Date Nights: Exploring the letter E in KC

Looking for a great Valentine Date night? Here are some “e”xtremely fun date night ideas!

Escape Room

In mid-2015, the first escape room opened in Kansas City. Since then, numerous others have followed. After doing my first room back in 2015, I was pretty well hooked. I have done more than 25 escape rooms to date—with more to come—and my husband has done more than 20. The most recent one we visited (and escaped from!) was Escape This Place in Raytown. It was our first time there, and we were pleasantly surprised. Our room, Rockcreek Mercantile, was different from any we had done before, which is always refreshing. And after experiencing so many, we are always looking for something unique. Escape rooms make for great date nights—especially double dates—because they require teamwork and communication. The two largest escape businesses in the city are Breakout KC and Escape Room, each with two locations. Their rooms have consistently been some of the best we have done.

BONUS: Save 10% at Escape This Place with code KCPARENT

Find more local Escape Rooms here.

Eat Pizza

According to legend, pizza was first created in Naples, Italy, in 1889 for Queen Margherita of Savoy. 1889 Pizza Napoletana is a local pizza joint that prides itself on making true Neapolitan pizza, as they did back in the 1800s. They use wood-fired ovens, San Marzano tomatoes and “00” Caputo flour (made from the finest European winter wheat). The result is a whole lot of deliciousness, especially the crust. I also really like their funky, modern farmhouse decor, including velvet bench seating, throw pillows, a mix of modern and velvet chairs, one long farmhouse-style table and crystal chandeliers. The atmosphere is comfy and casual. It’s a great place for a chill date night. They also have happy hour specials and a very nice outdoor patio with lights, heaters and tiki torches. We will return here often!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a 2011 movie adapted from a 2005 novel of the same name. It was also a Best Picture nominee at the 2012 Academy Awards. It tells the story of Oskar Schell, an 11-year-old kid with presumed Asperger’s who lost his dad in the World Trade Center on 9/11. A year after his dad dies, Oskar discovers a key among his dad’s belongings, which sets off an obsessive search to find the lock that it opens. Along the way, he meets a slew of interesting characters and, in the process, conquers some of his own fears. The entire story is poignant and moving with some humor mixed in, and the actor who plays Oskar does a superb job. It was truthfully one of the best movies I have ever seen. My husband and I were glad we set aside a Sunday afternoon to watch it together.

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives with her husband in Kansas City. They enjoy regular date nights and love trying new restaurants and activities.