Top 10 Fall Date Ideas to Connect with Water!
Written by Kai Abreu
As the last few rays of summer sunshine wash over our beautiful lakes, rivers, and beaches, I urge you to beware: the rise of the flannels. That's right folks, fall is officially in the air! It's in the crispness of that morning breeze, the slow, hazy feeling of the afternoons, and the odd sense of romance flowing through the evenings—because if Hollywood has taught us anything, it's that fall is the season to fall in love.
Swimsuits, for the most part, are being shoved back into their little drawer corners across the nation, replaced with the quintessential fall essentials: flannels, knitwear, and those Australian boots seemingly everyone over 23 has an all-consuming passion for. But that doesn't mean we have to say goodbye to the water!
Today we're sharing our top ten water-themed fall date ideas to spare you the headache of date-planning, including some budget-friendly options! And hey, if you prefer to leave the romance to someone else, some of these are great ideas to force—I mean, politely ask—your friends to join you on!
1. Pack a Lakeside Lunch
There's a reason you'll find a picnic scene in some of the most classic romance movies of all time, from Casablanca to The Notebook—what's more swoonworthy than sharing a meal al fresco with someone you love? Sharing a meal by the water!
Pack your favorite cute fall picnic blanket, some delicious treats, beverages, and of course—apple pie. Show some love to the water as well, and make sure you clean up after yourself, especially if you're using things like plastic containers or utensils. Consider going fully eco-friendly though and pack a litter-less lunch using glass or metal containers, real utensils, and maybe even a pretty flower. You know. For the vibes.
Photo courtesy of Bettina Kunz - Unsplash.
2. Get Your Cozy Cabin Cuddles
Say it with me now folks: roadtrip, roadtrip, roadtrip! Fall is the perfect time to find a cozy cabin to cuddle up in, and it provides a great opportunity to peep those stunning fall colors as well. Bring some board games, snacks, treats, and books to turn your weekend into a Pinterest-worthy vision board! Plus, if you're not into the whole romance thing, you can always ask some friends on a fall adventure! Bonfires (where allowed), toasted marshmallows, hot cocoa, and spooky stories are an unbe-leaf-able way of connecting with friends and family too!
Many of our national and provincial parks in Ontario offer cabin rentals, but if you're looking for the luxury experience, look for a cute little bed-and-breakfast where you can surround yourself with the scent of fresh coffee and delicious pastries while you watch the water sparkle in the sun.
3. Hike and Seek Those Fall Colors!
Hiking during the fall has all of the mental and physical benefits of summer hikes with the added benefit that it's less hot, there are fewer mosquitoes, and something about the colors just makes it that much more romantic (this is not summer slander). Let's be honest, swatting away at mosquitoes just isn't cutesy or demure. Plus, if you time your hike just right, you might catch a beautiful autumnal sunset (or sunrise, for you brave early risers) that really makes those fiery golden tones pop. Take advantage of the way these colors contrast with the clear blue of so many Ontario lakes in places like Algonquin and Killarney.
Pro-tip: dress in layers! We're not saying you need to forgo your favourite flannel or adorable beanie, but keep in mind that you'll be walking and the temperature will fluctuate throughout the day.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Burden - Unsplash.
4. Get Those Spoke-tacular Views
Just picture it: a cool autumn day, the trees showing off their brightest tones of red and gold, a clear-blue lake glittering under the sun, and the wheels of a bike gliding you through the picturesque landscape. A fall bike ride is criminally underrated in our opinion, and listen, I know you might be thinking that helmets don't really go with your cute fall outfit, but you know what's less cute? A concussion. Find a helmet that matches your aesthetic and hit the trails!
5. Make Your Pitch Perfect Plans
Nothing brings couples closer than a small tent, one medium-sized sleeping bag, and big yellow eyes staring from the bushes! Relax, we're joking… mostly. Camping is a great opportunity to connect with a loved one though, as the disconnection from the busy chaos of life—never-ending chores list, traffic, and that one person at the office who keeps eating your sandwich—gives you space to breathe, explore, and just hang out together!
Photo courtesy of Christopher Ott - Unsplash.
6. Have a Stellar Night
Something about a flaming ball of fire millions of light years away just really sets the mood. Stars have been attributed to romance for centuries, going back to ancient Greek myths and beyond, and today it's no different. The sparkle of stars against a velvety black sky is the perfect backdrop for a fall date, especially if you can hear the lull of waves nearby! Several provincial and national parks around Ontario are considered Dark Sky Preserves, which makes them great places to view a clear, starry sky! Check out Bruce Peninsula National Park, Killarney Provincial Park, Lake Superior Provincial Park, or Point Pelee National Park to plan your stellar date night!
7. Fall in Love with a Small Town
Listen, we all just want to live the Gilmore Girls life of a perfectly dreamy small town perpetually coded in fall-themed everything with access to coffee 24/7. It's a whole vibe. Thankfully, Ontario offers a myriad of magical towns by the water that make the perfect setting for a special fall memory. Check out places like Niagara-on-the-Lake, Goderich, Grand Bend, Elora, and Picton to plan your perfect getaway!
Niagara-on-the-Lake. Photo courtesy of Dalma Dioszegi - Unsplash.
8. Face a Freaky Film Date
Fall goes hand in hand with apple pie, cozy nights, and bonfires—but also with haunted houses, spooky films, and nights full of frights! Cuddle up with your emotional support human, grab some popcorn, and watch a woeful, watery film! For you fear fanatics out there, check out movies like Jaws, The Lighthouse, The Abyss, The Fog, Dead Calm, and Creature from the Black Lagoon. If you're not a big fan of being scared but still want to brave a scary movie, we recommend watching cartoons afterwards to avoid nightmares.
9. Wine and Dine by the Water
If you're feeling fancy, don your very best sweater, boots, and cute-but-maybe-not-super-practical fall jacket and head out for a night on the town! Going out to brunch, lunch, or dinner is a classic date idea, and dining by the water, surrounded by the beautiful fall colors—well, it's a picture-perfect scene.
10. A Date of Watery Tales
This one is a great option because if you do not have a date to go book shopping with, you might just create the perfect meet-cute. Imagine—you're walking between aisles, your eyes ferociously scanning the shelves, looking for that one title that keeps popping up on your BookTok, and bam! You run into the perfect stranger holding the perfect book about your favourite lake. Okay, that last bit might be a stretch, but book shopping is a great way to connect with someone you love! Try finding a book the other person would find interesting, and see if you get the sign of approval from them! Plus… you never know—you might get the meet-cute of your dreams after all.
Photo courtesy of Igor Shalyminov - Unsplash.
As the days get shorter and the nights fill with the crisp autumn air, we hope some of these ideas make your autumn adventures just a little more magical!
