If Love were a Taste, a Smell, a Sound, what would it be?

In Butler County, love might be that first bite into a cinnamon-licked French toast stick at Sunday brunch; or the perfume of a thousand sunflowers in July; or the snap of a dozen candles during a sundown Vinyasa.

Here, love can grow nearly anywhere at any time.

But if you’re looking for that special place to take your special someone, look no further. We have collected a few of the County’s most dreamy destinations that are sure to make your date night pop!

1. Test your Strength and Problem-solving Skills

Relationships can be mystifying, but with this date activity, you and your partner will have to work together to solve another stumper - and in only sixty minutes. At Mystery Mayhem Escapes in Slippery Rock, you and your partner will, quite literally, be locked in a room together, where you will decipher a series of clues to unbolt the door. Who knows, maybe the ticking clock and adrenaline rush will “unlock” something new in your romance! And if not, there’s always axe-throwing next door!

2. Surprise your Date by Staying Put

Nothing is more romantic than a spontaneous weekend trip, but who says you have to leave to get away? Book a “stay-cation” at one of Butler County’s cutest bed and breakfasts in a quaint, opulent corner of Slippery Rock Township. The Applebutter Inn, originally erected as a farmhouse in 1844, rests amongst the County’s picturesque hillsides and elderly maple trees. Its classic brick walls and sweeping patio offer a gentle seat into a more simple time while enchanting lovers with wine, flowers, and all of the modern luxuries to transform a weekend into a romantic holiday.

3. Level up your Movie Night

Everyone loves a classic movie night, but why not go a little retro? Take this as your sign to power off the streaming services, pack a blanket or two, and take a summer road trip to the Starlight Drive-In. You and your date can cozy up in the driver's seat with a front row view to thrilling new releases as well as your old favorites. During intermissions, you can order a tall milkshake with two straws at the Starlight Concession Stand or engage in some flirty trash talk down at the Drive-In’s mini golf course!

4. Find Savasana and Set Romantic Intentions

All relationships take work, but good work is done together, and perhaps the best work is performed on a yoga mat. Studies have confirmed that couples who practice yoga with each other are likely to experience higher levels of physical and emotional intimacy, increased quality communication, and less overall relational tension. Studio Z Yoga in Zelienople invites you and your partner to release stress and “find savasana” at their Tuesday and Thursday evening candlelit sessions, where yogis of all skill levels can take a deep cleansing breath and move their bodies in a relaxing, romantic ambience.

5. Order Soft Serve with a Side of Candlelight

The Legendary Neff Haus Ice Cream Shop serves more than your favorite snickerdoodle cookie dough or strawberry Boba over vanilla soft serve. While this charming seasonal destination in Historic Harmony offers more than 23 ice cream and milkshake flavors sourced from local dairy farms, it also provides an intimate and rustic ambience for guests and their sweethearts. If you visit the shop after 8:30, Neff Haus will transform your sugar fix into a romantic date night and sweep you away to their candlelit patio for an after-dusk light show. Since they are seasonal, can you add a statement about that?

Pictured Neff Haus

6. Ride a Bicycle Built for Two

You might have to be “half crazy” to cycle tandem, but if you’re feeling adventurous and in love, it might be time to whisk your “Daisy” for a ride to Derailleur Bike Shop Café. Run by a husband and wife team, this historic gem along the Butler-Freeport Community Trail is both a cyclist’s stop and a romantic’s destination. Enjoy an intimate lunch inside the homey cafe or sip on a caramel chocolate cappuccino underneath the porch’s sweeping canopy. When you’ve finished, you can either hop back on the trail or “crash” for the night in the Derailleur’s adorable Airbnb - the Nest!

7. Take a Trip through your Taste Buds

Have you ever found yourself driving with no destination as you, your partner, and your growling stomachs fight over tacos or pasta, pizza or Thai? Avoid the vicious cycle of, “what do you want to eat?” by eating it all! With ‘Burgh Bits & Bites Food Tours, you and your partner can indulge your culinary palates, as well as your cravings for connection and cultural experience. This Butler County food tour will sweep your appetite through Saxonburg’s German meats in a century-old hotel and tantalize your taste buds with Harmony’s savory crepes with a stop at the haunted Harmony Inn. After immersing yourselves in a deliciously educational experience, hopefully you and your date will have learned something about each other too!

8. Sculpt a Happy Relationship

Happy, healthy relationships don’t just happen. As a couple, you need the right tools, a splash of creativity, and a whole lot of laughter. At Steele’s Brushes and Ceramics, you can begin crafting the relationship you want by tapping into your artistic sides. With walk-in options as well as instructor-led classes and private events, you and your date can try your hand at the pottery wheel and ceramics play, wood design and canvas painting. Together, you can “draw” on your experiences as a couple and create something new! It just takes a little brushwork!

9. Brunch

Who doesn’t love slow Sunday mornings with bottomless mimosas? Treat you and your partner to one of the most underrated and romantic meals of the weekend at Dented Keg Brewing Company. With rotating brunch specials like cinnamon-stuffed french toast coated in berry icing and pineapple upside down waffles drizzled with rum sauce, the rest of your day is bound to be sweet!

10. Let your Love Blossom

Instead of buying a bouquet for your date, bring your loved one out to the wildflowers. At Jennings Environmental Education Center, you and your partner can unplug from the rest of the world and connect with each other as you soak in the sights and smells of a rare blazing star or a nodding bur marigold. Hike through the park’s remarkable prairie ecosystem and 5-mile trail, perfect for either a blood-pumping adventure or a hand-in-hand stroll. As you immerse yourselves in nature, you and your partner may just get to the “root” of your own relationship!

Pictured Jennings Environmental Education Center