My boyfriend and I are happy to sit in bed and watch a movie and head to the caf for dinner, but sometimes we want to do a little more. What do you do if you do not feel like hitting the party scene, yet dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town doesn’t please you either?! You head to Associated Content and click on Elle’s article Best places to take a date in Boston of course!
I will start with the obvious and head more into the obscure and unique. There is something for every type of couple here from artsy to sporty and young to old. To hear about some specific restaurants check my article on best restaurants to go on a date.
Skip to the middle or end if you want the more the juicy options!
1) Have Dinner in Little Italy
Also known as the Northend. It is similar to Little Italy in New York in that in has Italian restaurants, and a distinct Italian feel in the architecture. It is different in that it is much smaller. It is probably the most obvious choice for a nice date because it is really hard to find a bad restaurant there! There are small cafes, seafood restaurants (it is near the harbor), bakeries, authetic Italian food, Italian merged with other types of food, and of course American Italian. There are very fancy places, casual, and small intimate ones. It is really hard to go wrong! I find I prefer to go to a place that is authentic but still has some of my favorite things like minestrone and caesar salad. I also recommend going to the small family run places over the really fancy lavish ones…the experience is much more unique.
2) Head to the movies
There are three main movie theaters I recommend. There is one near Fenway Park which is from the Regal Chain, one in Harvard Square, and a Lowes theater right next to the Boston Common. The Loews one is the nicest because it is so big and brand new. It has a large food area which even has a coffee and ice cream bar. It also the most selection of movies. It is very popular so I recommend getting tickets in advance on Fandango or some other ticket website. It is also nice because if one goes during the day they can also visit the lovely Boston Common.
3) Take in some live entertainment
Another cliche but theatre in Boston is different than in other cities! Sure you can head to one of the theater’s in the theater district and see one of the touring shows, and sure you can head to one of the colleges and see a show, but you can do that in any city! However, Boston also has a great theatre scene with their own companies all around the city. There is the ART, the Huntington Theatre, Speakeasy stage and more. Check out my review of Sleep No More done by the ART.
Also don’t forget about the extensive dance and music scene. The Boston Ballet does great productions (the Nutcracker comes up and I will review it) at the amazingly beautiful Opera House. The Boston Symphony Orchestra performs at Symphony Hall which is one of the best venues acoustically in the world! Also don’t forget the Boston Pops for less classical and more contemporary orchestra music. They do a Christmas Show every year which is great! Lastly, don’t forget to check out the MANY great Jazz venues in Boston. Since Berkeley School of Music and New England Conservatory have great Jazz programs, there of course is a great demand for Jazz in Boston. One of my favorites is the Regatta Bar where I saw a pianist who had worked with Miles Davis!!!!
4) Head to the Boston Commons (don’t forget the swan boats!!!)
My boyfriend and I met last year at school and are very happy, but unfortunately live on separate coasts when not at school! It was the day before we left for the summer (3.5 months!) and we would barely see each other. Obviously, this day had to be memorable! We decided to head to the Boston Common in the day and it was beyond beautiful in Spring! There are people relaxing, watching the ducks in the lake, playing sports, buying food, walking through the gardens, having picnics and more. That particular day there was a carousel set up and I made my bf go on! It was a great memory! We also of course decided to go on the Swan Boats which are a Boston classic. It is a beyond romantic and beautiful and much cheaper than a gondola ride! Though the swan boats retire in the winter, don’t forget they have ice skating too!
5) Hit the Harbor (well…don’t hit it! Especially if you go on a boat!)
The harbor has great sea food restaurants, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are right near by for shopping and more casual fare, there is the beautiful aquarium, and of course various boats! The harbor has great restaurants including the chains (but classy) Legal Seafood and Joe’s All American Grill. The aquarium has lots to offer and all kinds of events for children and adults one might not expect! Some of these events go beyond the typical hours, so don’t get discouraged if you see it closes at a particular time…look around and you may find a Pink Floyd laser show! So check out the Boston Aquarium! Lastly, one can take a ferry ride in the harbor, a water taxi, various boat tours (of the skyline, sunset boat cruise, constitution cruise, dinner cruise and more), and more! The Spirit of Boston is a giant boat that has music, dancing, live entertainment (some of my talented friends from Boston Conservatory have worked there), buffet food, nice service, and beautiful atmosphere. There are also Boston Mystery and Ghost Cruises for those that like a fright!
6) But where does the ferry go?
