The Ultimate List of Date Night Ideas So That You Never Get Bored

“We usually just stay in and try to find new shows to watch until one of us falls asleep.”

When I tried bringing up fun date night ideas, a buddy shared this about his love life. His girlfriend didn’t look enthusiastic when he described how their weekends went. I’m sure that watching a new show about zombies or serial killers could be exciting, but there has to be something else that you can do for fun, right?

There’s a time and a place for Netflix and chill. However, life’s too short to be sitting around when there’s so much to do out there. This is the ultimate list of date night ideas so you don’t run out of things to do on first dates or with your long-term partner. You can also do these with your friends for the next group outing.

Let’s look at fun date night ideas, romantic date night ideas, and even some options for date night at-home ideas.

This article was originally published in 2018. These days, everyone’s looking for date night ideas with the rise of dating apps and with more of us looking for a social connection.

Don’t worry this isn’t just a list of first-date ideas. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for love on Hinge or are newly married. At some point, you’re going to want to go on a second date, third date, or just find something to do with your friends. The dates shouldn’t stop just because you’re in a relationship. It’s essential to keep things interesting so that your partner doesn’t get bored with you. I’m also assuming you don’t want to give up on life just because you’re dating someone.

This is the ultimate list of date night ideas. If you don’t find something to do after reading this article, then there’s no hope for you.

Cheap date night ideas to have a great time…

What happens when you don’t have a lot of money or don’t want to spend money? You can still have fun with a little bit of creativity and enthusiasm.

You may have financial goals and don’t want to spend money every night. You might be saving up for your wedding or to buy a place. This doesn’t mean that you should forget about fun. This doesn’t mean that you should give up on excitement and adventure. An empty pocket should never hold you back. The following ideas only require $20 or so.

What are some cheap date night ideas when you don’t want to spend money?

• Bottle of wine in the park. Yes, normally, drinking in public isn’t allowed, but sometimes you can swing a quick bottle of wine in a busy park. This may sound lame, but I urge you to give it a try. It’s going to force you to brush up on your social skills. You can even throw the frisbee around or get some sort of activity going (like frisbee golf, which is popular in some cities).
• Rent the city bikes and go cruising around. You can rent those bikes and go riding around. Visit a new part of town or just cruise around until you get bored. If you go too far, you can always get an Uber back. You can also go on the roller skates or bust out the ice skates in the winter.
• Walk through a cool part of town. Go get lost in your town. Check out the historic part of the city. Go see where the farmers live. Go find something new to see. Be a tourist in your own city.
• Find a Groupon/deal for something around you. There’s a deal out there for everything. Try to find something close to you that’s on sale. I recently sent my parents to a local pottery class and they had fun playing with the clay.
• Bowling. I put this here because it’s not that expensive. You can find a deal easily and have a fun date night for under $20.
• Mini golf. Another easy activity that can be found in most cities.
• Go to the movies. This isn’t ideal for the first date, but it can be fun later on. You can get there early to play some of the arcade games and to get the best seats possible.
• Video game arcade. You don’t have to be a fan of video games to appreciate an arcade. They have the classic N64 games that make me feel nostalgic.
• Try out new coffee shops and brunch places. There are all kinds of cool restaurants that you could check out for lunch/brunch (usually cheaper than dinner). Look at the menu first to ensure that it’s within your budget.

You can go on most of these date nights for about $20.

Classic fun date night ideas that are always an instant hit…

Some date night ideas always seem to work (from first date situations to married couples). These are my go-to ideas when I can’t think of any other fun date night ideas.

What are fun date night ideas that you can’t go wrong with?

1. Go to a live event. Try anything from a concert to a pro wrestling show. If you live in a bit city, there’s usually something going on. There’s usually some event to attend.
2. Comedy club. The comedy club is the perfect date night idea because you can have a great evening without saying a word. You can also learn a lot about someone early on by secretly judging the kind of jokes that they laugh at.
3. Wine tasting/brewery. Getting a buzz is always a good idea on a first date. You can rent bikes and explore multiple vineyards in one afternoon.

Fun date night ideas for those looking for adventure-related stuff.

This is my favorite date style because I know it will be a fantastic time since I’m doing something exciting. You also see if your partner has similar interests or if they’re generally a fun person.

What are some adventure dates that you can go on?

Rock climbing.

The above photo is from indoor rock climbing at Hub Climbing. I went on this rock-climbing excursion with some blogging buddies. I didn’t realize how much fun this could be until I started climbing. You can see how athletic your date is and you can get a decent workout in. These places usually offer training and provide you with a beginner’s section. You don’t have to worry about getting hurt or feeling nervous. You’re guaranteed to have a great time.

