After being stuck in a below freezing office all day -- possibly a cubicle with as much privacy as a sheer curtain -- you're ready to get home, grab your sweetie and head outside for a bit of fresh air! But after your 147th picnic, and an equal number of patio crawls along the Beltline, you're in need of a date night overhaul. Here are five adventurous ideas for couples who can't get enough of each other and the great outdoors.
Extreme Dating
You work hard, and you play (much) harder. You're the couple pushing boundaries. Obstacle courses, trail running and hiking are all part of your thrill-seeking dating life. Located an hour southwest of Atlanta in Carroll County along the Snake River, Historic Banning Mills Adventure Resort delivers on your need for maximum velocity. Everything from free falling, kayaking, falconry and their famous Screaming Eagle Zip Line tours are offered here for daredevil duos to conquer. Spend the day or weekend crushing on your lust for life-- and each other.
For adventure just outside the Perimeter, head to Arabia Mountain.
Sparring (Kindred) Spirits
Do you and your love crave a good game of competitive Scrabble? Do you find yourselves speed walking from the parking lot to Target? If you're the couple who enjoys a bit of friendly sparring, why not make a night of it with dinner and drinks as you whack a few tiny white balls for points? You can do it all at not one, but two Top Golf locations. With an intown location on Atlanta's Westside and its suburban sibling in Alpharetta, Top Golf allows golfers of all levels to battle it out in climate-controlled, open-air bays. Top Golf boasts a full food and beverage menu with signature cocktails like the Tipsy Palmer (iced tea with citron and sweet tea vodka) as well as buckets of beer and wine. Like bowling, equipment is provided. Matching funny-looking pants optional.
» RELATED: 7 beginner-friendly hikes around Atlanta
Urban Explorers
You're the couple who enjoys exploring your city. You walk and bike everywhere-- possibly trespass into long-abandoned buildings. Play urban tourist with these Atlanta walking tours.
Stroll into the past with one of The Atlanta Preservation Center's guided walking tours through the city's oldest neighborhoods like Grant Park, Poncey Highlands, and Druid Hills. Learn facts, secrets and curiosities while getting your history nerd on, and a little cardio thrown in for good measure. Tour: $13/pp.
Walking makes you hungry. Solution? Sign up for the Atlanta Food Walks trek through Sweet Auburn/Downtown. In two easy miles (with several pit stops,) you'll taste test everything from barbecue to soul food while hearing tales of the area's storied past; including the Civil Rights Movement and its unofficial headquarters, Paschal's with its legendary fried chicken. $65/pp (food, drinks, culinary storytelling)
Want more tours? Here are 3 tours every Atlanta resident must do. Otherwise, don't even think of calling yourself an ATL-ien.
Sweetheart Sleuths
If you're looking for an outdoor adventure that puts your teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test, purchase one of Clue Town's scavenger hunt books and solve mysteries like Scooby and the gang. Walk, learn and get your blood pumping while exploring landmarks and neighborhoods together like Piedmont Park, Kirkwood and Oakland Cemetery. The best part of this date? Refueling alfresco at one of the many restaurant patios found along the way.
» RELATED: 5 easy hikes to Atlanta's hidden waterfalls
City Stargazers
Maybe you're the romantic, daydreamy couple who simply enjoys each other's company in the great outdoors on a patio or picnic. Kick it up a notch with a ride on Atlanta's SkyView Ferris wheel while taking in a panoramic view of the twinkling city skyline 20-stories above Centennial Park. SkyView: $13.89/pp or $50/pp VIP treatment. Afterward, continue the night's theme at the SkyLounge rooftop bar on the 11th floor of the historic Glenn Hotel. Sip a couple of martinis, and take a moment to breathe in the night air.
