13 St. Louis Date Ideas That Are Way Better Than Dinner and a Movie

By Riverfront Times Staff on Tue, Feb 7, 2017 at 9:52 pm

So, you're taking your significant other out for dinner and a movie again? Newsflash: St. Louis has so much more to offer. If you want to spice things up or just impress your partner your creativity, here are fifteen things to do right here in St. Louis that are anything but boring or cheesy. Whether you're meeting up with your Tinder date or going out with your longtime partner yet again, it's sure to be a time to remember.

So, you're taking your significant other out for dinner and a movie again? Newsflash: St. Louis has so much more to offer. If you want to spice things up or just impress your partner your creativity, here are thirteen things to do right here in St. Louis that are anything but boring or cheesy. Whether you're meeting up with your Tinder date or going out with your longtime partner yet again, it's sure to be a time to remember.

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Reenact that infamous clay scene from Ghost at Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design.

In addition to contemporary craft exhibitions, a gallery shop and free community programs, the Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design offers classes in many concentrations, including painting, sewing, 3D printing and, yes, clay throwing -- just like that Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze pottery scene in Ghost. Photo courtesy of Instagram / ckotrych.

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Treasure hunt at Refab.

Sure, you could get lost in IKEA. Or, you could be really cool and dig for treasures at Refab. This nonprofit deconstructs buildings that would otherwise be demolished and refabricates building materials for resale. There's nothing like a little repurposing and redecorating project to test a relationship, after all. Photo courtesy of Instagram / jenloughman.

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Get an endorphin kick with a running tour.

Buck up on your knowledge of St. Louis while getting a workout with a St. Louis Running Tour. Spanning about 3.5 miles, the tour hits landmarks like Eads Bridge, the Arch and the Old Courthouse in addition to topics like St. Louis’ early fur-trading days and local celebrities like Nelly. You can read more about it here. Photo courtesy of St. Louis Running Tour.

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Take the city's coolest bus tour with Renegade STL.

Running not your thing? Not to worry. You can still see the city together with Renegade STL, a tour company that offers both bus and walking tours of St. Louis. These tours are anything but typical -- they show you sides of the city you've never seen and cover themes you'd never learn in history class, such as the Badass Babes tour, the Disasters and Catastrophes tour and the original Whole Damn City tour. Photo courtesy of Renegade STL.

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Dance the night away at Club Viva,Casa Loma Ballroom or Thaxton Speakeasy.

Who cares if you have two left feet? All three of these places offer free lessons on specific evenings. You may impress your partner with your skills, or you may end up with something to laugh about (or both). Either way, it's sure to be a fabulous time. Photo at Club Viva by Kelly Glueck.

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Drive the Great River Road, then drink up at Old Bakery Beer Company in Alton.

A scenic drive and quality beer will make for a great day. Get out of the house and over to Illinois, where you can explore the beautiful Great River Road along the Mississippi River. Cap off the day with a visit to Old Bakery Beer Company, which makes sustainable, hand-crafted beers. Photo by Mabel Suen.

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Hang out at Shameless Grounds.

Spend an afternoon at this sex-positive coffee shop reading steamy poetry to each other from the cafe’s human sexuality lending library. Pick up the Kama Sutra and pick out something crazy to try at home. Photo courtesy of Instagram / shamelessgrounds.

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Bond while playing with cute kitties at Mauhaus Cat Cafe.

St. Louis' one and only cat cafe is anything but your typical dinner date. Order some food, play with the cats roaming around and, if you're feeling ready for commitment, adopt one of the cats you meet. Reservations are highly recommended, so get planning. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

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Hit the road.

Don't tell us there's nothing cool to do outside St. Louis or Kansas City. RFT ventured into both rural Missouri and Illinois this past summer to dig up some of the area's best road trips. You can make a day of it or spend the night, but it's sure to be an adventure no matter your itinerary. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

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Laugh together at a comedy show.

We all have different interests, but who doesn't like to laugh? Check out places such as Helium Comedy Club and The Improv Shop, and you're basically guaranteed to have a good time. If you're feeling gutsy, you maybe (just maybe) could talk to your significant other into participating in an open mic night. Photo courtesy of Holly Ravazzolo.

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Monkey around at the zoo.

Sure, this one is a little obvious. But c'mon, this outing is completely free! The zoo offers minimal pressure and no financial loss for all you commitment-phobics out there. Ease up on the PDA, now -- you're grossing this tiger out. Photo by Steve Truesdell.

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Canoodle at the Moolah Theatre and Lounge.

Fine, we went there: This suggestion does involve a movie. But the Moolah is way cooler than your typical theater, complete with a bar, bowling and impressive architecture. Plus, the seats are couches, which means you can make out during the movie without an arm rest jabbing into your side. RFT photo.

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Engage in flirtatious competition at Great American Human Foosball.

Recruit your friends and reserve a spot at Great American Human Foosball, where you'll play a life-sized version of the classic tabletop game. Losers buy drinks after the game. Photo by Emily Higginbotham.

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