Looking to shake up your date night routine? How about try one of these double date ideas?
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Date night adds a fun and novelty element to your relationship with your partner. However as much as it’s important to spend time alone together, adding another couple to the mix can add a new dimension (I’m in favor of keeping it clean though, folks. I’m not advocating throwing your keys in a bowl here).
Why double date?
Double dating might sound like something your parents made you do as a teen in order to make sure you didn’t do anything untoward (snigger) but there are several reasons as to why you might like to add these double date ideas to your dating routine.
- You’re more likely to follow through. Have you ever made plans to go out for dinner or to a movie with your spouse and then the day rolled around and you were like – I just want to change into yoga pants, eat chips and watch Netflix? If this sounds like you, then the plus side of the double date is that it’s way harder to call it off without letting your friends down. And who wants to do that?
- You’ll feel more in love. Going on a double date with another couple – particularly one that you’re only just getting to know- can actually make you feel more in love with your partner.
- You’ll show yourselves in your best light. Interacting with others can bring out that witty, adventurous and fun-loving side that can get lost in the grind.
- You’ll try something different. Because fundamentally we are creatures of habit, we tend to do the same kind of things. However doing something with another couple exposes you to new interests. I remember the first time we did an escape room was on a double date and it was so much fun, it instantly became my favorite double dating activity.
- You’ll talk about something different. Much like the above, being with new people opens up the opportunity for new conversation.
Don’t let the fact that you may not have heaps of couple’s friends lined up and waiting to go on double dates with put you off either.
Because my husband and I are both introverts, and because we are also each other’s best friends, it has been more like one other couple (which has changed when we’ve moved towns) that we do stuff with, as opposed to a bevy of potentials.
This couple has tended to be an acquaintance from work and their partner so not like super-close friends. This works for us and also means we don’t experience role conflict like you can do when you’re trying to be all things to all people.
So now you know why double dating can be a valuable addition to your life, time to make it happen!
Check out the double-date ideas below, find what appeals to all four of you, then put it on the calendar.
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Cute double date ideas
Want your double date with a side of cuteness? Check out these cute double date ideas.
Check out an interesting museum exhibit
Museums have come a long way since the dusty and dry establishments of the past. Many have interesting and engaging interactive exhibits you all can enjoy.
Create a couples’ photoshoot
How many times do you miss out on a great shot of the two of you because you’re sick of using a selfie stick or asking random strangers to take pics? Create your own couples photoshoot by going to iconic areas in your home town and start snapping.
Cruise around in a pedicab
This is a super fun way to explore an area from a slower perspective. Depending on where you are, you can take a predetermined tour with a driver / rider or hire one for the four of you to take where you will. Having had personal experience with these, I can say that one of the advantages is that if you get too tired you can stop pedaling and let the others do the work!
Eat down the street
Does your town have an “eat street” – a row of restaurants and cafes that is closed off to traffic? If so, consider eating down the street – starting in one place for your entrée, the next for your main and the next for your dessert. It’s like a 70s progressive dinner but one where none of you have to cook.
Do a double doggy date
Both couples have dogs? Then why not get them in on the action as well? Whether it is as simple as walking the dogs together, taking them on a hike, or visiting to a dog friendly café, a double doggy date can be a great way of getting in some socialization for your dogs as well as you.
Do Sunday brunch
There is no better meal in a week than the Sunday brunch (with the exception of Friday night nachos which we’ve had almost every Friday since Ben and I met over 11 years ago). It’s relaxing, low key but fun vibe. This is a double date idea best enjoyed on a sunny day when you can eat outside.
Go art shopping together
Art is an expression of your personal taste, but sometimes that taste is confined by what you’ve seen and appreciated before. Going on a double date to look at art is an opportunity to learn from the perspective of others.
You may also find a fabulous piece that will now have a story behind it.
Go for ice cream
Ice cream is a low key double date best suited for the hot days of summer. It’s kind of like the food equivalent of coffee.
Find an ice cream parlor with seats outside so you can enjoy the warmth on your skin while you experience the cold on your tongue.
