By 
HA! All of those pictures above are major throwbacks (umm, hello… BANGS) and I just love them all so much.
Hi, y’all! Today, Bryan and I are bringing something fun to you – over 50 dates to do in Houston and the surrounding area! We started dating while we were both in college and working at an awesome burger restaurant in Houston called Pappa’s Burger (you need to go if you haven’t!). Our college dating days were filled with study nights, me cheering Bryan on at his basketball games, happy hours, Chi Omega social events and just plain ol’ hang-outs at our apartments. There was so much going on that we didn’t have to think about dating each other. Then we graduated, moved into a ridiculously cheap apartment (both monetary and aesthetically) and got hit with a wave of adulting. We were both working 9-5 jobs and running ourselves ragged on the hamster wheel.
About six months or so into this mundane routine, one (or maybe even both?!) of us woke the hell up and realized that somewhere along the way we had stopped dating each other. Sure, we slept in the same bed every night and kissed each other good morning, but we weren’t growing, exploring and wondering together. That’s when we decided to start PURPOSELY dating each other.
I’ve underlined, bolded and capped “purposely” because our first step was planning. One of my favorite sayings is “failing to plan is planning to fail” and it’s held true to nearly everything I’ve set out to do. Bryan and I sat down and decided to commit to treating each other to one date day or night each month and we would alternate who plans it every month. Bryan plans a date one month, I do the next month and so on.
We also decided that our dates didn’t have to cost an arm and a leg or be a golden ticket date (those are the big events that happen once a year or an event that is notable. The Houston Rodeo or a fancy play are examples of these). Nope, our goal, instead, was to treat each other to thoughtful dates that are relative to our budget, the season and what’s going on around the city. Here are a couple of tips we have for finding that perfect date 🙂
TIPS FOR PLANNING DATES
- Look at multiple social calendars. Some include 365 Things to do in Houston, CultureMap Houston, Houston Press, Visit Houston, Houstonia, PaperCity, Downtown Houston Calendar and the City of Houston Calendar.
- If there aren’t golden ticket dates (Houston Rodeo, Renaissance Festival, Monster Truck Show, big plays downtown etc.), then put together a few small dates to make one super date. An example would be to pair goat yoga with a trip to a brewery afterwards.
- Hit up Yelp to see new restaurants in your area!
Our last stipulation is that we keep it a surprise until the date! We tell each other the attire, but THAT IS IT! This keeps it fun, playful and makes us really look forward to the date.
Here is the list we’ve put together for date ideas around Houston and surrounding areas. Most of these have been experienced by us and others are on our list to explore. Enjoy!
OVER 50 DATE IDEAS
Disclaimer – There are TONS of restaurants in Houston! We have only listed a few of our favorites here, but with a quick Google search you can find many more!
Miller Outdoor Theatre
Texas Renaissance Festival – October through December only
Sports Game – Houston is home of so many great teams! Go catch a game by the Houston Texans, Houston Astros, Houston Dynamo, Houston Dash, UH Cougars or Sugar Land Skeeters.
Houston Rodeo – Late February and March only
iFly
Lee’s Fried Chicken & Donuts – We paired this with rock climbing!
Stone Moves Rock Climbing
Old Time Christmas Tree Farm – Head here to get a tree or check out the pumpkin patch. October through December only
Huntsville State Park
Soulcycle Class – Pair this with a savory dinner date!
State Fare Restaurant
SMOOSH – Pair this with another activity since it’s quick!
Museum of Fine Arts
Alley Theatre
Punk’s Simple Southern Food – Pair this with a trip to an event in the Museum District!
8th Wonder Brewery
Improv Houston
Goat Yoga
Whiskey Cake Restaurant
Sugar Land Holiday Lights – November and December only
Karbach Brewing
Roller Derby at Revention Music Center
No Label Brewing Co.
Bingo in the Heights – Every Thursday
Museum of Natural Science
BINGO at Karbach – Every Monday!
NASA
Blessington Farms
Comedy Show – We saw Schumer Tour in 2016! Check Event Brite to see if there are any big names in town.
B*tches Who Brunch
Anthonie’s Market Grill – Located in Simonton
Day in Galveston
Houston Zoo
Horse Races at Sam Houston Race Track
Live Music at Cottonwood
Downtown Aquarium
Visit Discovery Green – They always have events going on!
Kemah Boardwalk
Tiny Boxwoods
Showboat Drive-In Theatre – Located in Hockley
Tranquility for Two at Trellis Spa
A Movie at Axelrad – Every Monday!
Cooking Class at Sur La Table
Houston Grand Opera
Magnolia Silos – This is a 3 hour drive from Houston so you will need a full day!
Franklin Drive Tru Safari – On our way to the Magnolia Silos, we stopped here. It’s about 2 hours out of Houston. We highly recommend!
Pappa’s Burger
TopGolf
Bayou Bend Christmas Village – November and December only
Wine at 13 Celsius
A Traveling Tour – We saw Peter Pan in 2016 and it was so fun! Check to see if there is anything going on in Houston temporarily.
Cloud 10 Creamery
Comedy at Rudyard’s British Pub
The Menil Collection
Breakfast at Buffalo Grill – They’re bacon is THE BEST!
Lone Star Flight Museum
Art Car Museum
