There is no worst feeling than going out together and then realizing that you have spent more money during those few hours than you spend an entire week. How about meeting up for a second date and then realizing that the person from the first date, the one whom you have spent a day’s worth of income on, is not who you actually think he or she is? There surely has to be fun date ideas that will not break your bank.
Regardless of whether you like the person or not anymore, going out with your date does not always have to be expensive.
Dates are affected by many factors such as the location, environment, weather and individual personalities. Be sure to plan your date well to achieve your desired results.
52 fun date ideas that will not break the bank
- Visit local museums – Many local museums have a day of the week or a certain time of the day in which admittance is free.
- Go on a picnic – Bonus points if you spend time together before making the food.
- Cook a meal together – Go shopping for ingredients to recreate a recipe you found for each other online or make your favorite dishes.
- Walk your pets together – If you have pets, take a stroll around your neighborhood and have a puppy playdate.
- Check out your local zoo/aquarium
- Go mini-golfing – Bring out some friendly competition.
- Bake cookies or cupcakes and decorate them – The fun part of this is giving the cupcake a theme or challenging each other to decorate the cupcake a special way.
- Take a class together – Whether you guys have always wanted to learn how to salsa or just wanted to relax and do yoga, many places offer cheap classes for first-time attendants.
- Go on a food crawl – Bonus points if you can eat enough to skip lunch and dinner. Or stay at home and explore the world of food play.
- Stargaze – Drive to the highest point in your city or a more remote location. What’s more romantic than spending a night under the stars?
- Go fruit-picking – Whether its apple-picking in the fall or cherry-picking in the summer, this is a fun idea that is bound to bring you both back to your childhoods.
- Sing karaoke – You can go to a karaoke bar or stay at home and go wild.
- Go bowling and to the movies – Sure, this may seem like something you did back in 8th grade with your crush, but it is timeless and certainly entertaining.
- Watch a stand-up comedy show – Depending on the show and the cover charge for drinks, this can get pricey, so make sure you call ahead of time to check out the price before RSVP-ing!
- Go camping – Depending on whether you have the equipment already or not, this can stay under $50.
- Go to a local college sports game – Most local college sports games are free. If they are not, the tickets are extremely cheap.
- Visit a planetarium or botanic garden – I suggest the planetarium in the winter and the gardens in the spring, though there are some interesting winter plants!
- Have a movie marathon, spa night together – Whether you want to watch 4 seasons of the Office at once or all the Julia Roberts movies, you can stay in the comfort of your own home and pamper yourselves.
- Have a beach day – Bring some snacks, a speaker, plenty of water and a towel and relax all afternoon.
- Play board games/do puzzles – Break out the wine glasses and see how well you guys play while tipsy. You can even invite some friends over.
- Rent a tandem bike and explore your city – Not only do you get some exercise, but you may also find out something you did not know about the place you live in.
- Trivia night at a bar – Put your heads together or compete against each other.
- Tour a local brewery/factory – If you live near any large food companies, such as Hershey’s or Kellogg’s, tours are offered on a schedule. If not, just hit up your local brewery!
- Race together – Up for interpretation. Whether you want to sign up for a local 5k, pick a spot on the map and see who gets there faster, drive go-karts, or bike around town, this cheap idea will bound to get your heart pumping.
- Volunteer together – Dedicate your time giving back to others. Not only is it free, but you will also be helping out your neighborhood!
- Movie Night: Choose a must-watch highly anticipated film. Choose one that you feel would appeal to your lady love. Get good theatre seats to ensure maximum enjoyment as you watch the movie with your intended. Hold her hand when she’s fearful, laugh with her during funny scenes and comfort her if you hear sniffles. Empathy is good. It adds to your attraction. She would probably wish to know more about you after. So be sure to schedule a trip to a nearby restaurant for after-movie discussions and sharing.
- Attend a Music Concert or Show Night together: Is a popular singer visiting your location soon? Is the circus in town? Is a Broadway play showing (and you know your date wants to watch this)? If yes to any of the above questions, you’d know which of these dating ideas would be for you and your lady love. Invest in good tickets. Don’t scrimp. She wouldn’t appreciate it. Make sure this date counts, in helping you attain what you want.
- Attend a dance show or Party Night: If your lady love is a party girl and love dancing, bring her to the hottest party place in your area. Paint the town red bar-hopping. Enjoy the night to the max. Rock and dance away your sorrow, swing your waist together and know the best dancer. Give her an evening she is sure to delightedly remember after. Ask her out again for more fun date nights for your mutual pleasure.
