Date Night Destinations

By Lisa Arnett
February 2024 View more Featured

Romantic and fun ideas for foodies, music fans, sporty types, and theater buffs

If you and your sweetie have been stuck in a takeout-and-TV rut since the ball dropped on NYE, it’s time to shake up your date-night routine. Whether you’re looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day or just spice up a quiet winter weekend, we’ve got plenty of inspiration to help you make a game plan for some quality time together.

Theater Lovers

1. For a night of surefire laughs, catch Chicago’s homegrown improv troupe The Second City when it performs at McAninch Arts Center (425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn) for two shows February 10. In honor of Valentine’s Day, With Love, From the Second City will make light of missed connections, love lost, and all things relationships (tickets $30 to $48).

2. As for some serious theater, transport yourselves to post-World War II New Orleans in Tennessee Williams’ classic drama A Streetcar Named Desire, which runs March 13 through April 21 (tickets $40 to $55) at the Copley Theatre (8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora). Across the street at the Paramount Theater (23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora), Billy Elliot: The Musical kicks off February 7 and runs through March 24. Directed by Trent Stork and set to the music of Elton John, the show centers on a tween British boy who falls in love with ballet and wrestles with his close-minded father’s disapproval (tickets $28 to $79). Classic musical theater devotees won’t want to miss Fiddler on the Roof at Drury Lane (100 Drury Ln., Oakbrook Terrace), which takes stage through March 24 (tickets $85.75 to $96.25). For a more intimate show, make a move for BrightSide Theatre’s cabaret-style production of Chess in Concert, with music by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and book by Tim Rice. (Read more about the show here.)

3. Fans of standup comedy? Check out the lineup at the Comedy Vault (18 E. Wilson St., Batavia) that features the likes of Rachel Feinstein (February 15–17), David Koechner (March 14–16), and Bobcat Goldthwait (April 12–13), to name a funny few (tickets $25 to $35, plus a two-drink minimum). The former-bank-turned-club also hosts an Open Mic Night 8 p.m. every Wednesday, no cover charge.

4. Looking for more live entertainment? There are plenty of unique options to choose from this season. Cross classical ballet with hip-hop, jazz, and African influences and you’ll get the Hiplet Ballerinas (hipletballerinas.com), the professional company of the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center directed by Homer Hans Bryant in Chicago. The company is set to take the stage at McAninch Arts Center on February 17 (tickets $50 to $60).

Fervent Foodies

1. Consider this a recipe for romance: Book a class at Sur La Table (55 S. Main St.), part kitchen supply shop, part culinary classroom. Featuring cuisine themes ranging from surf and turf to Flavors of France, a rotating roster of date-night classes cater to couples. Classes are fully hands-on, so you’ll share a workstation with another couple and work through the recipes step by step, guided by your instructor. You’ll end the class with plenty of food for a meal out, plus some fresh inspiration for your cooking endeavors at home.

2. If your ideal date centers around what you’ll be eating and where, you can easily spend a whole day indulging your collective tastes in downtown Naperville. Start at the Spice House (15 W. Jefferson Ave.) to geek out over the alluring array of baking spices, herb blends, and fancy-schmancy finishing salts. Then walk a few doors west to Adagio Teas (27 W. Jefferson Ave.), where you can sniff fragrant tea blends ranging from chai to matcha to rooibos. When you’ve found a new favorite, you can have a to-go cup freshly brewed to keep you toasty as you stroll.

3. If you’d rather sit back and be served, treat yourselves to a progressive dinner along Water Street. At SixtyFour Wine Bar (123 Water St.) you can create your own charcuterie plate from a Midwest-centric lineup of meats and cheese. There’s no need to settle on a bottle of wine; instead, you can sample one-, three-, or six-ounce pours from wine stations around the bar, with 64 vintages to choose from in all. Next, head into Hotel Indigo and take the elevator up to Santo Cielo (123 Water St.), where candlelit tables and rooftop views really bring the romantic vibes. Start with tiradito de hamachi (raw fish submerged in a chile-coconut sauce with sesame seeds and compressed cucumber) and move on to shareable pasta dishes such as the pappardelle de mariscos (pasta ribbons with shrimp, mussels, morita cream sauce, and lemon breadcrumbs). Cap off your evening with coffee and dessert at Vasili’s (135 Water St.). The baklava cannoli or banana cream Napoleon drizzled with salted caramel pairs perfectly with a cappuccino or the Kafe Freddo, a cocktail made with cold-brew coffee, cinnamon syrup, and espresso and vanilla vodkas.

Competitive Spirits

1. Ready for a little friendly competition? Plan an active outing where you and your sweetie can show off your skills and vie for bragging rights. Head to Puttshack (1827 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook), which puts a high-tech spin on the classic pastime with trick shots, neon decor, and high-tech twists—including microchipped golf balls that keep score for you. Each nine-hole course takes about a half-hour to complete ($14 per player per course), and there are multiple courses to choose from (reserve a time slot online to avoid a wait.) Thanks to the drink stands positioned at every hole, you can order a cocktail from the bar beforehand and bring it along with you to sip while you play.

2. Get your adrenaline flowing with black-light laser tag arena at Main Event (28248 Diehl Rd., Warrenville). Maneuver your way around the multilevel course and see who’s the last one standing at the end of your 15-minute session ($8.50 per person per session Monday to Thursday; $10.50 Friday to Sunday). Afterward, head over to the billiards hall to slow down the pace and shoot some pool ($8 for 30 minutes for up to four people Monday to Thursday; $10 Friday to Sunday). When you’re done, settle into a seat at the bar so the loser can treat the winner to a round of drinks and some victory nachos or wings. Want more play time? Main Event also offers bowling, a gravity ropes course, and more than 100 arcade games. Check for all-you-can-play passes that will save you some dough.

