13 Winter Date Night Ideas in Eastern Iowa [LIST]
Iowa winters may be cold and bitter, but that doesn't mean your relationship has to be! Here are 13 fun activities you could do with your partner during a freezing Eastern Iowa winter:
Check out a New Restaurant
Did you know that more than 35 restaurants have opened near the Corridor in 2022? That's a LOT of new places to try! Instead of going to the same restaurant that you always go to, consider mixing it up and trying one of THESE new eateries! My favorites are Sacred Cow Tavern, SKO Tavern & Tacos, Barrel House, and Czech Town Station. I've also heard great things about Ideal Theater & Bar, a cool new business over in the Czech Village with cocktails, snacks, and live music! It could be a fun place to stop when you're finished with dinner.
See a Movie at Marcus Wehrenberg Theatre
Going to movies now is much more of an experience than it used to be! Marcus Wehrenberg Theatre in Cedar Rapids not only has those fancy reclining DreamLoungers in every theatre, but they also have a bar with seating that you can check out before and after each movie. And sure, you can still get a giant tub of popcorn, but there's also a restaurant menu with burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and appetizers. The best part? You can order your food online in advance so it's ready when you get there, or just order when you arrive and they'll deliver it right to you in the theatre!
Drive Through a Holiday Light Display
Nothing will get you in the holiday spirit quite like driving through a Christmas wonderland! There are several drive-thru holiday light displays here in Eastern Iowa that you can enjoy throughout December. Here are some of the big ones:
- Holiday Lights at the Lake - West Overlook Campground, Iowa City
- Mount Pleasant Festival of Lights - Midwest Old Threshers Campground, Mount Pleasant
- Reflections In The Park - Murphy Park, Dubuque
- Festival of Lights - KOA Campground, Waterloo
Go to a Concert
There are already some big concerts scheduled for early 2023! Some of the artists headed to Eastern Iowa include:
- Old Dominion
- The Judds
- Parker McCollum
- The Pork Tornadoes
- Reba McEntire
- Journey
- Tanya Tucker
For details on all the upcoming shows in 2023 that we know of (so far), click HERE!
Visit an Escape Room
If you want a date with a little more of a challenge, grab your partner (and maybe another couple or two) and visit one of the escape rooms that we have here in Eastern Iowa:
- The Fantastic Escape
- 4444 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids
- 141 E Main St, Lisbon
- Dragon's Lair (they also have laser tag!)
- 6545 4th St SW, Cedar Rapids
- Spare Time Entertainment
- 4601 1st Ave SE, Cedar Rapids
- Cryptiq Escapes
- 1841 Lower Muscatine Rd, Iowa City
- Harrison Street Escape Room
- 3025 N Harrison St, Davenport
- Escapology
- 2520 Melrose Dr, Cedar Falls
- Live Action Games
- 320 Kimberly Rd, Davenport
Attend a Murder Mystery Dinner
Goldfinch Tap + Eatery is hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner, Dessert & Show on Saturday, January 21st at 5:30 p.m. for $50 a person, but that's not your only murder mystery option in the area! The Dinner Detective hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner once a month at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cedar Rapids. Dates currently on the schedule include December 17th, January 28th, February 18th, and March 4th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $59.95 and can be purchased HERE.
If you want to really immerse yourself in the experience, Mont Rest Inn in Bellevue hosts very intricate Murder Mystery Dinners for guests most weekends, but you do have to reserve a room at the bed & breakfast first. You can read more about that HERE.
Sample Craft Beers at Coralville BrrrFest
Tickets are on sale now for Coralville BrrrFest, a popular annual event for beer lovers in the Corridor. The Facebook page says that attendees can "sample and purchase craft beers showcased by breweries from across the Midwest." The 2023 event will take place Saturday, January 28th from 1 to 4 p.m. and tickets range between $50 and $65. You can purchase yours HERE.
If you can't attend Coralville BrrrFest, there are still plenty of other places to sample craft beers here in Eastern Iowa! Some of the breweries that offer beer flights include Lion Bridge Brewing Company, Clock House Brewing, and Iowa Brewing Company in Cedar Rapids, SingleSpeed Brewing Co. in Waterloo, Big Grove Brewery in Solon and Iowa City, Millstream Brewing Co. in Amana, and Backpocket Brewing in Coralville.
Go Axe Throwing
Text your axe throwing abilities with your significant other! If you want to try a more adventurous date, you can check out one of these axe throwing businesses here in Eastern Iowa:
- Hurling Hatchet
- 100 E 2nd St, Cedar Falls
- 576 Boyson Rd NE, Cedar Rapids
- Civil Axe Throwing
- 375 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids
- Axe-cade on Main
- 136 East Main St, Anamosa
- Hatchet Jack's
- 101 Hwy 1 W, Iowa City
- Live Action Games
- 320 W Kimberly Rd, Davenport
- BustinAxe Throwing Range
- 576 Central Ave, Dubuque
Attend a Comedy Show
From time to time, big comedians will make stops here in Eastern Iowa. For example, Bert Kreischer is headed to the Alliant Energy Powerhouse Arena in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, February 23rd. But, there are also a couple of small comedy clubs in the area that have shows from local and national comedians! The Lucky Cat Comedy Club in Cedar Rapids has lots of different events on their schedule, as does Joystick Comedy Arcade in Iowa City. If you're looking for a laugh, those two places are good options.
Try Line Dancing
There aren't very many places here in Eastern Iowa to go dancing, but there is at least one place that offers line dancing! DanceMor Ballroom in Swisher hosts line dancing and line-dancing lessons every Wednesday night beginning at 7 p.m. for only $5. Have a drink and see if you and your partner can boot scoot boogie!
Go Go-Karting
Another adventurous date idea is doing a little go-karting at Speedeezz Indoor Karting in Cedar Rapids! Feel like a kid again with "unadulterated exhilaration" from Speedezz's "electrifying go kart racing experience." Who doesn't love a little friendly competition?!
Play Arcade Games
Arcade games aren't just for kids, you know! Just like go-karting, arcades can be fun for all ages. There are several places in Eastern Iowa with awesome arcades, and one of the first places that comes to mind is Spare Time Entertainment in Cedar Rapids. Not only are there a bunch of arcade games, but there's also bowling, food, and other fun activities. For a more low-key venue, check out the pinball machines and other old-school games at The Quarter Barrel in Cedar Rapids or Double Tap Beercade, which has locations in Iowa City and Cedar Falls.
Book a Couple's Massage
A lot of the activities on this list involve going out and being active, but not this one! If you and your partner just want a night to relax together, consider booking a couple's massage. Some of the highly-rated spas that offer them include:
- Hands in Harmony
- edar Rapids
- The Sanctuary Spa
- 5500 Fountains Dr NE, Cedar Rapids
- 2931 7th Ave, Marion
- Massage Heights
- 4201 42nd Street NE, Cedar Rapids
- Spa Bilancia
- 59 2nd St, Coralville
- Zen Salon & Spa
- 4 S Linn St, Iowa City
- Tacora Massage
- 3434 Kimball Ave, Waterloo
- Pure Serenity Massage
- 602 State St, Cedar Falls