I grew up thinking that dating generally consisted of ‘dinner, drinks or possibly a movie’.
Don’t get me wrong, I like dinner, drinks and movies but I think it’s much more fun to have an adventurous date night.
A mini adventure is a great way to get to know each other, have fun and create memories. Not only this, but an adventure date is a more relaxed environment than a formal dinner so it’s a little less intimidating!
Here are some of my favourite adventure date ideas:
Adventure Dating Ideas – Your first date
1. Take them on your favourite walk
Make it special: Take a flask of coffee and a sweet treat
For your first date you’ll want to keep it low-key and easy. You probably don’t know each other very well at this point so this is a low-commitment kind of date! You don’t want to spend too much, won’t want to go too far from home or invest a lot of time into this date. I know this doesn’t sound very romantic but that’s the reality of first dates!
You can still make it special by taking your date somewhere meaningful. Maybe it’s the route you took everyday through lockdown, a riverside walk you love or a short mountain hike you do on sunny evenings.
Show your thoughtful side by bringing a flask of tea or coffee and some biscuits or cake to share. If it’s hot, bring a cold drink and if you didn’t drive to your location then bring a bottle of wine and some plastic glasses!
Adventure date bonus: If you’ve got a dog, take your dog! Dogs are great ice breakers.
Travel Hack Tip: If you’re not much of a walker and don’t know any nice routes, use an app like Komoot to find local walks with easy to follow maps and directions.
The main benefit of a walking date: A walking adventure date might feel like an easy and casual option but it actually has lots of benefits. Walking side-by-side creates a relaxed atmosphere which alleviates social anxiety and is much better for anyone who feels intimidated by intense face-to-face conversations. Walking in nature also makes us feel more relaxed and you let your guard down while your brain is focussed on the physical act of walking and looking out for obstacles. A bit of exercise also releases endorphins and releases tensions so you’re more likely to open up and chat freely.
Adventure Dating Ideas – Overnight adventures
2. Hire a campervan
An exciting yet romantic adventure date would be to hire a campervan and spend a night away.
This sounds extravagant but it’s actually fairly simple and affordable.
You can hire local campervans for just a night or two through Goboony. Goboony is like the Airbnb of campervans and you hire them from local owners (so you probably won’t need to travel far to pick one up!)
Nothing beats the freedom of a campervan adventure. Explore new places or revisit your favourite spots and then pull up for a cosy evening under the stars.
Travel Hack Tip: Don’t forget to book a campsite in advance. Some people will park up in car parks or laybys but it’s not very romantic, you won’t have a toilet and there’s the chance you’ll be moved on in the middle of the night. Campsites get busy and often fully booked in peak summer months so remember to get one booked!
Adventure Dating Ideas – Daytime Dates
3. Go to the beach
If you’re making a day of it then a great adventure date is to go to the beach. For the majority of us in the UK, we’re never really THAT far from the beach. And even if it is a big drive, it’s a great chance to chat with no interruptions during the journey. This is one of those adventurous date ideas that feels like a big deal but (provided you’re not too far from the sea) it’s actually really easy to plan.
If the weather is sunny then opt for a traditional beach day with a dip in the sea, some time to sunbathe and a compulsory ice cream. Bring a portable speaker, some beach chairs and a cool bag full of cold drinks.
If it’s not so sunny then a long walk along a blustery beach followed by a hot drink can be just as fun!
Incorporate fish and chips, pub lunches, cold pints, a walk along the pier, arcade machines or all of the above!
Adventure Dates – Something new!
4. Go wild swimming
This is another adventure date that feels like a big deal but is actually really easy to organise.
If you’re new to wild swimming and don’t know where to go then I’d recommend joining some local wild swimming Facebook groups. They’re always the best places to get ideas and see real examples of where people are going, where they enter the water, where they park etc.
Cold water swimming has lots of major health benefits but it’s a great idea for an adventure date because of the enormous rush of endorphins! You get this incredible natural high that makes you feel happy, energised, relaxed and so proud of yourself for accomplishing something scary! Cold water swimming has so many health benefits, including increasing your libido…so there’s a chance there’ll be even more benefits to this adventure date!
Travel Hack Tip: I highly recommend wearing water booties for wild swimming. They make it so much easier to get across slippery stones and avoid your toes touching anything gross and slimy!
