Ideas for Date Night in Boulder

Dinner (or Happy Hour) and a Show

The dinner-and-a-show date night combo is a classic for a reason, and in Boulder there's almost always a concert to check out. Many of Boulder’s venues are centrally located and walkable, so you can simply park and bop around town on foot. Here are some venue/dining combinations located near each other.

• Boulder Theater and... Avanti for drinks; Mountain Sun for brews and burgers; License No. 1 for sensual cocktails; OAK for an upscale meal
• The Fox Theatre and... Cafe Aion for tapas; Bar Moxy for cocktails around an outdoor fire pit; The Sink for chill drinks and greasy burgers; Insomnia Cookies to satisfy your late-night sweet tooth
• Velvet Elk Lounge and... Bramble and Hare for a quaint farm-to-table dinner; Bohemian Biergarten for German beer and grub; Ku Cha for a calming pot of tea; Gemini for flirty tapas and wine
• Stone Cottage Studios and...River and Woods for traditional comfort foods made creatively; Postino for craveable charcuterie and bruschetta boards; Torchy's Taco's for tacos and queso to share

Don’t miss all of Boulder’s other live music events, including upcoming must-see performances.

Explore Local Artists’ Studios

On the First Friday of every month, artist studios and galleries in North Boulder Art District open their doors to the public from 6-9pm. It’s quite an event during warmer months, with food trucks, live music and other local vendors aplenty. Year-round, First Friday offers a unique chance to go inside the creative process and meet painters, photographers, designers, sculptors and other creatives. 

Cozy Up at a Local Coffeehouse 

The locally beloved Trident Booksellers and Cafe stays open til 9pm and is a perfectly romantic setting. Browse the stacks and grab a book to read along with a pot of tea or decaf espresso in the cafe. The original brick and dark oak walls, wood-burning stove and deep booth seating make for an ideal date night spot. Check their online calendar for fun community events like author talks, live music, writing circles, language exchange nights and chess club.

(Salsa) Dance the Night Away

Get out of your comfort zone, strengthen your bond and have a blast at one of Boulder’s weekly salsa dancing nights. No experience is necessary—a short lesson is typically held before a night of social dancing. Boulder Salsa Social hosts dancing every Thursday from 6:30-11pm at the Avalon Ballroom. The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art also offers free salsa classes on Tuesdays from 7-8:30pm. Or try Junkyard Social Club's Salsa Sunday from 5-7:30pm.

Create Something Together

Get creative with an art or cooking class. Groundworks Art Lab offers clay, metal, wood and even print-making date night classes for two on Saturday nights from 7-9pm. Colorado Glass Works also has date nights where you can build a large glass suncatcher together. Or, enjoy a glass of wine while you make (and eat!) new cuisine together at a Food Lab cooking class or Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts’ “enthusiast” cooking classes. 

Get High (Literally)

An adrenaline-packed activity sure to bring any couple closer, indoor climbing is a thrilling activity to try together at one of Boulder’s many climbing gyms. Most offer day passes and introductory deals for folks who want to learn how to rope climb or boulder for the first time.

Be Just Kids Again

Pretend you’re 16 again with a night of pure fun. Play mini golf or arcade games, hit softballs in the batting cages and ride go-karts at Gateway Park Fun Center. Work together to solve puzzles at Boulder Escape Room. Or shoot some pool, bowl or play billiards at The Connection on CU’s campus. Finish the night of fun off with vintage candy and soda pop at Rocket Fizz on Pearl Street.

Get Fancy

Sometimes, you just need to put on your fancy pants and hit the town. For a night that feels a little extra special, we recommend the glitz of Stella’s Cucina, a hidden Italian gem downtown; St Julien’s T-Zero Lounge for glammed up cocktails and live jazz; a performance by the Boulder Philharmonic at the historic Macky Auditorium on campus; or an elegant Boulder Ballet production.

…Or Keep it Casual with Beers and Pool

There’s nothing wrong with donning jeans and a t-shirt for laid-back beers and pool at a local bar with your better half. Try the Attic, Press Play (get there early before dancing starts) and Sundown Saloon.