#1: Escape Room Mystery Date Night

Escape Room games place the player in a ‘locked room’ which they try to escape from. To succeed at this challenge they’ll need to find clues, solve mysteries, and have a lot of fun.

They’re usually a theme park style event but you can transform your home into an escape puzzle by printing one of these ready to play game kits.

Check out the step by step HowTo, or read this couple’s story.

#2: Treasure Hunt Arrgh-venture

When you’re soulmate discovers this authentic treasure map it’s going to be an Arrgh-venture they’ll never forget!

You can make the map by tea dying some paper or printing one of these treasure map templates. Lastly stash some loot where X marks the spot and ‘hide’ the map it in the mailbox ready for your date to unearth!

Here’s how to make an authentic treasure map.

#3: Lego Photo Shoot

Lego’s an eternal force of creative good that brings happiness and joy to the soul of humanity. It’s also an epic date night!

Head to the store together and grab a lego kit with characters in it (I like the Marvel ones). Theme up the night by grabbing the Lego Movie, to play in the background, as well as some totally colorful drinks & lollies. All that’s left is to find some props, take some pics, and share your amazing art with the world.

#4: First date in Another Universe

This role play date has you meeting each other for the ‘first time’ again but with totally opposite personalities.

Plan your disguise in secret and think of a few alternate life stories (here’s some questions to ask yourselves). Also grab a new outfit ($30 from Walmart). The intrigue picks up when you arrive separately and one of you busts out an epic pickup line.

#5: The colors fantastic

Whether you dance or jog your way through the Holi Festival it’s one happiest dates you’ll every do! (one translation is Festival of Love!)

They’re music festivals and fun runs where you get to throw colored power everywhere (EVERYWHERE). Just Google ‘Holi City Name’ for whats near you. The two most common ones are music festivals and fun runs which are great for double/triple date with mates.

#6: Flavor Tripping Picnic (MUST read!)

On this date night lemons and chillies are going to taste like nectar from the gods! No it’s not because of your charming personality – rather you’ll both be eating a Miracle Berry first.

Pack your picnic full of anything sour like grapefruits, goats cheese, and tabasco sauce. When the picnic starts casually unpack your quirky stash and don’t tell your soulmate what’s going to happen. Priceless! Here’s some more ideas to make this the perfect picnic.

#7: Marvel Heros Saving the World

Here’s your chance to wear underpants on the outside and save the world – together!

You’re going to be finding superhero costumes mutating and rocking around the street together preventing petty evil like littering or jaywalking. This one’s an epic roleplay if you’re both flamboyant and happy to laugh at yourselves. Easiest spot to find the outfit is Amazon.

#8: Surprise Geocache Adventure

Geocaching is mod of the treasure hunt date where someone’s already stashed the loot for you. All you need is the free GPS app.

When you load the app search for ‘nearby Geocaches’ to find a treasure spot to hunt for. On the date simply drive to the starting point and follow the digital compass together. When you do swap out a keepsake from the ‘treasure chest’ with something of your own. Check out this video and guide for more deets.

#9: Marshmallows double date

The social conscience movement of experiencing homelessness first hand can be a meaningful date night idea. Warning: be safe.

Grab sleeping bags, a cut lunch, marshmallows, and a few friends if you’re feeling social. Find somewhere abandoned and set up ‘camp’, toast marshmallows, and talk about what you’re thankful for in your life.

#10: Garage Drive in Cinema

Transforming your garage into a drive in cinema is the movie date that’s worth doing. Best of all it will be a total surprise.

Take your date out for a take-out style meal like burgers. Be casual and act like nothings planned. When you arrive back home they’ll be totally blown away by the TV set up ready for some smooth cinema action! Grab some blankets and pillows and microwave some 2 minute popcorn for added awesomeness. Here’s how to set up the cinema

#11: Glow in the dark body paint

It’s a rave party for your relationship that’s literally dripping with novelty.

Simply grab some glow paint and a black light to illuminate it.

On the night clear the garage, or living room, and put down a few old sheets to save the floor. Then kill the lights, crack open those paint tubes and ‘find’ something to paint…

#12: Nerf Baby Nerf!

Running around the CBD Nerfing each other is guaranteed to be a lot of fun and get you in trouble with someone… awesome!

Make your adult playground even cooler by spray painting the Nerf guns together the night before (here’s how). Alternatively start a game of Strip Nerf around the house where shooting an item of clothing renders that piece of ‘body armour’ useless so needs to be removed.

