–> See 100+ Winter Dates During Covid HERE <–
In my opinion, there’s a few things needed for a marriage to last. 1: You need to communicate everything to your significant other. 2: You need to have chemistry. 3: You must make time for each other. In my world of toddler chasing and baby feedings, this means planning a date night every once in a while.
This past weekend, my husband and I were able to go out on a date. We didn’t do anything too crazy, but we had so much fun. It was nice just chatting with him, eating an amazing meal {while hot!} and holding each other’s hands like we did prior to needing to hold our children’s hands instead.
I thought it would be fun to create another big list — this time focusing on 50+ date ideas in Southeast Michigan. While I didn’t attempt to list every single spot, I think I have a good chunk started here based mostly off my own experiences or through friends. Please leave a comment with any suggestions you may have.
I broke the ideas into categories, so you can pick an idea based on your mood/budget/personality. Happy date night planning!
50+ Date Ideas in Southeast Michigan
FOR ADVENTURE:
- Take a tour with Preservation Wayne, the Detroit Experience Factory or Motor City Brew Tours {Detroit}
- Rent a bicycle built for two at Wheelhouse Detroit {Detroit}
- Visit Eastern Market and purchase fresh ingredients for a meal you make at home together {Detroit}
- Segway tour in Plymouth
- Segway tour in Detroit
- Pedal your way to local pubs with HandleBar Detroit or the Detroit Cycle Pub {Detroit}
- Try Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Blow off some steam at a local shooting range {multiple locations}
- Climb walls at Planet Rock {Pontiac and Ann Arbor}
- Play detective at The Great Escape Room {Royal Oak} or the Puzzled Escape {Brighton}
- Zipline at Howell Nature Center or The Adventure Park in West Bloomfield
- Go to a Murder Mystery Dinner {Eastpointe}
- Take a drive to Hell…Michigan and eat at the Hell Hole Bar or Hell Saloon
- Visit breweries along the Grand River Beer Trail {Oakland and Livingston Counties}
- Do a strolling dinner and get an app, entrée, drink and dessert at various places. Head to downtown Milford, Brighton, Plymouth, Royal Oak, Ferndale, Rochester, Northville or Lansing for walkable towns with multiple places for food and drinks!
FOR SCENERY:
- Tour Ford House {Grosse Pointe}
- Take in the scenery of the Detroit Masonic Temple or the GM RenCen on a guided tour {Detroit}
- Belle Isle Park {Detroit}
- Rent paddleboats at Kensington Metropark {Milford}
- Rent a canoe or kayak in Milford or at Gallup Park {Ann Arbor}
- Visit Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum {Ann Arbor}
- Walk the gardens at Meadowbrook Hall {Rochester}
- Walk the gardens at Cranbrook {Bloomfield Hills}
- Walk through the gardens at MSU {Lansing}
- Detroit Princess Cruise
- Ovation Yacht {St. Clair Shores}
- Walk around the Mill Pond in Brighton
- Walk or bike the Detroit Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut {Detroit}
- Take a scenic horseback ride at Maybury State Park {Northville}
- Visit any of the area’s Huron-Clinton Metroparks
The Detroit Riverfront is a beautiful place to explore or bike
FOR LAUGHS:
- Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle {Royal Oak}
- Joey’s Comedy Shop {Livonia}
- Go! Comedy {Ferndale}
- Drag Queen Bingo {Royal Oak}
- Detroit Comedy Underground {Detroit}
- Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase {Ann Arbor}
- Try Painting With A Twist {Various Locations}
Lots of fun paintings available at Painting With A Twist
FOR PURE FUN:
- Feed the animals at Domino’s Petting Farm {Ann Arbor}
- Bowl at Lucky Strike {Novi} or Punch Bowl Social {Detroit}
- Cheer on the Detroit Derby Girls, Brighton Roller Dollz, Ann Arbor Derby Dimes or Lansing Derby Vixens
- Visit a drive-in for a fun flick — either the Ford Drive-In {Dearborn} or US-23 Drive-In {Flint}
- See an old movie at Redford Theater {Detroit}
- Grab quarters for games at Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum {Farmington Hills} or Pinball Pete’s {Ann Arbor}
- Play the football/bowling/horseshoes game at The Fowling Warehouse {Hamtramck}
