Agreeing on what to do for date night can sometimes be incredibly frustrating! It’s not unusual for the responsibility of plans to fall to one spouse, so if that’s you, we encourage you to get your partner involved! Whether you’re in a rut or just need a few ideas to fill in your calendar, we’ve provided 50 perfect date ideas that are bound to check off some of your boxes! Enjoy!
Home Dates
1. Keeping Score
Find a game you both enjoy and keep a tally of your wins. How fun will it be in 20 years to see that you’re still beating your partner at Scrabble!
2. Take online classes
The internet is FULL of online learning classes. You could Youtube a dance class (so you don’t have to be embarrassed to step on each other’s feet), you could find cooking classes, or learn a new language. Your interests and imagination are the limit!
3. Work on a puzzle
Sometimes a nice quiet night at home is exactly what’s needed. You could even set a timer and see how quickly you can get it done.
4. Try out your partner’s favorite video game
…or another hobby they usually do on their own. It’s a totally different way to get to know your spouse. You don’t have to love it, but wouldn’t it be funny if you did?
5. Read a book together
Not just in the same vicinity, but out loud to each other. Take turns at the chapter change or from night to night until you finish. It’s amazing the kind of intimacy this produces.
Cheap or Free Dates
6. Volunteer together
Local food shelves or soup kitchens are always looking for help to sort or distribute. You can also find opportunities with youth programs, city cleaning projects, animal shelters and more.
7. Open up your city’s parks and rec brochure
This is a completely underutilized source of things to do! (And you’re supporting your community when you do it) Most cities have weekly outdoor movies in the summer, and tons of free or very low cost classes for different styles of cooking, baking, crafting, learning to bowl, investing strategies - you name it!
8. Go check out local open houses
Are their neighborhoods you drive by and can’t imagine what it would be like to live in the houses? Go check them out! You can find open houses with a quick online search or just casually drive through the neighborhoods on the weekends. Open houses usually run somewhere around 11am-2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
9. Go on a tour of your childhood
Take a trip down memory lane and show your partner the house you grew up in, your best friends house and which yard had the dog you always had to race past. You can show them the spots you hung out at in town after school football games or band concerts. Help them visualize what it was like to be a kid in your world. (Bonus: This can also be a really fun thing to do with your kids!)
10. Spa night
Skip the fancy treatments and dote on each other. Masks, warm towels, massages, comfy robes…let that lead where it leads. ;)
Dinner Dates
11. Have a progressive restaurant dinner
Pick a few different restaurants and have a little taste at each. Apps and drinks at one, main course at another, and then find a cozy cafe to have coffee and dessert!
12. Make a restaurant passport
It’s easy to get in a rut of going to the same old place for dinner. Your city and the vicinity no doubt has hundreds of restaurants you can visit. Make a list of all the ones you want to try out and make notes on each: “insta vibes, but poor service” “best prime rib I’ve ever had!” You could even take it to the next level and photo document each location!
13. CityTins
A friend just recently told me about this amazing product! It’s a tin full of coasters for local restaurants that double as a gift card for $5-10 off your meal at each place - provided you spend at least $25. This is a fun way to be introduced to places you may never have otherwise thought to check out.
14. Cook through an entire cookbook together
Open that cabinet full of cookbooks collecting dust and utilize them! Pick a book together and make a plan of attack. Try cooking one meal per week for your date night at home (instead of takeout) and decide if it’s worthy of adding to your regular rotation.
15. Try a restaurant or cooking style that you’ve never had!
Exploring new foods can be an exciting way to connect with your spouse. If you’re unsure what to get, ask your waiter! They know what’s popular and can help you pronounce things you’re unsure of. Two that were new to us were Ethiopian and Pakistani and we left both places with favorites to come back for!
Musical Dates
16. See your local symphony
Many cities, but most likely your state will have professional performances all year long. If you’ve never sat in an acoustically constructed room while listening to music - it’s an overwhelming experience.
17. Your favorite movie + live music
This last year, our state theater was showing Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and more accompanied by a live orchestra. I can tell you that hearing Darth Vader’s march live while he walks on screen is something I will never forget. I’ve seen these traveling all over the country, so do a quick search and see if you’re near one.
18. Free concerts
There are free or very low entry fee concerts in local parks, pavilions and breweries all over the cities during the summer time. Many indoor spaces like pubs and restaurants will also have shows going on Fridays and Saturdays all year long.
19. Summer music festivals
Blues, jazz, blue-grass - find them and hang out on the lawn. You could even pack a picnic or take advantage of the food trucks that usually frequent these fests!
20. Make a mix for each other
Nothing says romance quite like listening to the songs that remind you of your relationship. Pick a few songs for each other and then explain why you chose the songs.
Adventure Dates
21. Ax throwing
These little shops are popping up all over the country. You can grab a few drinks and get a lesson on how to throw and then have at it! What a great stress reliever at the end of the week.
22. Scavenger Hunt
Create your own or check to see if your city has its own sponsored hunt. It’s a great way to discover new things about the place you call home!
23. Rock Climbing
With the rising popularity of this sport, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a wall near you. It’s a great workout, plus depending on the style, it can be a fun way to build teamwork.
24. Try snowboarding or skiing
Take a lesson together or spend some time on the bunny hill before heading out onto the slopes. Learning new skills together brings you closer, especially a smooch over some hot chocolate in the ski chalet!
25. Rent a kayak or canoe or go tubing
Many urban lakes or rivers will have rental places for your favorite water sport activities. All you need is some sunscreen and you’ll be on your way!
