Date Night

With Valentine's Day just around the corner I felt it necessary to post about fun date locations around the city. When the weather is better my first choice for a date is definitely a picnic on the levee, in Audubon Park or City Park. But alas, it is February and very cold. So here are some indoor alternatives.

Whether you're on a first date, or going out with your husband of twelve years, one of my absolute favorite date spots in New Orleans is Creole Creamery. For starters, they have the best ice cream I have ever had in my entire life (on par, if not better than Mashti Malones). They feature over thirty insane flavors, which change every day.

Some of my more tame favorites include Creole Cream Cheese, Red Velvet, Thai Basil and Lavender Honey; but the best flavors are always the really strange ones. I've tried hundreds of quirky combinations over the past 3 and a half years, but the ones that stand out are Cucumber sorbet, Goat Cheese and Fig, Blue Cheese, and Smokey Salty Chocolate.

Leaving their ice cream aside (because I could go on for days about it), it's a great spot for a casual and inexpensive date. Plus, Creole Creamery is only a few blocks away from the Prytania Theater, a great spot for a movie date if you don't want to drive far away.

If you're looking for something a little fancier for your Valentine and you live uptown, Cure is a great choice. It's a gorgeous mixology bar with incredible cocktails, mood lighting and a romantic courtyard. It's hard to go wrong there, but you should probably expect a crowd on the 14th, so it may not be the right choice if you're looking for some privacy.

Of course, you can never go wrong on Valentine's Day at a Wine Bar. My top picks would be Oak or Delachaise (for the duck fat french fries), but Bacchanal and Wino are supposed to be lovely as well.

If you're looking for more of an activity focused date, look no further than Rock n' Bowl. Live Music, Drinks, and Bowling turns out to be a great combination!

Another fun place for a casual date is none other than Cafe Du' Monde. Famous for their piping hot heavenly beignets, it is perfect for a couple on a budget. But be forewarned, you will absolutely get powdered sugar all over yourself, which is half the fun of course... so you may want to dress accordingly. As they say at Carl's Jr. "If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face."

As long as your in the Quarter for beignets, you can spice up the date with a walk down Royal Street or around the Riverbend.

The views over the water of the steam boats are spectacular at sunset, perfect for a romantic evening.

Speaking of views, I have a secret spot for catching the best views of the city, and in honor of the upcoming holiday I'll share it with yall. Get ready for it... the Harrah's parking structure. I'm not even kidding, it's not romantic, but it is one of the tallest points in the city so the views are incredible. If you're already planning to go downtown, it's a great place to park so you might as well drive up to the 10th floor and look around. I promise you won't regret it.

Another great looking spot is the Canal Place parking lot (just across the street from Harrah's). It's more expensive to park there, but they're building is even taller! There isn't much in the Canal Place Shops that's very date friendly except the movie theater, which actually has seat service (including cocktails).

Of course, you can also splurge on a fancy dinner at one of our many fine dining restaurants around the city, but these dates are way more creative and wallet friendly.