Our Favorite Unconventional Dates

Hello, friends! Last week I was a bit MIA on the blog and social media; a lot has been going on in our lives recently and Sam and I have been trying to soak up our time together at night when we get the chance. Sam turned 27 on Tuesday so, I was trying my best to make his week extra special. I didn't want to waste away our evenings with me glued to my laptop or phone. Instead, we curled up on the couch together watching new movies, ordered in our favorite Indian dish, began planning our itinerary for our next adventure, had a date night at our favorite farm to table restaurant (where 1 glass of wine each made us giggle like teenagers for 2 hours), and really just enjoyed our time together without distractions or daunting to-do lists. 

In addition to Sam's birthday last week, my Dad also got married on Thursday at the courthouse in Annapolis. I spent the day perfecting my very first bridal bouquet (DIY tutorial coming!) and drinking my weight in vanilla milkshakes. It was a simple day but, exactly what my Dad and his new wife, Denise, pictured. My Dad has always been a free spirit, surprising us last year with news that he was moving to Costa Rica by himself for good before meeting the love of his life and changing everything. Thursday was the 2nd time I have ever seen tears in my Dad's eyes and my heart just truly feels happy for him. 

After all of the excitement from the week, Sam and I purposefully made no solid plans for the weekend. We were thinking of road tripping to Philadelphia on Saturday morning just to relax and get away. But, the weather didn't quite agree with us so we said 'screw it' and stayed home instead. It turned out to be a lovely weekend where I was able to sleep in, catch up on work in my (newly redecorated) home office, visit the local Farmers' Market (first weekend this year!), and have a fun, little date with Sam. 

Many of you that know us well know that Sam and I have been together for almost 6 years now. We've been living together for nearly 5 of those years and we truly spend almost every moment that we are not working, by each other's side. We absolutely love being together whether we are home unwinding from the work week or doing a fun activity. Since we have been together for what feels like a lifetime now, we have had our fair share of date nights. And even though our go-to classic is still dinner downtown and a new movie on demand, sometimes that just doesn't cut it when you need the extra attention, quality time, or spontaneity. 

Although we are constantly adding items to our list (next up: cooking class and an IMAX movie), we thought it would be fun to share our favorite unconventional dates that we have personally tested out, loved, and highly recommend thus far:

01. Drive-In Movie Theatre

Bengie's - As old-school as it gets; opened in 1956, Bengie's has the largest movie screen in the US. They have different showings every weekend (currently: Boss Baby, Hidden Figures, and Logan). When Sam and I go, we get snacks from the concession stand, cuddle up in blankets, roll our seats back, and enjoy the movie marathon. Sometimes it's nice to be trapped in a car together for 5 hours LOL! 

02. Indoor Sky Diving

IFLY - We tried indoor sky diving at IFLY this past Valentine's Day and it was a freaking blast. We had so much fun playing around in the tube, learning different techniques, and cheering each other on from the sideline. If you decide to do this, do yourself a huge favor and add the "high flight" of $10 per person to your package when you get there; it was by far our favorite part. You could say we are working our way up to real skydiving someday... 

03. Pottery Class

The Clayground - We found this gem on Groupon a few years back and it's still one of my favorite, relaxing activities to do together on a weekend. Neither of us had ever tried wheel throwing so it was fun getting messy, playing around with different shapes, and acquiring a new skill together. We were so into it our first time that Sam even asked the instructor about trying to set up a pottery space in our basement for personal use! I think he was imagining that Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore scene in Ghost :P

04. Wine Tasting

Boordy Vineyard - There are a ton of wonderful wineries to experience in Maryland but, among our favorites is Boordy Vineyard. It isn't the largest but, in my opinion, it is the most inviting and romantic. They have 2 different type of wine tastings at this vineyard and both, in my opinion, are worth trying. Since our palettes have changed so much over the years that we have been together, we find it fun to do a tasting each time and write down which ones are our favorites. In addition, Boordy is pretty open to letting you walk through the vineyard and get a better look at the different grapes on your own (they also give guided tours). Usually, Sam and I bring our own picnic basket complete with different cheeses, cured meats, and crackers, grab a bottle of Boordy wine, and wander into the vineyard by ourselves for a more private date. 

05. Hiking

Sugarloaf Mountain - When the weather is nice, Sam and I love to head up to Sugarloaf Mountain for the day to get in a little exercise and soak in the stunning view at the top peak. There are several different paths you can take, ranging from an all-day easy hike to a 40-minute advanced hike. We always like this date because it feels like a team effort reaching the top of the mountain; we are cheering each other on along the way, and are able to have time without distractions to talk just the two of us. It's generally pretty busy at the two highest overlooks but, the views (and photo-ops) are definitely worth it.  

06. Trampoline Park

Skyzone - This was the most recent date that we have tried on this list. We spent an hour at Skyzone this past Sunday and we had more fun than I even imagined we would. We laughed so hard that our cheeks (and backs, and legs... and arms) were kiiilling us by the end. It was the most fun I have ever had while "working out". We raced through the trampoline park, practiced flips and splits and cartwheels, flung ourselves into the foam pit, and challenged each other to backwards basketball. It was nice to make fools of ourselves, forget about our responsibilities for the day, and just pretend we were kids again. Warning: realizing how exhausting this is may make you feel super old. *Still - one of my favorite dates yet*

07. Foodie Tour

Union Market DC - My favorite thing to do after a styled shoot for the blog in DC is visit the Union Market. There are SO many fantastic food and drink vendors to try that we sometimes spend hours there just walking around, shopping in the tiny boutiques, and getting a little taste from each vendor to split. It is the best way to get the most for your taste buds and it's fun to see what each of you like and don't like (we always share our "favorite" at the end). It's definitely one way to prolong a dinner or lunch date on the weekend. 

*You can shop our full date night looks in this post*

What are your favorite unconventional date ideas? Have you tried one on this list? Let us know in the comments below or via Facebook!

xo Anna Elizabeth