Top Spots for a Mill City Date Night

Submitted article by Jane Sandwood, freelance writer

American icon Maya Angelou was once quoted as saying, “Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time.”

Minneapolis is the perfect setting to find your soul mate thanks to its beautiful scenery and countless date-worthy venues. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as many as 64% of the city’s population over the age of 15 are still single – making for plenty of fish in the sea for someone looking for a date. The city in its entirety, but the central riverfront area, in particular, boasts countless restaurants, parks and cultural events perfect for a couple to enjoy together. If you have your heart set on someone, why not muster up the courage and ask them out on a date to one of these, or any other, superb date-night spots in and around the splendid Mill City area.

Catch a show at Guthrie Theater
For lovers of the performing arts, the Guthrie Theater holds great appeal as a date night destination. Founded in 1963, the Guthrie creates transformative theatre experiences to the delight of locals and visitors alike. Conveniently situated on South 2nd Street, the lineup is a diverse combination of events including new plays from talented playwrights as well as classics from bygone years. If you want to grab a bite to eat before your theater date, the Guthrie has onsite eateries for your perusal. The Level Five Café offers American-style brunches and dinners, as well as cocktails and wine in a relaxed atmosphere. Sea Change, an upmarket seafood restaurant inside the theater complex, will present you with a vast, interesting menu and stylish décor.

Geocaching at Fort Snelling State Park  
There is no rule book that states a date needs to take place at night. If you and your partner like outdoor adventures, a bout of geocaching at Fort Snelling State Park might be a date idea right up your alley. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunting game that makes use of GPS-enabled devices such as smartphones. The purpose of the game is to find a cache by following a set of GPS coordinates. Once the geocache is located, the find is documented in an online logbook. The cache-finder then leaves his own treasure behind in accordance with the geocaching rule of “take-a-treasure/leave-a-treasure.” Treasures should be family-friendly and packaged in such a way that it cannot be damaged by the elements.

When you arrive for your geocaching adventure at Fort Snelling, you will be provided with a hand-held GPS device free of charge. The park is open from 8am to 4pm daily, giving you ample opportunity to find a whole array of interesting treasures. Apart from having fun out in nature, geocaching is rather exhilarating and can provide a loving couple with the perfect opportunity to bond in an exciting environment.

Have dinner at the Aster Café
If you are looking to take your partner on a romantic date that involves delectable food, an impressively varied wine list and live music, you should look no further than the Aster Café. Situated under trees on one of the loveliest streets in all of Minneapolis, the café overlooks not only the magnificent Mississippi River but the rather impressive city vista as well. When you go to the Aster, go hungry. The menu is both creative and positively fresh, with the executive chefs priding themselves on the fact that they don’t have a deep-fryer in their kitchen. You can choose between being seated on the quaint European-style patio or in the candle-lit main restaurant area with its stylish bar area. Whether you are a young couple still exploring your fondness for one another, or a long-married twosome celebrating a lifetime together, an evening at the Aster is bound to ignite a romantic flame within your hearts.

Regardless of where you choose to go on your Mill City date, spending quality time with someone dear is what is ultimately important. The Minneapolis riverfront is brimming with magical places, just waiting to be discovered. One date night a week might not be enough to discover all there is to see and do in the city. You may very well find yourself having to make every night date night just to experience a fragment of what is on offer old and new couples alike.