(ABC4) – Summer is here (you probably figured that out by the intense heat that the state is currently experiencing).
As the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be winding down, getting back in the dating scene in the warmer months is sure to be a welcome return to some form of normalcy.
After a long break from getting out and about and getting to know a new person, or a lifelong partner even better, knowing what to do can be a challenge for couples in the Salt Lake City area.
Here are a few of the best spots to take a date in Utah’s capitol city and nearby:
Cheer on a local team
The crack of the bat or the roar of the crowd can provide the perfect background for a night out with a special somebody. Minor league baseball action at a Salt Lake Bees or Ogden Raptors game is a relaxing, low-stress setting for a casual yet memorable date. If chanting and steady drum beating is more your scene, heading to a Real Salt Lake game is also a terrific option. And to double down on soccer games, the Vancouver Whitecaps will be making Rio Tinto Stadium their home pitch for the year. Should the Utah Jazz survive their playoff series with the Los Angeles Clippers, a basketball game would be an amazing place for a summer night out. Go team go!
I think a Bees game is a great place for a date. You get to spend time with the person and the pace of the game lends itself to easy conversation. Or if the date isn’t going well, or if you need to fill in the awkward pauses, you can just watch the game.
Kraig Williams, Salt Lake Bees communications manager
Welcome to the Space Jam
The movie industry made it through the difficult pandemic period and is ready to roll this summer with a lineup of bangers and blockbusters. If a hitting up horror movie is your move, A Quiet Place Part II is currently playing and the highly anticipated cartoony-basketball film, Space Jam: A New Legacy starring LeBron James and Bugs Bunny will be on the big screen later this summer. Brewvies, located downtown, is a great option for those looking for an adult beverage to enjoy during the movie. The theatre has been closed for a while due to the pandemic, but the sign on the marquee promises a return shortly. Let’s face it, heading to the theatres and grabbing a bucket of popcorn, a soda (or a beer), and a pack of licorice is a far better look than simply asking someone to come over and stream a flick.
Dinner, made with love
Getting dinner is always a safe option, but MAKING dinner with your date, now that’s a flex. While some of the major players in the cooking class game, such as Harmon’s, are still holding virtual classes online, others have returned to the in-person sessions that have been a longtime date night hit. National chain, Sur La Table, is a good option and it appears that they have plenty of openings for a variety of food and drink pairing classes. Local favorite Caputo’s has a bunch of on-site classes about 3 to 4 times a week, the chocolate and cheese as well as the sparkling wine classes are some of the hottest tickets in town, so booking a spot a few weeks in advance is probably a good idea.
You come away from this class having had food, which you do if you go out to dinner or something, but you also get this educational component and come away with it, feeling truly kind of both entertained and enriched.
Matt Caputo, Caputo’s owner
Frogger meets booze on Main Street
Going out for a drink is a blast if you’re single and looking to meet someone, just getting started on your courtship, or deeply rooted in a relationship. Main Street in Salt Lake City has become a hub of activity on weekend nights as the city has shut down the area between 300 S and 400 S to allow bar hoppers to freely move about and jump from spot to spot. Lots of great places of all types can be found on this stretch; Cheers to You, London Belle, Bodega, Whiskey Street, just to name a few. Around the corner on 400 S, you’ll find Quarters, an adult arcade with a wide array of classic arcade games to enjoy while sipping on a drink. Dibs on the Skee-Ball!
Main Street is an awesome place to have a date night. With Open Streets we have dozens of bars with plenty of buskers and street performers. It’s a great place to grab a bite before you see a show.
Ryan Mack, Downtown Alliance marketing and communications director
So much room for activities!
If getting active, and showing off to your date how good you are at feats of physical strength and ability are important to you, Salt Lake City and the surrounding area have plenty of places to do so. Good on your feet? Go roller or ice-skating (A great idea for the heatwave season!). Want to show off a playful side? FatCats for bowling and mini-golf is a great place to go. Topgolf in Midvale is also terrific with its driving range setup complete with a menu of food and drink offerings. But if throwing a weapon while downing a drink (It’s completely safe, by the way) sounds like your cup of tea, throwing hatchets and such at Social Axe Throwing is definitely worth your time.
It’s different. It’s not bowling, it’s not dinner, it’s something different to do. I think people think it’s too different or whatever, but we go through safety and demonstration to teach everyone how to throw. What sets us apart from other venues in Utah is we have a full beer bar.
Devan Watanabe, Social Axe Throwing operations manager
This is not a full list of SLC date ideas. What are your favorite ideas and places to go? Comment below on the Facebook post!
This is not a sponsored post.
