Fall Date Night Guide: Think, rage, create

In my opinion, fall is the best season for going on dates – whether it be for folks in committed relationships, or folks dating casually. The air is crisp, the vibes are cozy, and the fashion potential skyrockets. Nothing screams romance for me more than putting on a comfy sweater and apple picking, watching a spooky movie, or carving some pumpkins. However, there is much more to fall dating than the aforementioned activities. 

Trivia Night (Specifically at Bar and Board in Newport)

Before both of our schedules became a little too hectic, my boyfriend and I were frequenters of Bar and Board’s Tuesday Night Trivia. Bar and Board is the perfect location for a fall date night: The atmosphere is cozy, the drinks are seasonally inspired, and the cheese boards never disappoint. I get excited when we have the chance to craft a tasty cheese board, sip on a tasty beverage, and get competitive in some heated rounds of trivia. 

In past visits, trivia categories have ranged from sports, to art history, to general trivia. There have even been some nights where the only category was music, and each round was a different decade. Each trivia night consists of four rounds, which we have found to be a comfortable length of time. You’re not feeling like you just played speed trivia, but you aren’t feeling like you’re hogging up a table all night either – which I love.

Letting it Rip in a Rage Room

This outing was one that I experienced for the first time recently, and I absolutely loved it. From reading the heading, this date comes off as, well, not date-like, but I promise it makes for such a fun experience! For those unfamiliar with the concept of a rage room, it’s quite literally as it sounds: a room where one can rage. Rooms are fitted with sound-proofed walls and decorated with heaps of breakable objects and exciting weapons. The breakable objects are dependent on the types of packages you select when you book your room – for instance, my boyfriend took me to a rage room for my birthday (House of Rage, Dartmouth MA); they decorated the room with some cute streamers and ornaments, and we had tons of glasses, plates, ceramics, and liquor bottles to break. For the occasion of my birthday, they even threw in an old TV! 

Though it sounds like this is a date that can go horribly wrong, the people organizing the rage rooms make them super safe. My boyfriend and I were fitted with heavy duty gloves, helmets, and face shields, and we were given super detailed instructions on what we could and could not do while we were in the room. If you take the instructions seriously and act like you have some sense, these rage rooms are a hell of a good time. I find it fun and cathartic to go crazy in a room breaking things with the person I enjoy spending quality time with, and I think this would be a really refreshing way to get over the awkward hump that is a first date. What better way to get to know someone than to rage side by side with them? 

Candle Workshops 

One of the best things about fall is the heightened use of candles. During the summer, we aren’t really quick to light a candle, but the fall is welcoming to the ambience of warm, scented candles. I always know fall is approaching when Target breaks out their slew of pumpkin-scented wax sticks. With that being said, who wouldn’t want to ring in #CandleSeason with a fun candle-themed date night? 

Candle workshops are designed for people to come in and craft their own candles that they can take home and enjoy, or even make as gifts for others. I myself haven’t had the chance to visit one of these places yet, but RI has recently seen its first candle bar: Black- and woman-founded Scentique. At Scentique, you can create your own custom candle using a variety of fragrances and vessels, and you can even pick fun add-ins like flowers, crystals, and stones. Since the candles take about an hour and a half to set before you can take them home, Scentique has a BYOB policy in which you can “sip and chill while you wait.” However, if this isn’t an appealing option for you, they also allow you to come back another day to pick up your candle. 

Making a candle at Scentique is a great way to enjoy one of the greatest vibes fall has to offer. Whether you and your date are making your own candles side-by-side, or making each other a candle, there’s a lot of fun to be had here.

Paint Night 

Another date night activity that complements the cozy nature of fall is a paint night, hosted by a number of paint bars in RI. One of the most popular paint bars is Muse Paintbar, located in PVD, but other notables are Factory Paintbar & Lounge (Warwick) and Paint and Vino (Pawtucket). Paint bars are largely marketed on their “paint and sip” activities, in which folks participating in the paint night are also welcome to order drinks and sip to let their creativity flow. 

The beauty of a paint night is that you don’t need to be this generation’s Bob Ross – you’re following along with an instructor who is merely guiding you in painting a particular scene, and you’re welcome to follow them as closely or as loosely as you wish. Plus, no one is judging your abilities as an artist. Paint bars are full of folks just there to have a good time! Though some people may be a little intimidated to paint in front of a first date, or even a close significant other, it makes for a super enjoyable evening. If you both see yourselves as terrible artists, you can have fun in the attempt to make a piece of art and see each other’s processes unfold. If neither of you really care about your level of artistic ability, it’s a great way to spend an evening together doing something you don’t typically do together. And you’ll always have something to remember your date by.