Going on first dates is awkward enough — so why pull teeth getting coffee or seeing a subpar movie when you could try something new?
Champaign-Urbana may have a reputation for being chock-full of cornfields, but there are some fantastic hidden gems if you’re willing to get out there and think local. We have taken the liberty of creating a list of ideas for unconventional first dates at six C-U stops. After that, it’s up to you!
Middle Fork River Forest Preserve
A 40-minute drive from Campustown is a beautiful spot in Central Illinois where you can see the night sky without the light pollution of campus.
Middle Fork River Forest Preserve was designated as an international dark sky park by DarkSky, a nonprofit concerned with combatting light pollution, in 2018. The park is a conservation site where the night sky and nocturnal environment are protected by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. It is the only park of its kind in Illinois and one of just 155 across the country.
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The 1,700-acre preserve has over eight miles of trails, swimming, fishing and the Harry L. Swartz campground with 65 campsites. For amateur or avid outdoor enthusiasts, a date night at Middle Fork will leave your potential partner starstruck.
The Kitty Crib
The Kitty Crib, a newly opened cat café nestled on North Market Street in Champaign, is run by the volunteers of Moore’s Rescue Ranch. You can have a drink with some feline friends from 4-7 p.m. on Mondays and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
With a $5 entry fee for students and $7 for adults, The Kitty Crib offers an enjoyable experience for “cataholics” without breaking the bank.
If you fall in love with the cats more than your date, no worries! All cats at the lounge are adoptable, so you’ll have someone to go home with no matter how the date ends.
Rose Bowl Tavern
Dubbed “Urbana’s home for music and drinks since 1946,” Rose Bowl Tavern is a fantastic spot to see live music of all genres.
Weekly trivia nights and jazz jams on Wednesdays are just a glimpse into the vast music and entertainment offerings at this treasured tavern. It regularly features local musicians, comedy groups and seasonal performances every day of the week.
You can find something new and eclectic any night, creating a promising environment for a date that will hopefully be just as engaging as the entertainment itself.
Fire Doll Studio
Located at the corner of Main and Walnut streets, Fire Doll Studio is an artisanal shop that offers a studio and retail experience for the average craft lover.
Search through various scents and create the perfect blend for a soy wax candle assembled entirely by you. At $40 per person, Fire Doll Studio offers an ideal mix of ambiance and activity for a cozy first date.
Winter has firmly settled in, and a homemade candle can be the perfect addition to any room, whether you go on a second date or not!
William M. Staerkel Planetarium
The William M. Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College is an immersive visual experience imagined and executed by Parkland’s first president. First opened in 1987, it is the second-largest planetarium in Illinois after the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.
The planetarium offers various features, from live shows to the first Carl Zeiss M1015 opto-mechanical star projector installed in the Western Hemisphere.
Explore the beauty of stars, constellations and planets with a date that dazzles as much as outer space, just a short drive from campus at Parkland College!
Green Street Café
If you’re craving a night on the town but are sick of KAMS and The Red Lion, go further west down Green Street and take a trip to this hole-in-the-wall on the edge of Campustown.
Branding itself as “Champaign’s favorite hometown bar,” Green Street Café is a popular spot among students, especially in the early morning hours. It offers new drink deals on its Instagram nearly daily, so it’s easy to plan when to grab your favorite drink for cheap.
Unlike its crowded campus counterparts, GSC offers slots, games like darts and a few picnic tables to sit at and relax. Whether you want to win your date a few bucks or chat over a vodka lemonade, GSC has something for everyone.