#13: Quirky Photo Scavenger Hunt

This date idea turns generic city streets into an explorers playground and gives you heaps to talk about.

You’ll be giving your partner 30 photos of random spots around the city which act as breadcrumbs to a destination. You can make these easily using your phone and print them at an office store. The fun beings when you pass them the stack of clues and they need to find where they lead. Here’s how to make it even more epic.

#14: Back to the Future

Making a time capsule is both fun when you bury it and romeo-style-romantic when you dig it up in 5 years.

They’re easy as to make using 2 water tight kitchen tubs that fit inside one another. Spend the afternoon filling it with fun memories like that old phone in your drawer, a letter to future you, or a sexy photo of you both. Then head to a nearby park and bury it somewhere you’re not supposed to…

#15: Make a hipster coffee table

This is one of the ultimate ‘Saturday afternoon chill’ dates of all time.

Head down the street, in the morning, and grab some old books, a chopping board, and a wooden toilet roll stand. These can be combined to make this really cool hipster coffee table.

Here’s how Amanda and I did ours.

#16: Ready Steady Cook

This quick trick transform cooking dinner at home into a conversation crockpot. (or potato peel battle…)

Head to a grocery store together and split up. One of you is going to make dinner and the other dessert – the fun part is you’re buying each others ingredients. Do the Big Reveal, at home, and scratch your heads while you each work out what you’re going to do with them. Also try this romantic post it note hack.

#17: Tandem Bicycle Ride (it’s fun!)

This is like one of those 3 legged races you did as a kid – awkward, frustrating, and a lot of fun (after 400 date nights it’s still Nate’s favorite).

Just Google ‘tandem bicycle hire CITY’ to locate a bike. Also look up a nice route using Map My Ride. On the day take turns steering and stop for a chilled lunch or old-school picnic. Tip: make it a romantic surprise by keeping what you’re doing a secret until the last minute.

#18: Artist’s Pallet (with easy hack)

This is the kind of art anyone can do. In fact Amanda hadn’t used a brush since high school but still loved what she made.

You’ll need to grab a wooden pallet so ask any mates that work at large departments stores if they can grab one (they’re often just thrown out). Also get some brushes and some paint. The hack for is to copy an existing artwork (like these) and borrow a projector to display the image on the pallet. Then it’s just paint by numbers.

#19: Vincent Van Street Art

This is another arty date night where you become street art rebels and leave your mark on back ally streets and sidewalks. The novelty high of doing something you’re not supposed to is awesome.

Grab some chalk, crayons, or spray paint. If you’re really keen you could try making a stencil of one of these which you can spray over. By sticking to existing street art walls you’ll keep this just a bit of fun rather than being annoying vandals.

#20: Sneaky Does it

Hotels have pools for their guests. You’re not a guest. You know what to do…

The trick to sneaking into a hotel pool is acting totally natural. Just imagine you’re a millionaire staying in the penthouse suite. This date night also brings on all those we’re not supposed to feelings as though your teenagers in love again. If you’re really keen you can even go skinny dipping!

#21: One Thousand Tea Candles

What’s more romantic than a picnic with tea candles? A picnic with 1000 tea candles (seriously this is unforgettable)

This amazing mod of the traditional picnic is actually really doable. You can grab tea candles in bulk online for about $60. Then bribe a mate to set up the picnic and light them for you (it may have to be a big bribe since this can take a while…) This way when you arrive the mood is set and the romance is hot.

#22: Great Balls of Fire

Warning: be safe (End of warning).

If she’s into living on the edge she’ll love making a sparkler flare. It’s totally legal but still delivers a 15ft (5m) pillar of flame! Grab 500-1000 sparklers, to make it WOW, and bind them together tightly with wire. Bend the metal prongs out to make a stand and poke one in the top to light it. Then bust out a lighter and step a long way back. You can add some romance by trying sparkler writing

#23: Journey to nowhere (epic b’day)

This date idea is epic for an anniversary, or birthday, which you want to make super special. It’s not cheap but will never be forgotten.

You’re going to rock up at the airport, with bags packed, ready to go… well anywhere. Just set a budget buy the next ticket you can afford at ticket counter. Yes they’ll think you’re weird but your soulmate will think you’re awesome. While you’re waiting to board Google stuff to do and Groupon an accommodation deal. Adventure awaits!

#24: World war water fight!

What’s hot, fun, and makes you laugh? Drenching each other in an all out chaos style water war.

