playin' hooky.

When was the last time you played hooky?

I'm not talking about slipping out early on a long weekend and plopping down on your sofa to watch Netflix. I mean taking off a random day of the week and dedicating it to new experiences and good company. 

Stevie just accepted a new job, and he managed to secure some time off before embarking on this new adventure (in a land far, far away ... one floor down in the same office building). About a week into his "funemployment," I started getting a little jealous, so we spent a day last week avoiding our day jobs, exploring the city and soaking in the summer sunshine.

If you're looking to play hooky with your special someone someday soon, here are a few recommendations from our big day off:

Make breakfast together.

Savor a slow morning. Whip up something simple in the kitchen (we decided on coffee cake) and dust off that french press for a fresh morning brew. Sip coffee and fight the morning hustle together. 

Breathe.

Do something active.

There's something about sunshine and the great outdoors that's good for the soul. Get out. Explore. Wander down rabbit trails. We rented bikes from Atlanta Beltline Bicycle for just $5 an hour! The Beltline weaves through eclectic Atlanta neighborhoods, from Krog Street Market up to Piedmont Park, and there are all sorts of free exercise classes, yoga and art walks happening throughout the year. 

Embrace nostalgia.

Per usual, Atlanta was stiflingly hot on our day off, so we took a detour to King of Pops in a desperate attempt to beat the heat. Aside from being the best popsicles in the area, we also happened to have them at our wedding (pop-tail hour, anyone?). It was a great way to relive moments and reflect on how we've grown since that unforgettable day last summer. 

Nix the chores and do something meaningful together, even if that just means buying a popsicle.

Prioritize time, not money.

I'm all about dressing up and trying a new restaurant, but we decided to be intentionally low key on our hooky day. So we jettisoned all things fancy and and instead drove a few miles outside the city to one of our favorite cheap date spots: the $2 movie theater. That's right—where you can get two movie tickets and split a big bag of popcorn for less than $10. 

If I didn't have to be up early the next morning we totally would have hit up the Starlight Drive In (with Fox Bros BBQ in hand!). Better yet, how cool would it be to camp out in your backyard and watch a movie under the stars? 

Image via Apartment Therapy.

Want more? Head over to Apartment Therapy for tips on transforming your backyard into a Pinterest-worthy al fresco cinema.