Hi, everybody! Today’s post is gonna be about date ideas, unique and affordable date ideas in particular. I feel like so many couples fall into the routine of going to dinner and the movies, and forget that a major perk of dating is getting to try new things together! This post hits wayyy too close to home because a regular conversation with my boyfriend about date night often goes something like this: “What do you want to do tonight?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do tonight?” Coming up with new activities to try is hard! Especially if you’re trying to stay on a budget. So here’s a list of some fun, unique, and pretty cheap dates I thought I would share. These are relatively simple, so they should work for most couples regardless of age or location 🙂
- Visit a bookstore or the library. I don’t know about you, but I love to read. It’s such a great way to learn new things and engage your imagination. Not to mention, the books you read say a lot about your personality. You might learn something new about your significant other’s interest. Even better you could try reading a book together and have your own mini book club!
- Have a cooking date! I think this idea is so fun. Especially when you’re not cooking for any other reason besides fun. Maybe try to create a new meal or recipe. Or just play it safe and make cookies. Either way, it’s a really good way to learn to work together.
- Give each other makeovers. I know this sounds a little childish, but it can be really funny. You don’t have to take it seriously; you could go the purposely funny route and go for absolutely ugly results. You might even find out your partner knows more about makeup than you think.
- If you don’t want to go the makeup route, try drawing each other. It can be really interesting to see yourself through the other person’s eyes.
- Have a board game night. Board games are so underrated. It’s nice to add the competition aspect to the night. You could add stakes (maybe loser makes dinner), or just play to have fun together.
- Watch a comedy show. If you can’t afford to go to an actual show, you can watch plenty of comedy acts on Netflix or YouTube.
- Go shopping at thrift stores, find an old item that has potential to be cool, and work together to restore it. It’s always fun to work on a project together and see your partner’s imagination bloom. Plus you get a date souvenir at the end of the night.
- Visit a museum or an art gallery. There are a lot of museums/galleries around the world that aren’t well-known and don’t cost very much to enter. These places are often really unique and much more interesting than you’d think. Just Google local museums or galleries and have at it.
- Go dancing! I’ve always wanted to go dancing, but there were never any places around that offered things like that. You can always just dance together in the living room I guess, but if you live an area that has places for dancing take advantage of it. ESPECIALLY if you’re not a good dancer; the memories will be priceless.
- On that note, take a dance class together, or any kind of class that interests you both. Learning together can be so fun! Classes can be a little pricey, but the knowledge and experience is worth it. You can also find online classes A LOT cheaper, and you can even find some free ones on YouTube!
- Have a complete chill day. You can spend the whole day watching movies, cuddling, building forts, eating junk food, and ignoring all your responsibilities. You could also opt for an at home spa day and force your partner to participate. I’ve found that guys enjoy face masks cucumber slices a lot more than they’ll openly admit.
- Take a trip down memory lane. Spend the day visiting important locations in your relationship. Go back to where you had your first kiss, or have dinner at the same restaurant you did on your first date. Enjoy reliving the memories.
- Go to the beach at night. The beach is a pretty common date idea, but not many people go at night. Watch the sunset and afterwards spend sometime stargazing. If you don’t live near the beach, find a lake or a river or an open field.
- Try a sport together. Try basketball, volleyball, golf, or even Frisbee! Any sport will do, especially if one of you has an interest in it. If you absolutely don’t want to physically play a sport, you could always sit down and watch a game together. If your partner loves football, you watching the game with them might mean a lot to them.
- Go hiking, explore in the woods, or go for a bicycle ride. Getting outdoors is always nice.
- If you hate being outside, explore a part of your city that you’ve never been to. Pick an area and find some cool new places that you didn’t even know were there.
- Have an actual candlelit dinner. I know this is pretty cliché, but I’ve never known anyone who’s had meal in nothing but candle light. I’m actually interested to know if this is more romantic than a regular dinner or just too dark, so let me know if you attempt.
- Try yoga. This can be ridiculously funny. Have you seen any of the YouTube yoga challenge videos? If yoga is a no-go, try working out together in some other way. Anytime you look disgusting in front of one another is a great chance to bond.
- Take turns showing each other your favorite places from your childhood. This only works if you live in the same town you grew up in, but it sounds really fun.
- Have a Nerf gun battle! Enough said.
- Visit a pet store. If you love animals this can be a really great time. I love seeing all the cute little critters. Also, if you live near an animal shelter you can go and pet all the lonely pups!
- Attempt canoeing. This can be a real trust-building exercise if one or both of you doesn’t know how to canoe. Trust me, it takes a lot of team work and patience, but it’s totally worth it.
- Have an indoor picnic. Lay a bunch of blankets and pillows on the ground and eat there, just because it’s different. This is especially fun if it’s raining outside because you appreciate being warm and cozy inside.
- Go on a double date with people you normally wouldn’t. This can be a great experience and a nice way to grow closer to friends at the same time. On a similar note, I think going on a double date with your parents or grandparents would be a really cool way to get to know them more and learn from their years of life experience.
- Spend a day trying new foods. Make a rule that you’re not allowed to eat anything you’ve ever tasted before.
- Go bowling or to an arcade. These are timeless activities that are almost a right of passage in the dating world. They can be super fun and are an easy way to break the ice if you need a good idea for a first date.
- If your city has a tourist area or activities, visit and try them out. Living somewhere, you can forget the amazing sights and experiences your place has to offer. Get to know your city better, while getting to know your significant other better. Also, don’t forget to visit local festivals and markets. Those things are great.
- Go for a long drive. This is one of my favorites. You don’t need a destination, just get on the road and drive. It gives you plenty of time to talk to your partner and just enjoy being with them without any distractions. Long walks work just as well 🙂
- Find a drive-in movie theater. There aren’t many nowadays, but you can find them if you do a little research. They’re often very cheap and almost make you feel like you’re traveling back in time. SO MUCH FUN!
That’s all for my date ideas! Thanks for reading and have a lovely week.
-Vanessa