Creative Date Nights in Portland

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No matter if you’ve been together one year or ten, all parents need a bit of time together to recharge and reset their relationship. Yes, I’m talking date night! Make time for each other, it’s worth it.

This most certainly applies to my husband and myself. As full-time working parents of three small children, we definitely need a little “us” time whenever we can squeeze it in. We’ve been married for almost 11 years now, and our life is just plain crazy most of the time. Sometimes it takes a date night to help us remember why we entered into this crazy life together in the first place–the fact that we actually enjoy spending time 1:1 together!

I know everyone loves the old standby of dinner and a movie, but it doesn’t hurt to shake things up a bit! Below are some outside-of-the-box great date nights in Portland:

Kruger Farm’s Summer Concert Series – Warm weather is just around the corner, so for those of you who enjoy the simpler things in life, a picnic date night on Sauvie’s Island might just be the perfect break for you to reconnect outside your busy lives.  Pack a picnic and enjoy live music each Thursday night at Kruger Farm’s Summer Concert Series. You and your significant other, snuggled on a blanket under the stars on a summer night, what could be more romantic than that?

$15 per car (no outside alcohol as per OLCC, but beer/wine is sold on-site).

Photo Credit: Hipcooks
Photo Credit: Hipcooks

Hipcooks Portland – Why go out to dinner and have it prepared for you when you can learn how to do it yourself? Release your inner chefs and take your date night to the next culinary level at Hipcooks. Here, you’ll get hands-on instruction on how to prepare a delectable meal and then, to reward you for all your hard work, the grande finale is a dinner party where you get to dine on the fruits of your labor!

$65 per person (includes fresh ingredients, tools/supplies and wine tasting with dinner).

OMSI After Dark – Get ready to shake up your idea of OMSI! You’ll find no screaming kids or messy science experiments at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) on the last Wednesday of each month. On these nights, OMSI opens their doors to an adult only crowd and holds a 21+ event that showcases a specific topic and provides samples of local food and drinks.

Upcoming events include:

Photo Credit - OMSI
Photo Credit – OMSI
  • May 27 – Wild, Wild West. Bring your trusty sidekick and learn about the ecology of the desert and the creatures that live there.
  • June 13 – Bourbon & Bacon. You’ll get sips of bourbon from distilleries large and small and tastes of bacon from tried-and-true to ways you’d never expect!
  • June 24 – Cider & Seeds. Drink up as you toast the history, tradition, and science that goes into crafting cider and other fruity treats.

Prices vary and these fill up fast (my husband and I are SO going to bourbon and bacon because…BACON!). More details are on their website.

Photo Credit : Lan Su Chinese Gardens
Photo Credit : Lan Su Chinese Gardens

Lan Su Chinese Garden – Meander through stunningly authentic Chinese gardens in the heart of NW Portland. Not only may the beauty of this place rekindle your romance, but the peacefulness of this space may give you some much needed peace and quiet that you probably don’t get in your wild and crazy kid-filled lives!

$9.50 per adult.

 

Haunted Pub Tour PDXPrepare to grab on and hold each other tight during this spooky, pub themed ghost tour that explores Portland’s historic Old Town District and it’s shady past.

“Your expert tour guide will take you back to Portland’s early days, when the city was overrun with gangs, prostitution, gambling and opium dens. Learn about the notorious gangsters who kidnapped sailors, known as “shanghaiing,” and transformed Portland into the most dangerous port city in America.” – Beer Quest PDX

$40-$50 per person.  Tour last about 2.5 hours and visits 2 pubs. 7 beer samples are included.

What about you, mamas? What is your favorite Portland date night? If you give any of these a try, give us your review below!

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beverleymenillo
As a teenager Beverley dreamed of being a glamorous career woman. She proclaimed to anyone that asked that she wouldn’t ever be having children, and likely wouldn’t be married. Thankfully, life didn’t happen as she planned! Fast forward to present day, she’s an expert juggler of three adorable, crazy kids and full-time career. She lives in Hillsboro with her husband and her wild brood. Beverley loves makeup, bargain shopping and a good book. (Does anyone not love those things!?) You can follow her lunchbox drawings for her daughters on Instagram at @illustrate_her.