The summer heat can be brutal, and can seriously dampen the mood. So how can you stay cool and have fun with your hun at the same time?
It may be the heat itself, but people aren’t that creative with their dates during the summer. The thought of going out during these humid, overly bright, hot days can be daunting. And when you do go out, chances are you’ll end up in an awful mood when your date idea isn’t cool enough to ward off the heat.
But what if you and your partner are desperately trying to have some fun despite the heat? What if you’re bored out of your minds, and the only way to keep an impending argument at bay is a date? What if sitting around at home is not an option? In that case, the heat needs to be thought of as an obstacle to overcome, not a defining factor.
Summer date ideas to cool you off
Stay cool this summer with ten great ideas for keeping it nice and chill while you’re out with your significant other!
#1 Find the oasis of the urban desert. By this, I’m referring to areas that have air conditioning. Get out of the house and go to a place with AC, like the movies, a restaurant, museum, gallery, shopping mall, your artsy friend’s photography studio, etc. This may sound cliché, but literally, this could mean any single place away from home that has AC. Get creative, stay cool. [Read: 33 awesome date ideas every couple should try]
#2 Go to the pool, not the beach. You may think that the beach is the number one place to go to during the summer, but the beach is bigger, with more people, and a giant reflective body of water. Logically, it’s hotter. So if you’re not keen on lugging around a giant beach umbrella or trying to cool off in the middle of a huge bikini-clad crowd, hit the pools and hang out at the shaded areas.
#3 Channel your inner child and have a water balloon fight. Face it, during the hot days, the last thing you are concerned about is how you look. You just want to get rid of the sloppy, sweaty feeling. That’s where a water balloon fight will come in handy. It’s fun, unorthodox for adults, and a great way to cool down. Plus, you can get other people to join you. The more the merrier!
#4 Go on a gourmet summer menu adventure. Anyone can have a picnic, but not everyone has a gourmet picnic. Make a fancy cheese plate, pack some fruit, make some mini arugula and stinky cheese sliders, and don’t forget the ice-cold mixers. There are tons of gourmet food options that don’t require you to wait in front of a stove or oven! [Read: 10 dishes to get your sex drive to skyrocket]
#5 Go sailing. Just make sure to pick a boat with a lot of shade options. Pack a hat, sunscreen, some sunglasses and a bathing suit. Wear breathable fabrics and hit the water. Enjoy the cool breeze, and make sure you have some ice cold drinks onboard.
#6 Make a mini vacation out of that cliché wine tasting idea. Wine tasting in and of itself isn’t a new concept, but clearing out your schedule for three days and staying at a cozy bed & breakfast or rented cabin definitely helps. Especially when you take the other two days to explore the canoe areas, or sightseeing options around town that offer AC. Don’t just drink wine, consider it a vacation with some wine tasting involved.
#7 Go out for a sweet treat. Some days, you don’t want a big event, but you also don’t want to stay indoors. Getting ice cream *or a sorbet or granita or gelato* is simple, gets you out of the house, and allows you to enjoy a cold, tasty treat with your partner. It’s wholesome, easy to do, and you can do it as often as you like… or at least, as often as your diet allows.
#8 Nighttime mini golf. Remember how your high school field trips involved this? Seems long ago and corny, but at night, it can be quite entertaining. The lights and water effects shine, and so will you and your partner. Plus, it gets a lot cooler at night, even in summer. You could even combine the next idea with this one.
#9 Take a road trip. What’s a home away from home that has AC and lets you be outside? Your trusty car. Taking a road trip will cool you and your partner down, and allow for multiple pit-stops into mini golf places, ice cream shops, organic fruit and vegetable stands, and stores with AC. Even if you don’t have a designated destination, you can have a blast exploring. [Read: 7 life lessons you’ll learn from an awesome road trip]
#10 Stay in, and have a special R&R day with your partner. You’re trying to avoid the sun’s sweltering rays, right? So why not hole up inside the house, switch your fans to the highest setting, and hang out while watching movies, playing games, or snacking on some cold treats? Or for something more intimate, have a relaxing spa day with your partner, where you soak in the tub, get massages, or pamper yourselves with grooming products, and a long nap.
[Read: Top 10 fun and romantic summer date ideas]
Who says you can’t have fun with your partner while the summer heat is wreaking havoc on your city? Try out these summer date ideas to cool off, and see just how good you can be at beating the heat!
