One of the best ways to make Valentine’s Day special is to plan the perfect date. Dating in Hanover can feel public and sometimes limiting, but many students have their favorite places to get away from campus to spend time with someone they care about. From restaurants, to coffee shops, to quiet spots in nature, each potential date spot has its own perks.
So where exactly do Dartmouth students choose to go on dates?
According to JJ Kim ’27, there are casual date spots close to campus, such as Still North Books & Bar, a bookstore that also acts as a bar and cafe. Only two blocks from campus, Still North can be a comforting and accessible option to take a study break and spend quality time with a significant other by musing over a lavender latte or sinking into the sofa with a book, according to Kim.
“It’s a nice place to grab lunch in a more casual environment,” she said.
Kim said that she typically prefers casual dates, but if it’s a special occasion, like a birthday or anniversary, she enjoys something more extravagant.
Sam Williams ’24 also prefers casual dates rather than formal ones. His favorite date spot is Trail Break Taps and Tacos, a Mexican restaurant which was formerly located in White River Junction but will reopen this upcoming spring in Quechee, Vermont.
“I think it’s a really cool little spot. It’s got [a] great ambiance and a good vibe,” he said.
He went there for the first time during his sophomore fall and has continued to go back on dates with his girlfriend once or twice a term ever since.
Some students prefer getting even further away from campus. Kate Clark ’25 stated that her favorite date entailed taking out food from a restaurant in Hanover, like Molly’s Restaurant & Bar, and then having a sunset picnic at Robert Frost Field in Etna, N.H. — a 15 minute drive away.
Clark said that she and her significant other “either put down a blanket in the grass” or “sit in the back of the car, in the trunk.” She cited the quiet ambience and beauty of the field as the reason for it being a great date spot, as well as it being significantly less crowded than other Hanover locations.
Among these different types of dates, Williams prefers going on dinner dates. Given the busy, fast-paced Dartmouth schedule, he thinks that dinner is the easiest, most convenient time for people to meet.
“It’s hard to match up schedules during the day, so meeting for dinner is a pretty easy way to make it work for both people,” he said.
Being a Dartmouth student during a ten-week term can leave students with little time available for dates. Classes, extracurricular activities and involvement in clubs and organizations can make for a busy and sometimes hectic schedule. In addition, the D-Plan can result in students being on campus while their significant other is on their off term. Clark said that the D-Plan definitely has the ability to mess up relationships.
“I do think [the D-Plan] makes it really, really difficult,” she said. “If you meet someone at the end of fall term, and they’re off the next term, it screws with your ability to have a healthy timeline of development.”
Williams mentioned that a good way to make time for dates in a busy schedule is to plan ahead, maintain good time management and get work done during the day.
“If you know that you’re going to have a tough week of work, [be] organized and [be] on top of your classes,” he said.
Williams said that doing this has helped him prioritize going on dates with his significant other.
However, dating off campus can be expensive as well as challenging to fit into the student schedule. Kim thinks that grabbing a meal at one of the on-campus dining locations is also a good option.
“Sometimes you just want to grab a quick meal and you only have so much time in between classes,” she said.
Kim has gone on lunch dates at Foco and Courtyard Cafe.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Williams thinks that it’s important to do “a little bit extra” for your significant other. He emphasized the importance of planning ahead to make Valentine’s Day dates extra special.
“You gotta get to the Co-op a little early, because they will sell out of flowers,” he said.
He thinks that a dinner date with “a little [bit of] flowers and a little [bit of] chocolate” is the perfect way to make Valentine’s day dates stand out.
Now, if you’re still trying to figure out how to treat your special someone this Valentine’s day, hopefully this article gives you a few several date options to choose from.
