Spring has sprung! Spring is one of my favorite seasons because all the animals come out of their hiding places, flowers are back in bloom, the sun is starting to show more and more, the days are longer, and, of course, it means summer and summer break is right around the corner!
With all the beautiful scenery and the weather allowing more fun opportunities outside, it is the perfect time to take your new or old bae on a date around Boston! Boston is home to endless possibilities, from gardens to museums to cafes to so much more. This spring, there are so many old classics and new favorites to explore with your person! In this article, you’ll find ten unique date ideas that encompass different date times, prices, venues, types of dates (from the rom-com classics to more relaxed and causal options), and neighborhoods in Boston to venture into! Enjoy the increasingly nicer weather, get out there, and explore everything the city has to offer with your special person!
The MFA’s ‘Art in Bloom’ Event
When: April 26 – April 28
Where: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
How Much: Regular museum admission price
Beautiful flowers and art? How much better can it get!? The Boston Museum of Fine Art’s annual ‘Art in Bloom’ event is here once again and is happening in late April, so mark your calendars! The event promises museum-goers the opportunity to see stunning, elaborate flower arrangements based on art pieces in the museum. Based on the pictures online, this seems like an absolutely breathtaking display of two types of art that would undoubtedly make your night out unforgettable! Imagine a night filled with strolling through the MFA’s beautiful galleries where you get to see not only the usual art pieces, which in themselves are a treat, but you are also graced with the image of fresh flowers artistically crafted in the image of the art around them, as well. Make sure you do not miss out on this yearly tradition, as it could be the perfect date night for the lover of the arts in your life! I know this is at the very top of my date idea list!
Isabella Steward Gardner Museum’s Saturday Open Studio
When: Saturdays from 1-4 p.m.
Where: Isabella Steward Gardner Museum
How much: Regular museum admission price
Are you and your partner an artsy pair? This is the perfect date idea for you, then! We are all probably familiar with the beautiful Isabella Steward Gardner Museum already, but did you know they offer studio spaces, as well? Grab your partner and two regular museum admission-priced tickers and head over to the museum for an immersive, hands-on experience. Every Saturday, the museum promises different mediums and crafts to embark on, so this could become your and your special person’s weekly date night activity or a one-off adventure into the arts! Before or after, you can even have time to explore the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum, another fantastic opportunity that will surely be an excellent place to enjoy someone’s company and the surrounding scenery and art.
Cinderella at the Boston Ballet
When: March 14 to March 24
Where: Boston Ballet, 539 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111
How Much: $35-$325 per ticket, depending on the seats
Sitting down for a ballet is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is some people’s, and you’ll never know if it is yours if you have not tried it yet! This performance offers beautiful costumes, live music, and, of course, dancers performing on stage who have taken years and years to perfect their craft. While it is on the longer side and not a very traditional date idea for our generation, I think, much like a play or a movie, ballet is a beautiful, unique experience that can give you and your date a lot to discuss after the performance. Reserve your tickets now so you can witness firsthand the magic of Cinderella!
Pottery Painting at the Clayroom
When: All days of the week, 12 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Where: The Clayroom, 1408 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
How Much: $10 per person, not including the price of the pottery
I don’t know about you, but my TikTok FYP is filled with videos of people painting poetry, and honestly, I am obsessed and really want to try it out. If you share the same feelings as me, this could be a good way to get to know your bae better and create some really cool art! You don’t have to do the messy and probably really hard part where you make the actual pottery pieces; you just get to do the fun part: the painting! I can imagine it would be so fun to sit down, relax, paint, and talk to your date in a chilled-out and artsy space. And then, in five days, you can go back and pick up your masterpieces and see how well, or how well you didn’t do, at creating them!
Norman B. Leventhal Park
When: All days, 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Where: 130 Congress St, Boston, MA 02110
How much: Free
Are you looking for a more outdoorsy, causal, or free date idea? Norman B. Leventhal Park satisfies all three of those wants! Based on the pictures, this park seems to host many luscious green vegetation that will certainly be out on display this spring and will be beautiful to admire, take pictures of, and talk about with your boo. This park offers a lot of space to roam around in, benches to sit and chat on, or even grass space where you and your date can bring a blanket and chill out in a picnic style. If you and your date don’t mind spending a bit of money, the park is also home to a café, the Four-Season Café, where you can grab a refreshing bit to eat before or after exploring everything the park has to offer.
Coit Observatory
When: Wednesday nights
Where: 725 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, MA
How much: Free
Who wouldn’t want a date under the stars? Boston University’s Coit Observatory offers free viewing of the stars through its telescopes, along with providing information about astronomy, on most Wednesday nights. Whenever you or your partner are seasoned astronomy vets, newbies who just like looking at pretty stars, or somewhere in between, this free date idea is certainly a unique one that you two will talk about for days to come.
Northern Lights Sunset Cruise
When: Most days at 6 p.m.
Where: 60 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, United States
How much: $58 per person
This is a little bit more of a pricier date idea, but it will be one you will never forget! Hop onto this cruise vessel and watch the Boston skyline transform from its usual daytime appearance to a beautiful, colorful sunset while on the water with your special someone. Enjoy the scenery and a historical guide as you pass by numerous historical places in Boston, listen to music, and sip on drinks while you spend time with your bae and take in all the beauty around you. I think this price is justified when you factor in what you get with this wonderful experience, so if you are comfortable with dishing out a little more money than usual or trying to find a perfect spot for an anniversary date, this option is for you!
Boston Public Garden Swan Boats
When: Starting April 13, going through Sept. 2, 10 a.m. to 4/5 p.m.
Where: Boston Public Garden, 4 Charles St, Boston, MA 02116
How much: $4.50 per person
Now, this is a date straight out of a rom-com! Getting a ride on a swan boat is such a cliché and classic that you have to experience it at least once in your life. Lucky for you and your date, there is a swan boat right in Boston! Hop on the boat and glide around the beautiful water while talking to your bae and enjoying the scenery for only $4.50 a person, and no reservation is required! This may be a little cheesy, but who in their right mind wouldn’t want to do it at least once, especially if you can get a romantic memory with your loved one out of it?
Boston Famers Markets
When: Throughout the spring and summer
Where: Throughout Boston
How much: Varies
A farmer’s market is such a good option where you can support local farmers and businesses, buy and eat fresh food, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time with your favorite person. Plus, you don’t even have to buy anything! You can simply browse around and chat as you admire all the fresh produce and try a free sample here and there. Boston is such a large, diverse city, so you will 100% see multiple farmer’s markets in and around Boston this spring and summer, which can be great opportunities to get some time outdoors, get grocery shopping done, and enjoy the company of your bae in this causal, outdoorsy venue!
That’s it! I hope you found some inspiration from my list and have a few new ideas when looking to spend some time with your loved one as spring has sprung this year. Remember that dates are about memories and fostering a bond between one another, so no matter how much money you have to spend on a date or any outside factors, the right person will be simply happy to spend time with you. You should never feel pressured to do something grand, expensive, or widely out of your comfort zone. Memories can be created anywhere!