3. Roller rink and entertainment center Funway (1334 S. River St., Batavia,) is just the spot for some nostalgic fun, and it’s open daily throughout the winter. Ride the hot-rod-themed bumper cars ($5 per person) and then hit the arcade to duke it out on classic games such as Skee-Ball and Whac-a-Mole (30 cents to $3 per game). In downtown Aurora, Yetee Station (11 N. Broadway) is another solid option for a gaming date. Challenge each other to Ghostbusters pinball, Frogger, or Street Fighter and see who comes out on top. Admission is $15 with same-day reentry, so you can duck out for tacos and beers at Tecalitlan (35 S. Broadway) or jibaritos at Chupacabra Puerto Rican Kitchen (31 N. Broadway) and return to end the night with a Dance Dance Revolution showdown. Yetee is open Thursday through Sunday in February.

4. Get in the swing of things at Topgolf (3211 Odyssey Ct.), a golfing complex featuring covered hitting bays with heaters to temper the chilly weather. Aim your ball toward colored targets on the green to rack up points, or choose the Virtual Courses feature to experience bucket-list golf courses such as Spyglass Hill or Pebble Beach. You can reserve a bay in advance and pricing is $37 to $63 per hour, depending on the day and time (Tuesdays are half-price; $5 member fee for first-time players).

Dessert Seekers

1. Satisfy any sweet tooth by plotting a dessert crawl. For a day of over-the-top treats in downtown Downers Grove, start at Lukumadness (5129 Main St.), a new shop peddling loukoumades, sweet petite Greek doughnuts. Then head around the corner to Eiffel Waffle (1028 Curtiss St.) for a bubble waffle sundae such as the Cookie Monster. Stop at Poundcake Bakery (5228 Main St.), which specializes in petite fruit pies, coffee cakes, and, of course, specialty pound cakes.

2. Prefer to go dairy free or vegan with your sweets? In downtown Naperville, start at Cinnaholic (41 W. Jefferson Ave.), where you can build your own vegan cinnamon roll with flavored frostings, drizzles, jams, nuts, and candy crumbles. Roam a block south to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (218 S. Main St.), where there’s always a vegan option ready for scooping. New this year is caramel pecan sticky buns, a coconut-based ice cream with roasted pecans and dark caramel sauce that’s expected to stick around through March. If you have room to spare, hit JoJo’s Shake Bar (5 Jackson Ave.), where the milkshake menu now includes a vegan banana-Oreo option garnished with crunchy dried banana chips.

3. In Geneva, a trip down Third Street will provide a serious sugar rush. Start at the street’s south end near the Geneva Metra Station with an extravagantly garnished hot cocoa at Hey Sugar (507 S. Third St.). The S’more Fun, for example, tops Belgian hot cocoa with marshmallow fluff, a toasted marshmallow, whipped cream, and a graham cracker. A few blocks north, browse the candy cases at local institution Graham’s Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream until you find a treat that suits your tastes, whether that be chocolate-covered coffee beans, English toffee, or skalies (pecan clusters clad in caramel and chocolate). End your sweets summit at All Chocolate Kitchen (33 S. Third St.), where you can sit down for a round of chocolate martinis and share chef Alain Roby’s chocolate fondue spread, made in individual batches for each table.

Music Fans

1. The Arcada Theatre (105 E. Main St., St. Charles) will be rocking with some legendary performers on its lineup, including Chubby Checker on February 18 ($39 to $89) and Dionne Warwick on March 22 ($59 to $119). Or don denim vests and Converse high-tops on April 13 when ’80s pop icon Taylor Dayne (remember “Tell It to My Heart”?) makes a stop in St. Charles on her 2024 tour.

2. With its intimate vibe and cabaret-style seating, The Venue (21 S. Broadway, Aurora) is a trusty date-night destination for live-music lovers. Look for the entrance in downtown Aurora’s Water Street Mall under the romantic twinkling lights strung overhead. Upcoming shows include singer-songwriter Dan Navarro on February 10 and Gerald McClendon’s Motown Valentine’s Day Dance Party on February 16. Tickets are $20 to $25 in advance and $25 to $30 at the door.

3. Celebrating a special anniversary this spring? Mark the occasion as the DuPage Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 70th anniversary season at Wentz Concert Hall (171 E. Chicago Ave.). On February 11, “Reflections of the Rus” features works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Aram Khachaturian. The West Suburban Flute Orchestra will perform in the lobby, and Windy City Flutes will host an instrument “petting zoo” so you can get up close and personal with piccolos, flutes, and more. On March 17, the DSO’s “Springtime Celebrations” spotlights three spring holidays: Victor Herbert’s “Irish Rhapsody,” Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Russian Easter” Overture, and “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks,” a whimsical romp by Richard Strauss in honor of April Fool’s Day. For both shows, tickets are $38 to $43 for adults, $34 to $38 for seniors, $15 to $20 for students.

Photos: Ippei Naoi/Getty Images (main photo); Timothy Schmidt (The Second City); Hiplet Ballerinas; Sur La Table; Rodrigo Cano (Santo Cielo); Puttshack; Amy Lombard (Topgolf); Eiffel Waffle; Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams; The Venue