Child Free Date Night Ideas
For hard working parents, getting a night out without the kids can be quite hard to come by. And let’s face it, family dinners are great but you also need some adult time. So when you finally have the chance to go out sans children, what are you actually going to do? We’ve rounded up some of our favorite date night ideas you can do in the Lansing and Okemos areas when you’re finally able to leave the kids at home and enjoy an adult night out.
Eating, Drinking, and Some Light Shopping?
Going out to dinner for your date night is always a tried and true option, but why not add a little spin to it? Rather than sitting down at a restaurant for a meal and then heading home, make your evening out a more grand experience. Here in East Lansing there are some great dining options that provide more than just a good meal.
For a fun and leisurely evening, go visit Horrock’s Farm Market. The Beer Garden & Tavern feature a wide arrange of libations and fantastic pizzas that feature local ingredients from the farm. Afterwards you can meander around and take advantage of the huge selection of beautiful, locally grown vegetables and produce. Horrock’s also sells their own delicious creations, with a wide variety of classic offerings including hand-dipped caramel apples, gourmet popcorns, and an assortment of jerkies, coffee roasts and more.
For a more elegant night out, try Dusty’s Cellar. This family-owned wine bar and cellar has an extraordinary selection of beers and rare wines. The wine bar features upscale menu options and an extensive wine list that’s sure to entice any food and wine lover. And after your meal you can head into the cellar to take home your favorite bottle (or bottles) from Dusty’s impressive selection. The cellar also has all sorts of other goodies like cakes, pastries, gourmet foods and other unique gifts. And if you want a more relaxed and casual atmosphere with the same access to unique wines and beers, check out their Tap Room which is right next door.
Get A Little Adventurous and Competitive.
Make your date night exciting, and do something a little more unique and entertaining. Right here at High Caliber Karting and Entertainment, we have a variety of fun games and activities you can compete in with, or against, your date! Of course our most popular activity is our high speed go kart racing, where you’ll strap into our super fast electric go karts and race on your choice of 2 different indoor tracks. Unless you’re lucky enough to come out on one of the few days where we have MEGA TRACK. Combing the two tracks into the largest indoor Michigan go-kart track. Your adrenaline will be pumping, your face will be smiling, and we’re positive you and your date will have your hearts racing. Pun intended, lol.
But Go Karts are only one of the many activities you do at High Caliber on your date night. We also have Gamified Axe Throwing, which in our humble opinion is the best axe throwing you’ll find in town. There are Rage Rooms if you’re looking to engage in some couples’ rage therapy, plus Gellyball Blaster battles, ThrowBowling and even an arcade! And with 2 different bars and a bistro for food, you can be sure your thirst will be quenched and your bellies kept full.
Don’t forget about High Caliber’s two free events they host every Thursday and Friday too! Thursday Trivia night is your best spot to also win gift cards to High Caliber, and they switch the theme up every week. But General Knowledge trivia will be the first Thursday of the Month. Karaoke Friday is your chance to steal the biggest stage in Lansing then too! With up to 5 mics the whole group of friends can get up there and sing to their heart’s content. There is no age limit for either of these freebie events either, so if you decide to maybe let the kids come with you, they are welcome to play trivia or sing on the karaoke stage! A great night out for families with teenagers especially.
Explore Nature and Science
Living in East Lansing, we are quite lucky to have a prestigious institution right here in our own backyard. We’re talking about Michigan State University of course! One of the lesser known, but most beautiful parts of the sprawling campus grounds are the Horticulture Gardens. The 14 acres of diverse gardens are a superb retreat and resource for gardeners, plant lovers and people looking to simply enjoy the natural beauty. You can easily get a bit of exercise as you enjoy a romantic stroll through the gardens. You might even get some garden design ideas for your home, or perhaps you’ll just learn about new plants, shrubs and trees. It’s a great way to relax in a beautiful and refreshing garden setting, and enjoy a peaceful moment with your partner.
If science and space are more your thing, take a trip to Abrams Planetarium. Also located on the University of Michigan campus, The Talbert and Leota Abrams Planetarium serves as an astronomy and space science resource center for central Michigan. Come learn a little while enjoying quality time with your partner as your take in one of the many planetarium shows. Shows for the public are normally on Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons. You can even schedule a private show of your own, and create a truly intimate experience for you and your date. If you want to dive more into the educational side of things, you can also attend public lectures from MSU professors. Check the Abrams Planetarium website for more info and scheduling.
Get Creative
Channel your inner creativity and check out a Paint Your Poison event. Always popping up at different locations from bars and restaurants to public parks and more, these events will allow you and your date to discover new places in town, and possibly some new talents of your own! This is a great social date activity that can be a nice ice breaker as well, allowing you to spend quality time with your date in a setting that will naturally spark conversation. Inspire each other and enjoy a truly unique experience. (Plus you’ll take home some truly unique artwork at the end!) Paint Your Poison provides everything you need from paints and brushes, to aprons and all other materials. All you have to do is show up and enjoy the good time!
So whether you’ve hired a babysitter or have a family member watching over the kids, schedule a night off for Mom and Dad, skip the ordinary, and plan something fun and unique. From high adrenaline activities like go karting at High Caliber, to beautiful evenings full of good wine at Rusty’s, make your next date night out a little extra special.