30 Fun, Quirky Date Ideas To Try With Your Partner

We've all been through the dinner-and-a-movie routine more times than we can count. But what about date ideas that actually stick in your memory?

Beyond just being different and entertaining, planning something out of the ordinary — whether you're in a new romance or a long-married couple looking for a date night — makes your connection stronger, deeper, and more charged, especially once you're back home together. And speaking of home, Love Curi has everything you need to make sure the fun continues once you're back in the bedroom.

Important: Keep your partner's tastes and interests in mind while browsing these date ideas — a 12-varietal wine tasting might sound like a blast to you, but maybe not to a partner who's recently sworn off drinking.

Also important: Quite a few of these ideas sound a bit corny on paper. That's actually the point — the goal isn't to pull off the flashiest, trendiest date. It's to have fun, laugh at yourselves, laugh at how silly the whole thing is, and break out of your usual routine.

Here are some fun date concepts worth considering for your next outing together:

30 Fun Date Ideas

1. Roll with it. Check out your neighborhood bowling alley. If there's a special event on the calendar, like midnight bowling or an 80s theme night, build your evening around it. Grab local food or hit a nearby bar and grill before or after for drinks and a bite.
2. Get a little tipsy together. A wine, beer, or spirits tasting — where you take time learning the differences between varieties — makes a great date idea, assuming you're both fans of a drink or two. Tip: if you're at a distillery, brewery, or winery, take the tour too; you'll pick up some cool behind-the-scenes knowledge.
3. Bar hop. Spend the night sampling drinks across a handful of different bars, comparing house specialties and figuring out your shared favorites. Tip: line up a rideshare or cab ahead of time to get home safely after this one.
4. Loosen up together. Take a yoga or tai chi class as a pair, then enjoy the extra flexibility later that night. Follow it with drinks at a juice bar, dinner somewhere serving local ingredients, or a browse through a shop full of crystals, meditation gear, and spiritual odds and ends. Even if you find it all a little silly, it can still be a fun excuse to laugh together.
5. Check out an outdoor festival. Whether it's an evening art walk, a local jazz event, or your town's annual produce festival, a solid date idea involves scoping out local performers, sampling festival food, and cracking jokes about the quirkier moments.
6. Cook instead of going out. Preparing a meal together can be genuinely fun, especially when one of you has expertise the other lacks. Teach each other the finer points of Thai spice blends, Scottish shortbread, or Ethiopian dishes. Don't forget to taste-test along the way!
7. Move to the music. Sign up for a dance class — whether a recurring group session or, if your partner's camera-shy, a private lesson. Pick a style neither of you knows, like waltz, foxtrot, or salsa, to spice things up.
8. Go for high score. Hitting up an arcade can make for a great date if you're both roughly evenly matched. To dodge the after-school crowd, go earlier in the day or later at night once younger kids are in bed.
9. Get outdoors. If you've got a national, state, or local park nearby, pack a picnic and head out exploring. Bring binoculars for wildlife-watching and check for any guided tours or special programs. Double-check the park's alcohol policy first — plenty of parks ban it.
10. Take to the skies. A hot-air-balloon ride, a flying lesson, or a short plane or helicopter tour gives you a romantic aerial view of your area. Have fun spotting familiar landmarks. Tip: pack a nice snack and a light drink, unless motion sickness is a concern — in that case, bring Dramamine instead.
11. Get creative with your hands. Visit a pottery studio to throw a piece on the wheel or paint your own ceramics as a keepsake. Another idea: paint wine glasses or beer mugs one night, then use them for an at-home tasting on your next date.
12. Feeling literary? Spend a couple hours browsing a bookstore, swapping recommendations and talking about books on your to-read list. Flip through the poetry section and read a few pieces aloud to each other.
13. Bring back some old-school romance. Track down a drive-in theater, classic or newly built, and watch a film together on the big screen with far more privacy than a regular cinema. Bonus: fog up the windows like the classic movie scene.
14. Hit up a carnival. Whether there's a traveling carnival in town or you just visit your local theme park, spend some time on food, rides, and games like you did as a kid. Consider a Ferris wheel ride, a round of carnival games, and just soaking in each other's company.
15. Try a themed club night. Whether it's retro 80s or gothic, dressing up for the occasion is a great time. Letting loose like this helps you learn new sides of each other.
