50 Ideas for Your Next Date Night

After a long week ideas for date night can be difficult to come up with. Anyone feel me? “Movie? Dinner? How about the usual?” Here are 50 date night ideas to keep you and your love spontaneous, interested and relatively decision free. For extra fun, note each choice on a piece of paper and throw them into a box. When date night rolls around, close your eyes and choose! A box of dates makes a great gift too.

1. Sunday Brunch on South Congress- get some tacos, or get a coffee and a muffin, or saddle up for South Congress Café. The people watching is a sport.
2. Popcorn and a movie- Alamo Draft House is THE BEST one stop shop. They even have frozen margaritas. My personal favorite.
3. You Tube date night- open an ice cold beer and pop open a bottle of wine and You Tube silly videos. A good laugh cures all!
4. Pizza Party – but from scratch. Join hands, get messy, and throw some flour around. Maybe even sneak in some movie perfect kisses.
5. Bob Bullock Museum – Love history? Me neither. But my husband sure does! Bob Bullock has great family deals and they even have free admission a few times a month.
6. Farmer’s Market – Do you have a neighborhood farmer’s market? I’d bet you do! Take advantage of all the fresh produce Austin has to offer. The market’s often have booths with sweet little gifts – get ahead on Christmas shopping!
7. Fredericksburg Day Trip – Take a wine tour or just take a day trip with you sweetheart. Browse the streets and soak in that small hometown feeling.
8. UT Football game- Watch it at a bar, or in person! These days tickets are cheaper than ever (sorry Horns L ) But there’s nothing like being in Darrell Royal Stadium.

   

