4 Outdoor Summer Date Ideas In Essex County

Looking to take someone special on an outdoor date before the summer is gone? Try one of these five summer date suggestions in Essex County.

WINE AND DINE AL FRESCO

There’s nothing like having a meal and a drink outside on a sunny afternoon. If you’re looking for a place to have a beer or glass of wine, try Egan & Sons in Montclair, named one of NJ’s 6 Best Outdoor Bars by CBS New York.

Or if you’re looking for a bite to eat, try one of South Orange’s 14 restaurants that feature outdoor seating (see a list of eateries here).

• See a list of eateries here: Local Al Fresco Dining Reaches Record Level In South Orange

FARMERS MARKETS

If you’re pairing up with a healthy eater, someone who likes supporting local food systems or someone who just likes the ambiance of a farmers market, you’re in luck.

Essex County is chock full of renowned farmers markets, many of which feature free entertainment and live music. Check out some of the ongoing markets below.

• Newark Farmers Market Opens for the 2015 Season
• West Orange Farmer’s Market Now Open For 2015 Season
• Maplewood Farmers Market Kicks Off 2015 Season
• Montclair Farmers’ Market Officially Opens
• Nutley Farmers Market Opens for 2015

PUBLIC GARDENS

With the dominance of concrete gray in the Essex County landscape, it can be easy to forget that there are vast oasis of other colors out there as well.

If your significant other is a flower lover, try the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Montclair, which contains over 10,000 irises of approximately 1,500 varieties and produces over 100,000 blooms over the course of the season. [See photos here]

Or try Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills, a 28-acre public garden surrounded by 1,200 acres of parkland that contains Italianate garden terraces, grottoes, meandering moss-covered paths, allées of London plane and spruce trees, ornamental trees and shrubs and wildflower meadows.

PADDLEBOAT AT THE RESERVOIR

Looking for a date straight out of a romance flick? Rent a swan-shaped paddleboat (available for half-hour increments) and head out onto the Orange Reservoir at the South Mountain Reservation.

• See related article: Paddle Boating Latest Addition to South Mountain

While you’re there, follow up on your paddleboat ride with a round of mini-golf or a walk through the Turtle Back Zoo.

Photo of a paddleboat at the South Mountain Reservation by Essex County Parks

Have a suggestion for a summer outdoor date destination that we missed? Share it with the Patch community in the comments section below!