16. Take a cooking class as a duo. Whether it's classic French technique, sushi rolling, or Indian spice work, a cooking class gives you a memorable night out plus the skills to recreate it at home later. Tip: ask about allergies beforehand so nobody's miserable halfway through.
17. Date apart, together. If distance separates you, plan a synchronized date anyway — hit the same style of restaurant at the same time, watch a movie or show simultaneously while chatting on the phone or video call. Tip: don't be afraid to get flirty once you've got some privacy — phone sex can bridge the distance in a very hot way. This phone sex guide and this Skype sex guide can help.
18. Play tourist for a day. Pick up brochures from a local hotel and check out a few attractions you've never visited. You might stumble on hidden gems, like a charming local farm or a natural landmark you never realized was nearby.
19. Visit a museum. Whether it's an art gallery, a specialty collection, or a local history museum, you're bound to walk away having learned something. If there's a themed museum nearby, build the rest of your evening around it — a mining museum, for instance, pairs nicely with a stop at jewelry or rock shops.
20. Try something completely new. Whether it's a bucket-list item — check out our sex bucket list with 243-plus entries to work through — or just something neither of you has ever done, stepping outside your comfort zone is more fun as a team. You might even discover a shared new interest.
21. Take a short road trip. Skip the cross-country drive and instead head an hour or two out to somewhere unfamiliar. Pack snacks and drinks, queue up music you haven't heard in ages, and just enjoy the drive together.
22. Get messy. Try a mud run, paintball, or ATV outing nearby — wear clothes and shoes you don't mind ruining, review the rules ahead of time, and just have fun. Bring gloves if you're trying to save a fresh manicure. Bonus: there's always a good excuse for cleanup afterward!
23. Break out the games. Dig up a deck of cards for a few rounds, whether it's a childhood favorite or something spicier, like strip poker. Order pizza, grab some beers, or set out finger foods and wine pairings to bring out your playful side. These dirty games are a great fit for turning up the heat.
24. Dress to impress. Plan a fancy-dress evening at a great restaurant followed by a show at the opera or theater. If budget's tight, recreate the vibe at home with a candlelit dinner instead. These sexy dressing tips and this lingerie guide can help you get ready.
25. Melt away the stress. Book a couples massage at a spa, or take a massage class together to learn techniques you can use on each other later while figuring out what actually feels good. Tip: pick up some massage oil or lotion you both liked to keep the fun going at home, and if you're shy about buying it in person, order sensual massage oil online instead. This guide to massaging your partner will get you up to speed.
26. Look up at the stars. Whether you're stargazing at a nearby park or visiting a local observatory or planetarium, taking in a clear night sky together sets a genuinely romantic tone for the rest of the evening. Tip: a star-map app can help you identify unfamiliar constellations.
27. Get out on the water. Rent a canoe or paddleboat, book a sunset cruise, or grab dinner on a showboat — being on the water almost always feels romantic. Bring snacks, a waterproof speaker for some music, and just enjoy the scenery. Tip: same as with flying, pack Dramamine if motion sickness is a concern.
28. Let chance decide. Instead of a planned itinerary, flip a coin for every decision — downtown or out of town, Italian or steakhouse, club or park — and follow wherever it leads. Tip: pack an "in case of emergency" bag with a blanket, snacks, a wrap for warmth, comfortable shoes, and some spare cash.
29. Pick your own produce. Head out to the countryside for a day of picking fruits or vegetables at a local farm. Once you're done, cook dinner or dessert with what you picked — salsa's a fun option since you'll each discover your spice tolerance. Many pick-your-own farms hand out recipe ideas too, so give one a try. Tip: don't forget sunscreen and bug spray.
30. Go vintage. Browse a thrift shop, flea market, or antique mall and see what strange, kitschy, or downright bizarre finds you turn up. Reminisce about things you owned as kids, or the stuff you couldn't wait to toss. Look for a piece worth turning into a DIY project — building something together is a great way to bond and create a shared memory.

One last thing — not every date needs to be a grand new adventure! If it always is, your partner's going to burn out on the effort fast. A quiet night in front of the TV or a walk around the block can be just as valuable for connecting and enjoying each other's company. Mixing in the occasional exciting outing keeps your relationship fresh and memorable, especially if you tend to default to the same restaurant every time. Whatever you choose, and however much planning it takes, what matters most is spending real time together.

December 15, 2014