Fun Double Date Ideas (That Aren’t Bowling!)

If you’re considering dipping a toe into the dating pool and you’re feeling a little apprehensive, you needn’t fret. There are plenty of ways to get around those pre-rendezvous jitters, and one of the best methods is to double up on your date.

Lassoing yourself a couple of loved-up friends and towing them along on your next romantic outing is the perfect way to turn down the pressure on your date, especially if it’s early on in the relationship. Basking in the appreciative presence of your friends can help you relax and let your personality shine through. In a group, the dynamic is shifted away from the oft-stifling ‘stare at each other across a spaghetti bowl’ date, to one that’s more relaxed, fun and casual.

Once you’ve cherry picked an accompanying couple that you can be sure will offer empathetic laugher at even your most lacklustre jokes, it’s time to decide what the activity will be. To help you along, we’ve assembled compiled some of the very best double date ideas out there. Happy dating!

10 Wildly Brilliant Double Date Ideas

1. Sit down to stand-up

Whether or not you get on stage depends entirely on you (and how many margaritas you’ve had), but a comedy night is a great way to loosen everyone up and keep the conversation flowing as you discuss which acts wowed and which crashed and burned. Free advice: maybe don’t sit in the front row, unless you feel like being dragged through the mud in front of your new beau.

2. Get your game on

Do you have a competitive streak? Pair up and hold your own mini tournament day – whether it’s a few games of pool or a pub quiz, a little competition makes for a fun and flirtatious atmosphere, and it’s the ideal time for you to show off your talents (or laugh at your lack of them). Just try to keep it all light fun, and avoid red faced, overzealous point scoring and furious rulebook scouring.

3. Rivers of wine

There are two kinds of people: those who enjoy wine tasting because they love sampling and comparing the aromas, textures and flavors of some of the world’s most fascinating wines, and those who enjoy wine tasting because they get to drink loads of wine. Whichever category you and your date fall into, this is a surefire hit; one of the classic double date ideas.

4. Frantic dinner party

This one works on a double date, but in reality you can invite as many friends or couples as you like. Each couple cooks a different course for the meal, and you travel to each other’s homes for each one – a fun, frantic, and inventive way to spend a day that you’ll be talking about for years to come. Assuming nobody contracts food poisoning, or gets lost on the way to dessert.

5. Unleash your inner Mariah

Perhaps one for the bold, karaoke works best when you’re in a group. While it might seem strange if you were to suggest this as a one on one date, it can be a real thigh-slapper with the right crowd. If one of you can nail a warbling soprano and one of your team can belt out the baritone, you’re onto a winner. Ultimate karaoke tip: for the perfect duet, ditch ‘Islands in the Stream’ and instead shoot for anything by June Carter and Johnny Cash.

6. Old school road trip

Is there anything better in the world than the sheer anticipation before a grand day out? In many cases, the journey is often more exhilarating than the destination. Wake up early, load the car with goodies, pile inside with your date and your friends, and hit the road together – whether it’s a day excursion or a full holiday, the natural giddiness that arises from imminent adventure is guaranteed to bring the smiles.

7. Which way to the beach?

Obviously this one won’t be applicable to everyone (unless global warming continues) but a trip to the beach is one of the most simple, joyous and affordable activities for a double date. Think volleyball, Frisbee, drinks coolers, and the inevitable moment someone leaves their shoes too close to the water and they are washed out to sea like Wilson in Castaway.

8. Bargain hunt

Heading down to a flea market or a local produce fair is a great way to while away the hours on a double date. What’s great about markets is the variety offered, whether it’s a collection of bewilderingly strong cheeses or a bric-a-brac stall crammed full of forgotten treasures.

9. All things intellectual

Another of the more classic double date ideas: if you’re concerned about running out of talking points on your date, head to an art gallery or museum and let the exhibits do all the talking for you. Visiting an art exhibitions or museum also gives you a chance to get a real insight into the inner clockwork of your date’s head – where do their interests lie? Don’t hold back from showing your interests, either – there’s nothing more attractive than seeing someone wax lyrical about their passions.

10. Auditory goodness

If you can settle on an act between the four of you, a concert is a completely relaxed environment and a fantastic opportunity to let loose and enjoy a boogie to some live music. Probably best to find out your date’s music taste before you go booking those Metallica tickets, though.

By now, you’ll hopefully should be boiling over with exciting and original double date ideas. And if you’re currently lacking a date? Grab life by the horns, join EliteSingles, and put yourself out there! You never know who’ll come your way…

About the author: EliteSingles Editor

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