Ah… it’s that time of year. Everything seems to be colored with shades of red and pink, couples walk hand-in-hand everywhere they go, and the sweet aroma of love fills the airs. Or maybe that’s just the smell of all the sweet concoctions offered at downtown establishments. Either way, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. What’s that? You forgot?! Good thing we’ve put together some creative date night ideas that are sure to wow your sweetheart! We won’t even take credit for it.
The Sweet Spots
Downtown Rome has a wide variety of options to pick from when it comes to sweet treats. And what better way to try them all than to do a day of “sweet spot” hopping! Start your day off with delicious pastries from Honeymoon Bakery and Bake & Bloom’s ooey gooey cinnamon rolls (don’t forget the sausage balls!). Our next stop is Mahli’s Uni~Pop to pick up some fun popcorn flavors to share as you walk around downtown. Grab lunch at Doug’s Deli and snag one of their vibrantly decorated sugar cookies or a slice of one of their mouthwatering cakes.
A day of sweet treats wouldn’t be complete without a stop at one of downtown’s ice cream shops. With three excellent choices, it’s hard to make a decision… so our suggestion is to try both! City Creamery offers a variety of frozen yogurt flavors, but also has a candy shop that will take you back to your childhood. Honeycream offers artisan made gelato like nothing else in Rome. And Mountain’s Ice Cream has a little of everything, from ice cream to chocolate covered strawberries!
Drink Crawl
There is no shortage of places to grab a drink downtown. With options on Broad Street and the River District, you and your honey will be sure to find some tasty drinks to sip on. In the River District, you’ll find boozy milkshakes at Blossom Hill and crafted cocktails at Aventine. If beer is more your speed, then The Foundry is the perfect spot for you! They feature over 40 taps of craft beer and ciders.
Enjoy the many bar options along Broad Street, too! Darkside of the Moon, Giggity’s Sports Bar, River Dog Outpost, and John Henry’s are all local favorites that feature drink specials and different cocktail menus throughout the year.
We encourage you to enjoy your drinks responsibly and to use the Roman Chariot, a free transport service offered downtown. There are also three marvelous hotels downtown to stay at after your night out. These hotels include the Hampton Inn, Courtyard Rome Riverwalk which offers a bar and lounge and beautiful views of the Oostanaula River, and Hawthorne Suites which houses Off Broad Lounge, Seven Hills Spa and many more amenities. Find all of our hotel information here.
Around the World
A fun idea is to take your partner “around the world” for date night! Downtown is home to many international flavors. Grab delicious appetizers, such as filet mignon meatballs and New Zealand lollipop lamb chops, from La Scala. Hop on over to El Zarape or Tortaco for some Latin flavors. Maybe you’re in the mood for something Asian – we recommend Yummy Thai! End the night with some artisan Italian gelato from Honeycream.
Wine Tastings
One of our favorite date nights is a night of wine tastings. You can’t beat Newby’s Farms Tasting Room which showcases the local vineyard’s award-winning wines. There’s also Olea Olive Oil & Wine which specializes in olive oils and wines from around the world. Olea also offers specialty classes and paint nights which would make for great dates!
Live on the Creative Side
Want to impress your date with something creative? Check out Swerve: Off the Path, a creative studio that offers pottery classes, paint and sips, and other fun art classes. After you’ve made your own masterpieces, take a short walk over to Kingfisher Art Co. Kingfisher Art is Rome’s newest art gallery which curates shows from local artists and beyond. Their shows are everchanging, so there is always something beautiful to see.
As you can see, there is a plethora of date options in downtown Rome! Which one are you going to try?!
Curious about any of these locations? They can all be found on our Dining or Shopping pages!
We’d love to see your date night pictures from downtown. Be sure to tag us in your social media posts, @downtownromega and #downtownromega