10 New England Date Ideas for the Cold, Winter Months

As some of you may know, my boyfriend and I have a long distance relationship… if you can even call it “long distance.” We live about two hours away from each other depending on if he is spending time in Long Island or New Jersey. It really isn’t that far in comparison to when we dated while I studied abroad in Italy. Over the years, we’ve come up with some interesting things to do. For example, this past weekend when we randomly decided to go to the Norwalk Aquarium and eat ice cream at Milkcraft (something I’ve always wanted to try). If you’re an avid Pinterest lover like me, you come up with some fun date ideas for when you do see each other. Here are some of the ones we’ve come up with for the cold, winter months.

Dress (Urban Outfitters, Sold out) | Necklace (Similar) | Boots (I’m obsessed)

Visit an aquarium or zoo.

The Norwalk Aquarium Robert and I visited this past weekend was a confusing mix of aquarium meets wildlife… and it was ahh-maz-ing. There were lizards, meerkats, otters, seals, sharks, sea turtles, and everything that makes the small child in my soul happy. If you want to see your date oooo and ahh over amazing creatures this is definitely a great date idea for you. Plus, some of the aquariums have giant Imax theaters so you get to see a movie and little critters all in one.

Try a cuisine you’ve never had before.

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to travel far away without really traveling that far… welcome to study abroad via el’ stomach. Look up authentic restaurants near you and look up the menus online. If you don’t know what some of the food is on one of the menus, pick that restaurant. You’ll have fun trying out different things. If you want to try a bunch of items at once try a tapas restaurant. For example, Barcelona Wine Bar in New Haven is a great pick.

Take a hike after a light snowfall.

For New Year’s Eve, Robert and I visited Skytop Lodge in Pennsylvania (okay, not New England but same idea). For someone who doesn’t go outside in the snow very often, it was one of my favorite trips I’ve been on. It snowed every night so we woke up to a winter wonderland. The trees were icy and we were bundled up like stuffed burritos. A date where you’re moving and grooving is always a great idea.

Visit a random town you both have never visited.

Since Robert and I live two hours away from each other, we find towns that are half way in-between us to visit. For example, this summer we explored Mystic, CT because it is closer to the Long Island ferry and this past weekend we visited Norwalk because it is equal distance from the both of us. This actually allows us to meet up in different towns that we wouldn’t normally and explore like pesky tourists. Hey, you need to find the fun in the little things.

Go to a demolition derby.

I find it hilarious that I included this while I wear this innocent, feminine dress. But every sweet dress has its tough side. Demolition derbies are very common in rural towns in New England. Most occur during the fall season but if you’re lucky some places have indoor performances. You might want to bring earplugs!

Go to a local museum you’ve never been to.

Most states have tons and tons of museums and some of them are even free! Connecticut is such a small state so if there are tons of museums here there must be quadruple museums in your state! Museums are a fun way to open your mind to different perspectives and maybe even learn a thing or to. I recently went to one of the Yale Art Museums with one of my friends and it was a blast.

Go see a magic show, comedy show, or a concert you normally would go see.

My boss is awesome and offered me two free tickets to see a Chriss’ Angel show. Robert and I watched Chriss’ in amazement as he made people vanish in midair, swallow razor blades, and even detangle himself from a straightjacket. My mind is still blown. Most casinos and large venues have fun, out of this world shows that you can see like that one.

Bundle up and go to a parade, Winterfest, or ice sculpting show.

If you follow me on Instagram or saw this post from 2016, you know the Siena College community means business when it comes to Saratoga Springs’ Chowderfest. We all get bundled up in countless layers just so we can trench through chowder lines. This year, I proudly consumed seven chowders. Most towns have festivals like this during the cold winter months. I think it’s some weird attempt to get people outside of the house. Hey, it works for me.

Go to a random antique or thrift store.

Wild Bill’s Nostalgia is a time capsule that is ready to be opened. This wild thrift store is stuffed to the max with collectible baseball cards, vintage clothes, retro signs, and so much more. You can spend hours just looking through things in this tiny store. Although this is an odd date idea, it’s definitely a great way to find some weird things together and create unique memories.

Scroll on Instagram through GEOtags and find a gem like Milkcraft.

I’m an Instagram fanatic and have “boards” in my library just like I have “boards” on Pinterest. I follow accounts like “ctfoodlovers”, “cteatsout”, “getseenct”, and “ctbloggerbabes” to see if there are some new and fun things to do in Connecticut. Most states have many accounts that are dedicated to finding gems like Milkcraft, Mystic Seaport, and so much more. Search random tags and you’ll find a few gems in no time.