Favorite Date Nights in Kansas City

Over the years, my husband and I have made it a habit to go out on regular dates. Sometimes we're classic dinner and a movie people. Other times we run errands and enjoy shopping without the help of little ones. But most of the time? Most of the time we like to try new things and explore the best of the best that is Kansas City!

Best Resources for Date Night Inspiration:

• KC Going Places (Not just for kids… many of the great places in KC make a great date night!)
• Entertainment Book (use B1G1 Coupons for restaurants, movies, tickets, etc. Watch coupon details as some are only valid at certain times).
• Facebook (Follow restaurants, museums, and more, for coupons, giveaways, and news of deals. For instance, some restaurants offer great deals on certain days of the week and these are announced on Facebook.)
• Groupon.com, Restaurant.com, and DealBug.com (Buy coupons for great discounts).

Date Night Restaurants in KC:

• Watch for Coupons: Groupon, Entertainment Book, Deal Bug, etc. Follow faves on Facebook and sign up for their emails for deals.
• Wine Tasting. Kansas City boasts several local wineries, including Holy-Field Winery in Bonner Spring, KS (913.724.9463) - also one of our FAVORITES for Murder Mystery Dinner theatre (we laughed so hard it hurt! Read the review of the Holy-Field Mystery here), Pirtle Winery in Weston, MO (816.640.5728), and Stonehaus Winery in Lee’s Summit, MO (816.554.8800), Belvoir Winery in Liberty, MO (816.200.1811), Stone Pillar Winery & Vineyard in Olathe, KS (913.839.2185), all offer tastings (contact them for details). 
• Dessert or Appetizers Only. Eat dinner at home, then go out for appetizers or dessert only. See our guide to Pie,  Frozen Yogurt, Cupcakes, Cookies, and more for ideas. 
• Lunch. Lunch is always less expensive than dinner, consider a Saturday afternoon date. 
• Our Personal Faves by Category: Italian - Marco Polo's, Seafood - McCormick & Schmick's, BBQ - Jack Stack in Martin City, Sushi - Nara, Brazilian - Em Chamas, Mexican - Manny's, Spanish -  La Bodega, Burgers - Blanc, Pizza - Minsky's, Fried Chicken - RC's Chicken, Steak - Jess & Jim's, Chinese - P.F. Chang's 

Learn Something New in KC:

• Take a Class together. Community Centers, Parks & Rec Depts., Area Colleges, Cooking Stores, and Libraries all offer classes that are free and/or cheap. See our a guide to Community Education in Kansas City. Some of our favorites have included: Hot Air Balloon Flying Lessons with the Metropolitan Community Colleges. Oil Painting Lessons with Lee’s Summit Parks and Rec., Free ethnic cooking classes through the Mid-Continent Public Libraries. Tours of KC’s Rich and Famous, Investing Workshop and Silversmithing Lessons with UMKC’s Communiversity. Cooking Classes at Williams-Sonoma on the Plaza. You may also discover Dance, Photography, a variety of art classes, and many new hobbies and interests. Prices for classes range from FREE (i.e. Library) to Cheap (i.e. Community Education at the local colleges) to Splurge (i.e. Culinary Center).
• Go to the Library. And treat it like a Book Store. Browse the shelves and talk about what interests you. Pick a new cookbook, hobby book, travel book, and start a project together. Learn to cook, take up a hobby, plan a trip.
• Paint Together. BYOB painting classes and studios have been popping up around town offering the perfect chance to get those creative juices flowing and do something out of the ordinary! This has become one of our favorite dates. Read our guide to Paint Shops for full details!

KC Shows (Movies, Theater, Concerts):

• FREE Concerts. Watch the KCParent.com Calendar for Free Concerts. There are many offered in the summer, but you’ll discover Christmas Concerts and winter concerts as well. You’ll find Free Concerts at The Legends, Zona Rosa, the Plaza, Jazz Fest at the Power and Light District, some restaurants, the Irish Cultural Center (at Union Station), the Blue Room, and more. Our annual favorites include the Kansas City Symphony’s FREE Concerts at Theatre in the Park on Labor Day and Union Station on Memorial Day. Also, follow KCParent.com on Facebook for your chance to win FREE Tickets.

• Best Movie Theatres Not all theaters are alike! Read our guide to the 5 Best Movie Theatres in KC and why we love them!
• Live Theater. Sign up for emails from your favorite local theaters. Many offer advance screenings, discounts, and coupons. Season Tickets can be purchased affordably. For the BEST deals, you can purchase Half Price Tickets on the day of a show at www.tixkc.com. In the summer, enjoy FREE Shakespeare in the Park, affordable Theatre in the Park, College Theater and Community Theater (year-round – see our guide to Kansas City Theaters.
• Murder Mysteries Sign up for emails for deals. For a fun splurge, consider a murder/mystery dinner theater. Kansas City Mystery Theater Reviews
• Comedy City. Comedy City is live Improv (and it’s clean… no foul language allowed). Tickets are only $12/ea and they offer B1G1 Coupons in the Entertainment Book and via their emails. www.InstantComedy.com

