5 Romantic Anniversary Date Ideas

Celebrating an anniversary is one of the excuses couples have to set aside time to do something extra special and focus on one another. Often much time and thought is put into the perfect gift, as well it should be, but sometimes a romantic anniversary date can be gift enough. Whether a couple has been married for decades, years, or only a few months, anniversaries are milestones that should be acknowledged and celebrated. Following are five romantic anniversary date ideas for couples, regardless of how long they have been married.

1. Re-live the first date.

Memories of first dates are always fond whether the date was fun, romantic, or disastrous. Couples will enjoy going back to those first moments when they looked into one another’s eyes and knew, if nothing else, that there would be a second date. If the first date was disastrous, couples will often laugh together and reminisce about how they ever did manage to go on that second date. If the first date was in a town or state far away, perhaps a mini-vacation would be possible; if not, doing something similar in the new home town, and then remembering together can be nearly as fun.

2. Re-live the first kiss.

As with the first date, couples celebrating their anniversary might enjoy going back to the location of their first kiss, first declaration of love, or any other important first that stands out in memory. This may be the same location as the first date, but more often, while first dates can be awkward and strange, the location of the first kiss is where the romance began.

3. Get away.

Many times a special, romantic anniversary date can be squelched when, at the end of the evening, the couple must come home to a house or apartment that contains babies and children, a home office, remodeling projects, or any other distraction. While our homes are our sanctuaries, they are often a place of work as well, especially if one spouse stays home with the children or works out of the home. For a romantic anniversary date, reserve a room in a local hotel, motel, inn or cabin. If couples plan ahead and have someone to stay overnight with the children or pets, they will find that their romantic date won’t end when they come home.

4. Have a picnic.

This date idea can be perfect for couples on a tight budget, but a picnic is also a romantic way for any couple to celebrate an anniversary. If the couple resides near a scenic beach, mountain, state park, or other beautiful natural setting, they might plan a romantic picnic complete with a checkered table cloth to lay upon the ground, a bottle of wine, cheese, other delectable goodies, and even a portable radio or CD player for romantic music. If a couple is really the outdoor-loving type, they may even choose to go to a campground and combine the picnic with the aforementioned getaway in the form of a campout.

5. Traditional date.

Most couples will ultimately choose to go the traditional route when celebrating an anniversary. This will probably mean choosing a romantic restaurant for the dinner, but couples would do well to choose their restaurant wisely. If a couple is trying to save money or struggling with debt, paying a visit to an expensive restaurant might leave memories of the cost involved rather than the romance. Plus, couples must remember that expensive doesn’t necessarily mean romantic. Tiny pizza parlors or ethnic restaurants often have very romantic settings for a fraction of the cost. And couples should do what they enjoy. If a couple’s favorite restaurant is the local steak house, they should consider spending their anniversary there, rather than at the fancy inn down the road; they know they will enjoy the food and romance can be found most anywhere.