The great indoors: Date ideas when you don’t want to go outside
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Too wet or cold to venture outside? Date night doesn’t need perfect weather to work in its favour.
Staying in doesn’t have to mean defaulting to takeaway and scrolling in parallel – Canberra is home to plenty of indoor date ideas that are interesting enough to make you forget it’s freezing outside.
From cosy wine bars to exploring galleries, these indoor dates make staying in feel like the better option.
Have a dessert date
Because why not skip straight to the good part? With hot chocolate weather in full swing, make the most of it with a dedicated dessert night. Bunny Beans Night Café in Kippax is open until late Thursday to Saturday (hello Shibuya toast), while you can pop into Oishii Go Wednesday to Sunday until 9 pm to share a decadent dessert.
Looking for more options? Goodberry’s is always a good choice, Verity Lane Market’s House of Desserts is home to a customisable dessert bar and Bite & Savor is a late-night artisan bakery where you can find everything from an almond croissant to a brownie brioche.
Book a couple’s sauna session
Book in some time for deep relaxation with your significant other with a couple’s sauna session. Not only helping to reduce stress and boost endorphins, it’s also perfect for sparking intimate conversation (with the bonus of warming you from the inside out).
The Floating Sauna on Lake Burley Griffin, Reju in Braddon, GROUNDUP Wellness in Dickson and Sauna Float ACT in Belconnen all have a ‘bring a friend’ option – perfect for a cosy date on a cold day.
Go to the movies
When was the last time you went on a classic movie date? While there’s nothing like curling up on the couch for a movie night, heading out to the cinemas is always lots of fun.
The perfect excuse to sit somewhere dark and warm for a couple of hours, the ARC Cinema at the National Film and Sound Archive is always showing a mix of cult classics, beloved family favourites and digitally restored gems; while for a more boutique experience, Palace Electric in the Nishi building is home to high-quality international and local arthouse films, as well as mainstream movies.
Take in an exhibition
Not every date needs constant talking, but it helps when there’s something to talk about.
Make the most of the free heating on a cold or wet day by exploring the local galleries in Canberra to browse their latest exhibitions. Canberra Museum and Gallery, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra Glassworks, Belconnen Arts Centre and Tuggeranong Arts Centre all have free entry and always have something interesting on.
For something a little broader than art, but no less fascinating, check out Museum of Australian Democracy, National Archives, Australian War Memorial, the National Museum of Australia, and National Library of Australia,
Don’t sleep on the smaller galleries, either: Civic Art Bureau, Q Gallery, Grainger Gallery, Canberra Art Gallery, Gallery of small things, Craft + Design Canberra, M16 Artspace, Canberra Contemporary and Platform are all worth a visit!
And if nothing inspires you, at least it will give you something to talk about on the way to dinner!
Curl up in a cosy bar
A bottle of red wine (or a cheeky cocktail) always goes down a treat on a cold evening, especially when shared with someone special.
Need some suggestions? Corella, Rizla, Romanée Wine Bar, Dear Prudence, Bar Rochford, Devil You Don’t, 11e Cave, Rizla, Wine Room, Outro, Molly and Paranormal Wines all offer a cosy and intimate atmosphere where you can curl up in a corner and order something you wouldn’t usually try.
Let the evening pass you by and enjoy lingering near the bar as you both promise each other “just one more drink.”
Feature image: Lauren Campbell