Try ‘Quick draw showdowns’, ‘Water bomb chicken’, ‘Ice bucket challenge’, ‘Accidentally wetting bystanders’, ‘Playground battle zone’ and even ‘Strip water fight’. If you really want to get competitive add different colored food dye to each water pistol and where white shirts.

#25: Mystery Chalk Chase Adventure

This is one of those head turning moments that get the butterflies going and make you look like a total boss.

She thinks you’re just going for a walk/jog but end up ‘stumbling’ across a trail of chalk arrows that ‘someone else’ has left. You casually decide to follow them where she realises YOU set this whole thing up. At the end there’s a hidden block of chocolate to nibble while chatting about the adventure. Also try these clues or make it a treasure hunt.

#26: Darkness, food and blindfold sex

Another strange dining experience is heading to a restaurant that’s pitch black and the waiters wear night vision googles!

It’s called Dark Dining and it’s a really fun way to experience food and each other. You literally get escorted to your table, order, and eat your meal all without seeing anything. It generates heaps of conversation . Just Google ‘dark dining CITY’ to find one near you. As for blindfold sex you may as well keep the role play going at home ;)

#27: Be Wedding Crashers

Any chance for her to get dolled up and go to a party’s probably a good one. Don’t worry here’s how to avoid spoiling someone’s day…

Weddings have a ceremony that’s padded with ‘almost friends’ and people that will only be recognised by half the family and friends. This means if there’s a random couple no one will notice! When the drinks/nibbles start it’s time to make your exit and head out to dinner somewhere nice and share stories of your relationship.

#28: Going Dicaprio

The joy of life drawing is that it doesn’t matter if it’s not quite perfect (well ok I can think of a couple more nice features…)

Just head to an art store and grab some pencils/charcoal and nice drawing paper. You can do anything from stick figures to fancy sketching since the goal is to have fun and be romantic not be a pro artist. If you want to go all out try following this YouTube video (non-nude) or this guide from $30DN.

#29: Boing, Crash, Boom Arcade

In the endless quest for novelty in your relationship there’s always room to be teenagers again and whack some beavers (HARD!)

Head out to an arcade but don’t go straight for Resident Evil (remember this is a date night). Instead find all the physical challenge games or fun old-school arcade action like Pac-Man. These are a great way to laugh at yourselves, joke around and cash in your tickets for terrible tasting kids lollies at the end. Perfect date night!

#30: Thirty day cafe crawl

I know why you go to the same cafes and bars all the time – because they’re good! But it’s time to get your adventure on and try somewhere new. In fact it’s time for something new every day for a month.

The trick here is to never plan what you’re going to do the following day. Rather get out the front door and use Google Places or Zomato to find somewhere that seams cool. Coffee (and maybe cake…) are pretty cheap and the new places give you heaps to talk about.

#31: Get all white and nerdy

If you’re up for a laugh than making the corniest t-shirts, mugs and caps the world has ever seen will have you rolling on the floor together.

Spend the night finding the worst photos of you both (chewing food, caught of guard, or those amazing highschool photos…). Then jump onto Vistaprint and let your creativity run wild. Make whatever totally terrible stuff you like and then look forward to your corny attire arriving in the post ready for your next ridiculous date night.

#32: Pimp your Fridge

Ok you guessed it – I love art home dates! This one’s a total blast, really easy to do, and earns you both a lot of street cred.

Grab an old book from a 2nd hand seller and cut the pages out. Then use spray glue to stick them all over your fridge. At this point you can either paint clear sealer over it or bust out the brushes and get your inner artist on. The trick is borrowing/hiring a project to display the image on the fridge then just paint by numbers. Go you hipster!

#33: GPS + BBQ + BFF’s

This triple date is a simple treasure hunt you plan together. It’s a bit like plotting global domination only more relaxed.

Choose a quiet location like a park. Look it up in Lat Long to find the Latitude and Longitude. These numbers will allow your friends to find it. Now post 4-5 letters to mates inviting them to the event but only use the Lat/Long. This way it’s a fun game! E.g. ‘Meet us at -37.775601 145.000810 on Sat at 6pm’. It’s really fun to see who makes it!

#34: Sweet Sidewalk Surprise

This creative date idea is so ridiculous you wont be able to last longer than coffee and macaroons!

Grab 2 foldable chairs and a small table and tell her that you’ve planned a surprise. Head to the CBD and order some coffees + snacks (without dropping the table…) Then head to the busiest street corner you can find and set your table and chairs up! Bust open the sweet and try to act as normal as you can while chaos unfolds around you!

