It’s fun to find great date ideas that take you out into the outdoors, and of course we love dinner and a movie date nights, but have you ever considered a bookstore date? Relaxed and fun — planning a Greater Cincinnati bookstore date is a unique and budget-friendly way to spend time together. We’ve got some ideas for fun bookstore date activities and a round up of great bookstores in the area to help you plan the best bookstore date ever!
BOOKSTORE DATE IDEAS:
Plan an adventure for you and your date by thinking of activities you can do once you arrive at your favorite bookstore. You can either travel through the bookstore together, stopping in each section to choose books to share with each other or do it scavenger-hunt style, meeting up after you’ve chosen your books to share with each other. Some ideas could be:
- Visit the travel section and choose a book with one of your dream destinations.
- Head to the cooking section and find books with delicious looking recipes you would like to make together.
- Go to the children’s section and find a book you loved as a child. Take turns reminiscing.
- Find the section with books full of jokes and take turns sharing your favorites – just remember not too laugh too loudly!
- In the biography section, choose a book about (or by) someone you admire or always wanted to meet and share with your special someone.
- Choose your favorite book, the one you’d consider the best, most important book you’ve ever read. Now switch! You each get to read the other’s favorite book – and maybe learn a little about your sweetheart in the process.
- If you venture to a location with a café, simply grab a great book, order your favorite beverage and settle in to enjoy each other’s quiet company and a great read.
Now that you’ve got an itinerary, you need a great location. Well, if you’re in the Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, you are in luck because there are so many great bookstores you’ll have a hard time picking the perfect spot.
LOCAL BOOKSTORES:
- Joseph-Beth Booksellers: Rookwood and Crestview Towne Center – JB has an excellent selection, and the added benefit of Bronte Bistro, a great spot to grab a coffee or bite to eat before or after your bookstore adventure.
- Half Price Books: Kenwood, Florence, Northgate, Beechmont, Mason, and Hamilton – An amazing selection and great prices.
- The Booksellers on Fountain Square: Downtown Cincinnati – If you really want to plan an adventure, head downtown to The Booksellers on Fountain Square. On your way you can grab a ride on the brand new Cincy Street Car. Afterward, grab a coffee and head to Fountain Square to chat and enjoy your book purchases or talk about your next date adventure.
- Barnes & Noble: Newport on the Levee, Florence, West Chester, Mason – Everyone’s go-to when a coffee and book date is in order, Barnes & Noble certainly has what it takes when you’re planning a bookstore date adventure.
- Roebling Point Books: Covington – For an intimate and relaxed bookstore date, head to Roebling Point for your favorite coffee treat and afternoon of talk about your favorite books.
- The Ohio Bookstore: Downtown Cincinnati – Five floors of books and magazines. Explore til your heart’s content.
- Iris BookCafe: Downtown/OTR – Much more than a bookstore, Iris BookCafe offers coffee, tea, and locally sourced treats as well as a rotating photography exhibit, and of course – books!
- Duttenhofer’s Books: Near UC’s campus on E. McMillan St. in Clifton – If old books are your thing, and you’re up for a bit of a treasure hunt, this is your go-to spot.
- The Book Rack: Beechmont – The Book Rack is the great corner bookstore you remember, with a wonderful selection of books.
If you’ve got a favorite bookstore that we missed, share in the comments. Have you ever gone on a bookstore date? Tell us about your experience!