9. Alamo Draft House- Sing along! A new twist on movie night. They have a Beyonce sing along just around the corner! (Maybe a better date night for you and your bestie. J )
10. Coffee Shop Hop – Love java? Me too! I love it a little too much. Bounce around your neck of the woods and share a pumpkin spice latte or steamer or cappuccino. See which drink suits your fancy the best.
11. Deliver treats to your friends- We often get so busy that we forget to nurture our friendships! Spend one Saturday afternoon dropping off cookies, trading hugs and catching up with your nearest and dearest. Ten minutes with friends does wonders.
12. Couple Bucket List- Over a casual dinner, write down your bucket list. What do you most want to do? What does your love most want to do? Maybe some of the answers will surprise you.
13. Wedding Nostalgia- Do you have a wedding video? How about a wedding album. Take half an hour and go back in time! There’s nothing like “remembering when.”
14. Monopoly- Tried and true! Board games are so underrated. Turn off the television and dive in.
15. Hit some balls- Not that kind! Head over to a mini golf course and enjoy the fall weather.
16. Duck Tours – Tour your own city? Why not? We could all learn a little about our darling city.
17. S’mores night- Do you have a fire pit? Me neither. But we have a fire place! And we have a neighborhood park grill. Any of these would be perfect to use for S’mores Night. Simple and delicious and romantic. If you want to take it up a notch visit Halcyon on 4^th street. They have their own S’mores kit on the menu. Make your own while you’re dressed for the town.
18. Breakfast for dinner – … in bed! Put a twist on breakfast and on dinner. Whip up some pancakes and fire up the stove for savory bacon. Turn the day on its head and enjoy something out of the routine.
19. Cap City Comedy- with so many comics stopping through Austin you’re sure to find some great laughs and prices your wallet won’t even notice!
20. Cook a meal together- Did you like pizza night? Take it to the next level and prepare one of your family favorites together. The goal here is quality time, so it doesn’t have to be complicated, just fun! Turn on the CD player – just kidding – I know no one has CD players anymore except us – and pop some prosecco!
21. Star gaze – Is that too cheesy? I don’t think so. Pack few blankets and head out to Zilker or the 360 bridge or even Mount Bonnell and take a moment to look up and that big Texas sky.
22. Trivia night – You don’t even have to play a full game of Trivial Pursuit. We like to keep stacks of Trivial Pursuit cards around and just quiz each other. Random facts are so interesting. There’s also trivia night clubs around town. Check out, Geeks Who Drink.
23. Drive in Movie- Check out Blue Starlite Mini Urban on 51^st street. November is Harry Potter Fest!
24. Pick a favorite neighborhood- Maybe you live in your favorite neighborhood, lucky you! If you don’t — pick one and take an evening stroll through it. Look around at the beautiful houses or maybe the holiday lights. Beauty is everywhere.
25. Teach each other a new skill- Maybe you’re really good at kayaking. Maybe you’re honey is really good a fly-fishing. Maybe you guys could teach each other a new skill over cold beers or perfectly warm coffee. Maybe you’re awesome at knitting, maybe your partner is awesome at drawing – exchange passions and see what happens!
26. Water Plant Dinner – There is a perfect table by the water plant on Barton Springs road. It begs to be used and is lit beautifully at night. Set up a double date with your favorite pair and take advantage of the city.
27. Classic Car Show – Take a trip down memory lane with a classic car show. This gem comes around once a year. Next one is April 2016.
28. Lady Bird Lake – Lake Bird Lake can be enjoyed a number of ways. Stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, walking around it, swimming and even floating in it! Park under the Mopac Bridge (closest to Lake Austin Blvd.) and see what strikes your fancy.
29. Painting class – Check out Painting with a Twist. They are all over Austin and are delightful.
30. Aztex Soccer- Located by UT campus, their soccer stadium is easily accessible and enjoyable! It’s a great way to experience Austin’s diverse attractions.
31. Frisbee Golf- If I can do it, you can do it! It takes little athletic ability and is a great way to walk around and have a few good laughs. Don’t feel bad if your Frisbee gets stuck in a tree once or twice.
32. Bowling – From Dart Bowl to Highball, there are plenty of bowling options in the ATX. Maybe a friendly wager would make things more interesting?
33. Karaoke – I’m excited about karaoke!!! I just can’t stay up as late as I used to. Ego’s on South Congress is renowned for excellent karaoke and stiff drinks.
34. Saxon pub – With live music 7 nights a week, there’s something for everyone. For most of the 6pm showings admission is FREE.
35. Bike rides – There are bikes available for rent around town! Austin B Cycle has upwards of 25 bike stations located downtown so you can hop on a bike and ride to your favorite restaurant without too much commitment. Perfect!
36. Volunteer work – Give me one second to explain. It may be nice – seeing each other give back to the community. Maybe it’s the local foodbank, or manning a booth at the school fall festival. The goal here is quality time, remember?
37. Zilker Park – Oh how I love thee. There are endless activities here – soccer, picnic, Blues on the Green, the Kite Festival, Trail of Lights. There’s a way to enjoy the park, year round.
38. College area sports – St. Edwards, Huston Tillotson, University of Texas – all three of these fine institutions have exciting sporting events – and they’re all a good bang for your buck! Volleyball, baseball, track meets, basketball – there’s more to Texas than UT football. J
39. Newspapers – Read the newspapers over a lazy Sunday. We do this all the time at our house and it provides for great conversation. We get to see and hear what the other is interested in. We talk about politics and world affairs even if it’s just for a few minutes in between baby demands. It’s a great way to keep it fresh.
40. San Antonio – If you can swing a day trip, San Antonio is such a lovely getaway. The Riverwalk provides beauty, romance and tasty restaurants.
41. East Side Dinner – We live west of downtown and so we hardly get to the Eastside. But getting out of our neighborhood with some fresh scenery and music is always such a treat. There are entire worlds out there just one zip code away. J
42. Take a cooking class – They are offered at both Central Market and Whole Foods. Getting cooking tips while you cook and drink wine – divine!
43. Austin Mural Crawl – Austin’s colorful murals should be enjoyed! There are so many around town and they’re perfect picture opportunities. Be sure to stop at the Hope Outdoor Gallery.
44. Broken Spoke – Visit this Austin classic and two step the night away. They offer free dance lessons Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30pm.
45. Hideout Theatre – Check out the improv at Hideout Theatre on Congress, just a few blocks from the Capitol. Tickets start at around $10 and the night is full of fun and excitement! I love their shows. They even offer free improv classes a few nights a week.
46. Esther’s Follies – This is an Austin institution. My folks used to take me and now I go with my husband. The shows are witty and timely and full of energy. The actors are a talented troop. Tickets begin at $25.00.
47. Austin Symphony – But not all dressed up – at the park! They offer free shows during summer months around town. It’s a great way to hear high quality music and enjoy some one on one time with your love.
48. Blanton Art Museum – Third Thursdays are free and include different programming options such as yoga!
49. Trapeze Class – I highly recommend this! A girlfriend and I took a few classes and it was such a blast. It was an adrenaline rush without being unsafe. You’re high in the air, swinging…it’s pretty exhilarating. Check out Trapeze Austin on Manchaca.
50. Yard Bar – Love your pup, me too! This delightful bar/dog park is just what the doctor ordered. It makes crisp Austin afternoons even better. You all can get some quality time in with your pup and your sweetheart!