Image Credit: mengelfamily.com

Date #7 – Carriage Ride

King Solomon made himself a carriage
from the wood of Lebanon.
He made its posts of silver,
its back of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior was inlaid with love
by the daughters of Jerusalem.
Go out, O daughters of Zion,
and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart.
(Song of Solomon 3:9-11 ESV)

Most have seen carriage rides through the streets of historic cities. We have ridden on horse-drawn carriages a few times, and they’re always memorable. Once in New York City around Central Park; Once in Helen, GA; Once in New Orleans, LA, once in the hills of Ireland (although these were called Jaunting Carts as seen in the image above, 🙂 and one of our favorite memories was the sleigh ride in Lake Tahoe, NV. We encourage you to make a memory the next time you’re in a town that offers them. The best part of this date idea is to do it for no special occasion when your spouse would least expect it. Doing things that take a bit more effort to plan, go a long way in communicating how deep your love is for your spouse.

Banner Elk Winery located near Barefoot Cabin (see side bar for more info)

Date #8 – Tour A Vineyard

Come, my beloved,
let us go out into the fields
and lodge in the villages;
let us go out early to the vineyards
and see whether the vines have budded,
whether the grape blossoms have opened
and the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.
The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
and beside our doors are all choice fruits,
new as well as old,
which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.
(Song of Solomon 7:11-13 ESV)

There is nothing as romantic as strolling through a vineyard together when the grapes are nearly ripe for harvest. So many vineyards offer deals on wine tastings along with appetizers, and the views are usually spectacular. Many offer a great spot for a romantic picnic as well. If there are many vineyards in your area why not make a day of it? We have had the privilege of visiting vineyards in France, Napa Valley, North Carolina, Georgia, New York, Canada and of course, Florida. And our favorites are the ones where we took the time to make it a romantic time to enjoy being alone together. Try it, you may just find a new favorite on your list of date night ideas.

Tomorrow we’ll offer our final date idea from Song of Solomon. You won’t want to miss it. 🙂