With hectic travel schedules, long work hours, crammed social calendars and endless children’s parties, classes, sports practices and games, many couples are hard pressed to fit in some alone time. But making room for a regular (if not frequent) date night is an important way for couples to decompress, connect and have a little fun. Keeping the spark in a relationship is crucial for all couples but is essential, and most challenging, for overscheduled parents.
Of course, a special night together for couples need not be expensive or highly coordinated. As long as both parties commit to a devoted time together for interaction, relaxation and enjoyment, it doesn’t really matter much what you do. Certainly it’s important to ban (or at least set to vibrate) phones and devices, and maybe also limit talk of children, work and outside commitments and responsibilities. For a few hours, focus your energy and attention on just the two of you. Even if these moments don’t happen weekly, making the effort to squeeze them in when you can will give you the space to reconnect and celebrate why, amid the din of modern parenting, you love each other. Your kids will thank you for it later.
So, assuming you and your significant other can pause your busy week for one evening (or weekend day) and can book the sitter, the question is … what to do? A meal at a nice restaurant is great, given the right atmosphere and cuisine. But if you’re up for something a bit beyond the standard movie-night scenario, here are a few wide-ranging options to satisfy every palate.
Cooking Classes
What could be more romantic than you and your beloved blending the right ingredients to cook up something delicious? Try your hand at making your next great dish, together, at:
• Williams Sonoma at The Westchester, White Plains. williams-sonoma.com.
• Chef Central, White Plains. chefcentral.com.
• Sur La Table, Ridge Hill, Yonkers; The Westchester, White Plains. surlatable.com.
Mini Golf, Bowling, Go Kart Racing
There’s nothing like a little healthy competition to stoke the fire in a relationship. Here are a few places to burn off some energy, have some fun and indulge your inner athlete – all while competing for bragging rights:
• Funfuzion Glow Mini Golf and New Roc Bowling at New Roc City, New Rochelle. funfuziononline.com.
• Indoor Go Kart Racing and Bowling, Grand Prix New York, Mount Kisco. gpny.com.
• Homefield Bowl, Yonkers. homefieldbowl.com.
Couples Massage
Bliss is sure to accompany a massage for two – just the thing to rejuvenate stressed-out couples. Get ready to shed your inhibitions and your cares at:
• The Ritz Carlton Spa, White Plains. ritzcarlton.com.
• Castle Hotel & Spa, Tarrytown. vintagehudsonvalley.com.
• Tranquility Spa, Scarsdale. tranquilityspa.com.
Overnight Getaway
Yes, an overnight hotel or B&B stay is an ambitious plan for date night, but if you can swing it (and can afford the overnight sitter), this one is really worth the effort. There is no shortage of romantic spots in our area, and here are just a couple of lovely choices, many in idyllic, historic settings:
• Tarrytown House, Tarrytown. tarrytownhouseestate.com.
• Bedford Post Inn, Bedford. bedfordpostinn.com.
• Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant & Inn, Chappaqua. kittlehouse.com.
• Alexander Hamilton House, Croton-On-Hudson. alexanderhamiltonhouse.com.
Dining Experience
OK, so no date-night list is complete without a few outstanding restaurant options. To go beyond the ordinary and enjoy a truly special dinner, book a reservation (well in advance) for a memorable meal at one of the following:
• Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills. bluehillfarm.com.
• X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, Yonkers. xaviars.com.
• La Panetiére, Rye. lapanetiere.com.
Terri Prettyman Bowles is a Westchester-based writer, editor and content producer.
