Regardless about how you feel about the term date night, quality couple time is so important as a part of the married lifestyle.  It can be too easy to get caught up in all of the to do lists and work pressures and social gatherings of summer to find that it has been way to long since you have gone out on a just-the-two-of-us date.  While dinner and movie is a nice standby, why not get out and enjoy the great weather that comes with the transition to the fall season before the cold demands more time be spent inside!?

{Image via Street Photography in Paris}

I am a firm believer that dates can be scheduled for any time of the day; afternoon can be an absolutely lovely time for a date, maybe especially so in the fall.  Here are a few of the ideas that I am thinking about plugging into our calendar for some fall fun and quality couple time:

Apple Picking. Going apple picking is maybe a standby… but what better way to get out and do something together all the while supporting local farms!  And forgetting the best ingredients for pie or crisp.  You all know that apples taste the best in season and straight from the tree so imagine the absolutely fabulous dessert that you can make together after the outing!  One can peel while the other makes the crust.

Hiking! What better way to enjoy the fall colors and brisk air than a little hike through a forest preserve.  Don’t worry if you also live somewhere flat and/or urban, mountains are not required for an enjoyable hike!  The 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles books are definitely helpful and filled with ideas for hiking around the specified area (can be found at bookstores and on Amazon).  And many cities have botanical gardens that will be filled with fall colors very soon.

Play tourist in your city or town.  Head to a local attraction, stroll down Main Street, sip a coffee (or tea) at a local spot.

Register for a turkey trot race!  Ok, so this may not sound like a date per-say.  But if you train together and then do the race with the “start together, finish together” approach it can be a lot of fun as a couple activity.  Working towards the common goal together will give you a whole series of running/jogging/walking dates!  Just leave the mp3 players at home sometimes.

Pack a picnic. Who says picnics are only for the summer!? There will be at least a few warm and sunny weekend days left so why not sneak in a last picnic of the year.  Making it super low-key by grabbing a blanket and picking up some lunch fare from a favorite deli or filling a thermos with a fall soup will keep this a fun, relaxed afternoon together.  Bonus points for adding an afternoon drive to see the fall colors while you head to a park!

What are your favorite fall dates and activities to do together?