How to Build a Romantic Bonfire on the Beach

Building a romantic bonfire on the beach can impress your significant other. Your stock will escalate twofold once you take the time to plan such a beach excursion, and afterward, she will think you are the stud of all studs. Follow these steps for the building of a safe and romantic bonfire on the beach.

Things You'll Need: bonfire permit, small twigs, paper, large twigs and sticks, bucket, lighter, pre-opened bottle of wine, two wine glasses, two sweatshirts and a few marshmallows.

Step 1: Find out if your beach permits bonfires. You don't want your beach date to end abruptly when the police come rolling by with a citation. According to the New Jersey beaches, they explicitly do not permit bonfires, so finding one near your location may take some diligent researching. Once you find a beach, contact the municipality about how to secure a permit.

Step 2: Gather small twigs and paper to help initially ignite the bonfire. Separately collect some large twigs and sticks called kindling to enable the bonfire to continue its blaze.

Step 3: Place the twigs, paper and kindling into a bucket.

Step 4: Proceed to the beach and pick a spot. Try for a location out of sight from any buildings, if possible. The idea is to build a cozy, romantic bonfire on the beach, so the spot becomes important.

Step 5: Dig a small circular pit to contain the blaze and to help protect it from the ocean breeze.

Step 6: Place the small twigs and paper into the pit. Light them.

Step 7: Add kindling until it reaches a steady blaze. The breeze coming off the water can produce a sometimes uncomfortable chill. This is where the sweatshirts come in handy, and you'll gain extra bonus points from your significant other for thinking about the temperature ahead of time.

Step 8: Break out the pre-opened bottle of wine. It's suggested that you open it before the beach for two reasons. First, a bottle opener just becomes another item to bring with you, so less is more for this beach date. Second, the bonfire is your primary concern, not extracting a sometimes pesky bottle cork. You want the wine ready to pour promptly and without error.

Step 9: Bring some marshmallows and save two sticks for roasting them. Once done, break up the sticks and use them for the last of the kindling.

Step 10: Extinguish the bonfire completely with a bucket of water. Fill in the pit with sand.