Stand up paddle boarding.

This is something that you have to try out if you can find it in your city. Any sort of water activity is a good excuse to feel like a person who loves the outdoors (jet skiing, canoeing, and so on).

Hiking.

You notice how so many folks have “hiking” as an interest in their dating profiles? I went on my first hike in Australia in 2018 and became instantly hooked.

Turns out that it’s something to add to the list of date ideas. Go for a quick hike and get some fresh air. You better bring your best stories because you’ll have time to talk. If you don’t feel like driving, you can check out waterfalls and interesting nature-related stuff.

All you have to do is Google “hiking trails near me,” and you’ll have an abundance of fun date night (or date day) ideas.

Archery tag/rage room/anything along these lines.

Have you tried this before? It’s super fun, and your partner gets to shoot you if you’ve been annoying her lately. Some places offer archery tag and rage rooms (places where you can break stuff) under the same roof. You can also add in escape rooms to the mix here.

Obstacle course.

There used to be a place near me that made me feel like I was on American Ninja Warrior. I would try to get whoever was with me to record me running up the wall. You can also add races, marathons, and challenges to this list.

Full disclosure: I like to get competitive. It’s okay to have a little friendly competition with your date at the activity that you go to. You could set some stakes so that you have something to talk about (winner buys drinks, loser buys food — or something like that!).

Date nights that push you out of your comfort zone.

When Chelsea gave a female’s perspective on first dates she brought up an interesting point:

“I want to be entertained and do something with this potential new partner that I can brag about for months with all the girls while they tell their tales of failed dinner dates.”

Sometimes, you have to step outside of your comfort zone. No, I’m not talking about sharing crappy quotes on social media about how you need to step out of your comfort zone. I’m talking about doing something where you risk total failure and possible humiliation with a guarantee of unforgettable memories.

What are some fun date night ideas that fall under this category?

1. Paint night. I was actually a model for a paint night, which is good news for me because I can’t paint or draw. Fortunately, I can stand around with ease. This one’s on my to-do list since I’ve always wanted to learn how to paint or draw.
2. Dance lessons. Speaking of things that I’ve always wanted to learn, I have two left feet so this is totally stepping outside of my comfort zone.
3. Any kind of lessons. You can go for language classes, cooking lessons, or any lesson where you’re supposed to learn something new. Not only do you challenge yourself, but you get to see this person out of their element.
4. Any kind of classes. You can try classes for a new sport like curling or axe throwing to get a little competitive.
5. New restaurants. There’s a place in Toronto (Medieval Times) where you get to eat with your hands as knights fight for a princess. There’s also a place where you eat in the dark. These may not feel comfortable, but that’s what makes them fun.

Romantic date night ideas.

Are you looking for romantic date night ideas to switch things up? You can still find romantic date night ideas with everything that’s going on in the world.

What are some romantic date night ideas?

1. Try to cook a new recipe. I’m not much of a chef, but cooking and testing out new things will bring you closer. Watch a cooking video and try a new recipe. Prepare the meal together and just enjoy each others’ company.
2. Attend a virtual relationship workshop. There are many virtual workshops popping up that help couples come closer together.
3. Go to a spa together. You can get a couple’s massage or book a spa day. This will allow you to recharge and relax together. Many spas also have cold plunges and saunas, so you can have fun challenging each other. There are also places like Othership opening up where you can attend an ice bath/sauna social party.

Bonus date night ideas

Here are a few ideas that didn’t fall under any of the categories:

• Check out a local market. Depending on the season, there’s likely a market to explore. For example, sipping on hot chocolate at a Christmas market is an easy date night. The same goes for Halloween-related events like a haunted house.
• Roller skating party. Get on the roller skates and see if you can move on them.
• Local sporting events. To switch it up, you can find a recreational sport or local niche sport to check out.
• Look up Airbnb Experiences. I may be biased as an Airbnb Experience host, but you can look up experiences near you to find something worth checking out. For example, you could find a local food tour or a comedy walking tour. The goal is to find something completely random.

The goal is to have fun and embrace the idea of laughing at yourself. If you take yourself too seriously, nobody else will. It’s important to push yourself and embrace every activity with enthusiasm.

That’s our ultimate list of date night ideas to ensure you’re never bored again. We covered cheap and fun date night ideas and even looked at some romantic date night ideas…

Personal finance isn’t always about trying to save every penny. It’s okay to treat yourself. Dating and being social is what makes saving money worth it when you get annoyed with budgeting.

Did I miss anything? What are your best date night ideas? What are some fun date night ideas that you rely on?