- Visit Cadieux Café for feather bowling {Detroit}
- Go to Palazzo di Bocce and play bocce ball {Lake Orion}
- Check out The Hub Stadium for Urban Bombowling {Auburn Hills}
- Play darts or shoot pool
- Try to win a cool prize playing games at CJ Barrymore’s {Clinton Township}, Dave & Buster’s {Livonia and Utica}
- Magic Bag for Brew & View or a concert {Ferndale}
- Pop into 3&UP Board Game Lounge to play board games {Plymouth}
- Visit any of the area’s casinos
- Play trivia {i smart Trivia rocks!}
- Try FootGolf at a local course {think golf, but with soccer balls…so fun!}
- Sign up for a cooking class at Mirepoix Cooking School {Located in Holiday Market in Royal Oak} or Ann Arbor Cooks
- Gaze at the stars at an evening event at the Longway Planetarium {Flint}, Cranbrook Institute of Science {Bloomfield Hills} or Michigan Science Center {Detroit}
- Feed the giraffes at the Detroit Zoo {Royal Oak}
FOR CULTURE:
- Detroit Institute of Arts
- Visit Greektown {Detroit}
- See a show by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Grab a drink and listen to live jazz at Cliff Bell’s or Baker’s Keyboard Lounge {Detroit}
- The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village {Dearborn}
- Dirty Dog Jazz Café {Grosse Pointe}
- See an indie flick at the Michigan Theater {Ann Arbor}
- Visit The Dio for dining and entertainment in Pinckney {or visit one of these community theatres}
- Watch a performance at the Flint Institute of Music
- See a show at The Whiting {Flint}
- Flint Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts is the perfect way to spend an afternoon, and it’s FREE for residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.
FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER:
- The Whitney {Detroit}
- Coach Insignia {Detroit}
- Iridescence {Detroit}
- London Chop House {Detroit}
- Bacco Ristorante {Southfield}
- Gandy Dancer {Ann Arbor}
- The Chop House {Ann Arbor}
- Troppo {Lansing}
- Red Cedar Grill {Williamston}
- River House Inn {Williamston}
- Holly Hotel {Holly}
- The Root {White Lake}
- Mabel Gray Kitchen {Hazel Park}
- English Inn Restaurant and Pub {Eaton Rapids}
Iridescence inside MotorCity Casino Hotel was one of our favorite meals ever
FOR A ROMANTIC NIGHT AWAY:
- MotorCity Casino Hotel {Detroit}
- Inn on Ferry Street {Detroit}
- Westin Book Cadillac + Roast restaurant {Detroit}
- The Townsend Hotel {Birmingham}
- The Inn at St. John’s {Plymouth}
- Royal Park Hotel {Rochester}
- English Inn {Eaton Rapids}
- Wild Goose Inn Bed & Breakfast {East Lansing}
Where are your favorite places to go on a date night?
Great list! I’ve always wanted to stay at the Royal Park Hotel!
I know — me too! Apparently they have a tea on the weekends I believe…Been wanting to check that out for awhile too though it’s a long drive for me now. Might be fun for a girl’s day 🙂
I love these ideas. My husband and I like to visit the local Oakland County parks for a fun day!
Good to know! There are so many awesome parks…I just picked the ones I knew best. Thanks for stopping by, Kara!
AWESOME list!!
I’ve been to Luca’s Chophouse and it was amazing!! Best dinner that I’ve had in a long time.
Also, I’ve been to Stepping Stone Falls… I wouldn’t go there for a picnic. It’s not as nice as it used to be.
My mom went there recently and told me about it. Sounds like a nice place.
Good to know on Stepping Stone Falls. I removed it from the list — would want to take responsibility of an unhappy adventure 😉
Any other cool spots around you? I need to explore around there more now that I live a tad closer!
These are great ideas! Thank you for posting – always trying to come up with fun things to do in SE Michigan!
Nice list!
I would love to know of any places to go for dancing! I have been to the Diamondback, and that place is great, but they don’t play any slow songs so my sweetie and I can cozy up on the dance floor. Do you have any ideas?
I will keep my eye out for you, Robyn! I also love to go out dancing. Coyote Joe’s is pretty fun if you’re ever near the Shelby Township area 🙂
For another cool idea in the Lansing area, MSU’s planetarium has public shows at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for $3. I’ve been to one and they are really interesting!
