Hi wonderful people!
I thought it would be fun to share some fun date ideas for couples in their 20’s! I’ve been with my boyfriend, Jody, since we were 20 years old. We’ve gotten to experience so many different types of dates going back to our college days to now since we’ve graduated! Before we had our full-time jobs, our date nights were definitely more college student-friendly. Even now that we work, we still want to make sure we’re being smart financially while also enjoying quality time with each other.
Dates don’t have to be extravagant. We love our nights in watching a movie with some popcorn just as much as we love a nice dinenr out. Regardless, it’s nice to mix it up every once in a while! I think it’s important to continue growing your relationship with your partner by being intentional with the effort you put into spending time with each other. There is so much to experience in your 20’s, why not do it with someone you love! We love exploring the city and seeing what cool things there are to do locally. Check out what your city has to offer, too! Below are some of my personal favorite date ideas I’ve had with my boyfriend. Hopefully, you find a new date idea you want to try out with your partner!
1. Scrapbooking
I think this one is one of the sweetest date ideas. I adore anything sentimental and homemade. My boyfriend gifted me a scrapbook recently that has memories from each month that we’ve been dating. He left some months empty so that we could have scrapbooking date nights where we alternate writing entries and decorating the page. This is so fun because you can personalize each page, and I feel like reminiscing on all your memories together brings you closer!
2. Baseball Game
I absolutely love a good baseball game. The tickets for our city’s baseball team are pretty affordable, and we love some good old fashioned baseball food. The weather is always so nice during baseball season, and it’s fun just chatting while cheering on your local team!
3. Farmer’s Market
Speaking of being outdoors, we love our local farmer’s market! It’s nice being able to see what local businesses have to offer and to support them. We’ll grab a coffee and snack and browse the different vendors. Our farmer’s market is right by a river so the scenery is always beautiful.
4. Picnic
One of my favorite dates Jody took me on was a picnic date! He got this cute picnic basket that had everything we needed for a picnic. He picked up sandwiches, got cheese and salami, and a sparkling drink for us to enjoy! We went to our local park, enjoyed the food, and people watched. Such a fun time!
5. Thrifting
Thrifting is one of my favorite budget-friendly dates. I feel like thrifting is much more sustainable than buying brand new clothes at the mall. Plus, the items you find are much more unique and have pretty cool stories! A fun twist you can add is picking out outfits for each other and wearing them out for a date night!
6. Drive-In Movie
This is definitely a more classic date idea. I tend to fidget a lot during movies, so it’s nice being able to sit in the comfort of your own car. We’ll pack the car with blankets and snacks to bring with us. Afterwards, we like going to an old school diner to keep that theme going. Drive-in dates are so fun because it feels so nostalgic and romantic!
7. Art Museum
I know the art museum isn’t necessarily for every one, but I think it’s another cool local thing to check out! The art museum by us regularly hosts events that locals can attend, and it’s awesome getting to see what the local artists are creating! I love painting and Jody finds interest in art, so it’s fun getting to learn more about the different art styles out there!
8. Baking
Baking is fun and delicious! I feel like baking with your significant other is such a cozy stay-at-home date. We’ll get into comfy pajamas, have one of our comfort shows ready, and start making a little sweet treat. We usually buy those pre-made baked goods like cinnamon rolls or cookies. Sometimes, if we want to mix it up, we’ll make something from scratch. Recently we made tres leches cake, and it turned out so good!
9. Explore What Nature Has to Offer
One of our favorite places to visit year round is Lake Tahoe. It is genuinely one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. We love paddleboarding at the beaches during the warmer seasons. During the colder seasons, Jody has been taking me to try skiing and snowboarding. We love being outdoors because there’s so many places to explore, and it can be pretty budget friendly depending on the activity you choose!
10. Pretend Like You’re on a First Date
I think this a silly little date idea to try because it’s almost like you’re both re-living those first date jitters. Sometimes couples get to the point where they are a little too comfortable in their relationships. They slowly stop putting effort even thought there’s always something new to learn about your significant other. I feel like this is a fun way to get to know your partner all over again and learn more about them!
11. Pottery
I feel like this is another very classic, yet adorable date idea. For our 6-month anniversary a while back, we decided to paint bowls for each other instead of for ourselves. They turned out so cute, and I still use my bowl as a trinket bowl to this day! It was so fun getting to see what we came up with and enjoy each other’s company while doing so.
12. Build Legos
My boyfriend and I LOVE building legos. They’ve been coming out with so many cute sets lately! We’ll take turns adding on parts, and we usually have a movie or show playing in the background. Plus, when you’re done building it, you have a tangible memory from that date night!
13. Driving Range
Jody is a really talented golfer. I, on the other hand, used to not even be able to hit the ball. As a good in between, he started taking me to our local driving range, and it’s super fun! I get to practice my form and swing, while he gets to share some pointers and take a couple swings himself. It’s a win-win!
14. Rock, Paper, Scissors
I saw this idea on Tik Tok when it was trending a little while back. You and your significant other play Rock, Paper, Scissors for three rounds (Drink, Main Course, Dessert). The winner of that specific round picks what food/drink you two will get for that specific category. You can either do it with fast food places or in the grocery store. We’ve done both, and they’re equally as fun. Plus, you can adjust to your own budget if needed. This is great if you can’t decide on what to eat, and it turns into a cute game!
15. Local Bar for Live Music
Now that we’re 21, we love checking out some local bars to see if there are live performers. We enjoy supporting local talents, and it’s rare that we get dressed up and have some drinks out together. It definitely is a great way to have quality time with your partner while also discovering something new!
16. Sip and Paint
Jody surprised me with this date a little bit ago, and it’s one of my favorite dates we’ve been on! We did a group class, and the energy in the room was so fun! Some people go to seriously paint, while others are just there to drink and have good time. This definitely leans on the pricier side of dates, but this is a great one to try if you’re looking for something creative to do!
17. Arcade
My boyfriend and I were talking about arcades one day and how much we loved them growing up. So, we decided to go on an arcade date together! I feel like there is something so romantic about being your inner child with your significant other. Recently, we decided to work together to save up our points and try to earn one of the bigger prizes by the end of the year. Something fun to look forward to!
18. Go on a Run/Walk
Staying active is always important, and it’s nice when you have someone to motivate you to keep that up! We are currently training for a 5k together, so we’ll try to go on runs together when we can. Even if running isn’t your thing, you can go on walks around your local park or neighborhood. That way, you’re still being active while enjoying nature and each other’s company!
19. Visit a Local Farm
We have a farm that’s not too far from where we live. They offer different events all year round. In the spring, they have a tulip farm where you can pick tulips and bring them home. They also have a petting/feeding zoo and different rides you can go on. There are different snack and drink options that you can choose from as well! We spent an afternoon at that farm picking tulips and checking out the different farm animals!
20. Trivia Night
Last but not least is a trivia night! Some of the bars host a free trivia night where you can go and potentially earn some prizes. We recently went on a double date with some of our friends and had such a good time. We learned so many new things and had some great food and drinks! If you’re not looking to go out, you can have an in-home trivia night and have a friendly competition on who knows more trivia!
Hopefully, you found some new date ideas from this post! These were just some of my favorite dates that Jody and I have been on over the past couple years, but feel free to do what works best for you! Planning date nights in your 20’s can be tricky sometimes. Schedules are chaotic, and the majority of us are not exactly millionaires or anything of the sort. Regardless, I think it’s nice to have a good mix of chill nights in and date nights out in the city. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what you choose to do. All that matters is that you and your significant other are spending some time together enjoying each other’s company! I hope you found something that resonates with you on this post, and I’ll see you on the next one <3
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