Just because the love-filled holiday Valentine's Day just passed, you still have 364 more days to be dating your bookworm sweetheart. And that can up the ante on date ideas for book nerds. Not to totally hate on candlelight and white tablecloths, but as one half of a book-loving couple, I definitely feel the pressure to make sure our plans (especially for special events like birthdays and holidays) aren't the same old run-of-the-mill, cliche standbys. I mean, dinners and massages are nice and all, but you've got to ask yourself: where are the books? And this might just be me, but I believe the pressure's even higher since my partner and I are both book lovers and writers. I can't help but ask myself, when I think about potential dates: Would this be good in a story? Would my characters be into this?
Whether you're a writer, a reader, or simply someone who goes gaga for the smell of books, there are loads of awesome ideas for bookworm dates. And, hey, that includes solo dates, too! The beautiful thing about all of these ideas is that they're not the sort of outings that require loads of planning. In fact, like all the best dates, these ten ideas have (or can have) an element of spontaneity to them, so you and your honey can be swept up in the moment, borne away by love's plot.
1. Hit Up A Scenic Used Bookstore
Here's a two-for-one: a mini road trip and a leisurely combing of the stacks? Check out this one, where a screened porch lets in the sound of water crashing over jagged rocks in scenic Western Massachusetts, located in a building that was once an gristmill.
2. Do Something Creative Together With Old Magazines
Paper roses never die and following instructions together can be fun. Plus, this one's free!
3. Go To A Reading
Especially if you don't usually go to readings. Novel experiences (pun intended) or misplaced arousal — what causes scary movies to be so perfect for date nights — can lead to heightened feelings of intimacy, ideal for bringing you and your partner way in sync.
4. And Then Check Out A Book-Themed Bar.
Talking about what you just heard — and the people you were obviously both eavesdropping/spying on — is the perfect follow-up to an author talk or reading. Low noise and lower lighting, a secret entrance, lots of leather? This one fits the bill — a perfect place for whispering means you get to sit extra-close.
5. Orchestrate A Coffee Shop Run-In
Let's switch it up! OK, maybe it's a little stagey, but don't all bookworms secretly fantasize about reading in public and being the subject of some other page-turner's furtive glancing? If you're treating yourself to a solo date, bring the novel you can't put down to your favorite cafe and indulge in something luxuriously caffeinated while you marvel in a story and your own irresistibility.
6. Visit An Author's Swanky Estate
Edith Wharton's home, The Mount, sits on a nearly 50-acre estate in the Berkshires, and the grounds — with their unique walled gardens and rock garden — rival those at the Palace of Versailles. Whether you and your bae get a little lost or take a guided tour, learning about another time and place can be a totally transporting experience.
7. Or At Least Walk Their Walk
The Wallace Stevens Walk in Hartford, Connecticut takes you on the poet's perambulatory commute — he never learned to drive. Plaques mark 13 monumental sites along the route, which is just long enough for an afternoon date, especially one that bleeds into evening.
8. Prepare A Book-Themed Dinner Together
Go all out with a fetch table and on point beverage pairings to make the night feel red letter. Need ideas about how to recreate your favorite meal from A Song of Ice and Fire? We've got 'em. Aren't stay-at-home dates the coziest?
9. Host A Literary Game Night
I'm a firm believer that a "date" can be anything you want it to be, and sometimes what you want it is to host or cohost a bunch of your fellow book nerd buds for an evening of punch and board games. If none of these 11 options speak to you, there's always book trivia night, which definitely needs to exist.
10. Watch A Movie-Adapted From Your Favorite Book
Bonus points if you've both read the book so you can do the whole compare-contrast thing. Odds are you've got one of these upcoming releases on your calendar, right? So even if your date plans take you elsewhere, you can keep the book-loving love alive all year long.
Images: Autumn Barnes, bwats2, Wei-chun Wang, Rebecca Siegel, Look Up, America!/Flickr; Giphy (6)
