The 20 Most Romantic Date Ideas Around Philadelphia
From a luxe private spa experience to swoon-worthy nature tours, here's how to spice up date night.
Looking for great date ideas around Philadelphia? From renting out the Four Seasons Spa for the night to an at-home game night, here’s a whole bunch of ideas to try right now. / Photograph courtesy Spa at the Four Seasons
If you’re sick of endlessly watching TikTok videos, you and your significant other have plenty to choose from when it comes to planning a fun and swoon-worthy get together. Here’s a list of 20 ideas to help keep date night extra special for you and your sweetheart.
The Über Romantic Stuff
Spa Night
Maybe you’ve gone in on a couples massage before, but have you ever booked out a pool near the top of a skyscraper for a night of massages, a bottle of Dom, a three-course meal, and soaking in the views until 1 a.m.? Well, now you can at Four Seasons Philadelphia.
Book Your Own Bookstore
Dine among some of your favorite novels at a Kensington bookstore with a private dinner and browsing experience designed for two. The Head and The Hand bookstore allows couples to buy out the store for 90 minutes, BYO food and bevs (or have them delivered), and browse privately to a playlist curated just for you.
B&B Getaway
Turn your date night into an Instagrammable escape. The Inn at Bowman’s Hill is a quiet, romantic B&B located in the heart of Bucks County. (There’s in-suite massage treatments, including couple’s massage!)Alternatively, rent a cozy cabin near some great hikes for a weekend spent in the great outdoors.
The Inn at Bowman’s Hill | Photograph courtesy The Inn at Bowman’s Hill
Creation Classes
Build Your Own Cocktails
Learn to be a master mixologist with the team at Philadelphia Distilling Company. Book one of their cocktail classes to create three complex drinks made with their own craft spirits, for $75 (light snacks included).
Make Your Own Candle
If you’ve become slightly obsessed with making your home feel all cozy, then a candle-making class is calling your name. Across the area, there are several DIY candle shops where you can select scents for your next candle creation — from Wax + Wine in Old City and State of Being in Grad Hospital to Cork & Candles in Center City and King of Prussia.
Take date night to the candle shop for a DIY class. / Photograph courtesy of Cork & Candles
Painting with a Pottery Twist
This Main Line BYOB promises to provide guests with an enjoyable environment to bring their creative pieces to life. The MudRoom Studio is a paint-your-own art space where you can design your own plates, ornaments, figurines and more, and they also offer pottery kits to-go.
Outdoor Adventure
Art Walk
With more than 270 sculptures spaced out across 42-acres, Grounds for Sculpture is the joy of an art gallery date taken to the outdoors. For nearly 20 years, this New Jersey hidden gem has served as a place where gorgeous art and picturesque nature complement one another. After you work up an appetite hiking the grounds, head to Rat’s Restaurant for seasonal, farm-fresh food and a setting inspired by Claude Monet’s impressionistic paintings.
Biking
If you are already a member of Philadelphia’s robust biking community, this is no news to you. An excursion on any number of the area’s biking trails offers miles of road for you and your favorite person to explore, and there’s plenty of places to stop for a bite to eat along the way.
Hiking
You might be looking for an outdoor activity that involves minimal sweating. If that’s the case, this next date idea is perfect for you. Forbidden Drive is a hiking trail that provides little resistance but a large reward. If you walk the extent of the Wissahickon Valley Park trail, you’ll end up at Valley Green Inn, which has indoor and heated outdoor dining, a water-front view, brunch and, most importantly, mimosas.
Forbidden Drive. / Photograph courtesy Friends of the Wissahickon
Natural Wonders
If unexplainable natural occurrences are your thing, then grab a hammer and head to Ringing Rock Park in Upper Black Eddy. There, a seven-acre rock field in an otherwise wooded area, is home to rocks that when struck, ring like bells. Feel free to attempt to recreate the tune of your favorite song, but whatever you do, don’t remove the rocks. (It’s prohibited, and pointless as the stones lose their ringing ability once taken away from the other rocks.)
Garden Stroll
Explore the beauty of the season at Longwood Gardens in Chester County. The 1,000-plus-acre botanical garden consists of 10 indoor and outdoor stops, plus rotating, seasonal exhibits. Before you go, stop by the café for sandwiches, soups, desserts and the like.
Scavenger Hunt
Go wander with a purpose during a self-guided scavenger hunt in Fairmont Park. Participants will download the GooseChase app and compete in a park-wide game that includes up to 40 missions and challenges and photo opportunities across the 2,050 acres.
Countryside Brews
Get out of the city for a bit by heading to this destination brewery. What first started as a pop-up summer beer garden by Levante Brewing Company is now a permanent fixture in Chester Springs serving beer, local wines, and hard ciders. Head to the outdoor beer garden at Levante Stables to drink near some fire pits and a restored barn that dates back to the 1800’s.
Artsy and Educational Date Ideas
Classical Music
The Curtis Institute of Music’s alumni include Eric Owens, Lang Lang, and Leonard Bernstein, to name a few. Head to the Rittenhouse Square conservatory for in-house performances, or live stream Friday evening recitals for free.
Immersive art
Book a ticket to Wonderspaces’ 24,000-square-foot gallery inside the Fashion District for interactive art from creators around the world. Or, head to Otherworld, the trippy immersive exhibit in Northeast Philly for surreal strolls through the artsy labyrinth.
Submergence by Squidsoup at Wonderspaces / Photograph by Society Hill Films
A Walk to Remember
Philadelphia is the birthplace of our nation and The Constitutional Walking Tour provides participants with a chance to experience some of the city’s historic landmarks. On the tour, you’ll hear dramatic retellings of stories featuring the individuals responsible for creating America. There’s also a three-mile self-guided option that starts and ends at the National Constitution Center on Arch Street. It includes stops at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and Betsy Ross’ house.
Cemetery Tour
Cemeteries may be a bit macabre, but they’re also beautiful and full of history. Download Laurel Hill Cemetery‘s mobile app and take a self-guided tour through either the East or West location (or both!), or sign up for a themed public tour.
Sporty Date Ideas
Hit the Driving Range
You may think golf is boring, but Topgolf (locations in Northeast Philly, King of Prussia, and Mount Laurel) incorporates smart technology — and a food and drink menu, delivered to your private driving range pod — to make the whole thing a lot more fun with interactive games even golf newbies can enjoy.
Topgolf / Photograph by Jeff Fusco
Disc Golf
One of the earliest disc golf courses is said to be located in Fairmount Park: Sedgley Woods Disc Golf Course. Grab your partner, a stack of golf discs, and have fun trying to make your way through the picturesque wooded course.
Batting Cages
At the Yard at South Bowl, spend the evening sipping brews, taking a whack at the fast pitch, and maybe even playing a round of horseshoes.
This guide contains additional reporting by Madison Cassel, Grace Maiorano, and Shaunice Ajiwe.