Well the main ones go to the Boston Harbor Islands! The Boston Harbor Islands are different and unique in their own way! Do research before getting on the ferry to see which one suits your needs. They all are beautiful pieces of nature in the water…a paradise away from the city though not quite tropical! They offer different things like hiking, beautiful trails, bird watching, camping, picnic tables, and even historic forts. Some are larger, some smaller, some have more things set up to make you comfortable (tables, cafe, bathrooms, etc.), some have more nature and different kinds of nature.
There also is a ferry to Salem…but I prefer to take the train!
7) Take a train or ferry to Salem!
It is actually called the commuter rail, but you catch my drift ;)! Yes, this is the Salem known for the SALEM WITCH TRIALS! At Halloween, it is a can’t miss, but don’t forget it throughout the year! It is actually extremely romantic, beautiful, and quaint! It is a very small town with many hip eateries and cool shops! An important tip is to check times of shops and museums that you would like to hit because on most days not around Halloween they all close pretty early. If you want somewhere small and romantic to stay don’t forget to check out some of the beautiful bed and breakfasts they have there. Lastly, don’t forget to take a look at the museums just because many of them are Halloween themed. Some of them are actually very historical and not gimmicky at all.
8) Exercise your brain.
I love hitting the museums with my boyfriend! Even though we are both undergrads in College…it is one of our favorite things to do! Sadly, it is not that hot of a date for people to make. People seem to think it is only for the old, rich, or intellectual…I do not think we are any of those things! Ha! We are at least not art intellectual. We are not studying Art History or anything…we just enjoy the experience!
My favorite is of course the MFA or the Museum of Fine Arts. It is by far the best museum in Boston! I have gone there many times and still have not covered it all! There is something for everyone from Europe to Asia to Africa from the very early to the very contemporary! They have exhibits that stay there permanantly and many that come in new. One right now that is great is one on contemporary music. It is really unique! There is also a great collection of old instruments for music lovers. There are three restaurants at the museum. One is very casual and cafeteria style, one is medium level but still nice for a date, and one is very elegant and private. The Museum has a great gift store and a separate one for the Egyptian exhibit. The Museum is beautiful on the inside and out and also has a lot of fun events often that are free! Lastly, they have a student discount for students anywhere and tickets are free for students who go to school in Boston!
Another favorite is the Gardner Museum. It is in a house that the collector lived in and is beyond gorgeous. I went here for my first valentine’s day! They have an inside/outside courtyard with greenery and fountains that I could not stop staring at! The whole museum features Renaissance art and is much smaller than the MFA. They have a small cafe and gift shop as well. Another great feature is they also have a venue for classical music concerts all the time. Usually the music is early classical music to match the art, and I am told the concerts are great and the acoustics as well.
There are many more museums, but the last I will recommend is the Museum of Science. It is really a great museum for children and is extremely interactive. I personally don’t love the main museum part the most, but the special ad ons (or you can do it separate) that the museum has. For instance, the museum has special exhibits that are new and traveling and those you pay for separately but they are worth it! I did a CSI one where I got to solve a crime! It was really cool! There is a Harry Potter one right now which is getting great reviews. There is also an Imax Theatre, a butterfly garden, and many other cool ad ons that are there!
9) Is it possible to shop together?
Looney Toons Records and Newbury Comics are two cool shops that are great for shopping together. Looney Toons has used cds, records, and dvds with great deals. The records are a vast collection and have some rare and unique options. The dvds are always fun to scour through because I always find something I forgot I wanted to see or something I hadn’t even heard of! Newbury comics has odds and ends, comics, books, costumes, stickers, collectibles, mugs, funny things, lots of cds, and lots of dvds. It is much more fun than heading to Borders or Barnes and Nobles and the selection is enormous. They also have lots of used ones too for good prices but also many new ones.
Also don’t forget the Garment District. The dollar a pound pile is just too good of a deal for any guy to not wanna check out!
Other fun options…
-kiss and gaze at the water at the beautiful Christian Science Center Pond next to the Prudential Center.
– Go sledding on any hill nearby using just a cafeteria tray!
-Walk around Cambridge and have dinner there or hit up their movie theater, Regatta Bar, or Shakespeare
Company, or just check out the unique shops.
-Go to one of Boston’s many Farmer’s Markets.
-Buy a Gondola Ride or Carriage Ride for special occasions.
-Take a trolley tour.
-Take in a comedy club.
-Head to G20 Spa and Salon and rub mud on each other in a special aromatic steam room where you are completely private…or get a couples massage at almost any spa.
Keep it romantic!
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