So great to know!!! Thanks for the tip, Ally. Totally going to look into that 🙂
Nice list…..Any good places for Karaoke?
Hi,
I am taking my wife to see Wicked in less than a week and am looking for a cool place to go to dinner. We are from Chelsea, Mi and will be taking I94 to M14 and taking that most of the way to Detroit. Do you know of any restaurants in Plymouth or just outside Detroit along our way that would be a good date restaurant. Trying to keep the meal prices under 30$ per person. Thanks!
I should mention Wicked is in Detroit, MI at the Detroit Opera House.
Hi Patrick! Thanks for the comment. One of my favorite restaurants that is right near the Opera House is the Detroit Beer Company. Even if you’re not a beer drinker, the food is pretty good and reasonably priced. It would be perfect for getting downtown and parking and then just walking to the show from there 🙂 Have fun!
Great list. I’ve been wanting to try Root FOREVER, ever since you “introduced” me to James Rigato :).
Cool list. I had no idea about the great escape room. It looks like a really fun time, and reasonably priced. Thanks!
I haven’t been, but have heard it’s a ton of fun! Have a blast if you go 🙂
I can think of two:
Palazzo do Bocce in Lake Orion great fun for the family.
Toby Keith’s in Great Lakes Crossing. Great place to go dancing with Live music. Wish I could find more dancing with live music.
My husband and I went to the great escape room in royal oak last night. We really enjoyed ourselves, it was unique fun experience! Thanks;)
I would like to add something different to your list. Go on a local wine trail, The Thumbs Up wine trail takes you to 11 wineries in the Thumb region of Michigan. Visit local wineries, like Filipo Marc Winery in Clinton Twp or Fieldstone Winery in Rochester, or The Village Winery in Romeo, just to name a few. Check out the website: http://www.thumbsupmi.com/
How fun! Great info – thanks for sharing! Never knew this existed 🙂
This resource is written years ago, I wonder if they are still OK for this year? Hope you can give me a head’s up Mrs. Weber if they are still a great list to follow 🙂
Yup, they are all updated periodically. If I see something change or a new place, I add it, so it’s refreshed often. One of the most popular posts here 🙂
This list is amazing…hubby and I are trying to find fun things we never would do…and this is perfect….ty!
Great list! Thanks for your dedication to this site & assisting others to great ideas in southeast Michigan!!?❤️
very usefull
AMAZING ideas! Thank you 🙂
Aww, thanks for chiming in!
Thank you for this list. Hubby and I very grateful. Is it possible you could include one more field for people like me and hubby who are classy but don’t dance, yet like to dress up, eat and watch others entertain us while we stay in our seat for the evening? I’d like to watch live jazz, live acoustics or piano, comedians that don’t curse, or maybe be entertained by a full on play, that would be very nice, perhaps the field could be: ALL INCLUSIVE DATE NIGHT for the classy.
Love it! Check out the culture section…Sounds like Baker’s Keyboard Lounge or Cliff Bell’s would be a great fit for you! I’m always open to new ideas, too. Thank you for chiming in 🙂
Thanks so much for the list! We have a 22 month old with another on the way and my hubby and I are trying to buckle down and do date night more often. It’s not that date night is not enjoyable (it is, so much!), it’s just life gets away from you and if you don’t make it a priority then it is easy to not do anything at all. So looking forward to having alone time with my best friend.
Bookmarking this list to come back for ideas. 🙂
Our first date night (in a long time) on Saturday night is just a simple dinner out at a japanese steakhouse (Osaka Japanese Steak House in shelby township — haven’t gone yet so can’t rate it) and then I’m trying to think of what to do after that. Probably just bowling or Dave & Busters but there’s a lot of great ideas here. I think the toughest thing is finding things that are open late enough to be a date night and not a date day. lol Which, we can’t do (at least not on Saturday’s) because we observe the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. So options are limited for Saturday nights. 🙂
Thanks again, really appreciate the list!
Do you know of any places where a chef teaches you to cook a meal as a couple while you are actually cooking it and sit down and eat it after? In the Novi area.
She La Table in 12 oaks mall has some really fun cooking classes for couples
Good to know! Thanks so much, Rich.
FYI, that website for Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum came up as a “threat blocked” on my virus scan…
I’d love to do the Murder Mystery Show.
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Love you lists. My husband and I will be exploring a few this winter.