If you're sick of the old combination of dinner and a movie and looking for a more adventurous date, there are lots of great options in and around the city of Wichita. These four ideas should help you start to plan the perfect night on the town. 1. Visit a Dog Park Check out one of three different dog parks in Wichita. This will be an unorthodox date guaranteed to bring out the spontaneity and fun in your personality. You can even bring along your own dog and give them a chance to mingle with the other canine citizens of Wichita. more Even if neither you nor your date has a dog of your own, this is a great way to enjoy a day in the Kansas sunshine and laugh at the antics of dogs of all sizes. If you want to end the evening on a slightly more traditional note, grab a meal at one of the city's pet-friendly restaurants. 2. Go to a Museum Lend a little bit of historical interest to your Wichita date night by visiting one of the many museums in the city. Some of these are unique to the area and focus on local history, like the Kansas Firefighters Museum and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. One especially quirky option is the Old Cowtown Museum; this is a faithfully preserved example of Kansas straight from the late 1800s. From its dirt streets to its 10,000 artifacts directly from the historical record, Old Cowtown serves as a time machine to a simpler way of life that will capture your date's imagination. 3. Visit the Zoo Have a truly wild date when you visit the Sedgwick County Zoo. Whether you're fawning together over adorable animals like the red panda or marveling at the suppressed menace of the predatory big cats, visiting the zoo is always a fascinating experience that brings people together. We recommend signing up to feed the giraffes; this is an inexpensive and hilarious activity that will give you a photo opportunity to cherish as your relationship develops. The zoo even hosts adults-only events where you can enjoy locally produced beers and wines while enjoying the animal exhibits without any children getting in the way. 4. Go to the Library You might have to keep your voices down, but there's something undeniably intimate about sharing your favorite books and stories with your date. Wichita's public library system has a few different branches where you can get to know each other by exploring these interests. When you're ready to leave the library, consider visiting one of the city's many bookstores. You can look for hidden treasures and fill up a bag of secondhand books that you can swap with each other after you've read them. This sort of literary date will be much more interactive than dinner and a movie. Your Wichita date is limited only by your own imagination. With these ideas as a starting point, you'll be able to come up with an experience your date won't soon forget. Image via Flickr by John Brighenti
