Picnic under the stars
If cosying up under the stars sounds like your cup of tea, then this celestial date night is for you. All you need for this stargazing backyard bash is a bottle of wine, a big ol’ picnic rug and some pillows. And look, a cheese platter won’t go astray either. Start your astronomical adventure by setting your peepers on the sky to check out the stars (no need for a fancy pair of binoculars or an expensive telescope here). Don’t know what constellation is what? No stress! Council has put together some stargazing tips thanks to the expert knowledge of Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium curator and astronomer, Mark Rigby – so you’ll at least be able to tell stars from satellites. Get your out-of-this-world guide to the night sky here. If you’re looking for some more stargazing inspo, the Planetarium’s Facebook page is also jam-packed with information to help guide your journey through space.

Free-flix and chill
With cinemas sadly closed due to social-distancing restrictions, the classic movie date night has moved to the couch. Luckily for you, there’s no need to pay for a new-release movie or spend hours searching through Netflix – there are a heap of free flicks waiting for you on kanopy, Council libraries’ film-streaming platform. Whether you’re into action blockbusters, critically acclaimed movies or award-winning foreign films – there’s something for everyone. All you have to do to get started is become a Council Library member, then hop onto kanopy and link your library card – it’s as easy as that. If you’re looking to delve into a documentary, hop on over to streaming service beamafilm – a goldmine of niche Australian and international independent documentaries. Similar to kanopy, you just use your library card number and create an account to access films streamed straight to you. Plus, you need not worry if you don’t have a library membership – Brisbane residents are able to sign up for a temporary digital membership. Just remember to grab the popcorn!

The stomach is always the way to the heart
Although, with current restrictions, it’s not as easy as it usually is to wine and dine our significant other at our favourite local restaurant, you can still turn the romance up a notch at home with a homemade meal. The food waste warriors at Council understand that we don’t all have Gordon Ramsay-level cooking skills and to help us out, have put together a bunch of simple no-waste recipes to make at home. Our pick? This quick and easy broccoli and blue cheese salad recipe that is sure to impress your significant other. Easy-to-make and delicious, this recipe will help you use up what you probably already have stocked in your fridge, including broccoli (one of the top three most wasted foods in Brisbane), cherry tomatoes, baby spinach and nuts. Add blue cheese, mayonnaise, lemon and ten minutes of prep time (not including the thirty minutes it takes to refrigerate) and you’ve got a winning dish. Once you’ve served this bad boy up, we suggest lighting a few candles, popping a bottle of champagne and putting on some soothing tunes – we’ve heard Barry White is quite the mood setter.

Daytime date time
Look, we can’t exactly cycle through the streets of Paris (croissant in hand) at the moment, but we will happily settle for the next best thing – the leafy streets of Brisbane. Whether you enjoy a leisurely cycle through Kangaroo Point Bikeway or want to take things off the beaten path and make tracks to the Mt Coot-tha Loop, there’s a bike ride suitable for you and your loved one. With stay-at-home measures slowly relaxing, we can finally take the occasional breath of fresh air again, which also means you can make a pit-stop in the park for a picnic with your partner. So pack your picnic blanket, pop into one of Brisbane’s many restaurants and cafes that are offering takeaway services then hop onto the Council’s website to find the perfect park for you. There’s nothing better than basking in the sun with your sweetheart and some tasty tucker. 

Challenge each other
Though the topic of popping the question may be waaaaay further down the line, you can ask some other exciting questions with a bit of virtual trivia. If you’re looking for a truly out-of-the-box date-night idea, then grab your partner and put your collective knowledge to the test with Council’s boredom-busting Brisbane trivia. In the name of friendly competition, you can even challenge your companion and see who comes out tops in our general knowledge, local sports, Brisbane suburbs and history quiz categories. Put those thinking caps on!

The article was created in partnership with our friends at Brisbane City Council. To check out the best things to do in and around Brisbane, visit Brisbane City Council’s digital neighbourhood.