75+ Date Night Ideas Around Rochester in a Time of Social Distancing

COVID-19 has certainly put a damper on date night. We have an older article—230+ Rochester Date Night Ideas: The Ultimate Guide to Spending Time Together—that was published during another time.

A time when people gathered en masse for concerts and musicals and dancing. Even something as traditional as dinner and a movie is off the table. Alas, many of the things we did then are not options for now.

So we’ve scaled back our ideas to those you can still do. And we’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below, especially as the cold winter weather forces us back indoors.

Date Night Ideas

1. Wonderful Walks
2. Hidden Places
3. Scenic Drives
4. Fresh Water
5. Wildlife
6. Sunrise Sunset
7. Plan a 3-Day Getaway

Whether it’s your first date or 50th, spending time trying new activities with your partner is a great way to connect, learn more about each other, and avoid the routine rut or feelings of isolation.

Take a Walk

In the Snow

1. Great Winter Walks
2. Rent Snowshoes
3. Sledding Hills
4. Downhill & Cross-Country Skiing
5. Outdoor & Indoor Ice Skating Rinks

In the Park

1. Monroe County Parks
2. Seek Solitude
3. Get Away From It All
4. National Natural Landmarks
5. New York State Parks
6. Beautiful Boardwalks
7. Hiking Trails
8. Gorge Trails
9. Geo-caching
10. Rock City
11. Genesee Riverway Trail in the City
12. Genesee Valley Greenway south of the city
13. Nature Centers & Wildlife Preserves

Among the Flowers

1. Public Gardens & Arboretums
2. The Flower City
3. Lamberton Conservatory

Explore a Hidden Place

1. Corbett’s Glen
2. Sunken Garden
3. Grimes Glen
4. Old Canal Lock 62
5. Rochester’s Hidden Sidewalk
6. Channing H. Philbrick Park
7. Turning Point Park
8. Washington Grove
9. Helmer Nature Center
10. Holley Canal Falls
11. The Jump Off
12. Akron Falls
13. Havana Glen
14. Thomas Creek Wetland Walk
15. Bergen Swamp
16. Griffis Sculpture Park

Take a Scenic Drive

1. Lake Ontario Seaway Trail
2. Historic Routes 5 & 20
3. Spend a Day in the Finger Lakes Region
4. Erie Canal
5. Greater Rochester Nine-County Area
6. Breathtaking Views of Fall Foliage
7. Quirky Roadside Attractions
8. Explore Rochester’s Street Art

Head for Water

1. Genesee River Through the City of Rochester
2. Letchworth State Park
3. Lake Ontario
4. The Finger Lakes
5. Roadside Waterfalls
6. Kayak Rochester’s Water Trails
7. Whitewater Rafting with Adventure Calls Outfitters

Go fishing

1. Places to fish
2. or Ice Fish
3. Bait shops

Spend Time Among The Animals

1. Seneca Park Zoo
2. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
3. Buffalo Zoo
4. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure
5. Wickham Farm
6. Stokoe Farms
7. Braddock Bay Raptor Research
8. Wildwings

Watch the sun set (or rise!)

These suggestions link to Google image search results to give you an idea for each area. Take a scientific approach to watching the optimal sun set using this calculation of the sun’s position at a given time, date and location. Try August 8 at 18:30 (sunset is 18:55) at Cobb’s Hill (43.1396542, -77.5723119) and you can see below why this is very popular place to watch the sun set.

Pick a spot with a higher elevation than obstacles to the west. Add in some water or architectural elements and you’ve got a great view. Here are a few places to inspire you.

1. Anywhere along Lake Ontario, especially when there is open water to your west. (Ontario Beach Park pier, Summerville pier, Webster Park pier, Hamlin Beach, Braddock Bay Area, including the ponds)
2. SUNY Geneseo Gazebo
3. Lodge at Woodcliff
4. High Falls
5. Cobb’s Hill
6. Anywhere you can see the beautiful Rochester skyline!
7. Or, find the darkest sky near Rochester under which to observe the stars

Plan a 3-Day Getaway

1. Skaneateles
2. East Aurora
3. Lewiston
4. Letchworth
5. Routes 5 & 20

What are your favorite date night ideas while maintaining social distance?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!