20 Twin Cities Winter Date Night Ideas

Don’t let the colder temps send your dating life into hibernation mode. Let these 20 Twin Cities winter date night ideas inspire you! 

It’s easy to fall into the same old rut when it’s date night. If you’re anything like us, it can be hard to just get to date night… find the time, lining up the sitter, getting out the door.  It can be easy to fall back on, well, what’s easy: the same restaurant, the same movie theater, etc.  We’re here to provide you with some fresh ideas to liven up date night.

Here is a list of winter date night ideas in the Twin Cities for when just “going out to eat” isn’t going to cut it:

20 Winter Date-Night Ideas

1. Snow tubing  An evening flying down the hills followed up with some hot chocolate by the fire makes for a great date! A few of our favorite hills are Elm Creek, Wild Mountain, Trollhaugen, and Buck Hill. Check out the entire list of sledding hills!
2. Rock Climbing at Vertical Endeavors  This is a fun way to be active and spend time together.   Feeling a little competitive? Race to the top and the person that loses has to put the kids to bed the next night!
3. Acme Comedy Club  This is one of our go-to places for date night. There is something about the cozy atmosphere, delicious drinks (try the Mae West. You will NOT be disappointed!), and an evening of non-stop laughter that makes for a great night out!
4. Cross-Country Skiing  There are so many amazing park systems in the Twin Cities with groomed cross-country skiing trails. If you don’t have skis, you can rent them for a small fee. Our favorite is Theodore Wirth Park and Elm Creek Park. The trails are gorgeous all lit up at night!
5. Sporting Events  Get out and cheer for our hometown teams whether it’s the Wild, Vikings, Lynx, Timberwolves, or even the Gophers. Looking for a different type of sport experience? Check out the Rollergirls!
6. Cooking Classes  In a cooking or meal idea rut? Try taking a cooking class together! You might get some great new meal ideas and have fun learning how to make them together.
7. Ice Skating  Check out the Central Park Ice Loop in Maple Grove. The Loop is setup to feel like you are ice skating through the park so it is a unique experience. Skating at the Loop is free and they also have skate rentals available, restrooms, concessions, and even a fireplace!
8. Horse Carriage Ride through Downtown  Check out The Hitching Company to arrange for a romantic night on the town. Cuddle up under a blanket, bring a thermos of hot chocolate (and maybe some Baily’s to put in it), and enjoy the beautiful downtown Minneapolis lights and views.
9. Attend a Concert  Check out the upcoming concerts or go low-key and check out a local live band at a neighborhood bar.
10. Bowling  From Punch Bowl Social to Bryant Lake Bowl, there are a lot of great bowling venues in the Twin Cities.
11. Wine Tasting  There are quite a few wineries close to the Twin Cities that offer tastings. Some of them have food offerings as well. We recently visited Winehaven. There, you can choose six wines to taste while enjoying yourselves at a cozy table by the window that overlooks the vineyard. We could have sat there talking and sipping wine all day!
12. Local Brewery or Tap Rooms Are you and your partner into local brews? Surprise them with a tour of Surly Brewing Company or a night out at one or two of their favorite tap rooms. Here’s our list of favorites (they are family-friendly too for when you have the kids along).
13. Winter Festivals Hit up one of the many winter festivals such as The City Of Lakes Loppet, Winter Carnival, or US Pond Hockey Championship.
14. Ice Castles This year the MN Ice Castle is in Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton. Tickets go on sale in January.
15. Igloo Dining: It’s become so popular in the last few years to eat outdoors in the winter in a dome or igloo!  Luckily, the Twin Cities has a lot of options for you to try. Make your reservations!
16. The Spa Minnesota winters are tough on our skin. Relax and enjoy a couples massage or facials together.
17. Winter Walk or Snowshoeing The Twin Cities have so many amazing trail systems that are not only open during the summer, but a lot are open during the winter as well. Too much snow on the trails? Try snowshoeing instead!
18. Minnehaha and Riverview Theater Enjoy a cheap date night with a walk around the frozen Minnehaha Falls and then check out a movie at the classic neighborhood Riverview Theater. Movies are only $3 ($2 on select days and anytime before 6 pm).
19. OmniTheater at the Science Museum The giant dome screen in the theater is 90 feet wide! Being surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery of our planet while cuddled up with your sweetheart is a great way to spend the night.
20. Ice Fishing We live in Minnesota, so you betcha we are going to have ice fishing listed in our winter date night ideas!

Now go call that babysitter ASAP and schedule your next date night!