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6 Fun Date Ideas Women And Men Will Both Love

6 Fun Date Ideas Women And Men Will Both Love
Jackie Dishner

SPECIAL FROM Grandparents.com

The next time your marriage or long-term relationship lands in that predictable rut, as in, same restaurants, movie nights in front of Netflix, and falling asleep on the couch, it’s time to take the relationship on an adventure and find some dates you’ll both love.

“Break away from the norm,” says Nancy Pina, a Houston-based relationship expert, who coaches couples on how to strengthen their relationships, including helping them find ways to create excitement and something new to discuss. “The key to making this adventure work is attitude,” she says, “Be a good sport and let those inhibitions down.”

And once you're out on the town, set the distractions aside. Toni Coleman, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach who works with a Boomer-aged clientele, says it’s most important to “go unplugged—no cell phones…Give yourself the time and space to reconnect.”

Read on to find a date idea that suits you and your sweetie:

Go ride a bike
Tom Merton via Getty Images
One of my favorite dates is getting on two wheels and riding the local trails, greenbelts or canal banks together. You can either ride separately or share a tandem. But if that sounds like too much work, ease up on your muscles with an electric bike ride. Colorado-based Anne Klein tried this while on a winery tour in Palisade, Colorado. “It was amazing,” she says, “We had electric bikes, and I could keep up with him!” She says you pedal on the flat roads, use the electric option on hills, and no one has to wait for the other person.
Go to a concert
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One of the first things I did with my long-term partner was ask him if he liked to listen to music. When he said yes, I suggested we go to an outdoor jazz concert. We shared a bottle of wine on a blanket, listening to the music in the background. It was so romantic, for minimal cost. If you don’t mind spending more, Kimberly Fulton Smith of Harrison, Arkansas, suggests something similar, based on what her friend, who was raised on ‘70s rock, does: “Her husband takes her to see James Taylor every year.” So Smith suggests tracking down your significant other’s favorite band from high school or college. If they’re on tour in your area, get tickets. “It may be pricey, but it will be unforgettable,” she says.
Go for a spin on the dance floor.
by Eugene Lee via Getty Images
Ballroom dance lessons are not as “old-fashioned” as some may think, says Andrea Bisconti, who owns a Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Willoughby, Ohio, near Cleveland. Most of her students are in the 40-60 age range, one-third of them married. Whether it’s the cha-cha, line dancing, swing or tango, it makes a great date night. “You’re looking each other in the eyes, holding hands, touching each other, and learning something new. It’s exciting,” she says, “and it’s the only form of entertainment where you’re actually paying attention to each other.”
Take a short cruise
Dorgie Productions via Getty Images
For Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, 50, who operates the Living Large in Our Little House blog, getting out of the house on dates with her husband Dale is a must. They enjoy taking a lake cruise at the nearest state park. It gives them time to relax while someone else is in charge. They learn a little bit about the history of the area while on board, and since it’s a sunset cruise, “it’s romantic.” And even though it’s definitely touristy, she says it’s a fun way to experience your own city.
Go fishing or just get away together
Caroline Woodham via Getty Images
Gwen Henson Payne, 53, and her semi-retired husband Paul, 68, enjoy fun on the water as well, when they leave their Tempe, Arizona, neighborhood for a camping weekend. It’s a great way to extend the date night, says Payne, who extols the virtues of being away from their phones. “Paul loves to fish, so he decides where we go. I love to photograph and read…but I most love to be able to share with him what he loves to do. That’s very special for me, and we don’t get to do it often enough.”
Go taste Tequila
by Marion C. HaÃold, www.marionhassold.com via Getty Images
For this date, go wild. Forget the usual order of wine. Ask the bartender if you can taste a little tequila, instead. The higher-end stuff in those lovely bottles is meant to be sipped, not chugged, so tasting tequila is just like tasting wine. You sip it, determine if you like the flavor, and then you try something else. All the while, you’re talking with each other about what you like and don’t like, you’re asking the bartender questions and learning something new, which is just what the relationship experts recommend.

Read more from Grandparents.com:What you should know about sex after 504 reasons women get married after 50The secret to a successful marriage

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