Phoenix is an ideal place for those who love raw nature, which is why it features in so many country songs. You can go for a hike to the spectacular Piestewa Peak. A back-to-the-basics picnic at Encanto Park or Tempe Town Lake may just be a way to get more about each other. The Desert Botanical Garden reveals Arizona's desert wealth and a visit there offers limitless conversation gambits for couples who need more than the heat to break the ice. Phoenix has an amazing natural heritage and a date that factors this in is guaranteed to be unforgettable.
2. Take Your Date .. Flying!
Hot Air Balloons
Treat her to a panoramic view of the desert. One that she'll never forget - in a hot air balloon, with catered food and champagne. The desert spreads out in all its glory, from about 3000 feet high you'll be able to see the enchantment spread out in front of you.
3. Splurge On a Spa
Biltmore Spa
Nothing ignites the flame of romance as much as total physical pampering does. As the cares and worries of everyday urban life are massaged away under expert hands, dissolved in the steam bath or conjured into nothingness under professionally applied acupuncture, the heart opens itself to the finer emotions once again. The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa offers all-inclusive day and two-day packages. The Four Seasons Spa provides aromatherapy, massages and sauna treatment to the backdrop of a spectacularly mountain-strewn terrain. Or take her to Willow Stream Spa for an hour-long, highly relaxing massage with oil and warm basalt rocks. Other options include the Phantom Horse Spa, Andersen Springs Salon and Day Spa and Revive Spa at JW Marriott. Whichever you choose, you will find that a relaxed and pampered body is eminently conducive to romance.
4. Tour the Eateries
Wrigley's Mansion
Take her for brunch at Wrigley Mansion's recently renovated Geordie restaurant (it will cost you $50 per head - make a booking with Yvonne Robberts at 602 553 7386. Alternatively, pretend to be Latin lovers at Lon's At The Hermosa, which is Arizona's sole surviving genuine Spanish hacienda. The cuisine is American and the service is excellent.
Or discover for yourself why Japanese sushi is supposed to aphrodisiac properties - RA Sushi Bar Restaurant serves authentic fare. Hit it during happy hours between 4 to 7 p.m.
5. Now, Let Music Be The Food Of Love
Mary Elaine's
Take her for a jazz-soaked seven-course dinner at Mary Elaine's, where she can get a splendid view of the city at night (this will cost you $110 per head and is well worth it). It's just that little decadent with made more delightful with the Phoenician décor.
6. Get Cerebral At The Many Museums And Art Galleries
Scottsdale Modern Art
The muted atmosphere of an art gallery is a sure-fire catalyst for closeness. Stroll through one of Scottsdale's 100+ art galleries and let the awe of human artistic genius stir your deeper passions. You can do this at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, too. Many a couple has found an idea for the designs of their future homes by the awe-inspiring architectural exhibits there. The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture northeast of Scottsdale is a preferred destination for out-of-town couples that are looking for a something more meaningful than bar crawling on a date in Phoenix. You also have the option of getting the gothic feel of bygone ages in the delightfully rundown Montezuma Castle museum.
7. Theatre and music…and you've got it made
Celebrity Theatre
Phoenix offers many wonderful opportunities for concerts of all types, Broadway-type shows, and special performance events throughout the year. Just check out shows at the Cricket Pavilion, Celebrity Theatre, Gammage Auditorium, Dodge Theatre and the other spectacular venues. It'll be different and classy…
7. Visit A Ghost Town...And Find True Love
Ghost Town
Phoenix has one attraction for lovers that few other cities can boast of - an authentic ghost town. Goldfield Ghost Town dates back to the 1890's. It is located on a small hilltop between Superstition Mountains on the east and the Goldfield Mountains on the west, and it's delightfully spooky. A date in this place is a real thrill while there, and cuts the ice like nothing else can. You can spend the entire day there together, panning for gold, riding on the narrow gauge train or strolling down Main Street. A more commercialized but still interesting option is Oatman near Highway 95. It is not a ghost town, but rather an elaborately staged Wild West town with all the trimmings. Ideal for playing naughty games! A day at either of these two towns, and anything can happen when you're back…
8. Phoenix Zoo
Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo just twenty minutes, or less than nine miles, from the main city. Both of you should rediscover life's small pleasures! This nonprofit setup in Papago Park covers 125 acres and includes fascinating theme trails like the Africa Trail, the Tropics Trail, the Discovery Trail, and the Arizona Trail. Each features region-appropriate wildlife and is eminently suited for handholding strolls. But here’s a warning, pack your own picnic, because the food is expensive.
