Date night with a time restriction. Some ideas for a night out?

One of the best dates I went on was to the La Brea Tar Pits -- museums and cultural sites can be great places in general to see/do something interesting while having plenty of time to talk, but that was my personal favorite because it's OK to be a little loud and weird there since it's not meant to be sophisticated, yet the place itself was also fascinating. There are odd places all over the city (like that Mystery Spot in Culver City, or the Heritage Square Museum close to downtown) that might have the same interesting-but-relaxed vibe? Arcades are really fun, too -- the one on the Redondo Pier is great (as is grabbing a drink at one of the zillion bars afterward, and/or checking out the fish at the fish market). The fishing and whale watching are wonderful down there as well, but the time commitment might be rough. I've had a great time with [my ex] doing relaxing things on the water in general, like kayaking or canoeing for an hour -- it's a great place for a conversation. Bike riding in a scenic spot is nice, and I've always wanted to try horseback riding at the Burbank stables, though I've never been. I also like really low-impact stuff outside, like mini golf (there's a fantastic one in Sherman Oaks -- Castle Park), though once you're competing, even nominally, it can undermine conversation (or maybe just for a trash talker like me!). If more active things like that appeal though, Pickwick Gardens in Burbank has ice skating and bowling -- personally, I think it's not conducive to talking, but I've had great group dates there and it has a nice vibe. The one exception to my no-competition rule, though, is pool. There are a bunch of nice pool halls in the area, and a couple games would be just the right length of time -- but the only name that's popping into my head is Fantasia, which is alright, but not my favorite (if I think of the name of the "good" pool hall, I'll post it later). If you're feeling like you want a break from straight restaurant-going, too, I would recommend a hookah bar, since that's a very conversation-centric activity. There's also an awesome outdoor taco stand right next to an even better "Cheers"-like bar in Studio City on the corner of Moorpark and Colfax, if you do feel like sitting around. In the same vein, Bricks and Scones in Larchmont is *the* best coffeehouse, and wondering the little boutiques along Larchmont can be a great time in and of itself. There are also slightly weirder things that end up being a lot of fun, like [my ex] and I picked out a bunch of area trailer parks with homes for sale and went and looked at the parks and trailers -- sounds nuts, but it was a fantastic day, and we were just driving all over the place seeing all these random little neighborhoods and making a weird little memory together. Do either of you want to build a mini scavenger hunt/trail like that, and just roam around looking at whatever specific thing that you, for whatever reason, think are interesting? There's also other sounds-boring-actually-really-fun stuff like getting nails done or haircuts together (and if you're feeling macho -- it's actually a really great bonding experience if you let it be!). And personally, I actually do like grocery shopping as a couple. Oddly satisfying. Also, if you haven't entirely dismissed the idea of going to see movies, the Valley Plaza theater in North Hollywood is one of my favorite places in the world. It's $1.50/ticket on Tues and Sun, $3.00/ticket otherwise, and they do second-run movies -- but the fun part is, it's cheap enough that the crowd is really relaxed, and people end up getting really into the movie. People start yelling at the screen, rooting for the good guys and all that, and it's more like an event then just going to some ArcLight nonsense. Be careful though! They check your bags while you're going in, so you can't sneak in a snort or snacks all that easily. Oh, and before I forget -- Carnivals!

you do know that Richard Simmons teaches aerobics classes http://www.yelp.com/biz/richard-simmons-slimmons-beverly-hills (only $12!) ...full schedule http://www.richardsimmons.com/site/calendar/214-slimmons-class-schedule

Ice skating or roller skating. Go out for coffee or frozen yogurt afterward.

Take a drive on the Angeles Crest Highway! There are pullouts where you can look out over the city.

Try another cemetery! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westwood_Village_Memorial_Park_Cemetery in Westwood is known as "cemetery to the stars," like Marilyn Monroe, Truman Capote, Natalie Wood and many more notable dead people!

My wife and I use our 2-3 hour dates to shop for sex toys sometimes.

Do the two of you have bicycles? My other half and I love riding our bikes through the neighborhood, laughing and talking the whole time. (Or having him break out into a weird rendition of his favorite song.)

I've done a few night time hikes in Griffith Park on moon lit nights. you might want to try hiking up to the top of the hills starting from the observatory. Walk along Magnolia blvd, check out stores like Its a wrap and other smaller antique stores. Also jazz at the baked potato which is right close to universal studios. There's always city walk if you feel like watching tourists.

This would be an early date night but how about http://www.griffithparkhorserental.com/trail_rides.html at Griffith Park? http://www.moonlightrollerway.com/index.php/hours Ice cream or dessert at http://www.zagat.com/b/los-angeles/quenelle-brings-gelato-bonbons-and-more-to-burbank#.Uh-Uo75a0MU.facebook Beer and board games at http://www.yelp.com/biz/tonys-darts-away-burbank Open mic night or a show at http://kulakswoodshed.com/calendar or http://www.yelp.com/biz/cahuenga-general-store-north-hollywood http://www.yelp.com/biz/tonga-hut-tiki-lounge-north-hollywood? http://www.jaxbarandgrill.com/page2/page2.html Walk around Honolulu Ave in http://shopmontrose.com/ Happy hour (or trivia night) at the http://www.lawrysonline.com/tam-oshanter/events (or dinner...used to love their prime rib dinner!)