dating tips for spring Archives

There’s just something special about spring.

The weather gets warmer, the sun gets brighter and everyone seems to be just a little bit happier.

Ever since I started dating, I’ve always enjoyed going out in the springtime. There’s just a bit more happiness and romance in the air. Here are 15 great date ideas to usher in warmer weather.

1. Rent a convertible for the day

Head out to your nearest airport or rent-a-car place and rent out a convertible for the day (red ones are the most fun!). Drive around your city with the top down and feel the wind through your hair. Make sure your partner and you have ridiculously oversized sunglasses and a headscarf a la Miriam Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

2. Try mini-golf

There’s something so pure and innocent and uniquely spring-like about mini-golf. A lot of golf places in colder climates open up again for the season. After the round of mini-golf, share a hot fudge sundae or get a frozen yogurt cone. Who knows, maybe all that seductive licking will make for some fun later!

3. Visit a local carnival or amusement park

Just like mini-golf, many amusement parks reopen for the season come spring. Grab a ride on the Ferris Wheel and kiss when you reach the very top. There’s nothing more romantic than sharing a gorgeous view. I’ll never forget one of the nicest kisses I’ve ever had—at the top of the Navy Pier in Chicago. It was straight out of a romantic movie!

4. Take a spontaneous weekend road trip

There’s no better way to get to know someone than taking a road trip. Find a nearby town you’ve always wanted to visit and get in the car and just drive. Doing something impulsive like taking a road trip with your significant other is a fun way to celebrate springtime.

5. Visit the zoo

With the warmer weather, more animals will be out and about. Stroll through the zoo hand in hand and enjoy watching the adorable pandas, monkeys and more interact.

6. Visit a winery

Ah, just thinking about it makes me want to go—there’s nothing more fun than sipping wine on a breezy spring afternoon. Not to mention, if you take a shuttle there and are able to drink freely, coming back tipsy together could add to some fun in the bedroom later on. I loved visiting a winery with my boyfriend and his family one gorgeous spring afternoon—it was absolutely magical.

7. Go to a farmer’s market

A lot of farmer’s markets are back in action come springtime. Look up a recipe in bed together one morning and find a local farmer’s market. Grab your ingredients (this is about as fresh as they come!) and make your meal together.

8. Find an outdoor movie

Come warmer weather, many cities begin screening outdoor movies in local parks and squares. Google outdoor movies near you and arrange to meet up for a screening of your favorite movie. Many cities hold themed movie festivals too, so if you’re up for superhero flicks or romantic comedies, chances are there’s something for you.

9. Visit Washington, D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival

Turn a date into a weekend-long affair by visiting D.C.’s annual cherry blossom festival. I have lived in D.C. for the past 15 years and trust me, there’s nothing like seeing the thousands of cherry blossom trees in bloom. It truly is an idyllic spring scene. There’s even a special neighborhood in the city that has tons of blooms. My boyfriend and I go every year to a pizza place nearby, grab milkshakes at the ice cream shop next door and stroll through the neighborhood, gazing at the cherry blossoms.

10. Volunteer at an animal shelter

As the weather warms up, lots of animal shelters find themselves with more kittens and puppies than they can count. Spend a Saturday afternoon with your significant other and some furry loved ones for the ultimate cute date.

11. Dine al fresco

One thing I love about spring is that many restaurants open up their patios and rooftops for outdoor dining. To me, there’s nothing more perfect than having a delicious meal underneath the stars on a warm evening. One of my favorite spring date nights is heading to the local pizza shop a few subway stops away and dining outside with my boyfriend, watching the people rush by.

12. Have a picnic

Speaking of dining al fresco, another spring pastime is getting your favorite gingham blanket, plastic wine glasses, grapes, cheese and more and heading outdoors for a picnic. Invest in a big, glamorous floppy hat for a retro, ultra-romantic feel.

13. Go for a walk in the rain

Sometimes spring can be a bit on the rainy side. Don’t let that discourage you! Have you ever seen Midnight in Paris? Rain can be beautiful. The next time you’re feeling down on a particularly rainy day, head out in your most colorful umbrella and share a walk in the rain together.

14. Go for a run

This may be the easiest and healthiest spring date idea. If your partner and you are looking to get back into shape after a long winter, going for a run on a sunny morning will jump start your plans.

15. Have your own photo session

Head to your nearest public garden or park and take photos of each other. It’s a great way to practice your photography skills and get out and enjoy the weather too.

16. Binge watch a show in bed together

One of my favorite date nights I’ve had with my boyfriend is a weekend night in spring a few years ago. We stayed home and watched a movie but opened all the windows on the warm night. It was so relaxing for the breeze to waft through the window screens while watching the movie. You can do the same but binge watch a show you’ve missed one night instead. Back when The Newsroom was airing on HBO, my boyfriend and I had just started dating. One of my favorite memories was coming over to his place every Sunday night watching the show curled up together in bed, with the spring breeze wafting through his 12th floor window.

