Whether you’ve been with your sweetie for a day or a decade, one thing is for sure: as the dust begins to settle and the world finally feels as though it is easing out of panic and pandemic, you’re ready for a night out.
We get it! You are not alone. All over Kansas, couples are itching to spend an evening away from the house. For many of us, these last few months have either been a commute between couch, kitchen, and bed, or an incredibly brave sojourn into a world that felt increasingly unknown. Both options limiting, both stuck on endless loop. During times like these, it may begin to feel like romance is nothing but a line in a song, something that happens in movies, or a distant memory.
But don’t worry! The situation around us IS changing. It looks as though things MIGHT be opening up! Just as Spring starts to slide into an expansive Kansas summer, it looks as though many of us are finally going to be able to take those first tentative steps back out into the world.
And as we step outside and allow ourselves a taste of fresh air, many of us are realizing this is the perfect time to doll ourselves up, and go out for a night on the town.
Obviously, things are different. Your date venue will likely not consist of a crowded restaurant or your favorite band at your favorite venue, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! Keep reading to discover our list of post-COVID date ideas for a Finney County that is just beginning to open back up.
Capture the Sunrise
Despite the fact that more businesses are beginning to offer services, the CDC still recommends we do our best to avoid crowded places. But that’s okay with us, because time spent alone with the person most special to us is exactly what date night is for!
And yes, this technically doesn’t meet the standards of ‘date night’ since it is in the morning, but it simply has to be included in this list.
Sunrises are special. They require thought and effort, just like a good date. Set the coffee maker on a timer and set an alarm. Then drive a little ways out of town while it’s still dark and watch the sun come up over the fields. It’s a special moment that you and your partner can keep like a secret, just to yourselves.
Have a Picnic at Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area
Sandsage is a nationally recognized wildlife area, and it’s right in our backyard. It is famous for not only for its native prairie grass, but for the buffalo herd which grazes on it, and which has been living on this land for more than 100 years.
Exploring its 3,760 acres, guests should find it easy to maintain social distancing while they enjoy the park.
This is the perfect place to lay out a blanket, serve up some fancy cheese, and enjoy your partner’s quiet company in the presence of nature stirring all around you.
Bonus points if, instead of packing your picnic, you order some incredible, nationally renowned dinner from one of Garden City’s 60+ restaurants offering takeout.
Walk
Nothing beats the simple pleasure of a walk with your special someone. For centuries, writers and academics have mused on the subject of walking, and they have all reached similar conclusions: That walking is a very fine thing to do.
When a couple walks together, time seems to slow down for them. The rush and rabble of the day is allowed to slip away, if only for one block more.
Maybe it’s been years since you’ve done it, maybe you do it all the time. Either way, now is the perfect time for you and your partner to experience the world around you in a slower, more deliberate fashion.
As Jerry Spinneli famously said: ‘Home is everything you can walk to.’ And as Edward Sharpe famously sang: ‘Home is wherever I’m with you.’
Stargaze
Residents and visitors to Finney County are seriously lucky. Garden City’s size and location give it a small footprint when it comes to light pollution, and getting only a few miles out of the city can offer some seriously spectacular celestial viewings.
Spend some time together checking out constellations and star charts, then find a quiet, secluded place to look for them together.
Go For Dessert
Date nights should feel special, and one way we can make them special is by indulging together. This is not and everyday kind of night, thus, the everyday kind of rules don’t apply. That includes counting calories.
There are plenty of places still serving up the sweet stuff in Garden City. Rolled ice cream, delicious raw cookie dough, sticky rice and mango, whatever tempts your tongue, you’ll find it in Garden City.
Simply BE Together
This one is probably the most important on the list. With so much of our lives happening at home, it can be difficult to separate and parcel our time. But there’s no faster way to ruin a date night than by responding to that work email or allowing yourself to become lost in your phone.
Whatever you decide to do, however you and your partner decide to spend your special evening, remember to make it about THEM. This is the time for enjoying one another’s company and simply enjoying the relationship you continue to forge together.
