It's a Date: A Breezy Date Away From the Kids

Not everyone looking for a romantic date is craving something fancy, like a sugar-daddy fueled night on the town or expensive lingerie and French food. Some people just want a relaxing evening away from their kids.

One such person is EmilyJane, who wrote "It's a Date," Westword's new weekly feature that helps readers plan a date that avoids Denver's notoriously noxious dating landscape. "We are a m-f straight couple and mid 30s parents of a toddler living off East Colfax seeking a night out," she writes. "Budget $150ish." They'd like to enjoy an outdoor feel away from the city, a nice breeze, good food and a little exercise, she adds. And be back home by 9:30 p.m.

While we can't control the weather, putting together a date should be a breeze with these options:
Explore the Secret Garden
1290 Williams Street
Relax in the garden of a stately Victorian mansion at the edge of Cheesman Park, where you can choose from an affordable range of salads, six kinds of sandwiches and various soups, as well as coffee drinks, cocktails, wine and beer. Greenery surrounds the outdoor patio, and with all of its trees, flower gardens, paths and benches, Cheesman Park is the perfect place for a nice walk, a deep conversation and maybe a hunt for ghosts after you're done snacking. Later, get dessert (and another drink) at Barolo Grill, 3030 East Sixth Avenue, where you can try castelmagno cheesecake with lavender honey and toasted hazelnuts or ricotta doughnuts with white chocolate, lemon and blackberries.
Experience Life on the Prairie at Plains Conservation Center
21901 East Hampden Avenue, Aurora
If you read our first suggestion and thought, "Ew, you can see the city from Cheesman Park," then venture out to Plains Conservation Center in Aurora instead, where it's free to hike the trails and explore the tipis and homestead village, replicas that showcase pioneer and plains Native American life in the late 1800s (a different kind of life than the cushy one of Daniel W. Tears, the socialite who originally lived in the house by the Secret Garden). Plains Conservation Center encompasses over 1,100 acres of short grass prairie with views of the Rocky Mountains; the Denver Botanic Gardens offers programming there, too. After you're done hiking and exploring, pick a restaurant from our list of best restaurants in Aurora.

Enjoy Mountain Views at Blackbird Cafe
25940 CO-74, Evergreen
Want to gain even more distance from Denver? Start your day a little earlier and have lunch or brunch at Blackbird Cafe in Evergreen (technically Kittredge), a charming little restaurant with a big menu of egg dishes in the morning and sandwiches, burgers, salads and more in the afternoon. Burn off your meal at the nearby Panorama Point and Bear Creek Trail in Corwina Park, a beautiful year-round hike in which you'll be met with breathtaking views and plenty of flora and fauna.
Order Wine and Charcuterie From Gourmet Ghost
Your date doesn't have to be over just because you got home early (or were never able to leave at all). Have a nice bottle of wine and a charcuterie board delivered to your doorstep by Gourmet Ghost, an online charcuterie platter business that delivers in and around Denver. And it's not just charcuterie — you can also try cheese or chocolate fondue or baked brie with homemade jam chutney, and you don't have to go anywhere! Just make sure to order in advance and keep in mind that deliveries can only be scheduled from 2 to 6:45 p.m. each day.

Would you like us to plan an itinerary for your next date? Send a note with your price range, general interests and location preferences to It's a Date at [email protected].