Go to an outdoor movie
Picture this – a warm evening, a big blanket, some tasty treats and your favorite movie playing on the massive outdoor screen outside. You’ll also get to enjoy the community vibe.
Go to the zoo or aquarium at night
Going to the zoo or aquarium at night is a different experience than during the day. You can see and hear animals that might not be so active at daylight. Some zoos and aquariums also put on special shows at night time for you to enjoy.
(Here’s how to plan an aquarium date).
Have dinner at the top restaurant in town
Put on your best dress and shoes and head off with your honey and friends to the top restaurant in town. Enjoy the fabulous service and fine cuisine that will turn this double date into a full-on experience.
Hire a car and cruise the highways
What’s better than a road trip with your honey? A road trip with friends. Hire a car and cruise up the highway, stopping at roadside diners for burgers and shakes.
You can also ask these road trip questions.
Hire a pedal boat
Much like the pedicab, the pedal boat is an opportunity to have some fun and enjoy seeing how fast you can do when under your own steam.
Play tourist in your own town
Regardless of how long you’ve lived in a town, I can bet that there’s more than one attraction that visitors love to check out but you’ve never been to.
Take this opportunity to once and for all visit said attraction. At least you’ll finally know what they rave about!
Pop into a Tibetan singing bowl session
Tibetan singing bowl make a rich deep tone when hit with a mallet. These bowls can promote wellbeing – creating a deep sense of relaxation at the least.
Check out a singing bowl session and leave feeling rested and rejuvenated.
Take a river cruise
River cruises make for a fun date with a clear start and end time if that kind of control is important to you (like it is to me).
You can sit back and relax and catch the sights along the banks. Many cruises have meal options for you to indulge in.
Unwind at a day spa
Head off to the local lux day spa and enjoy a day of pampering from massages to facials and more.
Visit another country – from your own town
Select food and activities that will help you experience another culture. Whether it’s a particular restaurant, film, museum exhibit or areas of town, there’s plenty of ways to broaden your horizons.
Visit a local fair
Fairs are so much fun (once you get past the rides which, as I’ve gotten older, I swear look less and less safe).
Eat hot dogs and cotton candy, play the sideshow games in the quest for a stuffed animal, and watch the pig races – a grand time will be had by all involved.
Visit the botanical gardens
Botanical gardens are those hidden gems we usually think of being the purview of retired folks. However they are often beautiful, well crafted and intriguing places that can spark conversation on design and creativity, as well as give you inspiration for your own home.
The best part of visiting the botanical gardens is that, depending on the time of year, you can have quite the different experience. In each season you’ll find something to enjoy.
Check out these Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter date ideas for more inspiration.
Double date ideas at home
Ask questions for couples
Learn new things about your friends by asking some fun question games including:
- How well do you know me questions
- Never have I ever questions
- This or that questions
- Yes or no questions
Bake a date
Baking sweet deliciousness and eating it sounds like a super fun double date idea. Make a contest of it for some extra fun. You can judge on factors such as presentation and taste and add in some tougher criteria like skill level and originality if you wish.
Bring on game night
Game night is my favorite activity to do on a double date. Before we shifted cities, we had couple friends with tween-aged kids and every time we got together at their place we’d play games. The winner of each would be put on the scoreboard, the goal being to take out the whole championship.
My husband even got over his strange aversion to playing board games and took out Yahtzee once or twice.
Build a burger
Grab some brioche buns and all the things needed to create awesome burgers, and then have a build a burger session.
Craft a cheese and chocolate tasting
Cheese and chocolate are two of my favorite things. Put them together and you can have a fun evening with friends.
Get a selection of cheese and have a go at judging each kind on look, feel, smell and taste.
Add a chocolate assortment to the mix for those of you with a sweet tooth.
Do a DIY Pizza night
Much like building a burger, this fun double date idea involves making your own pizza. Check out these pizza recipes for ideas. You can make it simple (eg put toppings on a pre-made base) right through to making your own pizza dough.
Dine on dessert
For a more affordable and quick double date, head out for dessert only.
