Stuff We Love
Lynn Bizri

6 Budget-Friendly Winter Date Ideas

Wintertime is the perfect time to get creative with your dates, but it can be difficult when you find your wallet a little on the empty side after the holidays. Thankfully, there are many ways to enjoy the season without having to worry about spending too much money. Below are a few budget-friendly non-couch-potato date ideas for winter in the city:


1. Sweat it out as a duo



Try out a new gym (most offer free trials for first timers), hit the pavement and train for a race, or rent bikes from Beirut by Bike and work up a sweat together. If you’re in the mood for a more wintery sport, but can’t get out of the city, head to the ice rink at Citymall and test your skating skills. You might be the oldest ones there, but that won’t make it any less fun.



2. Test your knowledge



Head to a bar’s trivia night to see which of you knows more random facts. Café Em Nazih hosts one every Wednesday, so team up with another couple, or just battle it out as a duo and answer questions related to music, logic, general trivia, and more. Winners get a bottle of alcohol, so you can celebrate your win with some (more) drinks.



3. Get cultured



Hit up the Beirut National Museum (which you probably haven’t visited since you were kids) or the recently reopened modern and contemporary Sursock Museum where you can find both local and international art. If the early closing times don’t work for you, you can always visit a local art gallery, or the Beirut Art Center, which continuously has new exhibitions up on display. This is a cool opportunity for you both to try something different, together.



4. Gaming Marathon



You may have heard that couples that game together stay together. There are plenty of multiplayer games that you and your significant other can enjoy together at home or at one of the many gaming centers in Beirut. If you’re not a fan of video games, get your favorite board games and duke it out. You can even decide on a prize (loser treats winner to dinner, drinks, a massage, etc).



5. Cook Together



If you don’t want to spend cash on going out to eat, and are both into cooking, this can be a great way to spend an evening together. It’s not only an opportunity to test out your skills in the kitchen but also to create something delicious together. You can even learn how to cook each other’s favorite meal, which is bound to come in handy for future special occasions.


6. Picnic Indoors



If it’s too cold and rainy to picnic outside, a romantic picnic indoors is a lovely way to spend a winter afternoon. Pack a basket full of tasty treats and maybe a nice warming red bottle of wine, spread a quilt out on the floor, and cozy it up inside. If you don’t have a fireplace, a space heater and some aromatic candles should do the trick.