Outdoor Dates
26. Explore your city
Visit your city with tourist eyes. On your city’s webpage you’ll usually find a “things to do” or “visit us” page full of everything your city is known for. Check out all of it! You might find something you’ve never taken the time to look at or you’ll see something with new eyes.
27. Take a boat tour
Live in the land of 10,000 lakes? Most big lakes actually have dinner cruises! You and your sweetie can board the ship and have dinner and campaign while you cruise the lake during sunset.
28. Yoga in the park - with bunnies!
Or goats or puppies…it’s a trend that has definitely swept the animal lovers off their feet. You bring your mat and follow the instructor while sweet little animals roam around. It’s surprisingly calming.
29. Rent a bike
Most US cities are now becoming more and more friendly to bikers. Rent a bike or scooter and quickly cruise around town and through different neighborhoods. Just be sure you understand the biker/car rules for your area.
30. Check out your local festivals
State and city fairs, heritage festivals, beer and wine tours, food contests…there is so much to see and do when you take a few minutes to look at what's coming up near you.
Travel Dates
31. Staycation
Get out of routine! Rent a hotel in town, use the jacuzzi, order room service and ask the front desk what there is to do in the area. You’ll be surprised at what they might suggest.
32. Take a day trip
Go just outside of your normal travel zone (maybe an hour or two) and explore the town. In the summer you might find a new beach or hiking location and in the fall you can take a tour of the beautiful changing trees.
33. Plan your next vacation
Where are you going next? Jake and I are dreaming of a trip to Europe, so we’ve spent some date nights watching Rick Steves and making lists of where we want to go and see!
34. Travel through food
Restaurants are a great way to experience a different culture! Steer clear of the chains and stick to family owned restaurants. Or look for local tastings that are centered around different countries' delicacies ex: french wine tasting at a local wine shop or high end grocery stores that do cheese tastings! You could even cook your way through different countries!
35. Go camping
It’s not always possible to have a big budget for travel, but camping can provide a great middle ground. You could always borrow some gear and enjoy a quick weekend getaway in the great outdoors. Make a fire, stargaze and tell stories! And don’t laugh at backyard camping, it can be just as adventurous!
Cultural Dates
36. School plays!
You don’t have to have a student in school to enjoy their theater. High schools usually have a fall musical and a popular spring play that cost less than $10 to get in AND you’ll be supporting your district’s art programs.
37. Museums
Make a list of all the museums in your area and decide which sound the most interesting to you. Do you have a planetarium to learn about space? Or maybe you have local history museums. You can always saunter through an art exhibit.
38. Does your family have a strong tie to their heritage?
It is really interesting to understand where each other came from. You can plan a meal based on your heritage and make a YouTube playlist to learn about the culture!
39. Learn about our world
Within 40 minutes of our area we have a Native American Museum and restaurant, an Asian mall and food court, a Hmong shopping mall, a historic town replica with actors that play the role of the era you’re in, a Swedish history museum, German festivals, and more. Learning about other cultures can bring understanding and empathy to your interactions with everyone you meet!
40. Learn a new language together
There are tons of free resources at your local library or free trials of popular language learning apps. You can practice together in everyday life as well!
Creative Dates
41. Painting
You could do a paint and sip class together or find a place where you can paint pottery. You’ll get a great souvenir from your date!
42. Take an improv class
A lot of local community centers or community colleges have classes on improv. This can actually be a really fun way to improve your communication skills as a couple.
43. Pottery class
While you’re checking out improv classes, see if there is a pottery class available. Before you go, check out Patrick Swayze in the movie Ghost. While you will probably have many classmates in the room with you, you can recreate the famous scene with Demi Moore when you get back home!
44. Spruce up a room
Rearrange the furniture, paint an accent wall, run to Ikea to get some new decorations. Your imagination (and maybe your budget) is the limit!
45. Antiques, garage sales or flea markets
You can find unique items and make up a history for them or give each other a $5 challenge…you each get a few bucks and have to purchase the weirdest item you can find and then display it in your house. Or you could do a DIY challenge and find something that you repurpose into something new.
FUN Dates
46. Hit up an arcade
Playing to 80’s and 90’s nostalgia, there are coin and video game arcades popping up all over the place. Take an evening and challenge each other to Pac Man battles!
47. Trivia Night
Breweries and Pubs everywhere are playing host to themed Trivia Nights. You can play casually, but some people treat it like bowling leagues! Prizes are generally free drinks or a gift card for your next visit.
48. Go to karaoke
This one might take some courage to do, but even going and watching people sing their hearts out can be fun!
49. Stand up!
You don’t have to wait for a big name comedian to roll through town. A lot of local bars and restaurants regularly have stand up nights. Go enjoy laughing together.
50. Grab your ROLLERskates
Have an old fashioned roller rink near you? Skate a few rounds while enjoying nostalgic music and don’t forget the junk food that comes with this experience. Enjoy a hotdog or nachos and take a breather while you people watch.
Let us help you plan your next date night!
Still not sure what you want to do for your next date night? We created this fun date night activity that helps you plan your next year of date nights!
Our FREE 52 Weeks of Date Nights Planner Guide is perfect to help you schedule your dates ahead of time. This resource will help you plan one date night for every week of the year! (Or more if you want) And you can use our brainstorm method over and over again every year going forward.
Send us an email at jakeandmelissa@staynewlywed.com and let us know a few of your favorite date nights.