Get out the Monopoly board
Based on past experience, such an activity may put your friendship at risk, but it’s worth it. Just make sure you have the original board – those ones that seek to get through it quicker are totally missing the point.
Go cute and cozy with hot chocolate and movies
Put on a fun movie and make some hot chocolate to enjoy.
Have a backyard movie date
Set up an outdoor movie theater and enjoy. This one is best for warm summer nights.
Have a cook-off
Decide on a theme and then have a cook off to see who can do it best. Fun themes include selecting a specific country’s cuisine, a specific ingredient such as eggs (if I did this one, my husband would never forgive me), or a specific dish such as tacos.
Have a hot sauce contest
Think you can handle the heat? Buy a variety of hot sauces in increasing intensity and have some reasonably bland things to test them with (hot fries or polenta chips are my pick here). See who’s got what it takes.
Have an outdoor game challenge
Try playing with fun, traditional games like kubb and cornhole.
Hire a private chef
Want to go super fancy? Hire a private chef to cook an amazing meal for you all.
Host a book club for four
If you love reading, why not try a book club for four? Make sure you give each other enough time to read the book and have some thought-provoking discussion questions at the ready.
Host a dinner party
Go old school and whip up your fanciest dishes. Set the table and adorn it with flowers and candles.
Play a murder mystery date night game
Test out your detective skills by solving a murder with a box set from Hunt a killer.
Play video games
Set up the PlayStation or Xbox and have some fun. You can go with the classics (I cut my teeth on Tekken) or go for the latest and greatest.
Smash out some s’mores
Sit outside by the fire and make some of these s’mores recipes. You can enjoy the chocolatey crunchy goodness while you talk about the meaning of life.
Fun double date ideas
Attend a film festival
Just pick the right kind of films with this one. I still recall the awkward experience of my husband and I attending one with new couple friends where there was an embarrassing amount of nudity.
Oddly enough, we never went on another double date with them.
Attend an outdoor concert
Find some music you all enjoy and go enjoy the atmosphere.
Break out of an escape room
I love escape rooms though I’ve never managed to get out of one in the required time without lots of help. This double date idea dishes up excitement and tension and all the fun things.
Catch a comedy club
Good laughs equals good times. Find a comedy club with positive reviews and head on down for some chuckles.
Check out a haunted attraction
Scare yourself silly by visiting a haunted attraction. Here’s where to go if you’re in California, Illinois, or Texas.
Go chocolate shop tasting
This is one my husband would be all over. Have a local chocolate shop? Head on down and taste away to your heart’s content. Select your favorite and buy enough for all four for you to enjoy later.
Go on a food tour
A food tour is an excellent way to discover local restaurants and eateries.
Depending on the type of tour you select, you may learn more about the chef, restaurant, or local area, taste the specialties (sometimes in smaller portions so that you can fit more in), and mix with an interesting group of people – not that your double date pals aren’t interesting enough!
Go to an amusement park
Get your thrills and spills while indulging in delicious treats. Holding hands on the Ferris wheel is a cliché date activity for good reason, or scream your heart out on the roller coaster.
Go to a casino with a set amount of money each
My husband and I have a thing where we occasionally go to a casino with $20 to see how far it can take us. It always ends up being a super lucky experience for me as I have yet to lose any money! The key is to have a limit and stick to it.
Have a farmers’ market date
Head down to your local farmer’s market and stock up on supplies for the week. Enjoy coffee and baked treats while you catch up with your couple friends.
Have a game of pool
Pool is an exciting game where even if you have no skill, you can have a lot of fun. You can play in couples or two at a time.
Have a ping-pong challenge
My grandparents actually met playing Ping-Pong, so it is a game close to my heart. It may surprise you to know that that name is the trademarked game – and let’s admit it, the term “table tennis” is a little more dignified.
You can play it with doubles or go one on one. It’s fast-paced and fast full stop.
Learn how to paddleboard
If you love the water and being active, going paddle boarding is a fun double date activity.
