Good Ideas For Dates

You know the story: you finally get up the nerve to ask that special person out. Elegant words are lost on you, but you manage to stammer out some kind of invitation... but now what? Sometimes, asking isn't the hardest part of date planning. Here are some good Davis-specific date ideas. If something isn't on here that worked for yourself, or you haven't used yet but you just know it is a great idea, then be sure to add it. Love could always use any help it can get.

• Get ice cream at Ben & Jerry's and stroll through the Arboretum. Go to the back of the parking lot and you will see the bike path descend into the arboretum.
  

• Perambulate The Green Belt
  

• Try to catch a squirrel by the bike tunnel behind Davis Commons.
  

• Suntan on the shores of the Rec Pool.
  

• Go to the driving range (there are two)
  

• Picnic!
  

• Drive 15min to old town Sacramento and walk on the pier by the river!
  

• While you're there, catch a River Cats game at Raley Field (but don't park in the $11 lot)
  

• Ride bikes / drive to Stevenson Bridge (Russell W. 2mi to Rd.95A, turn left, 1mi)
  

• Bike to the Putah Creek Reserve (March/April) picnic/smooching. 1mi S. on Old Davis. Rd.
  

• Go jogging; there are nice trails west of campus.
  

• Play Disc Golf.
  

• Try to fly a kite.
  

• Grab a seat on one of the double-decker buses and ride around Davis watching the sunset. (Best when the bus is practically empty)
  

• Go to the Arboretum and yell at people you see feeding the ducks.
  

• Bike through the Covell Greenbelt maze and/or the North Davis Fitness Trail, end up near Anderson Road where you have a lovely picnic prepared at the cute gazebo, tablecloth, food and all, and surprise your significant other with an improptu picnic date. Bonus points if you do this while the sun is setting. The view west is beautiful.

• Navigate the annual corn maize (aka maize maze) in Woodland.
  

• Get coffee at one of the many Davis coffee houses downtown and walk through the Arboretum. This may lead to snuggling.
  

• Splash in mud puddles
  

• Sneak out to Winters (15mi W.) for breakfast at the Putah Creek Cafe - served until noon on weekends.
  

• Go Ice skating

Roses at Mengali's Florist. Picture taken by MattJojola.

Some guys are slow. So slow in fact, that they need saving at the last minute. If you find yourself in this predicament, it might be a good idea to select a couple of ideas from this list. Doing just one of these things might get you by, but two of 'em should give you plenty of breathing room! And remember... it's not necessarily money, but attention to detail that will really impress the one you love.

• Coffee, croissant, & a rose for breakfast in bed. Real simple.
  

• Pick up a bouquet of arranged flowers from Safeway. Don't just grab a bouquet... have baby's breath, etc. added! Make sure you don't cheap out, because your date knows how much carnations cost.
  

• Buy her or him a gift certificate for an deeply nourishing divinely relaxing massage ($49 for students) or amazing hot stone massage at Davis Massage Center - 756-6626.
  

• Forgot to make dinner reservations? Surprise your loved one with a homemade dinner. Keep it simple but tasteful to ensure success, e.g. steak, bag salad topped with nuts & pomegranate seeds, fresh asparagus lightly zapped in the microwave & topped with butter, champagne, and just two truffles and a rose for dessert. Make sure you clean the apartment and set the table with napkins, etc. End the evening with a romance-comedy DVD or movies.
  

• Call/IM your significant other a couple times during the day, just to let her know you're thinking of her.
  

• A Victoria's Secret gift certificate makes a great gift for both of you and ensures that you don't accidentally pick up the wrong size or something raunchy that just makes her or him shudder.
  

• Shave and dress up for her or him.
  

• Write something — anything from a heartfelt letter of love to a personalized poem, the pen is mightier than... well whatever
  

• Make several little love notes and hide them just before your sweetie comes home. Hide the notes in places they're sure to be discovered.
  

• Hey, it shouldn't only be guys showing how much they care. Ladies, for ideas how to show who much you appreciate your significant other, check out Aggie columnist Michael Giardina's Valentine's Day column.
  

Let's be close.

• Catch a movie at the commercial theatres in Davis: Signature Stadium 5 and Holiday Cinema 6
  

• See what's on at the Varsity Theatre.
  

• Go to Campus Cinema or Robotmedia or Alternative Film Club — all are free or extremely cheap
  

• Drive over to Sacramento and into one of the last remaining Drive-In Theaters.
  

• Bowling or playing pool in the MU Games Area is a good idea especially if you are on Campus. This is quite popular among freshmen.
  

• Attend the Second Friday ArtAbout (occurs the 2nd Friday of every month)
  

• Go to Rocknasium and get all sweaty with your date :)
  

• Take your date to Ciocolat for High Tea. Make sure to make a reservation.
  

• Walk through the Farmers Market and pick out fresh food to cook (or microwave it, if you're cookingly-challenged). Then go back to your place and cook it. Adding aphrodisiacs is optional. Or check out the Farmers Market on a Wednesday night and catch some live music.
  

• Pick a wine together at Cost Plus World Market — they have descriptions of what's in each wine.
  

• Go to rummage sales and see who finds the most random object. You can find a list of rummage sales in The Davis Enterprise. If you're really cheap, go Dumpster Diving.
  

• Set up a formal dining situation (think white tablecloth, linen napkins, bubbly cider and wine glasses) somewhere where it's out of place... Like In-N-Out.
  

• Spend your hard-earned cash at Upscale Restaurants.
  

• Play dinner bingo. Have a drink somewhere, have an appetizer somewhere else on the same street and so on.
  

• Skate in the rain, in the cold, in the heat... anywhere, anytime. Try the Death Star at night.
  

• Great cheap date: On a Tuesday night, eat a $2 bowl of Tortilla Soup at El Mariachi, have a $1 scoop of ice cream and then go to a $4 movie. Later entertainment will surely be free ;)
  

• If you both like to read/look at funky magazines, go to Newsbeat downtown. See who can find the most random picture.
  

• Go Geocaching
  

• Go Camping
  

• Share a Super Giant Burrito at Taqueria Guadalajara.
  

• Sneak onto an Amtrak train. Make love in the rest room while they collect tickets and then sit in the dining car and see how far you can go until they kick you off for not paying.
  

• Go play racketball/basketball/anykind of game at the ARC.
  

• Run around town with a camera taking pictures for the wiki!
  

• if the two of you are spiritually inclined, go to church or meditate.
  

• Rationalize sex as being the only necessary part of the date.
  

• Give her/him a marriage proposal :-).

See Makeout Spots

Be creative!