#35: iPad Olympics

This coffee outing is a lot of fun and less likely to end in total chaos than the Surprise Sidewalk Sweets date night.

There’s a whole bunch of 2 player iPad/Tablet games that transform ‘going for coffee’ into a fun chance to compete in an all out frenzy of finger tapping fun. Try Bam Fu or Fingle (twister for your fingers). Since neither of you will have played any of the games before it’s a ‘fair contest’ so keeping score and awarding glory points is a must!

#36: Angry Birds & Sock Grenades

Another competitive couples game starts with both of you making your own angry birds fort. The ‘rubble’ at the end is great for…

Set up mattress, couch cushions, and blankets like one of these. Get 5 toilet rolls each and set them up like Angry Birds in your pillow fort ready for a barrage of sock grenades.

#37: Creepy Cemetery Caviar

This clash of cultures is a really creative way to add some novelty to your relationship (just make sure she’s up for a spooky night out).

Pack a picnic with super fancy food to balance out the creepiness. Also grab glow sticks, solar fairy lights and tea candles for mood. Head to the cemetery, when it’s dark, and find the old-school tombstones area. Set up your kit and talk about everything from ‘What would you like people to say about you at your funeral’ to ‘Spooky sex’.

#38: Deck the Halls

If you’re a bit of a homemaker you’ll love theming the house for the time of year. Amanda and I change ours for the 4 seasons as well as Christmas and Halloween.

The possibilities are endless so we focus on one key area and make it feel totally amazing. You then get to invite all your friends around for a themed party. Here’s some easy styles you can do (without being a ‘Pinterest interior designer’).

#39: The Snapchat challenge

You’ll be ‘hanging out’ by sending each other photos of how you’re going with the Snapchat Challenge. Who’s going to finish first?

Go to a cafe and make a list of stuff to find around the CBD. Stuff like ‘Green chair’, ‘Funny tshirt’, ‘Love Padlock, ‘Dumpster skip’, ‘Guitarist’ and ‘5 layered cake slice’ work great. Split up and send each other a photo whenever you find one of them (along with a taunt that you’ll finish first). Winner gets dinner for free.

#40: Sexy couples workout

The only thing better than when she’s wearing sexy ‘Active Wear’ is wearing even less active wear…

This steamy couples workout is all about actually enjoying getting fit and is a fantastic excuse to hug along the way. If you’re like Amanda and I you probably can’t do ‘One Arm Chin-ups’ so try these doable exercises for semi-fit people.

#41: Get all Vampirish

It’s OK I’m not suggesting you go all Twilight on each other. Rather do something worthwhile, score some free food, and donate blood together.

Helping out is one of life great adventures and doing as a couple can be awesome. If you really want to go all out you can dress in true vampire style. One thing you cannot forget is some truly terrible vampire humour: ‘I heard being a vampire really sucks…’

#42: Movie set madness

Don’t take your date to ‘see a movie’ for date night – take her to a movie set instead. They’re everywhere!

From Belgium back ally’s to unforgettable NY streets they can be a totally fun and romantic experience. Use The Movie Map to find one near you (or near your next holiday destination). If you’re ever in New Zealand I can totally recommend the Hobbiton Movie Experience as a bucket list must do.

#43: Digital Da Vinci Code

This online date-venture sets a series of a events in motion that she’ll need to solve before you get bored of waiting at a secret bar.

You’re going to make a trail of online ‘bread crumbs’ for your soulmate to follow which will lead her to a real life secret bar where you’re waiting for her. Here’s an example using a free Blogger page that directs Amanda to a Pinterest Pin which sends her to a shared Google Doc etc… It should only take about 20mins to solve and is a lot of fun.

#44: The ‘building us’ date

Fun dates are fun but investing time into building the deeper parts of your relationship is also amazing. Try these the next time you’re out together:

Work out each other’s love language (this saved a mate’s relationship)
Plan some 1, 3 and 5 year goals
Talk about that one thing you feel you can’t raise (be nice…)
Look at these from Jason and Erin.

#45: Actually use all those selfies

You have thousands of photos you never look at. Literally thousands. Why not make them into a movie?

Head to a cafe and order some coffees. Then comb through the stash and copy the best photos from your relationship into a new folder. You can easily make these into a cool movie using Slide.ly. Use the cafe’s WiFi to upload all the pics, choose a song, and download the movie! Share it around with friends and family while you’re at it.

