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Who says you can only have creative, exciting dates on the weekends? It can be tough to schedule dates when you already have a jam-packed working schedule—so weeknights are the perfect opportunity to get a little extra quality time with your date, significant other, or spouse. Plus, many date activities are fun without taking up a whole day or afternoon. Here's a thorough list of weeknight date ideas for you to choose from!

Things You Should Know

  • Try low-budget at-home activities like cooking, baking, DIY spa treatments, movie nights, and games.
  • Head out on the town to grab drinks, eat dessert, take a romantic stroll, have a picnic, or enjoy some local entertainment.
  • Treat yourself to an overnight stay in a luxe hotel, plan a longer trip with your significant other, or be more nostalgic and recreate your first date.
1

Grab drinks together.

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  1. Skip the long dinner date and meet your date at a favorite bar. It's a simple and casual idea suitable if you're just beginning a relationship, but it's also a nice way to relax after work with your partner. Dress up a little, have a couple of cocktails, and spend the evening chatting.
    • To make things more interesting, you could both resolve to try a new drink each date or pick a mystery drink for each other.
    • Alternatively, do a mini-bar crawl. Pick a couple of places you'd like to try and sample a cocktail at each. The goal isn't to go crazy, as it's a weeknight, but you can still get a little adventurous!
    • You can also just do a cocktail hour at home. Buy a few spirits and mixers so you and your date can make delicious cocktails together.
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3

Enjoy a dessert night.

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  1. Restaurant meals can take hours, so try meeting up with your date for dessert instead. Pick a bakery, cafe, or sweet shop you enjoy, or head over to your favorite restaurant and just ask for the dessert menu.
    • You and your date could order several desserts off the menu and try all of them! Craft your own makeshift dessert bar and swap notes on your favorite treats.
    • Do a dessert bake-off at home if you'd rather not go out. You and your date can each bring a dessert or bake them together and enjoy.
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4

Take a scenic walk together.

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  1. One of the easiest ways to have a date on a weeknight is to take a long walk along a scenic path. There's nothing to distract you from one another, and you can focus on good conversation—whether you're still getting to know your date or catching up with your partner after a long day.
    • If you have time, find a peaceful spot along the path to sit with your date and watch the sunset for a romantic moment both of you can treasure.
    • If you're an avid biker, you could pick a scenic bike route instead! Bike around the area and bring a snack so you can relax together somewhere with a great view.
5

Have a picnic with takeout.

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6

Do a cozy movie night at home.

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  1. Dates in a movie theater are pretty classic, but you can't really talk to one another—which is the point of a date! Instead, have a cozy movie night at home. Set up a couch with pillows and blankets, pick up some popcorn and your favorite movie theater candy, and snuggle with your date as you enjoy a good flick.[2]
    • For some extra excitement, pick a movie neither of you has seen before. Otherwise, you could always watch an old comfort movie; it's still fun, and you can chat with your date without missing anything.
    • Reader Poll: We asked 435 wikiHow readers about their favorite date night activities, and 66% agreed that if you’re hanging out at home, the most romantic thing you can do together is cuddle and watch a movie. [Take Poll]


7

Have a couples' game night.

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  1. What kind of games do you like? Traditional card games, board games, video games—or a mix of all 3? Set up an array of tasty snacks, drinks, and a selection of your favorite games, and enjoy a casual evening of fun and laughter with your date.[3]
    • Try incorporating a couples’ game to get to know your date better! There are lots of games that involve asking each other fun, creative questions.
    • You could also take your game night outside the house. Visit an arcade or go bowling, for example.
    • Check out your local game shops. Plenty of stores host game nights and even let you play board games there for free.
    EXPERT TIP
    Ashton Wu

    Ashton Wu

    Board Game Expert
    Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
    Ashton Wu
    Ashton Wu
    Board Game Expert

    Choose an easy-to-learn board game. Board game enthusiasts crave in-depth mechanics, but when playing board games with family or on a date, it's best to stick to simpler ones. Choose an easy game that players can pick up quickly. This will make game night more fun for everyone.

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9

Enjoy an at-home spa night.

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10

Teach one another something new.

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  1. You and your date both have hobbies and special skills, right? Use your expertise to teach each other about a favorite hobby or skill or use an online tutorial or class to learn as you go. This date is a fun, easy way to work together and gain an appreciation for your respective interests.
    • For example, say you’re great at drawing, and your date knows guitar. Spend a date night swapping skills; teach your date to draw something simple, and learn basic guitar skills from them.
    • There are plenty of video tutorials for just about anything online, or you could check out offerings from platforms like Skillshare and MasterClass.
11

Visit an escape room.

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  1. If competitive games aren't your speed, try solving riddles with your date in a themed escape room. Find a room and theme that interests you, and make reservations for you and your significant other. Work together to escape the room within the given time frame for a creative and exhilarating date.[6]
    • Escape rooms can include different heist, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and historical-themed settings.
    • Double-check the escape room website for difficulty, as some rooms are harder than others. Nonetheless, pick the room you like most—it's okay if you need a few hints in a particularly tricky room.
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13

Find local live entertainment.

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  1. Check out events and venues to see if there's a concert happening during the week, or look up the schedule at a local comedy club. Look up restaurants that sometimes have live music, too. If you're more of a sports fan, pick up tickets to a mid-week game—they're often cheaper than weekend tickets.[7]
    • Comedy clubs are a great way to laugh and let off some steam with your date, and they're usually not too expensive.
    • Concerts can help you both get to know each other's taste in music and make happy memories simultaneously.
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16

Plan a dream trip together.

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about date ideas, check out our in-depth interview with Mark Rosenfeld.

About This Article

Mark Rosenfeld
Co-authored by:
Dating & Relationship Coach
This article was co-authored by Mark Rosenfeld and by wikiHow staff writer, Glenn Carreau. Mark Rosenfeld is a Dating and Relationship Coach based in Norman Park, Australia. He founded his coaching business, Make Him Yours, in 2015. Mark specializes in helping women find, attract, and keep extraordinary relationships. He has been featured in Style Magazine, Thought Catalog, Elite Daily, News.com.au, and The Good Men Project. Mark’s dating videos have received over 60 million views, and his book “Make Him Yours – Beating the Odds of Modern Dating” was a best-seller on Amazon upon its release. This article has been viewed 21,750 times.
9 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: March 16, 2024
Views: 21,750
Categories: Dating
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 21,750 times.

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