Anywhere you go, you’ll find couples complaining that they don’t know what to do when they want to have date night. It’s especially hard when you’re indecisive (like me) and live in a smaller city, like Youngstown. If you don’t want to travel to Pittsburgh or Cleveland for a fun night out, check out the following ideas for fun dates in the Youngstown area.

Drive-In

One of my favorite warm-weather dates is the drive-in because it’s old school and I can wear my pajamas in the comfort of my car and not be judged. I used to have a tiny SUV and could pop the hatch and lay in the back to enjoy the show, but it works with regular cars, too. And if you’re lucky enough to have a truck, throw a blow up mattress in the back and grab some blankets to cuddle with your significant other and try not to fall asleep during the movie. My favorite drive-in (and the closest to the Youngstown area) is the Elm Road Triple Drive-In.

Wineries

Youngstown may not be the wine capital of the world, but there are still a plethora of wineries in the area that are fun, cute, and have good wine. Diletto Winery in Canfield offers a bunch of activities, like escape rooms, and they have really good fruit wines. Greene Eagle winery is a smaller venue, but they have a cute setup outside for a fire, and they often have live music. My favorite wine from there is the strawberry rhubarb (I know, rhubarb. Yuck. Trust me, it’s good.) My favorite winery in the area is Hartford Hill Winery; it has the cutest atmosphere and they have a cute deck with a pizza oven! I recommend the Rockin’ Randall wine, or the fruit wine slushies. Nothing more romantic than a night at the winery!

The Art Cafe

I’m not really all that crafty, but with some direction, I can muddle through crafting experiences. The Art Cafe in the Southern Park Mall offers a variety of crafts from pottery (like mugs) to a monthly canvas classes. Make matching mugs with your honey, and display them in your house for everyone to see how cool and creative you are.

Museums

Youngstown has a lot of museums that I don’t think get enough credit. My favorite museum is The Butler (when I feel like being an adult), or Oh Wow! Children’s Museum (when I feel like being a kid.) The Butler offers a huge variety of exhibits that showcase wonderful art, and Oh Wow! has a ton of exhibits and interactive things for kids to do. Make some memories while learning some stuff!

YSU’s Planetarium

The Ward-Beecher Planetarium often offers presentations to the public, and they’re pretty cool and educational! Nothing beats watching the stars with your boyfriend or girlfriend (again, try not to get so relaxed that you fall asleep, as I have done in astronomy.)

Bowling

Okay, so it may seem pretty 1990s, but bowling is so fun when you’re both competitive and want to show off your skills. I’m terrible at bowling, but that doesn’t stop me from bad-mouthing my boyfriend the whole time we’re bowling. My favorite place to bowl is Camelot Lanes in Boardman, because they do moonlight bowling and they have the widest selection at their bar.

Scrappers Games

Nothing beats the prices of a minor league baseball game, and the Scrappers games are fun because they’re close and they’re affiliated with my favorite team, the Indians. They often do “buck night” for beer and hot dogs, and sometimes they have fireworks displays. Check their site for their 2017 schedule!

Living Treasures

Living Treasures is basically a huge petting zoo in New Castle, PA. You can feed deer, alpacas, and giraffes and view a bunch more animals. Just watch out for those giraffe tongues; they show no mercy. Take hand sanitizer. Trust me.

Flea Markets and Craft Shows

You never know what you’re going to find at a flea market, but I sure do love the freshness of the fruit! I always go to the Four Seasons Flea Market in Campbell, but I’ve been wanting to check out the one in Rogers, Ohio. Find some foods to make dinner with, or just wander with your love and look at all the crazy finds.

Sports World

Sports World in Boardman offers a ton of fun things, like putt-putt, Go Karts, batting cages, and an arcade. Once again, it makes a great (or really bad) date, depending on just how competitive you get. For example, if you’re going to beat your boyfriend or girlfriend with your club after you lose at putt-putt, probably don’t go. But if you can handle a loss, get out there and play! It’s a lot of fun.