Dating looks very different during the coronavirus shutdown as romantic restaurants, lively breweries and inspiring museums are temporarily closed. But that won’t stop us from celebrating with our special someone—whether it’s an anniversary, birthday, or simply a Friday night!
It’s time to get creative with one of these at-home or virtual date ideas in Fort Collins. We’ve included options for charcuterie and cocktails to-go, virtual art classes, and more at-home activities to do with your significant other. Make the most of all this time spent together — all while supporting these local businesses in Fort Collins.
Order Funkwerks Beer to Go
Photo Courtesy of Funkwerks
Funkwerks is one of the many breweries offering to-go beer in Fort Collins at this time. They are accepting online orders for delivery between noon and 6 p.m. every day for a flat-rate delivery fee of $4.50 for Fort Collins residents. Choose from their wide selection, including 6-pack cans and bottles of Raspberry Provincial, White, Saison and Tropic King, and 6-pack bottles of Passion Fruit Provincial and 750 ml bottles of Oud Bruin and Bluminoso. Order your beer of choice about an hour before you need it and have your I.D. ready at the door!
Take a Virtual Painting Class With Pinot’s Palette
This beloved paint studio has gone virtual so the painting and sipping fun doesn’t have to stop! Pinot’s Palette has switched their regular class schedule to include all virtual classes, so you can get creative from the comfort of your home with a glass of wine in hand. Their studio artists will guide you step-by-step through the project; all you have to do is provide your own supplies! The experience is completely interactive, which means you can ask the artists questions throughout the event. Each class is $15 per guest.
Pick Up Charcuterie From The Welsh Rabbit
Create your own charcuterie board (and pair it with a glass of wine!) with help from The Welsh Rabbit. Their delivery menu includes options for an extensive at-home meal, including pasta, snails, quails, and even tongue, plus plenty of cheese. Pick from the Gouda Platter, the Popular Platter, or the Want to Share? Platter, each of which comes with olives, fruits, nuts and your choice of a baguette, local wheat crackers or gluten-free crackers. They recently opened an online shop, where you can order items to be delivered or picked up. All tips and delivery fees go straight to shop employees!
Get Cocktail Ingredients From Wilbur’s Total Beverage
Make a trip to Wilbur’s Total Beverage, while following the proper protocol and safety guidelines, of course. Take a look at these refreshing cocktail recipes from local bars and restaurants in Fort Collins and make your way to Wilbur’s to stock up on the liquor and spirits needed. And thankfully, Whole Foods and King Soopers are next door, which means you can pick up the remainder of your ingredients there!
Order a Home-Cooked Meal From Ginger and Baker
Ginger and Baker is bringing their delicious food to your home with their various take-out options, which includes individual and family-style meals, plus local eggs, milk, coffee and more. These meals are ready for pickup or curbside drop-off. Plus, Ginger and Baker is offering weekly meal plans, which includes delicious handcrafted weekly meal plans delivered to your door, if you are interested in making this date night a weekly tradition! Simply call 970-223-7437 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to place your order.
Looking for other takeout and delivery options? The Coloradoan is maintaining this extensive list of Fort Collins restaurants offering takeout and delivery amid coronavirus closures.
Make a Craft With the FoCo MoD Daily Discovery
Although the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is temporarily closed, they are providing our kids with resources for at-home discovery on their daily blog, Daily Discovery. Each post includes a list of supplies and step-by-step instructions for creating fun and educational crafts! If you happen to have a kid or two crashing your date night, this is the perfect thing to do together as a family.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With Nuance Chocolate
Photo Courtesy of Nuance Chocolate
Pair your favorite Netflix show with a selection of delicious chocolates from Nuance Chocolate. The team at Nuance creates small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolates made straight from cocoa beans roasted and ground inside their Old Town facility. You can pick up these delicious and authentic creations in the form of fresh truffles, single-origin and flavored bars, hot chocolate, and more! At this time, Nuance is taking serious precautions to protect the safety of their customers, the community, and their staff. Please wait outside the shop if there are already customers inside, or you can opt for curbside pickup if you would like.
Follow a Recipe From the Fort Collins Food Co-Op
Fort Collins Food Co-Op is not only our go-to source for bulk pantry items and other natural goods, but they are also our guide in the kitchen. The co-op has a wide variety of recipes to follow at home, from vegan cashew chili to pasta with sauteed collard greens and shiitake mushrooms. And thankfully, their doors are open during the shutdown, which means you can shop all the ingredients directly from the source!
Looking for more local recipes? The Cooking Studio has been sharing some recipes on their Instagram page and Ginger and Baker has a hefty library of recipes to choose from as well!
At this time, the Co-Op is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 10–11 a.m. is reserved for seniors and the immunosuppressed. Hand sanitizer is provided at the entrance for all shoppers, and the staff is being very careful about sanitizing the register between customers as well as sanitizing carts and baskets between each use. Commonly touched surfaces are being disinfected regularly throughout the day. The Fort Collins Food Co-Op also offers curbside pickup.
Pick Up an Art-To-Go Bag From Magpies Boutique & Studio
Photo Courtesy of Magpies Boutique & Studio
Magpies Boutique & Studio is offering “art-to-go” bags, allowing you to stay creative at home. There are tons of projects to choose from, including a terrarium, plant hangers, a woven wall hanging and more. Each bag comes with all the supplies needed to complete the project, and video tutorials are available for the more complex projects. Magpies is delivering their art-to-go bags just about anywhere in Northern Colorado.
Order Cocktails + Charcuterie To-Go From Social Cocktails
Our favorite underground bar is still providing us with handcrafted cocktails and snacks during this time. Social is offering bottled cocktails and charcuterie to-go for only $25! Stop by Social any day of the week between 1 and 6 p.m. for your cocktail of choice, including their Desert Negroni, Fall Fashion, Marble Rye, or La Bicyclette, to enjoy at home. Even better — all gratuity left will go towards their Social Family Fund to help support their staff during these difficult times. So be sure to tip generously!
Happy Date Night!
What other Fort Collins businesses are keeping date night alive? Let us know in the comments below!
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