Thrillist: Best Winter Date Ideas

What do you do when the weather is cold and #dryjanuary is only half over? 

Photo from Thrillist. 

If you're feeling a little stir crazy and uninspired with your dating life (I don't blame you), look no further than this comprehensive list of winter date ideas that I pulled together for Thrillist. There's something for everyone on this list, from theater to classes to nature appreciation and outdoor athletic activities. There's so much going on in the Twin Cities right now - especially thanks to the Superbowl coming - so there's no excuse not to venture out and enjoy some of our unique things to do. Take a look at my list by clicking here and tell me - did I get it right? What would you add? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

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Date night -- whether that means meeting your Bumble crush for the first time or trying to have an adult conversation with your spouse sans the kids -- should be the bright spot in your busy week. We think the best dates are affordable, quality time spent with your significant other, and in the Twin Cities there’s no shortage of great options. Forget “let’s grab a drink!” (insert boring eye-roll here) and check out this list we’ve scouted instead below.

See a spectacular waterfall
Minnehaha Park
One of the most scenic date spots in the Twin Cities? Minnehaha Falls, hands-down. The 100-foot cascade is a sight to behold any time of year, whether it's flowing in the summer or frozen in the winter. You can view it from the top or descend the stairs to take it all in from the base.

Ice skate with a view of downtown Minneapolis
Loring Park
If you’re brave enough to explore the outdoors despite the cold temperatures, make sure to swing by the Wells Fargo Winterskate in Loring Park. You can always stop by one of the many ponds or lakes in the Twin Cities too, of course, but this location also features free skate rentals, a warming house, and a groomed rink, making it perfect even for the greenest skater.

Warm up at the Como Zoo Conservatory
Como
The Como Zoo is a popular summer attraction (a free zoo? Who wouldn’t go?), but why not head there in the wintertime? Rather than see animals, you can stop by the Como Zoo Conservatory which is a free, glass-enclosed building, filled with steamy tropical heat. In addition to the gorgeous gardens, visitors can attend a free weekly concert series in the conservatory. Nothing sets the mood like an abundance of flowers.

Pull your best Harry Houdini by playing the Escape Game
Bloomington
Intentionally locking yourself and a small group into an escape room for an hour might not sound like your idea of fun, but it is truly a blast. With themes from a Mars Mission to a museum heist, the Escape Game is the best group date out there for mystery and whodunit fans.

Get dinner and a show at the largest dinner theater
Chanhassen
If the idea of hopping between locations is just too exhausting for you, look no further than the Chanhassen Dinner Theater (CDT). The largest dinner theater in the country, CDT has a rotating schedule of spunky musicals, comedic shows, and musical theater that serves multi-course dinners along with the performance. Free parking and excellent customer service make this more than worth the drive.

Indulge your inner Al Capone
Wabasha
Learn about St. Paul’s mobster past and practice your swing dancing steps with a visit to the Wabasha Street Caves. With live swing bands and year-round historical tours, the Wabasha Caves will teach you everything you didn’t know about St. Paul’s dark, Prohibition-era past. It's cheap too; swing night tickets are less than $10.

See world-class exhibits for free
Whittier
In case you didn't know, the Minneapolis Institute of Art is free and boasts one of the best collections of Asian Art in the United States. Attend on a trendy Third Thursday of the month, where events like fashion shows from local designers or concerts by local bands are featured inside of the exhibit halls.

Consider some contemporary art
Loring Park
The Walker Art Center regularly makes national headlines with its collection of truly abstract, contemporary, mind-bending theater and art displays. Thursday evenings are free thanks to a Target sponsorship; special exhibits currently include a display of Cuban art that is sure to warm your frigid soul. If you’re extra daring, venture across the street for a stroll around the Walker’s world-renowned (but outdoor only) sculpture garden, which is open year-round.

See a free show about a new culture
Cedar Riverside
With their totally unique Radical Hospitality program, Mixed Blood Theatre gives you no excuse to avoid checking out our vibrant local theater community. Most of the performances are free charge, with a host of programming representative of many of the local immigrant groups in the Twin Cities, making Mixed Blood a must-visit destination any time of the year.

Visit a museum after closing
Downtown St. Paul
Geek out with a visit to the Science Museum of Minnesota, which regularly hosts adults-only events after-hours where you can enjoy the interactive exhibits kid-free. With tons of special events like Star Wars Day, Lego construction challenges, and Omnitheater screenings, there is no shortage of date night activities to be found here.

Take a selfie above the Minneapolis River
Downtown East
There’s a reason why people fly from all over the country to the Guthrie Theater. Aside from the gorgeously staged productions in three separate theaters, the facility itself is an architectural landmark that provides #instaworthy views of the beautiful Mississippi Riverfront from many angles. Combined with delicious on-site dining, this theatrical destination is a great one-stop date shop. Even better: Some performances go for as low as $15 a pop.

Expand your mind with an avant-garde show
Seven Corners
The Southern Theater is one of the busiest and most affordable theatrical venues in the Twin Cities and hosts a rotating schedule of shows from indie companies to one-man performances and student revues, meaning you're always guaranteed to see something unusual there. Come for a cheap ticket to an unknown theater company; stay for the hauntingly gorgeous historical interiors.

Indulge your inner art activist
Northeast Minneapolis
If you and your date consider yourselves part of the #resistance, look no further than the Public Functionary gallery, which routinely hosts politically charged work by diverse artists that are sure to trigger your political touchpoints.

Take a leisurely stroll around the lake
Literally everywhere
One of the best parts of living in the Twin Cities is our abundance of urban bodies of water. Don’t let the weather scare you off; parks are still open, and many have planned seasonally appropriate activities that are unique and a whole lot of fun.

