Where to Go on a Date in Phoenix This Winter
For everything from first impressions to anniversary celebrations, these dates are guaranteed to impress.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year—especially for those wanting to plan a romantic, unforgettable date. Between the one-of-a-kind local businesses to support, festive activities all around the city, and the incredible winter weather that makes outdoor activities even more enjoyable, there are nearly endless opportunities for great dates this season. All the choices can be overwhelming, so here are our top picks to get you started.
Take a hike through Arizona’s most beautiful scenery
It’s the perfect time of year for enjoying some time outside and getting active, and while we don’t recommend subjecting your date to a grueling hike up Camelback Mountain if you want to ensure a second date, a short easy hike—like Papago Park’s Big Butte Loop Trail is perfect. Bonus points for timing a stop at the Hole in the Rock formation at sunset for added romance.
This year, Scottsdale was one of the eight lucky cities to host Enchant—a holiday extravaganza presented by the Hallmark Channel, making it a no-brainer if you want a romantic, festive evening. Stroll through the light maze to find the 100-foot Christmas tree, ice skate hand in hand with your date, grab a cocktail at the Tipsy Tree Lounge, or peruse the Christmas Village for a night to remember.
Add a festive flair to your go-to dinner and drinks date
It’s hard not to love a date that starts with a cocktail, and this season you can mix it up with a holiday-themed pop up bar. Phoenix has its go-tos, like award-winning cocktail Bar Bitter & Twisted’s Sippin Santa or Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails Blue Blitzen Holiday Cocktail Pop-Up, but this year, local favorite Culinary Dropout in Tempe, is entering the chat with its Bar Blitzen Pop-Up offering festive sips like the Polar Espress-Oh Martini and Nog on the Rooftop.
Challenge each other’s pizza-making skills
Queen Creek
The second Wednesday of every month you and your date can learn to make your very own pizzas at the Queen Creek Olive Mill’s pizza date night series, all while enjoying a seasonal salad, traditional Italian dessert, and of course, wine, which makes everything a bit more romantic.
Challenge each other to a go-kart race
Scottsdale
If you and your date share a love for healthy competition, there’s no better way to test your skills against each other than during a race at Octane Raceway’s indoor-outdoor go-kart track—the only one of its kind in the country. You and your date will race around the one-third mile track, pushing your go-kart forward to get the fastest time.
Scottsdale
There are few places as idyllic as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, with its stunning mountain views and awe-inspiring Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. Taliesin West recently launched a new self-guided home and studio tour where you can peruse the grounds for 60-minutes while hearing about the space’s history directly from your own smartphone.
Glendale
Take it old school while social distancing with a drive-in movie. There unfortunately aren’t many left—but West Wind Drive-In in Glendale is showing the latest films on the big screen for less than you’d pay at a typical theater. Plus, the on-site snack bar will ensure you don’t miss out on that movie theater-style popcorn.
Go stargazing together
Want to shoot for the stars for your next date? You can, literally. The guides at Stellar Adventures offer stargazing with night vision so you and your date can see planets and galaxies more than 500 million miles away.
Snag seats to a Cloth & Flame dinner
Multiple locations
Dreamy desert dining experiences are Cloth & Flame’s forte. The Arizona-born outfit highlights the best of the best à la pop-up dinners in both urban and far-reaching desert settings with appearances from award-winning chefs and local up-and-comers. See where the next dining series is happening and reserve your seats.
Experience Wonderspaces Arizona
Scottsdale
This year-round, evolving art show features works from around the world. Current showings on display at Wonderspaces Arizona include awe-inspiring and immersive works like Shadowplay, Plume, and Light Leaks—to name a few. Discover the artists and secure your tickets here.
Split a bottle of vino at Postino
Multiple locations
If you’re like most of us, there’s a good chance you got acquainted with a bottle or two over the last couple of years or so from the comfort of your living room. Now that you’re practically a wine connoisseur, order some wine for the table and wax poetic about notes, structures, and profiles, and please remember to let your date get a few words in, too.
Catch an Arizona sunrise from a hot air balloon
Phoenix, Scottsdale
Sweep your date literally off their feet with a trip through the sky on Rainbow Ryders. The views are impeccable. And the ballooning outfit even provides locally made snacks and prickly pear mimosas to enjoy after the airborne journey. What’s more romantic than that?
Share charcuterie in an urban park
Multiple locations
They say the way to a person’s heart is through charcuterie, or something like that. Go ahead and take this opportunity to show off your charcuterie board assembly skills with a romantic, and delicious, meat and cheese-filled date in an urban park. Whatever hood you call home, from Downtown Phoenix (Civic Space Park!) to Arcadia (G.R. Herberger Park!) and Scottsdale (Scottsdale Civic Center Park!), there’s likely an urban park just around the corner.
Swap stories over craft coffees
Phoenix
When coffee and booze come together, good things are bound to happen. Phoenix’s Provision Coffee has mastered both craft cocktails and fancy coffee drinks. Here you’ll find a variety of craft cocktail options as well as non-alcoholic coffee drinks including honey lavender lattes, espresso tonics, and matcha, all best enjoyed on the shaded, outdoor patio.
Take a stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix
It’s hard not to catch feelings in a setting as picturesque as Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden. Spanning 140-acres and one of only 24 botanical gardens accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Desert Botanical Garden not only features thousands of unique living cacti but hundreds of rare and endangered species throughout its expansive walkable grounds. During the summer, you can look forward to all kinds of seasonal programming like the Sonoran Sippin’ evenings (complete with cocktails and live music!) and flashlight nights.
Cruise around in a swan boat
Tempe
Make like lovebirds and pedal your way around Tempe Town Lake in a swan boat. That’s right, swan boats! Feeling romantic? Opt-in for the date night package which includes a box of chocolates and floral decorations.