Enjoy spring with a fun April-themed date night!
Kauffman Memorial Gardens: KC, MO
Lawn and Garden Month
April is National Lawn and Garden Month, and I can’t think of a better place to go in observance of that than the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden. Opened in 2000, the garden showcases unique trees, perennial beds and annual beds, with the annual ones being changed out at least four times a year. The changing variety means there is almost always something new to see if you visit multiple times a year. We finally went there for the first time in April 2021 and weren’t going to miss it this year either. We have found it to be a beautiful and magical place. Admission and parking are free, and the garden is open from 8:00 to dusk daily. If you go on an off day or off time, it is quite peaceful and serene. My husband and I highly recommend adding this to your date day calendar. And when you do go, be sure to really stop and smell the roses.
Library Week
To celebrate National Library Week, April 4-10, we gathered some ideas from others online who have done library dates and put those ideas together to make our own custom date. It was basically a series of challenges. We first each had to go find a book from our childhood that we loved and then meet up to read them aloud. Next, we each went in search of a book with a funny joke. When we met back up, we had so much fun telling jokes to each other that we couldn’t stop at just one. Next up, we went hunting for several books with short titles that, when stacked up, would reveal some kind of message or description of something or someone. This was my favorite challenge of our date. I opted to find books with titles that describe me, while Dean went with a sports-themed stack. The final task was to go together to the DVD section and pick out a movie to take home and watch. All in all, this was a fun and different date that exposed us to many different areas of our library.
Loose Park, KCMO
Picnic Day
April 23 is National Picnic Day, and we think picnics make for a perfect date! My husband and I both love alfresco dining and being in nature. Plus, picnics can be customized to fit any budget. Sometimes, it’s simple sandwiches and chips; other times, it’s something more extravagant. We also love that you can have a picnic at any time of day for breakfast, lunch or dinner—or just snack time with wine and cheese. We have done all of them and had fun with each. And though the food and the time of day are important, the scenery is also important. We have enjoyed picnicking at Loose Park (pictured), Shawnee Mission Park, Smithville Lake, Berkley Riverfront Park, English Landing Park and Oak Grove Park. Many times, it’s just the two of us, but other times, we’ve been at a concert, play or movie with other picnic and event lovers.
Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives in the Northland with her husband. They love to explore Kansas City and try new restaurants and activities.