10 Simple Date Ideas for First Responders in the Denver Area
Try these Colorado date ideas to strengthen your first responder relationship
Marriage is so much more than the license you receive, the vows you make and the celebration you throw. We believe the happiest and most successful marriages happen when couples invest time, effort, intentionality and a shared commitment to biblical principles within the marriage. The responsibilities and day-to-day routines of first responders can bring additional stress, separation and difficulties into the marriage through the ups and downs of police, firefighter, dispatch or EMS life. These schedules and pressures make finding time to share together in fun and connection even more paramount.
Marriage does not self-maintain and–like all things that are wonderful–needs intentional attention and dedicated time. Finding this time not have to be difficult to do or expensive…just purposeful and maybe a touch creative! One of the perks of first responder schedules is the ability to schedule activities during the day, so why not take advantage and build in some time together?
When thinking about what to do on your next date night put an emphasis on quality, focused time together. Here are 10 simple date ideas perfect for first responder couples, with some specific Colorado suggestions:
1. Stay-cation date night in. Sometimes some down time is just what you both need after shifts when the schedule allows. Pick up takeout from your favorite local restaurant, choose a movie you’ve seen in theater together or a game you love to play and you are set! Take a walk down memory lane with old photo albums or your wedding video and be reminded of the connection and life you’ve built through the years.
2. Walk, hike or bike. Colorado is abundant with trails for all levels to walk, bike or hike depending on your athletic ability or desire of difficulty. For the most adventurous, hike one of Colorado’s 58 fourteeners (mountains over 14,000 feet in elevation). This handy guide ranks each of the Colorado “14ers” by difficulty level. For a less strenuous walk, try one of the dozens of trails and paths in the south Denver area including the East/West Regional Trail which winds through Highlands Ranch, Parker and Lone Tree, Bluffs Regional Park and Trail (Lone Tree), Waterton Canyon (Littleton), Matthews/Winters Park (Golden) or the gorgeous Garden of The Gods in Colorado Springs. (Hint: We’ve put together Our Favorite Hikes for Couples near Denver)
There are several Denver area spots which offer cooking classes as a date night idea.
3. Cooking Class. Conquer a new skill while spending time together and eating delicious food! There are numerous cooking classes for couples in the Denver area including Sur la Table (Centennial and Boulder), Uncorked Kitchen & Wine Bar (Centennial), Create Kitchen & Bar (Aurora), Stir Cooking School (Denver) and several others.
4. Spa Day. To many, there’s not a better way to relax or unwind than a day at the spa. From the ultimate in pampering to a simple massage to de-stress and recharge, the Denver area has an abundance of options of massage studios and spas to fit a variety of budgets. Schedule a weekday couples massage and lunch out to turn an ordinary Tuesday into a memorable day together!
The Shelter Foundation sponsored a couples night at Top Golf in Centennial.
5. Golf. Spend a day on the course, visit the driving range or TopGolf. Whether you’re an avid golfer or just along for the ride in the cart and drinks, the course or local range is a great place to learn together and laugh together. We enjoy Top Golf so much that we sponsored a couples night out with Revival Colorado at the Centennial location in 2022. TopGolf now has three Colorado locations – Centennial, Thornton and Colorado Springs.
6. Shooting Range. Those who shoot together look cute together! Most ranges offer a variety of guns to try or you can bring your own. A little friendly competition with target practice or other games can add a little spice to the night and you may meet other first responder couples as well. Local ranges include Centennial Gun Club, Cherry Creek Gun Club (Denver), Shoot Indoors (Denver) and Bristlecone (Lakewood).
7. Simple surprise. Surprise your spouse with an impromptu coffee date, walk through a garden or go to happy hour at the end of the day to catch up. You may find the dates with the least amount of planning or pressure are the perfect ones to take the pressure off.
Breckenridge Brewery in Littleton is a popular date night spot offering food, beverage flights and tastings from their selection beers (photo via Breckenridge Brewery).
8. Food and/or Beverage Tastings. Gather a variety of wine, beer, chocolate or coffee, cover any and all labels and let the fun begin! Keep a tally and whoever wins gets to choose the next tasting group! Colorado is known for its local breweries and distilleries throughout Denver and the state. Try Breckenridge Brewery (Littleton) or Max Taps (Centennial or Highlands Ranch) in the south Denver area or Stranahan’s Distillery in Denver.
9. Indoor/Outdoor picnic. A picnic is a great way to appreciate each other and your favorite foods. Pack your favorite snacks and maybe a beverage and a cozy blanket…works great in parks and in front of fireplaces! Dog lover? Bring him or her along and tag along to the dog park afterwards and everyone wins.
Axe Throwing has gained popularity as a date night spot in recent years and there are several facilities in Colorado.
10. Axe Throwing. Many new axe throwing facilities have opened in the Denver area in recent years including Primal Axe House (Denver), Class Axe Throwing (Denver), Axe Whooping (Denver and Boulder and FlannelJax’s (Arvada).It’s a quick and easy skill to learn (though may be harder to master!) and makes room for laughs, competition and a little friendly trash talk. Most locations include food and beverage options to make for a complete date night experience.
Time is the most valuable currency and in our current world can often be in short supply. Marriage is the daily grind, shared joy in your triumphs together and support of sadness when life gets just too hard. These 10 ideas are just a start to how couples can intentionally give their marriages attention so take a few short minutes to start a weekly or monthly tradition. You will never regret time spent together and your marriage will be stronger for it.
Giving one of these options a try? Share it on social media and tag @theshelterfoundation. We’d love to see how you are connecting and strengthening your marriage!
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