Date Night

Option 1: Romantic

You want to gaze into each other’s eyes and do that Lady and the Tramp pasta thing while sitting in dimly lit corners of restaurants. Or at least something along those lines.

Places that spark conversation:

The Denver Museum of Contemporary Art provides the perfect backdrop for impressing each other with your intellectual sides as you ponder abstract masterpieces—even if that entails BSing some art history. Then, go up onto the roof where the MCA Café offers a full bar and gorgeous views of downtown. 1485 Delgany St., Denver, mcadenver.org

Take a trip for two to Prague for the night at the Praha Restaurant & Bar. Almost exclusively lit by candles, the restaurant serves savory European and Czech dishes—like Rahmschnitzel—and a wine and beer list comprehensive enough to make anyone feel immensely cultured. 7521 Ute Hwy., Longmont, praharestaurant.com

Bring dessert and a blanket to Waneka Lake Park and watch the sun set behind mountains (while spotting wildlife critters). 1600 Caria Dr., Lafayette, cityoflafayette.com

Places that spark more than conversation, if you follow:

Spend an afternoon tasting different variations of everyone’s favorite of aphrodisiac: wine. Next, see where things take you. It could lead to dinner … or could be that you just skip dinner. The Boulder Creek Winery offers self-guided tours as well as an amply stocked tasting room. 6440 Odell Pl., Boulder, bouldercreekwine.com

Finishing Touch Spa is an ideal (and relaxing) way to mix things up together with couple’s massages in a private suite. Probably not for a first date, but hey, that’s your call. 3131 28th St., Boulder, finishingtouchspa.com

Let yourselves get carried away as you glide over the Front Range in a hot air balloon ride with Fair Winds. 10538 Arapahoe Rd., Lafayette, hotairballoonridescolorado.com

Big screen moments come to life:

Ever since Friends’ Ross and Rachel’s night at the planetarium, evenings spent gazing at quasi-constellations took on a new level of romance. See for yourselves at one of the Fiske Planetarium’s many daily—and nightly—shows. 2414 Regent Dr., Boulder, fiske.colorado.edu

Try your feet at salsa with a beginner class followed by open dance at Casablanca Dance Studio. Our bet is you’ll look just as smooth as Ingrid and Humphrey out on the floor. 498 W. Griffith St., Louisville, casablancadance.com

Take a page from Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, who remind us how romantic the ordinary can be. Have a slow afternoon together getting coffee, store-browsing, and picking up supplies for a home-cooked dinner later on.