BY: Rachel Fasig
Valentine’s Day is a special holiday that only comes once a year. It is a time for: dinner dates, chocolate boxes, teddy bears, flowers, jewelry, love letters and romance. But, that type of romantic pursuit should not be limited to merely one day.
Experts across the globe have stated that divorce rates are significantly lower in couples that regularly schedule date nights. A date does not have to be steak & lobster dinners, a “date” can be any activity where a couple is spending quality, one-on-one time together. So here are nearly a years’ worth of date ideas in the Suwanee area and beyond, and some won’t even cost you a dime…
1. Go on a picnic: Pack a basket, blanket, bottle of wine, cheese, crackers, sandwiches, etc. and set off on a hike at Sims Lake Park to find a private picnicking location.
2. Do a 5k run or walk together: Sign up for a 5k run or walk, and then start training together. A good plan to start with is “Couch to 5k” – www.c25k.com
3. Go for a bike ride: There are several great biking trails in Suwanee including our favorite, the Suwanee Creek Greenway.
4. Enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting: Head to Château Élan for affordable wine-tasting and vineyard tours that are right in our backyard. Or, venture up to Dahlonega for the day and check out Three Sisters, Wolf Mountain, Frogtown, Cavendar Creek and Montaluce.
5. Catch a live band together: There are plenty of concerts at Gwinnett Arena, but it’s also fun to check out local restaurant venues. Segreto Cucina Italiano, Cinco’s After Five, Suwanee Pizza Tavern, Wild Wing Cafe and Friends in Suwanee all offer live music on Friday nights, and some Saturday nights as well.
6. Fish for love at the Georgia Aquarium: Go to the aquarium and make a day date out of being in downtown Atlanta.
7. Volunteer together: Sign up to volunteer together for a cause you’re both passionate about or for a festival that might otherwise be too expensive to attend.
8. Have a Food Truck date: We know a great spot for that – Food Truck Friday, the first Friday of each summer month at Town Center Park in Suwanee, offers a variety of food trucks and live music.
9. Plan a Board Game Night: Seriously, when is the last time you played Monopoly?
10. Attend a sporting event: There are plenty to choose from in the Atlanta area, from the Gwinnett Braves to the Gwinnett Gladiators
11. Catch a flick: Movie Tavern in Suwanee is a cool spot that offers adult beverages and great food during your film. You can also set up an outdoor movie in the backyard with a projector, sheet, fire-pit and beanbag chairs!
12. Go thrift shopping: Set a $10 limit and find each other one unique article of clothing that the other person has to wear for the rest of the day. Then have fun taking pictures of your significant other walking around town in their fluorescent 80’s style sweat suit.
13. Go fishing: Grab your poles, drinks and snacks and head out to a local park, pond or Lake Lanier for a day of fishing.
14. Try Indoor Rock Climbing: Show off your climbing skills at Adrenaline Climbing in Suwanee. They welcome climbers of all levels and offer introductory classes for beginners.
15. Camp out: There’s something very refreshing about waking up with the sunrise and cool air. Take hot dogs, s’mores, lots of blankets and a tent, then head to Lake Lanier Campgrounds or another local spot to enjoy the outdoors.
16. Make a pizza together: You can purchase pre-made dough at grocery stores like Publix. Have fun creating your own unique pizzas and grab a couple of Redbox movies on your way out.
17. Have a progressive dinner date: Explore new spots around town by having drinks at one restaurant, appetizers at another, dinner at the next, and dessert at yet another!
18. Make your own sushi: It isn’t as difficult as you’d think! Visit Super H Mart in Suwanee for all of your homemade sushi needs.
19. Have a “Chopped Night”: Plan a date modeled after Food Network’s show, “Chopped”. Give each other a basket of mystery items and see what the other person can prepare from it!
20. Hit the driving range: The Peachtree Golf Center has a covered driving range open rain or shine, and mini-golf as well.
21. Go on a Brewery Tour: Visit Sweetwater, Red Brick, Jekyll Brewery, Three Taverns, Eventide or Blue Tarp.
22. Attend a Festival at Town Center Park: The Suwanee American Craft Beer Fest is on March 15th!
23. Visit the Suwanee SPCA: Visiting an animal shelter makes a great date. But, beware – you might come home with a new furry friend!
24. Build a fort and camp out in the living room: Complete the experience by roasting smore’s over the fireplace or a candle.
25. Go fly a kite: Head out to Suwanee Town Center Park and fly a kite – you can usually find them at the dollar store!
26. Have a fondue night: Use a fondue pot or crockpot and make your own fondue feast.
27. Learn a new sport or activity together: Suwanee Creek Park just opened a new disc golf course worth checking out!
28. Visit a local farm and pick fruit: You can use the fruit to make a pie or some creative cocktails when you get home.
29: Do a DIY project together: whether it’s painting a room, refurbishing a table or planting a garden, doing something together will bring you closer and make you feel accomplished at the end.
30. Let out your inner kid: Go to Dave & Busters in Lawrenceville for bowling, arcade games, pool and more! Then “buy” each other a little gift with your ticket winnings.
31. Go to a museum together: Gwinnett Heritage Center is close by and makes a great date! Plus, there are plenty of walking trails to explore. Did you know that Bank of America cardholders get free access to over 150 museums nationwide, including the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Atlanta History Center and Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville? www.museums.bankofamerica.com
32. Have a jump date: Go jump together at SkyZone Suwanee!
33. Make art together: There are many locations that offer fun, instructional BYOB Painting Nights, including Masterpiece Mixers in Suwanee.
34. Have a coffee shop date: Grab your favorite book and head to a local coffee shop, like Brown Bag Deli, where you can sit by each other, read, chat and sip on some lattes.
35. Walk the dogs: Take the pups to the dog park at Settles Bridge Park in Suwanee. If you don’t have a dog, just go for a walk around the beautiful park or head to Town Center where you can window shop and people-watch at the same time!
36. Have an ethnic food cook-off: Choose a type of food that neither of you have cooked before, whether its Indian, Thai, Chinese, Cuban, French, Spanish or Moroccan and then create a whole themed night around the feast with music from that region and a historical overview of the dishes created.
37. Go to a trivia night: Show off your knowledge and compete at a local trivia night. Mellow Mushroom has trivia Tuesday nights, and Friends Restaurant and Wild Wing Café on Thursday nights.
38. Do some ziplining: Treetop Quest in Buford has really cool obstacle courses to navigate with ziplines.
Great ideas! Ice skating at Sugar Hill City Hall is one to add to the list for sure!