If you’re boo’ed up for Halloween, here are some great ideas for date night that aren’t just Netflixing a scary movie from the couch! Some of these are Halloween-specific and others are great for the general fall season, so you can’t make an excuse not to treat your partner to a great date night!
1. Pumpkin Painting – with a twist
Pumpkin painting is as basic as it gets, but challenge yourself to paint a pumpkin that reminds you of your partner, and they paint one that reminds them of you! Whether you paint the logo of their favorite sports team, make a pumpkin full of Taylor Swift references, or theme the colors after your favorite Disney movie, the idea is to create a pumpkin that shows off your partner’s interests or favorite things! Challenge yourself to make it subtle and more of an “if you know, you know” design, like a reference to their Arby’s order or an inside joke. Personality pumpkins are a great way to show your partner you love and pay attention to all of the small things they say and do that you adore!
2. Indy Scream Park or other haunted houses!
Maybe I’m biased because I love scary movies and haunted houses, but nothing is more romantic than being apprehensive or scared and holding your partner’s hand, and feeling them grasp yours just as tight. Indy Scream Park is less than an hour from Muncie and has at least five different themed “attractions” within the overall park. Bonus points if you get your caricatures painted together!
3. Thrift Shop Costume Date
This date’s a two-parter: first, head to the local thrift stores. Your goal is to put together a very cheap and funny costume for your partner, while they put together one for you. Whether you’re making Shaggy from Scooby Doo and they’re crafting a bloody prom queen costume a la Carrie, the best part is the random and funny combination of costumes. Then, you get to take these not-couply couples costumes to any sort of Halloween function, whether it’s the campus Late Nite, the local Brother’s Halloween celebration, or even a friend’s Halloween gathering. Now you get to create a terribly corny backstory for how those characters ended up together and enjoy wearing the funny costume your significant other picked out just for you.
4. Go Ghost Hunting- I’m serious
What if I told you that Indianapolis offers an array of Ghost Tours? I’m not kidding. From US Ghost Adventures to the City Market Catacombs to the city of Irvington’s Haunted Tours and Festival. Grab your bravest friends to tour these haunted spaces and hunt for the ghosts of All Hallow’s Eve!
5. Spend a Night at the Theatre with the classic Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Addams Family
To every theatre kid’s delight, Halloween is flooded with screenings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Whether you’re heading into the city or you’re catching the Ball State shadow cast version on October 31st at midnight, there’s no shortage of places to go to see this iconic Halloween movie. And while this one isn’t as annual, it’s still a great date night: The Addams Family musical is playing October 20-22 and 26-29 at Muncie Civic Theatre. This musical is an adult comedy musical with everyone’s favorite gothic family.
6. Pumpkin Patch or Apple Orchard
While not as Halloween-specific, fall is a great time to visit your local farms that offer pumpkin patches or apple orchards. A few favorites include Jacobs Family Orchard, which offers a pumpkin patch, hayrides, a sunflower field, and a playground, and Tuttle Orchards in Greenfield, which includes an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, hayrides, playground, and more. Bonus points if there’s a corn maze!
7. Seasonal Baking
Nothing beats fall desserts, and I’m willing to die on that hill. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, caramel candy apples, apple crisps, chai cookies (my favorite recipe), pumpkin rolls, and more! I’m actually drooling, and I bet you are too. So grab your significant other and get baking, turning on some Noah Kahan music, a good Harry Met Sally rom-com, or even a Sunday night football game if the timing is right!