Putt through some indoor mini-golf
Hamline-Midway
For those who are going fully stir crazy, Can Can Wonderland is a terrific option to check out. While the main attraction is an elaborate indoor mini-golf course, there are lots of other active options, from pinball machines to variety shows to an indoor beach boardwalk, to keep you occupied.

Vertical Endeavors
Those who climb together, stay together
Bloomington, Minneapolis, or St. Paul
Prepare for warmer, better, barer days by getting some training in at Vertical Endeavors, the Twin Cities’ resident rock climbing society. Options are available for all skill levels, giving anyone the chance to get sweaty in more ways than one.

Drive through the Mall of America -- literally
Bloomington
Forgo the typical mall shopping experience at the Mall of America and immerse yourself in a world of full-body virtual reality games and -- wait for it -- a full-size indoor go-kart racing track. Smaaash has 40,000 square feet of entertainment that includes a multi-level racetrack. Say no more.

Please a big group at Punch Bowl Social
St. Louis Park
Another great spot for group dates, Punch Bowl Social has something to please everyone. There are bowling lanes, arcade games, karaoke, and table games, so if Punch Bowl Social can’t keep your crew engaged, nothing can.

Catch a movie in a unique theater
Columbia Heights, Edina, St. Anthony Main
Movie dates are one of the oldest (and least original) ideas you can have, but they’re a crowd pleaser for a reason. Spice up your cinema card by taking your date to a unique theater like the historically renovated Heights Theater, avant-garde and international films at Edina Cinema, or an eclectic mix of blockbuster and independent films at the cobblestone-paved St. Anthony Main Theatre.

Pick up some new reading material
Uptown
Think of Magers and Quinn as Minnesota’s version of The Strand. With an expertly curated roster of books (including troves published by the Twin Cities’ many award-winning indie presses) and a full calendar of literary events, there’s something here to please every bibliophile.

Indulge your inner Ice Queen at an ice castle in Excelsior
Excelsior
Speaking of ice castles, if you are up for a short road trip you have no alternative but to head to Excelsior for their magical display of ice castles, which are constructed and refreshed daily. If you’re impressed by the formal castle constructed at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, you’re bound to be blown away by these luminescent natural beauties.

Get hands on at The Loft
Downtown East
If browsing a bookstore isn’t bookish enough for you, you’re in luck: Minneapolis hosts The Loft Literary Center, a temple to all things paper. There are meeting rooms, a coffee shop, and a bookstore (as might be expected), but look a little deeper and you’ll find a plethora of unique activities to partake in. From writing classes to hands-on activities like making chapbooks or letterpress, The Loft is a must for lovers of the written word.

Practice your best Patrick Swayze pottery at Fired Up Studios
Golden Valley
Are you a secret 1990s film aficionado? You wouldn’t be alone. If you’ve waited all your life to pull off your best Demi and Patrick in Ghost, look no further than Fired Up Studios, a local pottery studio that -- no joke -- offers "clay dates" for couples.

Use your noodle with Trivia Mafia
Metro-wide
Many local watering holes host trivia nights, but for the safest bet for a great trivia experience, you should attend one led by Trivia Mafia. Hosted at locations throughout the Twin Cities, Trivia Mafia provides excellent bar trivia as well as drunken spelling bees, bingo, and live radio trivia available any time you want to quiz yourself (or vet your date’s IQ).

Free your inner Che Guevara
Seward
Revolutionaries and anarchists will feel right at home at Boneshaker Books, which is the truest embodiment of an indie bookstore. Run solely by volunteer power, Boneshaker hosts a litany of queer and radical reading clubs, promotes social justice and movements, offers an extensive list of hard-to-find books and zines, and will even deliver your books by bicycle if it’s just too cold to get them yourself. 

Cook yourselves dinner
St. Paul, Minneapolis, Stillwater
Why go out to dinner at a restaurant when you can cook your own with instruction from a pro chef? Local cooking shops like Cooks of Crocus Hill and Kitchen Window offer classes with instruction on everything from make-your-own sushi to hand-rolled pasta to cupcakes and macarons. Afterwards, you get to eat whatever you make -- and you don’t have to tip!

Go wild with a trail hike
St. Paul
Get active with an afternoon hike at Fort Snelling State Park’s Pike Island -- the three-mile loop leads you along the path where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers meet. It’s hard to believe a trail this scenic is just off the highway, and if you look closely you and your sweetie may spot deer, beavers, or otters along the shore.

Go wine-tasting in the countryside
Saint Croix River Valley
What better place is there to spend a lazy weekend date than a winery? Just a short drive (about a half-hour) from the Twin Cities is the Saint Croix River Valley, a peaceful place to escape urban life for a glass of vino in the countryside. Some favorites include Chateau St. Croix and Dancing Dragonfly Winery. Sip and sample at their tasting rooms and bring back a bottle for later.

Get your game on at an arcade bar
Uptown
You can’t beat playing like a kid again...except when you also throw in some 21+ drinks and an attractive date. Minneapolis bar Up-Down charges only a quarter for throwback arcade games from the '80s and '90s and they also have life-size Jenga and Connect Four. The house-made Mac & Cheese Pizza is way better than whatever the gaming spot of your youth served, and we suggest you take advantage of the “Six Pack and a Pound” special- six domestic tallboys and a pound of tokens -- at a steal of a price.

Bad Axe
Throw an axe together
Northeast
If you’re looking for a unique date idea that also serves as a stress reliever, check out Bad Axe, which recently opened an 8,000 square foot building in Northeast. They supply you with tools, coaching, and safety tips so you can learn how to throw an axe like a Northwoods lumberjack. Described as “like bowling, but edgier,” it’s a guaranteed good time. Afterwards, stop at neighboring Norseman Distillery for a cocktail.