I’m a bit tired of those lists of date ideas I know I’ll never do. They suck me in with a snappy headline then leave me with a host of unattainable or dull tips and an annoying click-baity gallery. So we thought we’d come up with our own list of attainable date ideas and in a format we thought was more appealing. Here are our top 15 summer date ideas you’ll actually want to do.
The best thing about summer is you don’t have to do very much to have a great time with your loved one. Depending on where you live, how much money or time you’re investing, and your mood, here’s our top-line list of summer date ideas.
15 summer date ideas you’ll actually want to do
Beach walk
There’s nothing better than a stroll along the beach. You don’t have to swim… but then again there’s nothing stopping you if you want to!
Farmers’ market
It’s fun to check out what’s going on at a local farmers’ or growers’ market. You can even mix and match this with the picnic date idea.
Sailing – or look for chartered sailing tours
We love being out on the water but neither me nor Mrs Romance has a clue about sailing. Look out for charted sailing cruises – we did one in NYC and it was awesome!
Picnic in the park
Drop a blanket in your favourite park or even better find a park with benches and tables. And make sure you’re both happy with the whole picnic thing.
River cruise – or hire a rowing boat for an afternoon
If you’re near a river, see if there are any cruises you can go on. Most cities on a river have them and some are really interesting. The architectural river cruise in Chicago is excellent.
Ferris wheel ride
Many modern cities now have a big wheel in some form or another. It’s a great way to get a different perspective of where you are, and it can be rather romantic too!
We love the London Eye – and there are some other great ways we’ve found to see London from up high here.
Rooftop bar
Mrs Romance and I are real suckers for a rooftop bar. It’s the perfect mix of alcohol and being up high, which – thinking about it – probably isn’t a perfect mix at all. But we love ‘em.
Here are some rooftop bars that we’ve talked about.
The zoo
You don’t have to be David Attenborough to enjoy a day at the zoo; it’s a great way to spend the day with your loved one.
Movie picnic
Recently we’ve started going on movie themed dates. It takes a bit of prep but it can be a lot of fun.
The quick alternative to the full movie themed date is to just download the movie onto your tablet, buy a double headphone adaptor and take your movie on a picnic!
Crazy golf
Mrs Romance and I love a game of crazy golf – or ‘putt-putt’ as Australians call it. We try to fit in a game everywhere we travel. It’s always a good laugh, which is one of the most important things we look for when we’re out together.
Tour your own city or town
Being a tourist in your hometown is so much fun. You discover new things you’ve probably walked past hundreds of times. We love exploring Sydney, and go on staycations all the time.
Here’s our 24 hours in Sydney guide.
Hire a convertible for the day
Hit the open road with the roof down. Just remember your sunscreen. Convertibles are a bit more expensive than your regular hire cars so try booking midweek or asking if there are any discounts available before you book. Also, book in advance because on nice days, the cabriolets get snapped up.
For our other tips for winning at car hire, check this out.
Wine tasting
If you live within a day’s drive of wine country – or you can get there and stay overnight – it’s really worth doing. We love visiting cellar doors. It’s such a fun thing to do.
If you’re not sure what you should be doing, here are our 5 simple tips on feeling more at home at the cellar door.
Daytime cinema
There are two places to head to if you’re trying to escape the heat. Shopping centres, which aren’t very romantic, and the cinema. Cinema managers love cranking up the air conditioning, so why not grab some snacks and take your sweetheart to the daytime movies? We like to splurge every now and again and go Gold Class, where you get food served to you and the seats recline. Well worth the extra money.
Moonlight cinema
Watching films outdoors is a really novel experience – and rather romantic too. It’s becoming very popular to have screens in big parks during the summer and these outdoor cinemas have taken over from where drive-in movies left off.
Our favourite outdoor cinema is the OpenAir Cinema at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on Sydney Harbour.
Bonus tip!
Why not combine some of these ideas to make up a bigger day out together? A visit to a farmers’ market then a picnic or a river cruise would be awesome. Or hire a convertible and drive to wine country. That’s what we’d do!
What are your date plans for this summer? Or if you’re in the northern hemisphere, do you have any tips for us in the south from your experiences this summer just gone? Tell us in the comments!
