6 Winter Date Ideas for Every Type of Couple

When it comes to planning a date, winter can make things tricky with its lack of outdoor movie screenings, beer gardens, and open beaches. But just because the temperature is continually dropping and your favorite summer venues are currently desolate icy tundras, there are still plenty of fun winter dates waiting to be had, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. What am I talking about, you ask? I’m talking about picking out the best winter date for you and your significant other, taking into account your personalities and preferences. Fun, right?!

Every relationship is different, and that’s part of what makes them so fun. One couple’s disregard may be another’s pleasure. Maybe not everyone likes bar-hopping from one trendy hot spot to the next, but I’m sure some people do. And while a trip to your local coffee shop may make you and your date explode with happiness, for others, a fancy cup of joe just doesn’t cut it. Planning a date doesn’t have to be a big deal, but if you put a little bit of thought into it, you’ll be surprised at how much fun you can have by simply being aware of your own romantic preferences — even in the dead of winter.

1. Find a Cute Coffee Shop & Go for a Walk Through the Park

So you and your significant other are basically the Jacqueline Kennedy and JFK of modern day couples. You're intelligent, you're go-getters, and most importantly, you're classy. Spend the afternoon checking out a local, independent coffee shop, order some fancy caffeinated drinks, and just talk. If you're out of conversation starters, get in some people watching, or bring along a portable chess board. After you've got your coffee buzz going strong, bundle up and take a walk through the prettiest park in your city. So sophisticated, you two are entertained by the simple things in life.

2. Go Ice Skating & Find Some Hot Cocoa to Follow

It's not that coffee shops don't interest you guys, it's just that there's so much more out there to do! Put on your layers, bring along some extra wool socks, and find yourself an ice rink. While an outdoor rink is ideal for that winter wonderland aesthetic, indoor rinks can have their charm too. As long as there's music playing, people clinging to the railing, and rental ice skates galore, you're set. After showing off your moves, or repeatedly falling in the center of the rink (hey, I'm right there with you), go grab a cup of some home-brewed hot cocoa from a local shop to warm up. If you can find a place that makes marshmallows from scratch, bonus points.

3. Go on a Dessert Crawl

Cute coffee shops and ice rinks are both fine by you, but they're just not enough. Who says a date has to be limited to one location only? Nobody. The perfect date for the urban adventure-seeking couple is a dessert crawl. What's a dessert crawl? Well, it's when you pick your favorite dessert, and visit a run of restaurants in a row to determine who makes it best. Chocolate mousse, key lime pie, strawberry cheesecake... pick your poison and feast on it.

4. Go for a Dip in a Hot Tub & Sip Some Hot Buttered Rum

It's not that you two are actually scandalous, it's just that you kind of are, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's hot tub time. If you don't have your own hot tub (I am so jealous of all you people who do), do some research to see if there are any in the area you can hop into. I know, that sounds weird, but you'd be surprised by the amount of hot tub bars popping up all over the place. If you don't live near a hot tub bar, find a hotel that has one. Oh, and don't forget to bring along (or order) some hot buttered rum to sip on afterward. If the hot tub doesn't warm you up, the rum will.

5. Check Out a Hockey Game & Hit Up a Bar Afterward

Maybe you're looking for something with a little more action. Enter: the hockey game. Beer, pucks, and men occasionally hitting each other on the ice — sounds like a good time all around. Get tickets to an ice hockey game in your city (or the closest city that has it), bring along your giant foam hand, and partake in the cheering (or screaming). A sports game can take a lot out of you, even if you're not the one playing, so be sure to head to a bar after the final buzzer sounds to grab some dinner and keep the festivities going.

6. Go on a Cozy Weekend Getaway to a Cabin

Maybe you've already done everything on this list, and you're looking for something totally different and unexpected. There's an easy solution, and it involves leaving town and taking in a breath of fresh air — literally. Rent out a cabin a couple hours from where you live, explore some new turf, and enjoy the company of your significant other sans the usual surroundings. Sometimes, a change of scenery really can do wonders.

Images: Fotolia; Joel Horwath, Basheer Tome, tmcNYC, Tim Roth, Richard Schneider, Shane Zurbrigg, Melanie J Watts/Flickr