Guys, I don’t know if you are aware of this but, this Tuesday just passed was the first official day of Spring! Yay, take that Beast from the East, your time is up! So, as the snow finishes melting and you can finally start to see whether flowers are in bloom again, you’re probably all thinking the same thing; “Now, that spring is here, my date ideas can blossom too!” Too cheesy? Well… let’s move past that! The great thing about this time of year (aside from sun, pretty flowers and longer days) is a whole lot of new things to do without the fear of extreme weather! (It’s England, so rain will always be an issue, people, we can only sympathise) So, without further ado, here are 6 spring ideas, because the sun is finally sticking around…

1. Visit a Garden

If you’re anything like me and you don’t see the point of giving someone cut flowers (long morbid story, we can get into it another time) then you’ll love a good garden where the flowers can thrive and actually survive (smooth rhyme there!) in their own environment. Spring is the perfect time to go and visit a garden. It’s not yet the time of stifling heat, so you shouldn’t by dragging your feet, weighed down by sweat. You can go along, relax and really chat surrounded by quiet beauty.

Some great parks to visit are Kew Gardens, Kensington Palace Gardens and Holland Park Kyoto Garden. If you decide that you want to take things outside of London, then why not try Mayfield Lavender which is less than 15 miles from central London. For only £1, you can go in and rest assured that you are contributing to the farm’s upkeep. So, get frolicking, people!

2. Go on a Bike Ride

A lot of rom coms have that little scene were the couple goes on a bike ride or, if you’re a Gossip Girl fan, there’s that scene with Blair and the undercover Prince (swoon also spoiler alert!) Anyway, don’t you want your own ‘scene’ where you go on a spring date with your hair fluttering in the wind, as you race each other and laugh gaily? Of course you do, which is why you should rent a bike and do just that! You can go for 2 separate bikes or you can, obviously, go for the ultra-romantic tandem bike (bow chicka wow wow 😉 )

You have a few options with where to procure your bikes with this favourite among the spring date ideas. You can go the Santander TFL bikes route where you go up to a docking station with your card and just tap the screen (obviously you have to bring the bike back to a docking station!) Or you can try Mobike who do bike sharing for short trips. For the tandem bike plan, try The London Bicycle Tour Company where you can get a tandem bike for a minimum 1 day hire. Whichever you chose, enjoy the ride 😉

3. Have an Art Day Outside

Now, this might just be me but I love painting and sketching. The great thing about art is that it is completely subjective. Anything (and I do mean anything…) can be considered art. It’s all a matter of what speaks to you, blah blah blah. Anyway, you and your date can take the sunny opportunity to find a nice, out of the way spot to create some art. You can draw your surroundings and see who does it better (friendly competition, people!) Or you could even take things to that next level and try and draw each other.

Whether you are a word class artist or just starting out, you’re likely to have a good laugh and you’ll have either a well-drawn or hard to recognise souvenir to take home. You can look back at it as a happy memento, no matter which way things end up going. So, get your pens, paints and pencils at the ready!

4. Look at London From Above

With the days getting longer, that means the sun is setting a lot later. Why not take this opportunity to take your date high above London and really appreciate the architecture from above? Nothing says great views like a spectacular sunset and from above, you can’t see the litter on the streets! All you can see from above is sleek, modern curves juxtaposed by the linear history of graded buildings. You can quietly marvel at all the little details you can miss from below when you’re in the hustle and bustle of it all.

Photo Credit: Sky Garden

A great spot to truly take in this view is the Sky Garden. It’s free to go for a 90 min slot, you just have to book at least 3 days in advance. They even tell you when the sun will rise and set that day. Another great spot is Madison near St Pauls, where you can have a drink or two with the Cathedral as your backdrop. This one of those spring date ideas that is great for the gram 😉

5. Take a Day Trip to a Nearby Town/City

Now, we all know that London is great! All that food, culture, architecture and events, but, sometimes you might want to leave the city for a day or two. The truth is, it’s healthy to experience all types of environments. So, take a break from the city and see what else is on offer. Spring is prime time to take day trip outside London. Breathe a different air! You never know, being in a different environment may be just the thing you and your date need to help you open up even more!

You can go for a trip to see the cliffs at Seven Sisters Country Park (beautiful view, bluer water than you’d imagine possible in the UK!) There’s also the usual spots like Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Windsor and Brighton but for something a bit different, try Painshill Park where you can visit their Crystal Grotto which is open every weekend. Appreciate something new, why don’t ya?

6. Go Stargazing

Spring marks the time of clearer skies, which means it is the perfect time to do some stargazing! There is nothing like looking up at the night sky to gain some perspective and think about your place in the world. So, to prepare, check the weather (you need warm weather and clear skies) and find a quiet, safe space with greenery to sit down and really appreciate the sight before you. Bring something comfy to sit on or snuggle under! The darker the spot, the better your view will be. It’ll be the perfect spot to go and chat. If there are any lulls in conversation, you can just look up and admire!

You can check out Google Sky as a guide to the stars and any meteor showers that may occur, as well as any number of astrology calendars. You may be in luck and the sky might put on a spectacular show for you!

So, there you have it. 6 spring date ideas, because the sun is finally sticking around! We can only hope that this weather improves, so you can go on a few of these cool dates. If not, just bring an umbrella to be on the safe side. Nothing makes a movie moment like some rain and a snug space to be shielded from it! Go forth and frolic, you lovebirds!