10 Top Date Spots Around Marist To Spice Up Your Relationship

Marist is known to be a bit of a bubble, making dating on the more difficult side, especially if you want to avoid eating at the dining hall for very meal. But since the Hudson River is at every Marist student’s fingertips, there are in fact a few places that I would consider great date spots around Marist. Here’s what I’ve found so far!

1. Enjoy a riverside picnic to watch the sunset on the dock.

Walk down past all of Marist’s buildings and underneath the tunnel until you reach the Hudson. Sit right on the dock and enjoy the fresh air breeze and view of the mountains across or set up a blanket on the grass for a night of serenity and bliss. And if you’re lucky, you might be able to get a spot in the gazebo on top of the hill for the perfect view.

2. Take a walk to Lola’s on a nice Spring day for a delicious snack.

Lola’s is a cute corner side cafe and is exactly what every Marist student needs after a long week of classes and all nighters. It’s about a ten minute walk from campus and the perfect spot to go on a Spring afternoon with a friend for a tasty lunch of wraps, salads, and paninis; everyone’s favorite! The sesame noodles side is actually to die for so if you haven’t gone yet, what are you doing with your life?

3. Stroll along the Walkway over the Hudson to appreciate nature (and to post great pics.)

This is pretty self exclamatory for most Marist-goers but for those who have yet to explore the Hudson Valley, the Walkway over the Hudson is basically this long bridge that people can walk on and overlook the river. It’s a great place for an hour or two getaway to take some pictures and enough nature at it’s finest. Apparently it’s the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. World record holding date spots around Marist? I’m in!

4. Have a high class meal at the best (and only) Italian restaurant around: Cosimo’s.

If you’re looking for a great Italian meal after watching one of Marist’s baseball games or if your parents are visiting you for the weekend and you want them to buy you a nice big meal, this is the place to go. Cosimo’s is without a doubt the most popular restaurant around, probably because it’s literally the only restaurant around. Either way, you have to go. FYI: I suggest making a reservation a bunch of days in advance though because every Marist student knows Cosimo’s is a no-go on a Friday or Saturday night without one.

5. Have a day well spent in Rhinebeck for vintage vibes and good coffee.

If you have a car and are looking for a cute place to spend the day shopping, eating good and drinking top tier coffee, take a trip to Rhinebeck. It’s about ten, maybe fifteen minutes, from Marist’s campus, but once you get there you will feel like you’re in a completely different dimension. It has a bit of a vintage, old-school vibe to it, which is exactly the kind of ambiance I love. Bread Alone Bakery is on one of the corners: trust me, go there. I had the best latte I’ve had in a long time when I went and have been craving one ever since! This is one of the many unique date spots around Marist!

6. Take a trip back in time and go to the Hyde Park drive-in movie with your bae (or your bff).

This adorable spot is the definition of old-school. Personally, I’ve never been to a drive-in movie and to be honest I didn’t think they even still existed, but every time I pass this one in Hyde Park I want to go! If you have a car, you literally pull up to this field and sit in your car and “watch” a movie (you know what I mean). Take some snacks, sit back, and enjoy the 60’s vibes.

7. Go to the world-famous Eveready Diner for a not-so-average diner breakfast.

Though the Eveready Diner’s menu is pretty much the same as any diner you’ve probably been too, trust me, this one is better. The atmosphere is adorable and the food is perfection. Order the Nutella Waffle and please try and tell me you’ve tasted something better in your lifetime. This is the perfect place for a great breakfast; whether you’re hungover or just hungry, is there even a difference at this point. Breakfast diners make great date spots.

8. Ride over to the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park…I know it sounds historical but it’s really just pretty.

If your parents are visiting or you and your girl friends want to take some great pics to post, take a twenty minute ride up to the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park. It’s basically just a lot of land and flowers and the river is in perfect view, but then again, what’s better for pictures than that?

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9. Take a trip to the Culinary Institute of America for good eats and the experience of a lifetime.

You think you have it good at Marist or wherever you go to college? Try taking a ride to the CIA. These people are working cut-throat to earn their degrees in literally cooking. It sounds amazing right? Well, what’s even more amazing is you can walk right in and eat a meal cooked entirely by students. I’ve been there a few times now and I’ve never been disappointed with a single bite. Apparently students waiting tables and cooking are actually in class when they serve you. Come on … how cool is that?

10. Explore the great depths of the Mohonk Preserve for incredible views and an opportunity to let go for a little.

Are you on the edge of a mental breakdown? Trust me, nature is the perfect therapy. Take a day out of your packed weekend of going to Darby’s and Union during the warm Spring months of April or May to spend some time walking through the Mohonk Preserve in Gardiner, NY. If assignments are drowning you, friends are on your last nerve and your future is beginning to daunt you and you’re looking to do some deep thinking or just detach yourself from the college life for a minute, this is the perfect place to go. The views are ridiculously beautiful, and spending a date here would be the ultimate experience. I would suggest this to anyone who’s looking to leave the Marist bubble for a bit, trust me: you won’t regret it for these date spots.