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Date Night Ideas

Category: Features

You’ve heard of staycations, but what about date night in? It’s a fun way to keep the spark going and only requires a bit of planning. Plus, you’ll be supporting a few local businesses along the way.

Make a Plan

Just like you would a regular date night, think about what you’ll eat, drink and do for fun. Let’s start with what you’ll drink. 

Luckily for you, we have options that you can enjoy at home or when you Dine in the Park. Thanks to the City of Chandler, you can now enjoy wine and beer in Dr. A.J. Chandler Park during posted hours. It’s perfect for a picnic, but more on that later.

Craft cocktails

  • The Brickyard Downtown is serving up pre-mixed drinks like an Old Fashioned, Pimm’s Punch and Whoa Mommalade to-go. Menu
  • The Hidden House is offering their popular Diddy Do It, House Rock (N Rye) and Single Serve Slaps to-go. Menu

Craft beer

  • SanTan Brewing has all your favorites like Moon Juice and Juicy Jack available for dine-in, takeout, curbside and delivery. Menu
  • The Sleepy Whale has exclusive brews that have yet to cross state lines before all stocked and ready to go on tap and in their cooler. Learn more
  • Craft 64 has in-house brews (and wines) just waiting to be put in a growler for you. Order takeout or delivery, or dine-in during regular business hours. Website
  • QuartHaus is offering brews fresh off the tap or from their cooler to-go. More

Wine

  • Crust Simply Italian has the vino you need available for dine-in, takeout and delivery. Don’t forget about their infamous speakeasy, The Ostrich. It’s open for late night fun. Website

There is certainly no shortage of food options when you’re talking about Downtown Chandler. These are the restaurants offering dine-in, takeout, curbside pickup and/or delivery. Hours and options may vary so it’s important to call and confirm with the business directly. 

As we mentioned earlier, if you want to be in the Downtown but don’t yet feel comfortable dining in, opt for a picnic with food and drinks (beer/wine only) in Dr. A.J. Chandler Park during posted hours. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs to feel extra fancy.

Don’t forget about coffee and dessert!

For a complete list of all businesses, click here. 

Now that you have your menu planned, let’s talk about what you’ll do for fun. 

  • Buy to-go pottery packs from Burst of Butterflies
  • Stop in for a movie at FLIX Brewhouse, now open and serving up the latest releases, in-house craft beers and bites.
  • Find the remaining movies on Amazon Prime, HULU or Netflix that you haven’t watched yet…this in itself could be a fun challenge
  • Good old-fashioned board or card games
  • Enjoy each other’s company around a fire pit or fireplace
  • Take a stroll around the neighborhood 
  • Book a stay at the Hilton Garden Inn or San Marcos Resort for a much needed getaway
  • If you’re a couple who plays together, book a tee time on the green of the San Marcos Golf Course
  • Plan a vacation for when things return to normal. Even you don’t actually take it, it’s fun to think about booking a surf lesson in Hawaii. 

Set the Mood

You’ve got your drinks and delicious meal, but it doesn’t stop there. Go the extra mile by using the fancy drink glasses and dinnerware that rarely see the light of day. Dust off the candles in the closet and use them to set the mood at the table. If you have dimmer switches, use these when working on a lighting concept. Don’t forget music in the background!

Dress the Part

Just because you’re staying at home doesn’t mean you should stay in those pajamas. Dress as you would any other date night out to show your partner you’re really committed to making this night special. 

Enjoy the Night

It’s time to put those cell phones away, kids to bed and laptops down. Come up with a few conversation starters in case you hit a lull. Here a few examples:

  • If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
  • What’s your favorite book/movie?
  • What’s your favorite childhood memory?
  • What would you do with a million dollars?
  • What qualities do you value most in friends?
  • If you were stranded on an island and could only bring one possession and one person, who and what they be?

What are your date night in ideas? Share them in the comments below to inspire others.