Darlynne and Marc Menkin
It’s an issue all couples face at one time or another, especially in today’s fast-paced world. How do you achieve a healthy balance between home and career? Unfortunately, there are no magical answers but there are some things couples can do to make it work.
One way is to make time for fun. It sounds so simple, but as busy as we are, we sometimes have to be reminded to slow down and relax a little. And living in a gorgeous place like San Diego, there’s no reason not to have fun. Between our beautiful beaches, our vibrant Downtown scene and all the hidden walking trails in our canyons, there’s so much to do and you don’t have to spend a lot of money.
One of our favorite activities is to go for a morning walk before we start our workday. Neighborhoods like Coronado or Bankers Hill are ideal because you can get a nice workout and explore all the fabulous homes while spending time together. It’s also a great way to kick off the day!
As a matter of fact, we were on one of our morning walks when we came up with our latest idea – to create a new Couples Scavenger Hunt. Over the years, we’ve received a lot of calls from people requesting “romantic themed scavenger hunts.” Some were newlyweds, others were about to be married, and still others had been dating for years – but they all had one thing in common – they wanted to have fun as a couple and they wanted to experience it with friends.
This type of scavenger hunt can be done anywhere, but Downtown is the most requested. The tasks involved run the gamut, from couples reminiscing about their first date, to posing underneath the famous kissing statue along the Embarcadero. In case you’re not sure what that is, it’s a 25-foot tall sculpture of a sailor and a nurse kissing to mark the end of World War II, called “Unconditional Surrender.”
For the more active couples, we’ve even designed fun relay races where teams are paired off in twos. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing couples smiling and laughing as they’re trying to beat the competition in a three-legged race or potato sack challenge. The end result? Couples have a blast because it brings out the kid in them.
Since the private Couples Scavenger Hunts have been so much fun, we’re now offering it as a public event. This new Relationship Building Scavenger Hunt comes with a twist, thanks to relationship expert Scott Milnes, who will incorporate some fun relationship-building tasks into the three-hour event.
“One of the main challenges couples face is our hurried pace of life,” Milnes said. “Everyone wants things fast and immediately, but the benefit of the Scavenger Hunt is that you’re actively allocating time to slow down and have fun together.”
The very first Relationship Building Scavenger Hunt will be held from 4:15 – 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 in Balboa Park. You can sign up by emailing us at [email protected]. Mention our “It’s All Happening” column and you’ll receive a special discounted price.
We want to hear from you!
Describe your “Dream Date” in San Diego. Where would you go and what would you do? Be creative and name specific places you would visit and why. The most creative and romantic dream date description will win two tickets to an upcoming Downtown Saturday Scavenger Hunt and two tickets to our Neighborhoods of Balboa Park Walking Tour, held on selected Mondays. Email your descriptions to [email protected] by June 28, 2013.
Marc & Darlynne Menkin are the co-owners of “Where You Want To Be Tours.” Many of their tours and team-building scavenger hunts feature secret Downtown areas. They can be reached at [email protected] . For more info about their walking, bicycle and bus tours of San Diego, visit wheretours.com.
