Okay so everyone, parent or not, has a busy life. There is work, family parties, dentist appointments, birthday parties, happy hours, and who knows what else! But, no matter how busy you get, it’s always important (and fun) to get some time with just you and your honey. We’ve come up with five date ideas that you can enjoy, no matter your schedule. 

The Columbus Zoo

Even before The Beard and I had a kiddo, we had a Columbus Zoo membership. Our hometown zoo is one of the best in the country. I mean, hello, Jack Hanna, Heart of Africa, polar bears? The best, even for adults! We love their annual event, Zoofari, a nighttime extravaganza with tons of food and alcoholic beverage vendors. But, if you can’t get a night out (and don’t want to drop $100 per ticket), plan a morning or afternoon wandering around checking out all the animals and maybe even taking a little train ride. I’m a bit bias with this idea because The Beard proposed to me here, so it’s pretty special to us. Bonus points for grabbing Culver’s on the way home because a butterburger makes every day special and amazing. 

The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek: Brunch

If you are like us and have a little one at home, it can be hard to have a sitter past bedtime. O is pretty particular about falling asleep so we tend to have dates earlier in the day to make it home before 8pm. The wonderful thing about that is there are SO many great brunch spots in Columbus that are perfect for fun date ideas. One of our favorites is The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek. Again, we are biased because we had our wedding dinner here! Since this is a buffet, you can be in and out in less than an hour – well, depending on how much fried chicken you eat. The service is great, the food is delicious and you’ll enjoy some precious alone time with your fella or lady. 

Cbus Coffee Trail

Now this date idea could happen in the morning or mid-afternoon. I drink coffee all day, every day, so really this one works for me anytime of day. Experience Columbus has these really cool “trails” that feature local businesses and my favorite is the Coffee Trail. You can visit any of the 19 locally owned coffee shops in Greater Columbus, order something yummy and get a stamp for your passport. After just four visits, you get a super cute t-shirt and if you visit all 19, you get an awesome custom coffee mug!  Since so many of them are in the Short North area, you could spend 2-3 hours weaving in and out of coffee shops and stores, maybe even visiting some of the Made in Cbus spots like Red Giraffe Designs and The Candle Lab. I mean date ideas revolving around coffee are pretty perfect.

IKEA + Pizza at Giordano’s

Please don’t judge us with this one because it’s probably peak toddler parent date idea. But, if you’ve ever tried to shop at IKEA with a toddler then you’d understand that this is an important day out. You can shop for your DIY bookshelf and maybe a few fake plants and kitchen gadgets then head over to Giordano’s across the street! Since their Chicago style pizza can take a little while to make, take advantage of your alone time and grab a few glasses of wine or pints of beer with your sweetie. Or if you want to shop at IKEA after a few drinks, flip flop this date around and then maybe document your adventures on Instagram Story so I can live vicariously through you. 

Bleu & Fig Brunch 

Oh weird, another brunch option. This time it’s a little different and might take a little more planning. Bleu & Fig, an event space and catering company offers a really awesome brunch every month or so at their venue in Clintonville. We got to try some of their brunch options at an event at Wild Goose Creative but they have a full spread at these delicious brunches, including their famous candied bacon. They are typically on a Sunday from 11am-12:30pm, give or take. But, make sure you register fast because they sell out QUICK and for good reason. Plus, the chef and culinary team at Bleu & Fig consist of some of my absolute favorite people who are wildly talented. 

There you have it, friends! Five date ideas for busy parents or dog parents or just plain ol’ busy people. We’d love to know what else you all do on date night (or day), please share in the comments below or tag us on Facebook or Instagram!