photo: courtesy of Dance Center
Working out solo gets old. It's hard to motivate yourself to get to the gym all on your lonesome, and you're bound to get fit faster when you have a buddy watching you to make sure you work up a sweat. But traditional exercises like running on the treadmill sort of defeat the purpose of hanging out while working out, so we found the city's best options for exercising on the double.
Rent a bike for two at Bike Chicago Rentals & Tours
Few exercises are as romantic as biking in Chicago. Cycling along the lake at sundown with your sweetie beats any dinner-and-a-movie night. And you can make it even more memorable by renting a tandem bike for two. Bike Chicago Rentals & Tours rents all different types of bikes at various locations throughout the city. Double bikes cost $20 per hour or $45 for the day, or you can rent a standard single for $8 to $12 per hour, depending on the type of bike you choose. Bike Chicago also offers free maps with bike routes listed, or you can simply follow the lake and see where it leads you.
Learn to two-step at Dance Center Chicago
At Dance Center Chicago, you can take pretty much any type of dance class—from salsa to swing—that your two left feet desire. A class for you and your most coordinator pal costs $65 for a 55-minute session or $300 for a set of five classes. The school also offers lessons that'll prepare you for your first wedding dance, so you can skip the bridal boot camp and get in shape with your honey here. The staff will even choreograph a special dance just for the happy couple—so you can keep on grooving long after your big day.
Take a hike at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Just an hour drive from Chicago you'll come across the picturesque Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, where you can take a hike through the steep sand dunes to get your heart rate pumping. The tourist office has plenty of gratis maps and brochures for private hikes, or you can opt for a ranger-guided hike or an advanced climb. Stick to the trails (all easy or moderate in difficulty) for some quiet quality time with your partner and nature, or walk along the beach and take a swim in water that's much cleaner than the stuff you'll find in the Windy City. If you want to make a weekend out of it, nab a campground for $15.
Rent rollerblades from Chicago Tours
There are over 18 miles of lakefront trails in Chicago, which is way too many to cover by foot. But if you add some blades, you could cover it all in one day—with the support of a very motivating partner. Chicago Tours rental offices are located at various spots along the trail, so you shouldn't have to travel far to pick up a pair. It offers one-day rollerblade rentals for about $42 per person. While that might seem costly for a rental, it's hard to put a price tag on your health, and if you've never tried blading before, you can give it a trial run before investing in your own pair (new pairs cost $80-$200).
Fight then make up at Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts (Lincoln Square) and on North Milwaukee
The best part about fighting is making up, right? So having scheduled fights surely must add to the passion of any relationship. At Degerberg Academy, many of the people taking the mixed martial arts classes, which involve various disciplines like karate, kick-boxing, weapons and ground work, are couples, says Asha Gray, instructor and program director. That's because most people feel more comfortable fighting with someone they know. The introductory month costs $29.95 per person, and that includes the uniform, a 30-minute semi-private class and twice weekly classes for the first month.
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