10 Romantic Date Ideas That Absolutely Bring The Heat
As you may know by now, the summer produces some of the best and most nostalgic soundtracks of our lives. The mood is set by fun and light sounds of the past and present, giving you the playlist that you need for the summer you want. Summer, no matter how hot, is a magical season where anything can happen, especially in the romance department. Long nights and short days act as a backdrop to new beginnings, summer flings, and the possibility for more (depending on what you’re looking for). But it doesn’t mean the romance has to be dull, regardless of the timeline you’re hoping to create. Like I said before, summer is what you make it so the options are limitless.
Should this be more of a romantic rendezvous with your boo thang (because romance occurs within friendships too), sex may or may not be off the table during the sticky days of the lasting summer heat. If so, there’s nothing like a cute, cinema-esque date with your person to add a little razzle-dazzle to this already magical time of year. Upping your chances of making this a whole evening of loving. Yes, if you’re lucky…you might just get lucky (er, luckier) with a little bit of intentional planning.
With that said, for a fun summer date night idea, check out one of these 10 ideas to upgrade you and your date nights throughout the season.
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1. Luxe Picnic
Luxury picnics have trended up over the past couple of years and thankfully so. For all my bougie girls, it’s a real Hilary Banks spin on an old-school concept. You can plan this concept out yourself, however, they have become mainstream. Meaning you can also hire someone to put this fabulous date night (or girls' day) together for you – allowing you to simply show up and enjoy the ambiance.
2. Drive-In Movie/Movie in the Park
A date at the drive-in is a summer classic! And honestly, I’m not sure if they're romantic or the perfect place to hook up – something in me says those old-school movies set in the 40s that showed a couple at a drive-in movie date were hinting at a little more than romance. Still, the bomb thing about this date idea is that it has to occur in the evening which means less sun but packs all the heat (winks) and hopefully a cool breeze.
Another romantic way to capitalize on this vibe is to do a movie date in the park. Many cities offer opportunities for Screen on the Green or cinema in the park during the summertime (Los Angeles has an outdoor cinema year-round called Cinespia that shows classic movies). Though it's not quite as intimate as a drive-in, the experience is a summer date idea worth mentioning.
3. Strawberry Picking
For this summer date idea, you can go strawberry picking or really any type of fruit picking that is local to you. Once you all finish picking the fruit, have a chilled bottle of wine with you to have with your fresh picks. If alcohol is not allowed in the facility, take this opportunity to do a rooftop car picnic or find a nearby lake, field, etc. to set up shop in. (Picture that scene from Jason’s Lyric).
4. Hot Air Balloon Ride
If you’re not afraid of heights, a hot air balloon ride is a mile-high club that seems well worth the experience. Depending on where you live, you may want to go out somewhere scenic to get a really picturesque view down of the city or the rural area below. Allow yourself to be captivated by the flush of golden light from the sunset on the horizon as you experience an adrenaline rush that takes an average date night to new heights. I think this is the perfect intimate outing where there’s less demand for dialogue.
5. Grape Stomping
Because grape stomping, or grape treading, isn’t necessary to make wine these days, consider this a novelty experience. You can sip on some wine while you and your partner stump all on grapes, which weirdly enough seems sticky but refreshing. Once you finish, you and your partner can wipe one another’s feet down and add in a little massage. Look to Airbnb Experiences for grape stomping opportunities that might be near you or someplace you hope to visit with your partner soon. Food & Wine Trails also has a list of the top five regions to visit for grape stomping that you can find here.
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6. Couples Cooking Classes
Beat the heat while making something yummy to eat. Cooking is such an intimate act and when you take the extra step of preparing something you've never cooked before in a class setting, you open up the floor to add some novelty to your date night as well. This also allows you to try something new for the first time together which is a great way to add to your connection. Couples cooking classes are pretty common so you might even be able to find a Groupon or Airbnb Experience for this. However, if you know a chef who you enjoy and can reach out to perfectly that would be even better!
7. Water Balloon Fight
For the goofy couple, who adores embracing their inner child, grab the Super Soakers and water balloons! Not only is this a fun and out-of-the-box way of bonding with your person or people, but it’s also the perfect way to keep cool on a hot summer day. A couple that plays together stays together.
8. Fair/Carnival/Amusement Park
Another activity inspired by throwback TV! Now that the world has opened back up, the go-to fair, carnival, or amusement park date during the summer is having a resurgence. I don’t think it gets more intimate than riding rides and allowing another to hear you scream horrifically at every drop and turn. But furthermore, it allows you all to talk to one another as you keep your feet on the ground and win one another huge teddy bears.
9. Tandem Bike Ride
It doesn’t get more Nicholas Sparks than this! Argue with someone else! Also known as courting bikes, the tandem bicycle is a great way to put a fun and romantic spin on bike riding. You can experience the trails and scenic views with your person slowly and closely, adding a layer of intimacy to bike riding you might not have initially thought of. Find your tandem bike, bring along some wine or champagne, and make a day of it while riding through your city. It's the perfect cycling date.
10. Bonfire
Kisses under the firelight? I can get behind it. Bonfires are also a great activity to do with others if you don’t want to ditch the crew. This is probably perfect for a cooler summer night or even on a beach by the water. Be sure to bring along the smores kit so you can truly make this the top-tier experience you intend it to be.
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Motor City native, Atlanta living. Sagittarius. Writer. Sexpert. Into all things magical, mystical, and unknown. I'll try anything at least once but you knew that the moment I revealed that I was a Sag.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images