Best First Date Spots In Minnesota
Like the Big Apple, Twin Cities boasts some of the best in dining, entertainment, culture and nightlife. Admittedly, there's much to choose from. For a day or evening together, couples like to frequent these spots, also considered first date favorites. From among the many, you can choose your favorite place for two.
Minnesota Music Café
449 Payne Ave.
Saint Paul, MN
(651) 776-4699
www.minnesotamusiccafe.com
Although not fancy, this music café brings people and music together. You and your beloved can discover new music and get better acquainted. After all, this is only the first date. The two of you can also rediscover rock music veterans such as Robin Zander of Cheap Trick. Or as a couple, you can relive the blues with James Belushi and Dan Aykryod (formerly of The Blues Brothers and Saturday Night Live (SNL)). Some of the best new music comes from musicians who are old hands in the music business. Many give live performances at the Minnesota Music Café.
Related: Ask A Minnesota Expert: Best Ways To Discover New Music
The Museum Of Russian Art
5500 Stevens Ave., S.
Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 821-9045
www.tmora.org
Of the many museums in Minneapolis, one of the most fascinating is The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA). The exhibits are a gallery documentary of Russian history, life and culture. In stark realism, they reveal the sometimes tormented beauty of Russian art and life through historic and contemporary masterpieces. Art and music events draw audiences from around the world. Members and children under age 13 get free admission to the museum for tours and exhibits. The admission fee for older children and adult non-members ranges from $5 to $9. The hour-long tours are open to non-members over age 13 who pay an admission fee. The museum is open weekdays and weekends, with special events usually scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays. The museum is wheelchair accessible to visitors with disabilities.
Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater
810 W. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 825‑3737
www.bryantlakebowl.com
For a first date, this is a great place because it has bowling, dining and theater. On Cheap Date Night, couples and group daters can do a round of bowling and enjoy two entrees with a bottle of affordable wine (we dare not say "plonk"), or a few beers. The food is fresh, plentiful and terrific. You can bowl some more for a few dollars more. The theater has everything, from live comedy to films by mainstream and indie film makers. Evening activities can be capped off with a Late Night Happy Hour, if you're still awake.
Minnehaha Regional Park
4801 S. Minnehaha Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 230-6400
www.minneapolisparks.org
Visitors come to this regional park just to marvel at the splendor of its 53-foot waterfall. Go there with your date before summer is and over and done. It costs nothing to watch the torrent of water stream gracefully over limestone bluffs. The regional park is also near Longfellow House and Longfellow Gardens. Anyone who has read "The Song of Hiawatha" will appreciate the work of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who penned the tear-jerking epic poem about a mythical Ojibwe warrior's deadly mission, and his love for the maiden Minnehaha. But you don't have to memorize passages from the Longfellow poem to feel the inspiration behind the water works.
First Avenue & 7th St.
701 First Ave., N.
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 332-1775
www.first-avenue.com
There are rumors this dance club, hopping with pop-rock, disco and hip-hop, is haunted. Apparently, apparitions don't bother club goers who often crowd the dance floor. The cost of dancing approximates the price of a ticket. But what the heck! Live band performances and the DJs are strictly awesome. Dance nights are held at the Turf Club and inside First Avenue at the 7th Street entryway. (First Avenue North is for deliveries only. Sorry!) If you're a concert goer who doesn't wanna dance, First Avenue has a calendar full of concert events, some with dance nights. But on first date night, you might want to make a good first impression on the dance floor.
Related: Best Minneapolis Dance Clubs
Linda Cameron has written home design, home improvement and lifestyle articles for The Boston Globe and City Shopper Magazine. She has related interests in the building industry, travel, real estate and financing. She is a contributor to Examiner, House Spot, Techsling and Behance, covering topics on career, people, businesses, education and technology.
