Finding a fun yet appropriate date idea right now can prove to be… challenging. You may be craving getting out and doing things, but you’re not down with being inside just yet, and like, there need to be dates out there that do not involve a streaming service or taking a walk that are safe and cool right now.
Jim and I recently got invited to Franklin Square to experience their Halloween offerings. As we told Kenneth from En Route Marketing about 12 times each, Spooky Mini Golf at Franklin Square was me & Jim’s second date back in October 2018. It holds a really special place in our hearts, and we were so excited to go back and see what Franklin Square had to offer this spooky szn.
Other than Franklin Square being completely outdoors, each activity keeps you moving and engaged. You pay à la carte for each thing, so there are plenty of opportunities to say “I got this one,” if that’s your thing. It’s a fun, truly Philly night out. Here’s what you have to get into!
Spooky Mini Golf
Arguably the main attraction, Spooky Mini Golf takes Franklin Square’s traditional, Philly-themed mini golf course, and covers it in Halloween decorations with fun music. They sanitize golf clubs and balls before you use them, and they’re not giving out score cards and pencils – so keep track in your head or on your phone if you’re competitive. 😉 Ladies, you may want to wear backpack type bag for this date, there’s nowhere to put a normal purse and it is a significant disadvantage.
Masks required. Open 6-9pm, now through Halloween. $10 per person.
Fountain Show
Franklin Square’s Fountain is more than just a pretty face. This 180 year old centerpiece was recently updated with lights and music for a very cool addition to your date night. While we were bopping around, we saw the fountain dance to songs from artists such as, Sebastian the Crab from the The Little Mermaid and Boyz II Men. It’s really impressive!
Every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour, from noon to 2 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Free!
Dinner at SquareBurger
We have been to Franklin Square many times, but never eaten dinner at SquareBurger, the burger spot in the middle of the park. It’s your only option within the Square, and we didn’t know if that meant the food would actually be good. Spoiler alert: it was SO good!
We each got a burger, which was juicy and really flavorful. The fries were of the waffle variety – very crunchy – just right. To drink, Jim got a root beer float and I obviously chose the special Pumpkin Spice Milkshake. This was way, way too much food, so I recommend sharing fries and a milkshake on your date. 🙂
SquareBurger generally closes one hour before the park attractions. Burgers $8, fries $6, and shakes $6.
Parx Liberty Carousel
I don’t typically ride carousels. I also think carousel may be in the top 10 of words I consistently struggle to spell each time I need to use it, so that may be where my aversion comes from. We didn’t have time to hit the carousel this date, but we were at the Square last Christmas (they do the same fun things for the holidays!), and went on the carousel on a whim. And we could not. stop. laughing. This one is actually so cute and really perfect to add a little levity to your date.
Masks required. Open 10am-9pm. $3 per ride.
I can’t recommend Franklin Square enough for your next covid-safe date. Let me know if you’ve been anywhere in the city you’d recommend as a fun fall date! xx
