Ah autumn. The evenings are crisp and slightly chilly. The days are mellow and pleasantly cool. The stores are just beginning to have Christmas sales and you can find a dash of pumpkin spice in just about every dish you eat. It is the perfect time of year to get creative when it comes to dating. If your creative juices aren't quite bubbling, here are 5 great dates ideas for autumn.

1. Fly a Kite

It is a little cliche, but there is a reason for that. Flying a kite is an excellent outdoor activity for a couple, because both people can work together, in close proximity, towards a simple but pleasant goal. Autumn days are just warm enough that you can probably get away with short sleeves or a light jacket at worst, making it a very casual affair.

If you don't own a kite or don't enjoy kite flying, any activity in a public park offers similar benefits. Go for a hike, climb some trees, find another couple and play four square, throw a disk around, or maybe just lie together and sunbathe if it is a nice warm day. On a warmer day you can even go to the beach, which will be mostly empty due to the time of year. The water is really only warm enough for a few hours around high noon, but that is long enough to take a dip. Probably the best part of all these dates is that you won't face summer crowds, so you will have the location mostly to yourselves.

2. Host a Bonfire Party

The countryside will be absolutely filled with bonfire parties come November 5th, but that doesn't mean that is the only day you can enjoy such festivities. Schedule one in early October, just for a change of pace. It is a great way to have fun, drink some beer, and enjoy some barbecue. As the night progresses, you are almost certain to be cuddling with your date, enjoying the heat of the bonfire, and enjoying light conversation. It is an ideal prelude to greater romance after the party ends.

3. Take a Nighttime Drive

There are lots of places in the UK that look absolutely stunning once the sun sets. However, by the time the sun drops in the summer, it is usually a little late to start a date. And, in the winter, the cold, and potentially the snow or ice, can be a problem. Autumn, however, is the perfect season for taking a long drive around the city, or in the countryside, and just admiring the nighttime view. You can even stop at various scenic overlooks and get out of your car for a bit. The air will be chilly, but not so cold to drive you back into your vehicle immediately.

4. Enjoy a Harvest Festival

By the time you read this, the harvest festivals in the UK will already be completed. However, this is a great idea to remember for next year. As celebrated in Britain, these festivals usually have a Christian connotation and are celebrated with hymns, prayers, and quite often a meal of fruits and vegetables. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy a festival if you aren't Christian. Many towns celebrate a non-religious variant that focuses primarily on community.

5. Travel Abroad

If you and your date are far enough along in your relationship that you can comfortably spend a night together alone in a hotel room, and you both have free time available, consider visiting another country. Most people take vacations during the spring and summer months and during holiday times. Autumn tends to have less travelling overall and definitely less vacations.

This can be a boon if you are looking for inexpensive travel. Hotel rooms and flights should, in general, be less expensive because you are travelling during the off-season. The money you save on travel and accommodation can then be spent to enjoy a longer vacation, on better services, on a gift for your date, or just be saved. And since autumn is a mild time of the year in terms of weather, you should be able to visit just about any country and have a pleasant vacation.

Best of all, because fewer people tend to go on vacations in the autumn months, getting approved for vacation days by your boss shouldn't be a struggle. You are much less likely to be competing with others for the days and your work likely has more than enough people to cover your break.