My 3 Favorite Summer Day Dates
Lately my partner Tom and I have taken to day dates more and more lately. We tend to talk and reconnect on a deeper level when we use the daytime time to get out the house and nurture our relationship. Our day dates last anywhere from a few hours to all day and here are our favorites!
For an outdoor country experience, we head to the Bogue Chitto Tubing Center in Bogalusa.
This is our picnic on the river. You can also rent a kayak or canoe, but we prefer to kick back in an oversized inner tube and let the gentle current take us down river. It is a pretty seamless experience. You arrive at the tubing center where a shuttle takes you to the drop off point. If you bring a small ice chest, which I highly recommend, make sure to rent a cooler tube which gets tethered to one of your tubes with a short rope. We pack lots of cold beverages, chips, sandwiches, and fruit for the journey.
Wear lots of sunscreen and kick back for a relaxing and fun experience. You can even bring a small speaker for some tunes along the way! There are small beaches peppered throughout the trip where you can stop off for as long you like. Just be sure to be back to your car by 7pm to return your tubes.
For dressing casual cute, we head to the Marigny to bask in the beautiful interiors of Hotel Peter and Paul and dine at the Elysian Bar for brunch.
Hotel Peter and Paul was a Church, School House, and Convent where the Marianinite Sisters of the Holy Cross taught for 124 years until 1993. The Elysian Bar is within and throughout the first floor of the hotel and into the courtyard of the converted rectory. You are seated in comfy, squashy chairs nestled in different corners of the sprawling parlor. If the interior design and refined decor or late 1800s cobblestone courtyard is not appealing enough, the unique menu will delight you! Fried grits in chorizo gravy and a sunny side up egg and chicken liver toast are our two favorites. Brunch is served from 11am – 3pm, offering plenty of time before or after to stroll the surround neighborhoods and still be home before dark!
For a lakeside casual Sunday, we start the morning with Russell’s Marina Grill, packed with families and couples brimming with hot cups of coffee and chatter.
We love the super casual atmosphere and the best classic breakfast options. These date mornings start here, with seating inside and outside covered patio, with the friendliest staff and we never feel rushed. From here we walk off our eggs, toast, jam, fruit, and pancakes out to the Bonnabel Boat Launch. The boat launch has a fantastic giant hill great just for climbing or bring out two folding chairs to feel the breeze and watch the boats from high above. The hill rolls down and extends right up to the lake with trees and stone benches on either sides. Another section of the lawn continues out to a gravel path paved outcrop into the lake, circling around the actual launch spot. On the other side of the launch is a short pier where you will find folks fishing. From there, a very short drive or if you are feeling up to it, a 25 minute walk to the Bucktown Harbor Park and Marina. There is over 1,000 feet of boardwalk complete with resting stops, a bird blind, and information placards on local plants, wildlife, fisheries, and our coast.
