Love is in the air, Denton. It's why our air quality is so bad. The most romantic day of the year is today and we hope you're prepared. Actually, if you're not, that's fine, too. We've got you covered. Read on for a few do's and don'ts regarding dating in Denton. Oh, and in case you were wondering, APA recommends "do's and don'ts," instead of "dos and don'ts." We didn't know either.
A trip through the Courthouse Museum makes for a great Denton date!
- Wanna really impress her? Call and make reservations at Keiichi (arguably Denton's best restaurant) a month ahead of time and make sure to sit at the bar. Feeling adventurous? Go with the omakase. Want a few other dining recommendations? We've got 'em.
- Long walks are always great and Denton has plenty of ‘em. Taking your boo rollerblading in cut-off shorts around South Lakes park (Editor's Note: ugh, barf) can be fun in a “people are looking at us weird” kind of way. Make it complete with Walkmans from Denton Thrift and a mix tape if you still have a tape deck. Walking around Unicorn Lake or North Lakes Park can also be nice and neither are ever too crowded.
- In the spring or summer, plan a morning date at the Community Market. You can shop, eat some food, and even take in some live music.
- An after dinner cocktail is a great addition to any date. While Denton is full drinking establishments, we have a few picks for date nights for ya. If you're looking for something romantic/special, hit up Paschall Bar above Andy's the drinks are probably the best in town and the atmosphere is speakeasy-esque. The bar at Queenie's on a weekend night makes for a lovely evening as well. Order a manhattan, take in some live jazz and stay late enough so that you can walk outside afterwards and order a "backdough" donut. Up for something more adventurous? Head over to Crossroads and impress her with your karaoke skills. She might be the Scarlett Johansson to your Bill Murray even without the age difference. If you and your boo are into beer, The Bearded Monk has a great selection and is a wonderful place to sit and chat in a comfortable environment.
- Go explore the courthouse. Seriously. If you've planned a daytime date, the Courthouse on the Square Museum is free and open to the public and is full of tons of beautiful and interesting things to admire.
- Picnicing on the courthouse lawn then playing with the inevitable puppy that will show up afterwards is a great date. Heck, you can even play croquet on the courthouse lawn if you want to. Although, that’s best enjoyed when it’s accompanied by a bottle of prosecco from Wine Squared in your own wine glasses.
- Speaking of Wine Squared, they’ll also give you a quilt and wine glasses to lay out on the square if you buy a bottle from them. They’re good with the recommendations, too. Remember that drinking on the square is legal if you’re drinking from a glass container.
- The Greenhouse can be nice if you never look to the left when you walk in. The nice wooden bar is dimly lit and their drink menu is extensive and updated often. They also have a nice bar area for close seating, and is pretty couple-friendly even when it's live jazz on Mondays.
- Getting lost in Recycled is always a wonderful first date. You can find out a lot about a person by watching which direction they head to when they first walk into the store.
- Stop by Denton Camera Exchange, buy an old Polaroid packet and a pack of film for it and walk around the downtown area snapping (and posing for) photos. Not sure where to go? We've got a guide for that, too. Heck, while you're there the owner might snap a photo of you and your S.O. on some instant film if you're lucky.
- If you're a UNT student, make sure you get away from campus for your date. Don't have transportation? The square is a short walk away or Uber/Lyft is a couple of taps in an app away from a 5 star ride to wherever you need to go.
- Please don’t even think about taking your date to the Golden Triangle Mall like you might have done in the 6th grade. Although, this could be salvaged if your date includes the dollar theater and a viewing of the hilarious movie summaries, or if its some sort of ironic date that includes a visit to
