Stargazing is fun for a few reasons. You get to lie down and look up at the universe, see an occasional shooting star, and just talk about whatever.
Maybe you’ll have a rousing discussion about Aliens and the age-old topic of whether we’re alone in the universe. Or some articles about Elon Musk’s latest ideas on how to send people to Mars. You could whistle the theme to Star Trek. Get a star map and see how many constellations you can find; there are some pretty cool phone apps for that. Then look on your arm and see if your freckles form any star formations that match what you see. It totally worked in the movie, A Beautiful Mind—he got the girl after that one, no problem. If you’ve got a telescope, bring it; the date can be done without one, but imagine how cool it’ll be to get cheek-to-cheek with your date as you check out the sky through it.
This date isn’t just cheap, it’s totally free. It allows for good conversation, fresh air, and maybe some cuddle action if you’re lucky.
What you need for this stargazing date:
For this to be successful, you’ll need a few things: blankets, telescope (if you want), pillows, and some treats (there should always be food or drinks of some kind on a date.) If you would like some awesome homemade treat ideas head over to my website In the Kitchen with Matt. Camping chairs are a good idea as well in case you want to sit down. Location is a key element; choose somewhere with as little light pollution as possible, away from city and neighborhoods. The less light you have around you, the more amazing the stars will look. Maybe you can drive up to the mountains, depending on how far away they are, the stars always look awesome in the mountains. A nearby park could be a good option as well, depending on how bright the lights are around it. Here in the East Valley of Phoenix where I live, there are all kinds of places to go that are close.
My experience with stargazing:
One amazing weekend while I was enjoying what would be my last summer in Utah, my friend Joey and I decided to go to his cabin. Both of us were interested in this girl named Jessica, so we asked her if she wanted to come with us. If you think two guys to one girl is weird, you’re probably right—I guess you could say there was a bit of unstated competition between us to win her affection. We also invited a couple of other guys who would meet us there the next day. Obviously Jessica said yes, considering how cool Joey and I were (cool being a subjective word). We packed our things and set out on our four-wheeling, camping, and gun shooting adventure.
Lost opportunity
I’ll admit I was nervous the entire ride up—I’d had a crush on Jessica ever since I met her a month earlier. She never sent me negative signals and she always said yes when I asked her out, which is a good sign. We arrived a few hours later to the rustic cabin, where I immediately hopped on the four-wheeler and went for a ride to go exploring. It didn’t even occur to me to ask Jessica to enjoy the ride with me. Lost opportunity.
Time to stargaze
Since the rest of our group was coming up the next day, we decided to sleep under the stars. In order to get to the grassy meadow we’d chosen, we had to take a four-wheeler, which meant we then had to pile all our gear on it. Three people squished in with a bunch of bedding and supplies at nighttime was probably not the best idea, but we went slowly and cautiously arrived safely at the meadow.
The sky was spectacular. I hadn’t seen the stars that clear and bright in a long time. The air was cool and fresh, and quite incredible. I didn’t have a sleeping bag, so I cuddled up with some blankets, while Jessica curled up in her sleeping bag between me and Joey. We gazed up at the sky, saw spectacular shooting stars, all the while with the full moon shining like a flashlight on us. Of course, I nearly froze to death and didn’t sleep a wink because of it, but it was still a remarkable experience.
Smooth Jack, very smooth
The next day, our other friends arrived and we spent the day shooting shotguns and riding the four-wheeler. Our friend Jack, who happened to be mine and Joey’s roommate, took Jessica out on more than one ride—why didn’t I think of that? Smooth, Jack. Smooth. I wasn’t a fan of that one, as you can guess. Night came and we sat around the cabin, eating our deer meat stew, it was no beef bourguignon but it was good. We joked and laughed and played cards. The next day we drove home. Jessica, it turned out, was infatuated with Jack, which Joey and I weren’t too happy about. I just love it when your roommate moves in on a girl that you like. Classic. Of course, it wasn’t all his fault. It takes two to tango.
Check out this video I made on stargazing
Do you have experience with this creative date idea? Let me know in the comments how it went. You can buy a copy of the book 101 Creative Dates: ideas, tips, and personal experiences from the life of a hopeless romantic here or visit the shop.
Here is of my all-time favorite group date ideas: