30 Creative Date Ideas
I get it, Pinterest date ideas are often less than ideal. Here are a few of my favorites:
#1 – Learn how to braid hair in a new way. (Am I supposed to braid his? Or is he braiding mine?)
#2 – Make grilled cheese. (Any sides? Or just grilled cheese? Also, what do we do after this?)
#3 – Pick wildflowers and make dandelion necklaces. (Oh sweet. Always wanted one of those…)
#4 – Rent a snow cone or cotton candy machine (A bit extra but maybe we like it.)
#5 – Have a hula hoop contest. (Such a cool idea…)
Don’t worry, Caleb and I have 30 better date ideas to share with you today. This list is tested and approved by us, and all 30 dates are actually worth you time (and money – but we try to keep things cheap around here). Let us know if you try any of our 30 date ideas and feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comment section below. We are always on the hunt for new ideas!
Take An Online Cooking Class – Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table offer online cooking classes that you can take from the comfort of your own home. Classes typically average anywhere between $20-$35 per household. Much cheaper than an in-person class, but still very informative and fun!
Hammock and Star Gaze – We found a pretty cheap hammock similar to this at Walmart. If you don’t have a hammock, chairs or a blanket would do just fine too.
Go Out For Milkshakes – Think bigger than McDonalds. I’m talking a real deal milkshake parlor or diner. The places that give you a stainless steal mixer cup with the left over milkshake that doesn’t fit into the glass. If you live near the Dayton or Cincinnati area, Caleb and I love this one or this one.
Take a Hike or Lazy River – Honestly, Caleb and I aren’t your typical “outdoorsy” couple. We would rather bike around town than hike in the woods, but we still love a good hike every now and then. You could also create your own “lazy river” by taking inexpensive inner tubes to a local creek or stream (Just be sure to wear water shoes!).
Farmer’s Market For Dinner – The goal of this date is to make a dinner together using only (or at least primarily) items you purchase at a local farmer’s market. Caleb and I do this often in the Spring, Summer, & Fall because we love cooking with fresh, in-season, produce. You could also just aim to cook with in-season fruits and veggies purchased at your local grocery store in the Winter months.
Go to a Minor League or Major League Baseball Game – Caleb and I go to a Dayton Dragons game every Summer on our dating anniversary. We like to pick one player before the game starts to obnoxiously root for. (Every time those players do something good, we cheer and clap extra loudly). We also enjoy talking about individual and couple goals that we want to accomplish in the upcoming year.
In 2019, Caleb and I arrived at the Dayton Dragons Stadium extra early and were asked to play a game called “Order Up” in between the 2nd and 3rd inning. We went down onto the field, dressed up like chefs, and played this game in front of the whole stadium. It was very intimidating, but also a memory we talk about often.
Picnic at a Botanical Garden – Stop by a local bakery or sandwich shop and pick up a yummy meal to enjoy at a local park or botanical garden. This date works well for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. You don’t need to be super fancy with this date either. To save money, pack up food at home and take along a card game or two.
New Orleans Themed Dinner Date – Step one – turn on jazz music. Once the jazz music is playing and you feel like you are on the streets of New Orleans, get to cooking! To find delicious New Orleans inspired meals, just search “Creole Cuisine,” “Cajun Cuisine,” or “Soul food” on Pinterest. For dessert, pretend you are at Cafe Du Monde and make restaurant worthy Beignets. You could make Beignets from scratch like this, or use this tried-and-true Cafe Du Monde mix.
Share A Hobby With Your Significant Other – I love taking guitar lessons from Caleb and he loves learning photography tricks. Pick one of your hobbies and teach each other something new!
Hit up Local Festivals & Fairs – Check the Events page on Facebook to see what festivals, fairs, or events are being offered near you. Some of our favorite dates have been spent at festivals and fairs like the Christkindl Market in Carmel, Indiana or the Springfield Food Truck Competition.
Try out the Apple Photo Lab or a Photo Walk – Did you know that Apple Stores offer free iPhone photography classes? All you have to do is sign up and show up. We attended one of the classes a few months ago and learned quite a few new tricks. They also occasionally offer photo walks so that you can test out your new tricks.
Go to a Flea Market Or Thrift Store To Find Old Treasures – This one is especially fun if you and your significant other are engaged or recently married. You can find unique old pieces to restore together. Two of my favorite pieces of furniture in our home are a vintage chair that I bought at a flea market for $3 and our dining room table that we found on the side of the road to restore together while we were engaged.
Pick Out A New Game At a Local Thrift Store & Head To A Coffee Shop – Goodwill and other thrift stores are great places to find board games and unique puzzles. This date is also on the cheaper side because most games are between $1-$3. A few of my favorite games are Mad Gab, Ticket to Ride, and Dutch Blitz. (Caleb and I also recently discovered a new board game cafe near us. Check to see if there are any local board game cafes near you!)
Go On A Bike Ride Together – Locate the bike paths near you and find a destination to ride to together. You could ride to an ice cream shop, a coffee or donut shop, a dinner spot, or just to a fun town near you. Have fun exploring while you also get great exercise!
Trade Your Books – The Dollar Book Swap is one of my favorite book stores in Dayton, Ohio. For every book that you donate, you receive credit toward used books in the store. You can also buy books sold at the store for $1 each. If you want to avoid spending money altogether, just trade an old book for a new book. After you both pick out a new book, head to a local coffee shop to read together.
Get a Group of Friends Together and Go to a Drive-In Movie – Summer isn’t complete without a drive-in movie. Just be sure to bring your own candy and snacks if you are trying to save money!
Go to your local outlet mall or outdoor mall – You don’t even have to go shopping either! There are plenty of outdoor malls that show live music on Summer weekends.
Go blueberry or strawberry picking – In the Summer and Fall, Caleb and I enjoy picking seasonal fruits to bake with. We typically pick blueberries here, strawberries here, and apples or peaches here. Although this date is seasonal, there are always fruits “in-season” that can be purchased at local grocery stores. In the Winter, try baking with citrus.
Do a themed Dinner and a Movie Night at Home – For example, make Ratatouille while watching Ratatouille or Nachos watching Nacho Libre. Get creative!
Watch Airplanes Take Off And Land At A Local Airport – I know this sounds strange, but I think watching airplanes take off and land is mesmerizing. Pack a picnic, find a park or look-out near a local airport, and just watch the planes. Take a list of questions with you to ask each other while you watch.
Try A Dessert or Coffee Trail – In Dayton/Cincinnati, we have a tour called The Donut Trail. It is a tour of 9 donut shops complete with a passport for your travels and a t-shirt for those who finish the trail. You consume approximately 2,000 calories of sugary, glazed, and sprinkled goodness. Check the towns near you to see if they have any donut, ice cream, coffee, or other unique food trails. (Columbus also offers a Coffee Trail/Experience here).
Recreate your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant – Have you ever eaten at a restaurant and walked away wishing you could eat that meal every single day for the rest of your life? Recreate that meal together! The best part about this date is that you probably won’t perfect the recipe the first time. Just keep “going on” this date until you get as close as possible to the real thing! I also love this date because you can recreate meals that you had while traveling to a new city or new country.
Pretend You Are Food Critics For An Evening – Caleb and I have been “critiquing” restaurants for years. We rate restaurants according to four categories: taste, atmosphere, service, and value for money. We keep track of our favorites and not-so-favorites in this restaurant passport.
Bake or Cook Your Way Through A Cookbook – This date spans more than a single date, and the options for the date are truly endless with so many cookbooks available. You could cook or bake your way through a vintage cookbook like this, a location-based cook book like this, or a cuisine-based cookbook like this.
Attend A High School Sporting Event – Caleb and I resisted this date for several years. It is listed in just about every Pinterest date-idea blog post and we thought it lame. We were proven wrong in 2021, though, and really enjoyed rooting for the football and soccer teams in the town where we live. Show some hometown pride and attend a game together!
Try New Foods At An International Market – In Cincinnati, we have a local international market called Jungle Jims. Most locals have tried out this date, but it really never gets old. International Markets are brimming with new foods to try, and walking the aisles of international cuisine truly can satisfy the travel itch if you aren’t able to travel the world as often as you would like.
Breakfast For Dinner – Make some yummy pancakes, waffles, or french toast in your Pajamas and watch a movie or two.
Progressive Dinner – Each new course equals a new restaurant. Rotate (or better yet, play rock paper scissors) to decide who picks the next restaurant. You could stick with a theme (such as Italian) or just choose three restaurants you’ve had your eye on.
Take An Online Painting Course – Caleb and I enjoyed taking this one last year. The final result is actually something you may want to display in your home.
Pick Up Take-Out & Work On A Puzzle – Puzzles are a great mindless activity to work on while chatting away with one another. Some of our favorite conversations have been over a dessert and a puzzle!
Did you try one of our date ideas? Leave a comment below or tag us in your photos on Instagram. We’d love to see!
Much Love,
Caleb & Abigail O’Neel
Check out The About Her Podcast Episode 16 here to learn more about our story, our favorite date ideas, and our top dating/marriage advice.
