One of the best benefits of finding a reliable babysitter or nanny is having a chance to get out of the house to reconnect with your partner. Day or night, these out-of-the-box date itinerary ideas will take you beyond the basic dinner-and-a-movie ritual.
Address: 15012 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107
Hours:Monday – Friday, 4 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. | Saturday – Sunday, noon – 2:30 a.m.
Phone:216-563-1115
Craft cocktails, canoodling, and a controller to your favorite game console are just a few things to expect when you belly up to the adults-only 16-Bit Bar + Arcade with your better half. More than 40 classics like “Pac-Man” and “Donkey Kong” are available to play free of charge with a beverage purchase. Themed specials run five nights a week, featuring drink promotions and entertainment lineups like ’80s movies with a happy hour till 8 p.m. on Wednesday and old-school hip-hop music spinning all night on Thursday. If you’re craving a bite to eat, the mammoth artisan grilled cheese sandwiches from the adjacent Melt Bar and Grilled won’t disappoint.
78th Street Studios Third Fridays
Address: 1300 W. 78th St., Cleveland, OH 44102
Hours: Third Friday of every month, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 440-503-5506
Admission: Free
Most of the 60+ businesses and artists that inhabit 78th Street Studios — an “eclectic arts maze” in the trendy Gordon Square neighborhood — hold an open house once a month on the third Friday. Although admission to Third Fridays is free, you’ll want to bring cash to enjoy the beer and wine, available in various locales throughout the building, and bites from Local West and Touch Supper Truck. You can also score affordable local art and handmade goods like soaps and sweets. Don’t miss an opportunity to play a few free rounds at the Superelectric Pinball Parlor on the basement level.
Adult Swim at Greater Cleveland Aquarium
Address: 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland, OH 44113
Hours: 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on select dates
Phone: 216-862-8803
Admission: General admission, $40 | Annual pass holders, $30 | Designated drivers, $20
Unwind under the sea at the quarterly Adult Swim beer, wine, and whiskey tastings inside the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Enjoy 20 beverage samplings, light hors d’oeuvres, and completely kid-free after-hours access to explore all of the galleries at your own pace. The aquarium is located inside the FirstEnergy Powerhouse at the Nautica Entertainment Complex on the revitalized riverfront of the Flats West Bank, so you can sandwich a stop at a neighboring pub to grub on more hearty fare or have a couple more rounds.
Address:
- Downtown: 402 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114 | 216-298-4070
- Uptown: 11409 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106 | 216-678-9256
Hours:
- Downtown: Sunday – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – midnight | Friday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
- Uptown: Monday, Closed | Tuesday – Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 12 a.m. | Friday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 2 a.m. | Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
If you’re planning a double date or getting a group of your parent pals together, look no further than Corner Alley. Its locations situated in the vibrant East 4th and University Circle neighborhoods promise to please your whole party with a variety of food choices, an ample bar selection, and plenty of entertainment, including air hockey, bowling, foosball, shuffleboard, and video games. Only steps from several other bars and restaurants, you’ll be in a prime locale if the mood strikes for an impromptu pub crawl.
Address: Venue changes monthly
Hours: 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Admission: $87.07 on Eventbrite
At a ticket price just shy of $90 per person (inclusive of tip and Eventbrite tax), Dinner in the Dark may seem like a splurge but packs in serious value for the investment. You’ll be “in the dark” about the menu and chefs until you arrive, but can expect a consistently amusing experience from month to month. With each event’s proceeds allocated to a local charity and a half-dozen culinary pros flossing their creativity, you’re getting so much more than a mere meal. Knowing your date night made a difference will give you the warm and fuzzies, while the welcome cocktail and a wine pairing with each upscale course guarantee you’ll be leaving buzzy. Line up a ride-share service for the commute so you can cut loose, and bring cash for a 50-50 raffle, ticket giveaway, and wine-pull opportunities.
Mill Creek Falls Overlook Picnic
Address: Garfield Park Reservation | Get directions
Phone: 216-694-2000
The 48-foot Mill Creek Falls is the county’s largest waterfall, and its overlook is a prime place to take in a picnic. For extra-enjoyable local eats, make a quick detour to Fleet Avenue and see the “Lady Butchers” at Saucisson for an artisan sandwich handmade with sustainably sourced meats. Bookmark a link to the Cleveland Metroparks’ interactive map on your mobile phone’s home screen to guide you on-site and enjoy a leisurely hike around the falls.
Playhouse Square Show
Locations: See map of venues
Phone: 216-771-4444
Cleveland is home to the nation’s second-largest theater district outside of NYC, and consequently plays host to a series of touring Broadway shows to round out a robust calendar of events showcasing the multitude of local and visiting talent. At just 10 bucks each, Smart Seats tickets get you in the center of the action for a pittance. Sink your savings into a pre-show meal or a nightcap after the performance at a nearby eatery.
Scene 75 Entertainment Complex
Address: 3688 Center Road, Brunswick, OH 44212
Hours: Wednesday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Friday, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m. | Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 a.m. | Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 234-803-1100
Admission: Pay per attraction
Scene 75 Entertainment Complex is not your average arcade. With a bar at its nucleus serving half-yard frozen drinks, this family-friendly venue begs for an adults-only outing. Among the dozen indoor attractions, you’ll encounter go-karts, laser tag, blacklight mini-golf, and mini-bowling. Come hungry: Home to the nation’s first “Food Truck Alley” of its kind, Scene 75 has created a food court of stationary food truck eateries, including River Dog Cafe, Sauced Pizza, 303 Tacos, and Sugar Sugar.
Address: 1810 W. 25th St., Cleveland, OH 44113
Hours: Sunday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Tuesday – Thursday, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. | Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Phone: 216-512-3053
With a library that boasts more than 1,000 board games, a trip to Tabletop Board Game Cafe has everything you need to unplug for hours upon hours of old-school fun. A selection of soups, sandwiches, smoothies, and snacks will fuel your fun. Imbibe at the cafe, or take a stroll around the surrounding Market Square neighborhood and sip your way through the city’s brewery mecca.
There’s no quicker way to add some spice to a night out with your bae than by sprinkling on a little samba, salsa, merengue, or bachata. Roving to some of the city’s most animated nightclubs like Shooter’s Waterfront Cafe and Music Box Supper Club, the party animators of Tropical Cleveland have been creating Latin-infused celebrations in the city since 2002. Look for themed engagements, including annual celebrations for Brazilian Carnaval and Independence Day, that bring together a diverse mosaic of fun-loving friends, new and old.
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