While working on a Valentine’s Day gift for my husband (A Year of Preplanned Dates), I was reminded of how challenging it can be to come up with unique date ideas.
Fortunately, a little brainstorming and a quick internet search yielded numerous ideas that span far beyond the stereotypical dinner and a movie. In fact, I quickly identified over 100 date ideas! Many of these are budget-friendly dates, so they’ll work even if your finances are limited. Have fun as you try some of these!
Spring date ideas
- Fly kites in a park
- Go to a park and play on the swings
- Visit the zoo
- Go geocaching
- Visit a botanical garden
- Rent a bicycle built for two and ride through a park
- Plant a garden
- Drive through the countryside and look at wildflowers
- Go fishing
- Pick flowers and deliver them to a resident at a nursing home
- Go on a hot air balloon ride
- Dance outside in the rain
- Watch a sunrise while eating a picnic breakfast
- Window shop at garage sales
- Attend an outdoor concert
Summer date ideas
- Go horseback riding
- Visit a batting cage
- Go on a picnic
- Stargaze
- Get ice cream or frozen yogurt
- Have a water balloon fight or run through the sprinklers
- See a drive-in movie
- Go rock climbing
- Visit an amusement park
- Attend an Independence Day parade
- Go camping
- Ride a paddle boat at a local lake
- Go to a county fair
- Soak in a hot spring
- Build small boats and race them down a creek
Fall date ideas
- Go hiking
- Explore a corn maze
- Volunteer at a food pantry
- Go on a hayride
- Make a birdfeeder and hang it in your yard
- Build a fire and make s’mores
- Take a scenic drive to view the changing leaves
- Visit an apple cider mill
- Attend a local high school football game
- Participate in a Turkey Trot
- Visit a national park or wildlife area to hear the elk bugling
- Make caramel apples
- Decorate pumpkins
- Rake leaves and jump in them
- Visit several coffee shops to find the best pumpkin latte
Winter date ideas
- Go ice skating
- Build a gingerbread house
- Go shopping and buy toys for a toy drive
- Make handmade Christmas ornaments
- Go sledding
- Build a snowman
- Drink hot chocolate in front of a fire
- Go snowshoeing
- Watch classic Christmas movies
- Drive around and look at Christmas lights
- Set goals for the coming year
- Have a chili cook-off with your friends
- Bake cookies to give to your neighbors
- Make snow ice cream
- Bundle up and go for a walk in the falling snow
Any season date ideas
- Visit a local museum
- Pick seasonal produce at a local “pick your own” farm
- Tutor school children together
- Write a bucket list
- Go to an arcade and play games
- Draw or paint portraits of each other
- Paint pottery at a local studio
- Decorate mugs and other dishes with porcelain markers
- Play Twister
- Attend the local parade of homes
- Find personality tests online and take them together
- Visit a local home & garden show
- Attend a car or boat show
- Go antiquing
- Catch a play at the local high school or at a community theater
- Do a puzzle or play board games
- Recreate your first date
- Have a DIY photo shoot
- Try a new restaurant
- Visit an aquarium
- Take a dance class
- Clean out and organize your photos
- Visit a craft fair
- Explore a bookstore
- Get a couple’s massage
- Take a free factory tour
- Go bowling
- Have a video game night
- Read poetry out loud to one another and feed each other strawberries dipped in chocolate
- Shop for funny greeting cards and mail them to your loved ones
- Go to a bakery and get a sweet treat
- Play miniature golf
- Take the love languages assessment to see how you can improve your marriage
- See a standup comedian
- Peruse real estate listings and plan your dream house
- Treat each other to at-home spa treatments
- Go out to a restaurant just to order dessert
- Make a time capsule and bury it in your backyard
- Visit historical landmarks in your community
- Take a cooking class
- Assemble Lego sets
What is your favorite thing to do on a date? What date ideas can you add to this list?
Shared on the following link-ups:
Wifey Wednesday, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Works for Me Wednesday, One Project at a Time, Titus 2sday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Frugal Crafty Home & Making Your Home Sing.
I appreciate that there are some “masculine” date ideas on the list. I feel like a lot of date ideas are really “girly” (like a spa night), but you included things like a video game night or a car show, which many guys would enjoy more.
Hi Rosie,
A lot of the ideas here (and on other lists I’ve seen) do tend to be more feminine. I think it’s a real blessing to our husbands when we plan dates that cater to their preferences!
WOW! Just way too fun … even a handful of these would be fabulous … Talk about a comprehensive list. Thanks!
;-}
Hi Linda,
I was pleased to share the list. I totally agree that being able to do even a handful of these would be fabulous!
I love that you shared ideas for all the different seasons. This is a great list and I’m pinning it now!
Thanks, Carrie!
What great ideas. Sometimes we have a babysitter and don’t know what to do. This is helpful in adding some creative ideas into the mix.
I’m glad it’s useful for you! You definitely want to be able to take advantage of the opportunity for the two of you to get away without the kiddos. 🙂
I love these ideas! I would love to feature you on my blog sometime!