- Night of Food Tripping: Food rounds may be something you and your date may have in common. Invite her to a restaurant she may not have visited yet and show her just how compatible you are.
- Attend a Festival: This is usually a great fun dating idea for both of you as there will be music to suit all tastes, food, drink, shopping and all sorts of other wacky and wonderful things.
- An Amusement Park: Fun, adrenaline packed with nearly everything you need for a good day out with your love. But be careful with this choice as not everyone likes amusement parks. Some people think they are for kids.
- A Shopping Trip: Ask her to help you pick out a new shirt, boxers, shoes, jackets etc, this forms a good bond and implants ‘partner patterns’ between both parties.
- A Hot Air Balloon ride (with picnic): The absolute perfect date for a lot of people particularly daters over 25. This just shouts peacefulness, grace, and elegance; you cannot fail to be impressed by this.
- Paintballing: High energy, adrenaline and action-packed day out, it’s great fun but be warned, it hurts when you get hit. This is definitely not for everyone and certainly not for girly girls.
- Laser Tag: Although it is just a game, you can’t help but really get into this with your intended, It’s great fun and can make a good day or night out if you can overlook all the spotty kids running around like they are Rambo on a do or die mission.
- Skiing: Great fun for all who partake in this sport, guaranteed to be a good day out with your intended.
- Kayaking: It is a great fun dating idea and very attractive if it just the two of you out on the river or lake. Try to plan a route with lots of beautiful scenery and things to see. Get a double kayak for extra bonding.
- White Water Rafting: Now this is really adrenaline packed, not for the faint-hearted or a first date that’s for sure.
- Go-Karting: This can be great fun and I have seen a lot of women doing this and really enjoying themselves, but you have to consider the safety issues when selecting this option as a lot of inexperienced riders get injured from my past experience.
- Scuba Diving: If your date has a diving qualification then this is a must for a date at some stage. The bonding during this activity is as strong as you are both there to take care of one another.
- Helicopter Ride: Excellent fun date idea and guaranteed to put a smile on your date’s face, I have taken a date on a helicopter ride over the mountains before and I have never seen such a glow from her afterward. It’s a great way to catch fun and enjoy yourselves.
- Mountain Biking: Great fun! It is better to go with a reputable company and let them organize the day for you as this will include bike hire, equipment (Inc helmet), insurance and a fun route! But if you both have the bikes equipment and know-how, then go ahead and enjoy yourselves.
- Quad Biking: Excellent fun but this can be dangerous, certainly not a good first date idea. Choose an off-road route if your date seems adventurous and experienced and a simple flat route, if they are a bit nervous and have never been on a quad before. Be extra careful if you choose this option as there are a lot of injuries from this activity each year.
- Caving: If your date is an outdoors and adventurous person then this will make for a good date. Always check the safety aspects before trekking off into the unknown and make sure you have at least the basic safety equipment to have a great day.
- Paragliding: It is an exhilarating experience, you appreciate how it feels to be a bird just soaring high above without a care in the world.
- Wakeboarding: You’ve all seen it in the movies but most people have never done this activity. It involves standing on a board in the water whilst hanging on to a rope and being pulled by a boat! Find out if your date can swim first and make sure they are not afraid of water.
- Sky Diving: This is the ultimate fun dating idea and most adrenaline packed activity you can possibly do besides a buggy jump. This is both exhilarating and scary at the same time. Everyone should do this once in their life.
- Jogging Adventure: Are you and your date active people? Chances are your campus has many jogging/multi-use trails that will take you past plenty of conversation starters, for when you stop to catch your breath!
- Go Barbeque Crazy: I bet there are tons of student-run barbeque events happening all over your vicinity. Go! You can get quick eats for two either for free or under $5. Mingle with the other moochers and enjoy a coffee together for dessert with your date.
- Have a ‘Stuff from Home’ Show and Tell: It is a bit little corny for the first date, but a great idea to get to know your date better. Yearbooks, pictures, trophies, teddy bears, ballet slippers -anything is game.
- Visit your local library and discover some old books from your childhood.
- Visit an ice cream parlor and unleash your inner child on the assorted ice cream flavors.
Those are just 52 out of many many fun date ideas that do not have to empty your pockets. Whether you are both college students, newlyweds, or celebrating your 10th anniversary, just remember to have fun!