Ready for spring? Celebrate the change of seasons with these 15 date ideas to usher in warmer weather.

There’s just something about warmer weather that makes me happier.

I want to spread that happiness, especially in the springtime.

Here are 15 ways to spread a little love this season (and all year ‘round!) with random acts of kindness.

1. Send a greeting card

This is my absolute favorite thing to do to make people happy. I especially love Target’s greeting card section. I sometimes have a special place in my heart for naughty or ridiculous cards—they’re the things that make my loved ones laugh the hardest. Knowing that they enjoy getting mail like a funny greeting card makes me feel happy and fulfilled.

2. Buy the person in line behind you a cup of coffee

I’ve thought about doing this little act of kindness forever and I have never remembered to do it while in line at Starbucks. It is my goal to do it this spring to make someone smile on a typically busy and hurried morning.

3. Bake cookies for your elderly neighbor or friend

I am friends (and a fellow church usher, believe it or not!) with two 80-somethings. I love baking them a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies and bringing them to church as a thank you for always giving me rides and being so nice to me! It was the two of them who helped me feel involved in my church so I love returning the kindness they showed me.

4. Take a rescue dog out for an adventure

Many local animal shelters allow volunteers to take their rescue dogs out for an afternoon “adventure.” Showing a dog whose been in some tough times a day of fun with an ice cream jaunt or trip to the local dog park is a great way to make them feel loved.

5. Offer to take a friend’s kids out for the afternoon

As I rapidly continue approaching the age my peers start having children, I know many soon become tired, overworked parents. By offering to take their children out to the movies or to the park for a few hours is a welcome, you are committing a selfless act of kindness many parents would appreciate.

6. Surprise your apartment floor with candy

I love doing this on my apartment’s floor. I think it stems from me being Sunshine Chair of my dorm floor in college. Over the holidays, I used red, green and silver Hershey’s kisses and left them in little Ziploc bags taped to everyone’s doors. I included a little note thanking them for being such great neighbors. This is a simple way to get to know your neighbors and make them (particularly lonely ones) feel welcomed.

7. Slip a love note in your significant other’s lunch

My boyfriend likes to make believe he haaaates this but every time I ask him if he got the note I left him in his lunch he smiles from ear to ear. There’s a reason we loved mom’s lunch notes growing up—they made us feel special. Why not do the same for your partner?

8. Send a thank you note

My closest friends and family know I absolutely adore writing thank you notes. The written word is often lost these days and I always joke it’s my own personal goal to bring it back. Sending a written thank you is a special way to make someone feel happy about their original gesture that warranted the note in the first place. Not to mention, it’s fun buying cute stationery!

9. Do a 5K for a cause close to your heart

My boyfriend suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an eye-related disease that can eventually blind him. A few years ago, I signed up for a 5K to benefit the programs and services of a local organization specializing in the blind, low vision and deafblind. It was the first 5K I ever ran and not only was I proud I did it in a respectable time, I was happy to be helping those like my boyfriend.

10. Let someone go ahead of you in line

This one is a tough one, particularly when you’re pressed for time. I have yet to do it myself, but boy does it make someone’s day, particularly a mom struggling multiple children or an elderly person.

11. Mentor a child

Children from underserved communities in your area always appreciate stability in their life. Organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of America provide that consistency and are always looking for volunteers.

12. Offer a cold drink to those working outside on a hot day

D.C. summers are often oppressively hot—that’s part of the reason I make sure to ask our apartment’s maintenance team any time they come to do repairs for us if they need a glass of water. Many in construction or maintenance type jobs get minimal breaks and are often overworked. A small gesture like a glass of ice water could got a long way!

13. Leave a small gift for your mail carrier

I’ve always lived by the thought that if you befriend your mail carrier, your mail will always be delivered on time. In the six years we’ve lived in our building, I’ve gotten to know our mail carrier Mimi. I admire her so much, she came to the U.S. from Korea, married, had kids and has been working tirelessly for USPS for decades. We’ve become friendly and every Christmas and times throughout the year, I make sure to give her a small gift of gratitude for the countless hours she spends sorting our mail.

14. Donate to those less fortunate

This one is a typical one I know, but there are so many places you don’t even think about. There are plenty of animal shelters in need of blankets for shelter pets and children’s hospitals who would love a homemade card for one of their sick children.

15. Be kind to yourself!

Parks and Recreation fans out there will know Donna Meagle’s (aka Retta) iconic catchphrase “Treat yo self.” Some days, it’s important to do just take a personal day and literally treat yourself! I love deciding in the morning that I’m going to treat myself in some way and just going for it. Yesterday, I decided to take myself to the movies for a solo outing—one of my favorite ways to unwind.

Tag: dating tips for spring

Celebrate Spring! 15 Great Date Ideas to Usher in Warmer Weather