Being in a committed relationship for 5 years has led to constant date nights, and hangout spots in my life. Moving to College Station for college meant finding places that my boyfriend and I could meet up and enjoy a night on a weekend or weekday in our busy lives.
With College Station being a college town, there are plenty of places to get food, desserts, or late night snacks. So, it can be trickier to find a spot that we could both enjoy that didn’t pertain to the typical “going out to eat”. During my time here in the local area, these are my most favorite places to go on a date that I have enjoyed so far.Â
1. Spirit Ice Arena
Believe it or not, there is an ice skating rink in College Station. Every Thursday, Spirit Ice Arena has a date night promo of buy one, get one. Not only is it inexpensive on Thursday nights, but changing the kind of date that my boyfriend and I usually would go to made this place a different experience. I had such a great time, knowing that we both tried something new. It was also a really romantic setting, with the various lights and music, and had a welcoming atmosphere.Â
2. LAKE BRYAN
For the outdoor adventure couples, I spent a day in Lake Bryan for a date and I had the best experience. I love to kayak, and paddleboard because I am from San Marcos, TX. Otherwise know as home of the San Marcos river. With a $5 dollar day pass to the lake you can walk through the trails, alongside the lake, and the enjoy the beautiful scenery. He and I went during the month of March, so the park was open till 10:00pm, allowing us to watch the sunset over the lake. The night was full of stars and I had a really romantic time. There are various things to do in Lake Bryan: you can rent kayaks, paddleboards, hike, walk, eat, camp, and fish. If you are looking for something cheap, this is the place to go on a date.Â
3. Grand Central Station
My anniversary with my boyfriend is in the midst of finals season, and so for our three year anniversary him and I went to Grand Central Station. While this place was a more expensive experience, I had a blast. They are known for their bowling, but we went to enjoy the arcade. Grand Central Station also had a mini indoor golf experience which was great. If you go during the weekday, it is not as busy as it would be during the weekend. Together he and I spent about $100 together, that included food and entertainment. It was definitely a great experience with my partner; there were all sorts of arcade games such as interactive ones, music, and sports.Â
4. The Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market in Bryan, TX
If you and your partner are early birds, this one’s for you. Every Saturday from 8am to noon Bryan has a local farmers market located downtown on Main Street. There were various vendors that had all sorts of goods. Pickled items, jewelry, beeswax candles, wooden figures, crochet figurines, blankets, and more! Not only was the local community nice, but to be able to support local businesses and see their items was great. My boyfriend and I got up early, picked up some coffee, and made our way to Bryan to walk around the market for a couple of hours. Â
5. Antique shops in Downtown BryanÂ
Lastly, in Downtown Bryan there are a ton of little shops and food places to explore and try. Corner of Time Antiques Mall and Bird’s Nest Gifts & Antiques were the two places he and I went to. Corner of Time Antiques Mall had a small restaurant inside so that you could browse and eat throughout the store. This was my favorite antique store; it was very quaint and really old fashioned. Both of these antique stores had older items in relation to Texas A&M such as plates, cards, and furniture. These antique shops were everywhere in Bryan, but there was much more to downtown. My boyfriend and I spent a significant amount of time browsing in these shops. Afterward, we walked through downtown.Â
Honorable Mention – Farm Patch Produce Market & Garden Center in Bryan, TX
This Market is my all time favorite produce market to purchase some of the best quality groceries. They have all sorts of plants, succulents, and flowers for purchase. Their produce is top notch, with various vegetables, fruit, beans, jams, and jellies. In the Fall, they have a pumpkin patch full of plants and decorations. My boyfriend and I went during the Fall and took so many photos around the pumpkins. It is a small place, but perfect for a small day date for the fall season.Â
