The summertime has spelled F-U-N ever since I was in kindergarten!
This time of year offered a break from the mundane work of homework and exams and replaced it with pool days and summer camps. Though I’m a married adult now, I hope to never lose my love for those long summer days and cozy summer nights.
I’ve compiled my favorite summer dates that I’ve taken with my husband to share with you all here. My number one love language is quality time, so if you’re anything like me, take a look at this list and get to planning!
1. Plan a Sleepover in a City Near You
This is my favorite date night plan when my husband and I have done well saving for the month. We plan a sleepover when we find ourselves with the funds and the time.
Now this one will take some of your logistical planning abilities. If you’re not the apple maps savvy one in the relationship, feel free to send this list to your loved one. Nonetheless, I believe in you and think you should give it a go.
Here’s what you do:
- Start by looking for nice restaurants in your area (preferably one you have yet to try). Look at the menu and see if it’s within your budget and has dishes you both may enjoy.
- Take that list and look for any local Airbnb’s, inns, or hotels nearby your favorite restaurants. I prefer to find one within walking distance so I can fully enjoy my wine at the restaurant!
- Once you’ve found a satisfactory restaurant + accommodation combo, all you have to do now is book it! Call the restaurant 3 to 4 days in advance to guarantee your table. Then book your accommodations.
Why It’s a Summer Favorite: When the weather is nice, I love to sit outside for dinner and feel the warm summer breeze!
2. Make Bread Together
For my husband’s birthday this year, we decided to make bread. We had been given freshly baked bread when we traveled back in January, and he’s wanted to try making it ever since.
So I gathered all of the ingredients and surprised him!
I’m going, to be honest. When my husband and I do tasks like this together, we tend to test each other’s patience. However, when we made bread, there were so many tasks for each of us to do. We took turns kneading the dough because who knew kneading dough was a major arm workout?
We had our delicious bread at the end of the day (yes, bread takes many hours to make due to the resting/rising periods). We pulled out all of our spreads and jellies to try with our freshly baked loaf. It was delicious and a memory I’ll never forget.
Why It’s a Summer Favorite: Bread is perfect for taking on an outdoor picnic to hold all the spreads, jams, and jellies of summer fruits.
3. Margaritas and Popcorn (and a movie)
Okay, y’all. I know this sounds weird, but you must try margaritas and popcorn. No, I’m not talking about homemade margaritas or freshly popped popcorn. I’m talking about grocery store wine section margaritas and the plastic-wrapped Orville Redenbacher’s. Trust me.
This is our favorite movie night snack for adults!
This is the perfect date night when we want to spend time together but don’t have time to plan much in advance.
Why It’s a Summer Favorite: Truly, this one is a year-round favorite! However, it’s a good date plan for those sticky-humid-bake-a-cookie-on-the-ground type days. I love coming into the cool A/C after spending any time in the summer heat!
4. Talk It Out with Ice Cream!
This is a simple one, but my husband and I love talking to each other. Communication can be so difficult in relationships, so arranging specific times to speak to one another is crucial; so why not do it with ice cream in hand?
Don’t know what to talk about? Here’s how my husband and I get the conversation going:
- We google “questions to ask on a first date.” Though we are well past our first date, this is a fun one! Sometimes we like to have more lighthearted conversations, and a list of questions to ask on the first date fits perfectly. These lists usually ask questions we’ve forgotten to ask each other or haven’t asked in a while, like what’s your favorite dessert? And what’s your favorite childhood memory?
- We will start a reality tv show about romantic relationships/marriage. I know this sounds odd, but my husband and I have learned so much about ourselves by watching other couples interact on shows like “Married at First Sight,” “Love is Blind,” and “Marriage Boot Camp.” This isn’t for everyone, especially if one or both of you gets triggered by the content covered in some of these tv shows. Still, it can definitely be a great conversation starter. We love to examine how we can see our own personality/behavioral traits in other people and discuss how we can grow.
- We purchased a couple’s devotional. This is my favorite way to get conversations started. The devotional we purchased is titled “#Staymarried: A Couples Devotional.” We try to follow the weekly prompts and allow the questions at the end of each prompt to guide our discussion. I highly suggest this book!
Why It’s a Summer Favorite: Ice Cream! When my husband suggests that we get ice cream, I feel the same excitement I did as a child. This mix of nostalgia and conversation will surely bring you and your loved one closer together.
I hope you enjoyed reading through my favorite summer date ideas. If you’ve tried any of these dates or are thinking about it, leave a comment below. Feel free to share your favorite summer date ideas in the comments or say hello!
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Wiktor Karkocha on Unsplash