#46: Appreciation tastes like

I’m a Whisky Man. Amanda’s a Wine Chick. We’re both Coffee Fanatics If you’re anything like us you’ll love an Appreciation night.

Google something like Coffee Appreciation Melbourne and you’ll find one pretty fast. It’s not a cheap outing but for a few weeks after the night you’ll have a new adventure hunting around to try what you experienced on the night! This common goal is amazing for long term relationships.

#47: Live like Millionaires

It’s nice to dream a little so try these 3 cheap ways of living large on your next date night.

Check out Luxury Display homes or rentals that are open for inspection.
Shop for $2500 handbags at Louis Vuitton (don’t worry none of the staff can afford it either).
Grab a non alcoholic coffee at a swanky cocktail bar for $6 while you chill out in their top shelf surrounds.

Scavenger hunt date activity using photos

#48: Choose your own adventure

If she likes photos she’ll love this Choose your own adventure date night. At each destination they’ll be a choice where to go next.

Think of 10 fun things to do as a couple and and use Instant Street View to ‘Take a photo’ at each location. Print these out and group them into pairs. When the date begins give her the first two photos and the choice of which one feels the most fun. After that give her the next two and so on. End the trek wherever you like!

#49: Mad Hatter’s Teapot Cocktails

Going out for drinks is pretty ‘ho-hum’ after the first few times so use the power of teapots to turn it into an entire afternoon of fun.

First up it’s teapot hunting time! Head out to thrift shops on a Saturday afternoon and find 2 lonely teapots in need of some company. Then get whatever you like in your cocktails and a couple of straws. All that’s left is to make your way to wherever you feel the mad hatter would drink cocktails out of teapots…

#50: Lock, stock and 2 smoking barrels

If diesel, adrenalin, and the smell of exploded gunpowder seams like more fun to your lady than beach sunsets you have to a shooting range date night.

Just Google ‘Try Shooting CITY’ and book in the night. It’s not cheap but it’s totally different and the Facebook cred you’ll earn with pics of your partner packing hardware is epic. For a smooth finisher head to a nearby whisky bar and talk the night away.

#51: Crush a fun run (or coffee run…)

When Amanda and I wanted to get fit we trained for a fun run. It worked great until we just started running to the coffee store…

There’s fun runs all year round so just pick one in your general area and choose a training time to commit to. This isn’t the most romantic gig you’ll ever pull off but in a long term relationship it’s a great excuse to hang out and feel like you’re a team working together. How romantic is it? Well Cassie and Ryan actually met and later married at a fun run!

#52: One Red Paperclip

True story: ‘A guy had a red paper clip and kept trading with people until he had an entire house!’ Personally my superhero power isn’t being a ‘Demi-god of trading genius’ but this is a fun triple date night.

Each couple grabs something small from the house and hits the streets asking ‘Hi, we’re playing a date night trading game and need to beat our friends. Would you trade this for something slightly more valuable?’ Meet afterwards to gloat, share photos & tell funny stories.

Bonus #1: The Sound of Silence

This role play puts you in the shoes of someone who can’t talk and is a total laugh (if you could laugh that is).

Pretend neither of you can talk and head down town. Try shopping, choosing where to go next, ordering a meal, and having dinner without ever saying a word. If you’re not sure how it will go bring 3x post it notes, for each of you, and see who has the most left at the end of the night. This one’s weird, totally funny and a great memory.

#BONUS 2: The Game of Love

This one’s a fun-sexy-kinki-couples game that’s so simple when you see it you’ll wonder ‘Why didn’t I think of that’. Give it a go!

You’ll need to grab a pack from My Game of Love before the date night. Order it together so there’s some build up to the fun.

When it arrives you can tack it onto the end start of any date night. It’s particularly good after an outdoor adventure date like Geocaching.

Grab the pack:

[mc4wp_form]

#Another BONUS: Date Invitations

Add some romantic ‘build up’ to any date night with this easy date hack. Simply print out one of these invitations and hide it somewhere she’ll find it.

Some great spots include inside her shoe before work, mailbox, in the cereal box, or next to her toothbrush. Just signup to download the pack (once a month you’ll also get great date ideas sent to your inbox).

by Elliott Bailey
Filed under At home dates, Birthdays, Cheap dates, Love language: Gifts, Love language: Helping out, Love language: Hugs, Love language: Nice words, Love language: Time, Top 10.