s not what you do but whom you share it with. Sometimes the best date nights consist of putting the kids to bed and sitting in front of the fireplace chatting the night away.
Nanica is the proud mama to Benjamin and Fable. A child at heart, she is constantly exploring Calgary for new things to keep her kids curious, happily occupied year-round and out from under her feet.
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