KC Museums and the Arts

• FREE Art Galleries. Spend an evening visiting a local art gallery. The following galleries are ALWAYS FREE: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art open till 9pm on Thursday and Friday. See KCParent.com for a Nelson-Atkins Scavenger Hunt. The Nerman Art Gallery is open till 9pm on Friday. The Kemper Museum of Modern Art is open till 9pm on Friday and Saturday. On First Fridays, tour many galleries in the Crossroads.
• Hard Hat Tours. The Kansas City Museum at Corinthian Hall is currently under renovation. Read our review of the Hard Hat Tours on the third Saturday of each month for only $5/ea. This is a great way to learn about Kansas City history and the restoration of an outstanding landmark.
• Paint Your Own Pottery. See KCGoingPlaces.com for Paint Your Own Pottery listings. Sign up for emails and check calendars at locations for discounts.
• Museums. Many local museums are free or cheap and make great dates on a Saturday afternoon. The All-Electric House is only $2/ea. Historic sites including Vaile Mansion, Wornall House, Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Truman Home, Liberty Memorial, are all affordable and many offer coupons on their sites. Kansas City Historic Sites
• Federal Reserve Bank Money Museum. This is an outstanding FREE Tour offered during the day M-F.
• Poetry Readings, Author Readings, Book Signings. Rainy Day Books (Fairway, KS) hosts readings and signings on a regular basis. See their Calendar for details: Rainy Day Books. Other local bookstores also offer author events. The Plaza Branch of KC Library hosts lectures, readings, and signings for free on a regular basis as well. See their Calendar for details: Kansas City Library

Fun & Recreation:

• Go for a Long Walk / Bike Ride / Roller Blade. Pick someplace scenic. The Overland Park Arboretum, Ironwoods Park, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center (and trails), Leawood City Park, Waterfall Park in Independence, Ernie Miller Nature Center Trails, Antioch Park, Loose Park, Longview Lake, and Kauffman Gardens are some of our favorites. The book, Hiking Kansas City, is an excellent book for inspiration with maps and details for every location.
• Rock Wall Climbing, Ice Skating, Bowling, Skating, Paintball, Go-Karts, Pedal Boats. See KCGoingPlaces.com for a FULL list. Sign up for emails with your favorites. For instance, AMF Bowling frequently offers 99cent bowling for email subscribers. All of the local Roller Skating rinks offer discount nights… i.e. B&D Skating has 50s Sunday nights – 50cent skate to 50s music. These change seasonally so be sure to call ahead.
• Zipline. Adventure Zip KC is the newest adventure enthusiasts' dream right in Kansas City. The brand new 143 acre park is located in Bonner Springs, Kansas is an adventure waiting to happen. The highest point at the park is a 65 foot tower where you can see for miles! Enjoy the views of downtown Kansas City, the flowing Kansas River and views of Lawrence, Kansas.
• Sports. Don’t rule out going to the game. Buy the cheap seats or watch for discount nights to attend a Royals Game, T-Bones Game, the Missouri Mavericks, etc. See KCGoingPlaces.com for complete listings.

Misc:

• Pick Someplace Quaint for a Mini Daytrip. Parkville, Missouri, just North of the River boasts many great restaurants. In the Spring, you can rent vintage bicycles for a ride along the river at Back in the Day Bike Rental (816.679.1101). Weston, Missouri, offers antique shops, fun restaurants like O’Malley’s Irish Pub, and festivals through the year. See KCParent.com for more Day Trips.
• Mall Scavenger Hunt. How to host a Mall Scavenger Hunt
• Harley Davidson Factory. This is a weekday/day time idea that works if your husband has a day off (i.e. government holidays). Enjoy this FREE Tour (M-F 9am-1:30pm). Details here.
• Home Tours (Fall and Spring). Look at homes for sale and day dream… even if you don’t plan to move, you may get decorating ideas!

Stay-at-Home Dates:

• Cook Together. Try a new recipe that requires more effort… i.e. sushi or flambé.
• Do Projects Together. Make something for your children (i.e. assembling Christmas or Birthday gifts). Paint a room together.
• Jigsaw Puzzles & Games. Backgammon, chess, checkers, Wii, etc.
• Picnic on the Floor: Plan a picnic and pull out a blanket on the living room floor in front of the fireplace. For a treat, buy favorite foods (i.e. Brie and Bagette) 
• Rent/Borrow a Movie. Redbox, Netflix, the Library (FREE), Borrow from friends. 
• Double Date… at home. Do you have couple friends? One couple hosts the “double date” at their house with food and games (Scattergories, Rummi-Kub, Cranium), the other hosts the kids with the sitter (split the cost).
• Read Together. We like to read Mysteries together and try to solve them.
• Taste Test Food. Buy samples of foods at Whole Foods (i.e. olives and cheese) or a local ethnic grocery and taste a little of each food and compare notes to discover new faves.