13 of the Best Day Date Ideas

Traditionally, dating is something you save for the evening hours. You go for a meal, enjoy a drink or two, and maybe even catch a film. But things are changing, and day dates are just as common.

There’s no alcohol to loosen the tongue and no film to break the ice, but there are still lots of fun things to do. In fact, if you plan it properly, a day date can be just as exciting as a nighttime date. In this guide, we’ll highlight some fun day date ideas to spice things up on those anxious first dates.

13 Winning Day Date Ideas

1.      Going for Breakfast

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not start your day and your day date with a hearty feast?

It’s one of the more unusual date ideas, but a big breakfast is cheaper than an evening meal at a fine dining restaurant and you can even go for a stroll afterward to walk off those calories.

2.      Take a Class

Get messy with a ceramics class, sweaty with a dance class, or creative with an art class. It’s unique, fun, and liberating. You will create memories that will stay with you for years and give you something to talk about on those later dates. Even the popular dating site Match UK offers dating events and classes in the UK.

3.      Visit the Zoo

Dropping by your local is one of the best day date ideas for animal lovers, but the biggest zoos offer a little bit of everything, from food, drinks, and snacks, to shopping, walking, and more. You can spend time with the animals, show off your caring side, and enjoy a nice meal afterward.

4.      Visit the Aquarium

If the zoo isn’t an option, try the aquarium instead. It offers many of the same benefits and is an affordable way to while away the afternoon hours.

5.      Visit a Museum

Visiting a museum is a great way to show your cultural side. More importantly, there will be plenty of topics to discuss, making it ideal for those awkward first dates.

Look for a local museum with exhibits that will appeal to your date. In big cities, you have plenty of options, and many of them are free, so you can save yourself some money in the process.

6.      Play Some Mini-Golf

The day date of choice for countless sit-com and rom-com characters, mini-golf is fun and offers plenty of opportunities for jokes and camaraderie. Break the ice, show off your skills, and have some laughs in the process.

7.      Drop by an Art Gallery

Art galleries, like museums, are abundant and can often be accessed free of charge. They’re a good option for culture lovers and older daters who want to avoid the noise of the pubs and clubs.

You can learn a lot about a person in an art gallery, and there are plenty of conversation starters to ensure you’re not stuck asking the same questions and repeating the same anxious small talk.

If you’re over 50, take a look at our guide on senior dating tips, and make sure you read our review of OurTime.

8.      Go Fruit Picking

Struggling for day date ideas outside of the city? Head for a fruit farm. It’s unusual, but if the weather’s nice, you’ll get some sunshine, exercise, and have a few baskets of fruit at the end of it.

Fruit picking is a great way to build a rapport with your date. You don’t have to shout just to be heard, nor do you have to worry about getting bits of spinach or pork stuck in your teeth. At the end of it, you can even take the fruit that you’ve collected, buy a few drinks and some sandwiches, and go for a picnic!

9.      Go on a Coffee Date

Of all the fun things to do on a day date, going for a coffee is probably the most uninspiring and cliché. But clichés exist for a reason. Coffee dates are some of the most common and the most effective day dates.

When you’re online dating, it’s good to have a simple but effective option like this. Additionally, it gives you a chance to explore other date ideas if things are going well. If not, you can finish your coffee, thank them for their time, and head home.

10.  Exercise Together

Combine your passion for fitness with your day date—go for a hike in the hills, a swim in the sea (or the pool), or a jog. You can even go to the gym together. If you were both going to go anyway, why not? Becoming part of each other’s routine like this can bring you closer together. It also establishes traditions that keep you together for months to come.

11.  Play a Game

Expend some of that anxious energy playing a game of tennis or venturing into the arcade to play some video games. Table tennis, air hockey, dancing games—there’s no shortage of options.

12.  Watch a Game

If you don’t have the energy, skill, or will to play a game, or you just don’t want to show yourself up, watch the professionals do it instead. Take your date to watch a football or rugby match, purchase tickets to the tennis, and soak up some of that live-action.

13.  Go to a Bookshop or Record Shop

Political leanings and musical preferences are two of the most important things in determining compatibility. Take your date around a record shop to learn about their musical tastes.

Do they like to rock out to Metallica or sway to Ed Sheeran?

Having similar tastes in music can make your relationship much easier. It will also give you a lot to talk about during those first few dates.

Bookshops work in much the same way but they are also quieter and more reflective. This is ideal if you’re not much of a talker and have a lot of nerves to shake off.

Asking Your Match on a Day Date

With the popularity of online dating and the fact that everyone leads busy and hectic lives, day dates are fairly common. So, see what your match is interested in, browse through the date ideas above, and do something special for your next date!