18 Non-Traditional Date Ideas For Every Kind Of Couple

Movies, coffee shops, walks in the park…No doubt you’ve already explored each of these date ideas, ad nauseam. How about some non-traditional date ideas that are sure to engage the two of you in the activity as much as one another? Peerspace is all about helping people plan special events so we’d love to help you make an unforgettable impression on your next date!

1. Grab an app and go geocaching

Geocaching is an underappreciated outdoor activity that’s sort of like modern-day treasure hunting! Once you download an app like the official one by Groundspeak you look up “caches” near you. Each cache is an objective you use clues and waypoints inside of the app to track down. Once you find the geocache, which can be a small tube hidden behind a brick, a large box buried under a rock, or even a historic site to appreciate, log your discovery and replace it for future geocachers!

2. Enjoy a private movie screening 

Movie nights don’t have to be so simple as popcorn and whatever is playing at your local cinema. Not when you can host your own screening event inside of a private theater! Looking to introduce your partner to your favorite indie films? Grab a movie, choose your favorite snacks, and bring them to one of the many private screening rooms Peerspace has to offer! Imagine having a movie date night inside of this midtown Manhattan theater!

3. Take the pups to a dog park bar

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You don’t have to leave your dogs at home when going out on a date. Not when there are dog bars out there where humans and canines alike can have some fun meeting people! PG&J’s Dog Park Bar in Louisville, KY, is a great example of a fun date night idea with the doggies! The pups will be free to have fun in the dog yard with other well-behaved pooches while you and your partner enjoy any of the 16 local beers on tap!

4. Sign up for a cooking class

If you want to spice up your kitchen talents, why not sign up for a cooking class? You can choose from all kinds of cuisines and skills, including pasta making, curry nights, and wine pairings. Cooking classes are held at culinary arts schools but many organizations will gladly come to your home or an event venue near you for a private class! 

Use our favorite unique cooking class ideas to put a special spin on this date suggestion!

5. Play paintball together

Looking for a non-traditional date idea that is a little on the competitive side? Head to a paintball arena near you for some fun with a gun! Paintball arenas typically have paintball guns you can rent along with ammunition and protective gear. If you have your own though, feel free to bring them! Paintball games include tactical events where you try to accomplish objectives as well as simple shoot-em-up games for points!

6. Take a food tour of your city

No matter how long you’ve lived in a particular area, there is always something new to discover about the food scene! Why not take a food tour to see what you’ve been missing? Big cities with multiple neighborhoods like Boston are especially great places to take a food tour. You’ll get to taste the roots of each district through venues chosen with care to reflect the cultural heritage of the neighborhood.

7. Enjoy a candlelight concert

Concerts and shows are a great way to enjoy time together but how do we make it a more unconventional experience? By choosing a unique performance, of course! One of our favorites is candlelight concerts, performances happening in over 100 cities around the world where classical musicians play everything from Vivaldi to Coldplay. The venue is lit with hundreds of candles for an experience that you won’t soon forget! 

8. Volunteer with a local organization

Volunteering says a lot about a person and what they value in life. Why not spend time with your partner by sharing it with a local organization desperately in need of it? You can sign up for a shift serving food at a local soup kitchen, help repair hiking trails in the countryside, do some weeding for a community garden, or lend expert services like photography or copywriting to an organization looking to freshen up their website!  

9. Break free of an escape room

Escape rooms are a very non-traditional date idea that involves solving engaging puzzles in a short time span. You’ll have 30 to 90 minutes to work your way free of a themed space. Escape room themes include pirate ships, space odysseys, murder mystery mansions, and more still! 

10. Find a niche museum to explore

Most lists of traditional date ideas will include things like art and science museums. But most cities have several niche museums that you might not have ever heard of. Have you been to Minnesota’s SPAM Museum yet? If you’re in Las Vegas, the Neon Museum is as historic as it is beautiful! And then there is the Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix…See what unique museums are near you that you have yet to visit!

11. Go glamping together

Camping is already a pretty non-traditional date idea but sometimes you just don’t feel like sleeping on the ground or dealing with mosquitoes daily. So why not try something a bit fancier instead with a glamping trip? Glamping can be as luxurious as you like; you can book a yurt or trailer instead of a tent spot, for example.

Peerspace has glamping spots across the country, including a yurt sanctuary in Sisters, OR, with a wood stove, fridge, mini fridge, and a bathroom with a shower a short walk away! 

12. Check out an arcade bar

Video game arcades are one venue that only gets better as time goes on! You will not only find the retro classics of your youth there but also the latest console games to play together. Arcade bars level up the experience by providing beer and snacks (or even full-service restaurant options) to enjoy while you find quarters for more games!

13. Visit your local botanic gardens

For a relaxing walk-in-the-park experience in a more formal garden environment, visit your local botanic gardens! These parks usually have permanent and seasonal displays that could include wildflowers, butterflies, essential herbs, and other unique experiences. Plus you can take photos, set out a picnic lunch, and quietly enjoy each other’s company. Many botanic gardens also honor memberships even from other states. So you can make visiting the local botanic garden a thing each time you visit a new city! 

Our unique picnic ideas for couples craving the outdoors are the perfect accompaniment to this sweet suggestion. Check them out!

14. Go out for dessert

Going out for dinner or drinks is so cliche! But how about skipping straight to the sweet part with a dessert date? A dessert date can mean heading to the best ice cream parlor in town for a scoop of your favorite flavors before walking around town.

Cities like Seattle even have ice cream cruises where you can enjoy your ice cream along with views of the city from the deck of a boat! Other dessert date options include chocolate factory tours, an underground donut tour, and choosing a restaurant known for great cake or pie!

15. Break things at a smash room

Looking to let a little stress out together? Smash rooms (or rage rooms) are one of the best and most fun ways to do so! A smash room is a venue where you’ll don protective gear, be given a bat, and can buy a selection of items to break. Packages usually include dishes, glasses, electronics, furniture…Whatever the venue can come up with! Most smash rooms even let you play the music of your choice while you break things!

16. Go to the gym

Ever have a gym date before? You can encourage each other to reach new fitness heights and help form healthy habits by working out as a couple! If you both have memberships to different gyms, think about adding your partner with a guest day pass. That way, they can try the facilities there and see if they enjoy your gym better!

17. Try indoor rock climbing

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Rock climbing and bouldering are some of the best fitness activities around as they work every aspect of your body! If the weather is too hot or rainy, you can head indoors at a rock climbing gym near you. Climbing gyms offer thousands of square feet of space with walls that are designed to challenge every skill level, from beginner to expert.

18. Go stargazing

Let’s round off this list of non-traditional date ideas with a quiet and relaxed activity: stargazing. All you need is a telescope and a map of the night sky to get you started. Bring a blanket to ward away the chill and enjoy soft conversation as the dark deepens. Even without a telescope, there are even apps that help you locate the best sights in the cosmos with nothing more than your phone!

Non-traditional date ideas: conclusion

You don’t have to do the same old coffee or dinner date if you’re itching for something unique. We hope these non-traditional date ideas have inspired you to try something special with your partner! Once you have your date idea planned, think about booking a venue for the occasion through Peerspace! We are the nation’s leading online marketplace for event venues near you and love being a part of your most cherished memories!

Find memorable non-traditional date venues on Peerspace