Date Night Inspiration for East Bay Parents

If you can swing the childcare, I hope you have a parent date night on a regular basis. My husband and I are still in the habit of sharing a regular lunch date as a holdover from the days when our easiest childcare option was daytime preschool. Do you have a favorite date night with your partner? Please share in the comments.

Thanks to Trophy Club for sponsoring our Guide to East Bay (parents, no kids!) Date Night.

Trophy Club Speakeasy, Emeryville

Mention 510families and step into the typically members-only speakeasy for an elevated experience and no kids allowed. Trophy Club is a premier bar within a bar, hidden in plain sight offering an intimate craft cocktail experience and a rotating menu of seasonal tastes. Find this speakeasy behind a hidden door inside Tipsy Putt.
Location: 5690 Bay Street, Emeryville
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We asked our team members and friends to share their favorite date nights in the East Bay and here’s what they told us:

A theater where they serve you dinner, Oakland or El Cerrito

For a one-stop experience, we love the Cerrito Rialto and The New Parkway Theater where they’ll serve your food and drinks during the show. These theaters are an efficient date because it’s dinner and a movie at the same time. If you’re paying for childcare by the hour, we know that keeping it short is important!
Locations: Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, 10070 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito | The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th St, Oakland

Mini golf with 500 beers, Emeryville

Why should kids have all the fun? Tipsy Putt is an adult playground in the evenings (ages 21+ after 5 pm) with dozens of choices of beers and cocktails. Enjoy mini golf and 1-2 putt (a little like golf plus billiards plus shuffleboard). You can pay for games a la carte or pay $29 for unlimited games all night. Tipsy Putt is a fun way to reconnect with your significant other or meet friends for a double date.
Location: 5690 Bay Street, Emeryville
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Active dates in the East Bay

How much of a workout you want on date night is up to you. Here are three unconventional options that might work up a sweat:

1. Head to Benchmark rock climbing gym on Shattuck and then get dinner somewhere in the North Shattuck district afterward.
2. Reserve a tennis court near you, pack a cooler with some adult beverages, and then wack balls at each other.
3. Hike up to Indian Rock Park for sunset followed by dinner and drinks at Benchmark Pizza at Colusa Circle.

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid, Oakland

Another lively event is Friday Nights at OMCA from 5 pm to 9 pm. Take BART so you don’t have to worry about driving or parking and hop in a food truck line. Then bring your food into the Museum’s lawn area (admission-free!) to watch the people and performances.
Location: OMCA, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland

First Friday Block Party, West Berkeley

The First Friday Block Party in West Berkeley is a festive vibe for wine lovers. Some nearby wine and food purveyors collaborate to put on this monthly event. A few people bring their kids, but we’d rather not. The location varies around Northwest Berkeley.
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Cook your own food, but make it romantic, Berkeley

We love reserving a pair of spots in a Kitchen On Fire small cooking class for hands-on, delicious food prep with the meal included. There are so many fun choices with delicious food combinations.
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Location: 1509 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

Smell the roses, Oakland

Several months of the year, the roses are blooming in Morcom Amphitheater of Roses. You and your date can stroll as long or short as you like before walking 3 minutes to Grand Ave. restaurants or 15 minutes in the other direction toward extremely tasty Mexican food on the large patio at doña. Have a margarita for me.
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Locations: Morcom Rose Garden, 700 Jean Street, Oakland | doña, 3770 Piedmont Ave, Oakland | Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, 3917 Grand Ave, Oakland

Easy artsy date, Berkeley

Reserve some time in the Brushstrokes Studio and then walk a few blocks to Zut! or another delicous restaurant on Fourth Street for dinner.
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Locations: Brushstrokes Studio, 745 Page St, Berkeley | Zut!, 1820 Fourth St, Berkeley

Do you have a favorite date night with your partner? Please share in the comments.

Thanks again to Trophy Club and Tipsy Putt for sponsoring 510families.