Learn something new together
Local community colleges often have classes in any and all things ranging from languages through to floristry. Learn something new and have fun at the same time.
Take a cooking class
Taking a cooking class is my favorite thing to do when I’m in a new country, but there’s nothing to stop you taking advantage of these opportunities in your own hometown. Find out what’s on offer and pick a mutually agreed upon cuisine. You might open up a whole new world for yourself.
Take a road trip to a concert
It’s not just the destination – it’s also the journey. Warm up for the concert by listening to old tracks and then reflect all the way home.
Take a walking tour
Get on your preferred travel website (I rate Get your guide) and check out what your town has to offer in the way of walking tours. Make a list of the ones that look promising and tick them off together.
Take dance lessons
After many years grooving on the dance floor with my classic 80s side shuffle, I was shocked and dismayed to discover I wasn’t nearly as coordinated as I thought when we took dance lessons.
The debrief is as much fun as the actual activity, especially as there will be lots of other couples to watch!
Try a new cuisine
Trying new things is what keeps us enjoying life and all it has to offer. This goes for food too. Try a cuisine that none of you have experienced before and see what you think.
Watch live music
So many local eateries offer live music and it’s a fun way of enjoying the vibe without the effort of a full-on concert.
Outdoor double date ideas
Attend a outdoor sports event
Dress up in the colors of the team you’re supporting and head on down to a local outdoor sports event. You can keep it low key by supporting a high school game or go pro.
Check out RVs
Getting an RV changed our lives for the better in so many ways. Before we took the plunge, we spent a couple of years attending RV shows and looking at various models.
Even if it’s not something you have on your radar, examining the craftmanship and thought that goes into putting all you need to live into such a tiny space is well worth experiencing.
Do a 5km running event
Get those sneakers and hit the pavement. This one can keep giving in that you can also go for training runs together before the big day.
Eat alfresco
Grab a picnic basket and head with your friends to the park. You’ll find some great picnic foods here. Or make it easier on yourself by heading to an area such as the botanical gardens where there might be a café you can purchase food from and then enjoy it in the open air.
Go bouldering or rock climbing
Not for the faint hearted, this one requires you take the time to get the right equipment and learn correct technique.
Go tandem biking
Hire a couple of tandem bikes and cycle down the walkways of your town or city. This is best experienced when you have a destination in mind, like an ice cream shop!
Go horseback riding
My irrational fear of horses matches my husband’s hatred of eggs, but that aside, if you’re willing to risk your life on a beast bigger than you are, this double date idea may work for you.
Go sailing
Depending on skills, this may be something you do yourself or you may charter a boat. If you live in a place with a beautiful harbor, this will be an experience to remember.
Have a beach day
Grab your towels and bathing suits, books and sunscreen, and head on down to the beach for a day of fun in the sun.
Have a round of golf
Head to the local golf course and enjoy a round. If you haven’t played before you can have a private lesson. You could also take the easier option and grab a bucket of balls for the driving range.
Hit up a food festival
Go with empty stomachs and full wallets and leave with the reverse!
Make your fave tailgating food and head to the game
Dips, chips, buffalo wings, hot dogs… soak in the atmosphere with good food and good company before the game even starts.
Picnic at the public gardens
Enjoy your fave picnic foods while enjoying the public gardens. Once you’ve eaten you can explore.
Play mini golf
There’s nothing like mini golf to get one’s competitive side going (unless it’s Monopoly). Loser buys dinner after.
Take a hike
Find a local hike that matches the level of fitness of the least person. Pack adequate gear and supplies, let people know where you’re going, and enjoy.
Volunteer for a beach clean up
Head on down to the beach and spend some time removing all the trash. This is a double date idea that also gives you a great sense of satisfaction. Here’s some other eco-friendly date ideas for inspiration.
Adding in a double date or two to your regular date night is a great way to experience new things and ideas and even fall more in love with your partner. Which one of these 75 double date ideas will be the first you try?
(If you like the more the merrier, check out these group date ideas too).
Enjoyed these date ideas and want more? Try these date ideas for couples.