Adventure Dates – An easy evening date with a tiny bit of adventure
5. Light a fire pit
If you’ve got a small outdoor space and you could safely light a fire then you need to get yourself a fire pit!
Fire pits are relatively inexpensive and they can take your date night from ‘average’ to ‘seriously romantic’… and a little bit adventurous!
Light your fire pit and you can sit around it all evening with a hot drink or a bottle of wine. Watch the sunset and stay outside as the stars come out. Toast marshmallows on the fire or you could be really adventurous and cook dinner in the flames. If you need some outdoor cooking inspiration then there are loads of fire pit cook books on Amazon.
Travel Hack Tip: An easy option for fire pit cooking is to start something off in your slow cooker earlier in the day, and then transfer it to a heat-proof dish and finish it off over the flames.
Adventure dates to make memories
6. Try a new experience
Adventurous dates don’t need to be all about the great outdoors and being closer to nature. An adventure can mean lots of different things and for many people it’s simply about trying something new.
If you want your adventurous date to include a new experience then I highly recommend looking at local Airbnb Experiences.
I’ve done a few and they’ve been so much fun. Here are a few I’ve done:
A historical bike tour around Anglesey
Learning about growing fruit and veg in your own garden
There are also lots of food tours and walking tours or mini courses for creative things like pottery or painting.
The thing I really like about Airbnb Experiences is that you’re always with local hosts and there are so many unusual and creative experiences on there.
Adventure Dates – Seriously easy
7. Watch the sunset
The easiest adventure date of them all is simply to drive somewhere beautiful to watch the sunset.
If you don’t know where to go, have a look on Instagram for photo inspiration or ask your friends and family for ideas.
This is a nice adventure date for a weekday evening when you’re both a bit tired but cba doing something active! It’s also a really nice one if you actually just want to go home and watch Netflix together but also don’t just want to sit inside all evening!
Travel Hack Tip: Not recommended for a first date with a stranger. Don’t get in a car with someone you don’t know!
Adventure Dates on the water
8. Kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing or bodyboarding
If you’re new to all of the above water sports then I’d highly recommend starting with paddleboarding. It’s relatively easy (tips below) and most of us live fairly close to a river, canal or a lake. You can even go paddle boarding on a large pond!
Travel Hack Tip: If you’re new to paddleboarding then you’re probably thinking it’s really difficult. And the truth is, it is difficult to stand up on a paddleboard when the sea is rough! But you don’t need to do that. Choose a calm river, lake or canal and kneel on your board rather than standing. Just go slow and don’t worry about the pressure of standing up! You won’t fall off and this is something almost anyone can do.
If you don’t own a board: If you don’t own a board (or know someone who could lend you two!) then simply Google ‘paddleboard hire near me’. You’ll find loads of options. If that doesn’t come up with many options then simply join your local paddleboarding Facebook group and ask where you can hire a board. It might be that there are lots of local companies but they haven’t done a great job at promoting themselves online.
Bonus tip: I really like paddleboarding on the river. I like to paddle up stream for as far as I can, then turn around and float back down stream. This is a nice opportunity to pull out a flask of coffee and just relax as the current does the hard work.
Adventure date abroad
9. Book a cheap flight
This is one that works really well if you’re both available for a mid-week adventure date!
Here’s what you need to do:
- Go onto Skyscanner
- Choose flights from your local airport
- Enter your destination as ‘Everywhere’
- Select ‘whole month’
- Start exploring the cheap flight possibilities
The reason most people can’t make the most of the crazy cheap flights you can find on Skyscanner is because they can’t fly midweek. But if you can fly maybe Tuesday – Thursday or Monday – Tuesday then you can have a lot of fun!
Choose a cheap flight to a destination you’ve never even heard of, book an apartment on Airbnb and let the rest of your night away be an adventure!
Adventure date idea for a weekend break
10. Glamping
Last but not least, the most adventurous date idea of all is either camping or glamping. Personally, I prefer glamping and I’ve recently found that hiring a bell tent on a campsite isn’t THAT much more expensive than taking your own tent. It saves a lot of hassle too!
Camping trips can combine so many of the adventurous ideas above; watch the sunset, go for a walk, try something new, light a fire, go paddle boarding, go wild swimming and go to the beach!