32 Double Date Ideas Everyone Will Enjoy
Double dates are a fun way to meet your friends' partner, try something new and freshen up your own relationship - wins all around!
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We know a lot of people inwardly sigh when the idea of a double date comes up, but stay with us, because if you come up with fun double date ideas, a double date can be a super fun way to introduce groups of friends ahead of your wedding and try new things at the same time.
Don’t just take our word for it, though. Relationship therapist Dr. Emily May shares why a double date can be a brilliant idea for those of us in long term relationships.
“Double dates are a great way to freshen up long-term relationships while adding a touch of excitement and social interaction into situations,” she says. “After a while, it’s not uncommon for couples to settle into a routine and many of us begin to prioritise our individual time over time together. However, double dates can do wonders for your emotional connection with your other half.”
When you’re saving for a wedding it can be tempting to eschew date nights in favour of evenings in, but inviting friends along means you get to spend time with your pals and your partner too. Plus, if your other half hasn’t met some of the people on your wedding guest list (work or old school friends, for example), it’s an excellent way for them to mingle pre-wedding.
“Dates between two couples provide fresh perspectives, opportunities for mutual growth and even conversation starters. Memories between couples and friends can be created and this alone can result in greater relationship satisfaction,” adds Emily.
Unusual Double Date Ideas
Looking for something a bit more unique? These unusual double date ideas will delight the whole group.
1. Outdoor Cinema Trip
Outdoor cinemas make amazing summer dates, especially the immersive ones. They show cult classics and new releases so you'll be able to find a film you all like. If it's a chillier time of year, look for independent cinemas near you. Lots of them have movie marathons, sing-a-long screenings or even host small film festivals. It's a great double date for movie buffs. Try Backyard Cinema, who offer events in London and Manchester.
2. Beat an Escape Room
Escape rooms are one of those activities that are better as a four than a a two. Put your combined brain power together and solve the clues to get out the room in the time limit. You'll each have different strengths and together it'll be a seriously fun, interactive, brain-teasing date idea. Escape rooms by Escape Hunt are all over the country and always super fun.
3. Try a Paint and Wine Night
Whether you're a modern-day Picasso or couldn't tell a 2B pencil from a PS 2, these are art classes with a difference. You'll find paint and wine nights across the UK where a talented tutor leads you through a painting session while you sip on wine and laugh at your disastrous attempts to draw. It's a relaxed, fun environment to let out some creativity and absolutely no experience is required.
4. Listen to a Live Podcast
If you all love the same podcast or share common interests such as true crime, sports, comedy, travel, history, celebrities, films - anything really - there'll be a podcast for it. Often podcasts do live recordings with an audience and it's such a fun experience to get tickets. There are also podcast festivals around the country so you could just book into something random and find a new passion!
5. Swing Into Trapeze School
If you all love the idea of learning some aerial acrobatics, sign up as a foursome to a trapeze school. Lots of them take place at circus schools across the country so anyone who isn't as keen on high heights could try a circus skill instead, like silks, ropes and hoops.
6. Go to a Comedy Club
Did you know laughter is said to strengthen your immune system and boost your mood by triggering the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good hormones? Reportedly, laughter increases attraction between partners too. So what better place to spend an evening than belly laughing with your other half and your pals at a comedy club? The Comedy Club has lol-inducing venues all over the country.
7. Head to a Late Night Zoo Visit
Zoos across the UK offer adults-only twilight entry in summer where the zoos stay open late with food, drink, music and special talks. Animal lovers will adore seeing the nocturnal animals and fulfilling those childhood fantasies of being in your favourite place after dark. Chester Zoo's Afterglow evenings are among our favourites...
8. Go Geocaching
Geocaching is basically treasure hunting. You use GPS to search for hidden boxes of objects and can combine it with a beautiful walk in the countryside or hunt around your local area. You can even register your own caches, so if the group of you have a favourite place to visit, you can hide a box there and invite others to find it!
9. Play Doubles in Ping Pong
Eat pizza, drink cocktails and dance to live DJs at the cool new table tennis clubs that have popped up across the UK. Get yourself a table to play a few games of doubles and make a night of it.
10. Do a Food Crawl
Head to a street food market and assign each dater a course of the meal. One gets starter, another main, someone's on sides, and finally one of you chooses dessert. It's a great way to try loads of different kinds of food and push your taste buds because you *have* to taste each dish.
11. Try Wine Tasting
More engaging than simply ordering a bottle of wine in the pub, lots of wine merchants hose wine tasting evenings. Get together, sample the wines and maybe you’ll head home with a new favourite tipple.
Daytime Double Date Ideas
Not a fan of staying out late? We get it. These daytime double date ideas ensure everyone can be home and tucked up in bed by 9.30, should you wish.
12. Head to the Coast
Pack a picnic, your swimwear (if you're brave enough) and some wine and spend a fun day at the beach. There's so much to do that you'll satisfy everyone's tastes, whether that's fish and chips on the pier, games in the arcade, hiring a boat or playing beach games on the sand. It can be as chill or adventurous as you want and couples can split for a few hours to do something different if they want one-on-one time. Stay until sunset and bring blankets for an unforgettable day by the sea.
13. Scream at a Theme Park
Four is the best number for a theme park day out. You either get to sit next to each other in groups of two, in a row of four or, if you don't want to go on the ride, you can skip it and there's always someone else who's up for it! We'll leave the G-Force roller coasters, thanks....
14. Pick Fruit
Pick-your-own farms are open for most of the year and make an awesome day date idea. Obviously the best time of year to go is summer when you can keep your fingers crossed for a sunny day full of strawberry, cherry and peach picking, but autumn brings pumpkins and squashes, sweetcorn, apples, pears and plums.
15. Play Mini Golf
Pitch-and-putt courses are cheap, fun and encourage some healthy competition! If you want to take crazy gold a bit further, go to a venue such as Swingers where you can buy drinks and street food as you make your way round cool courses.
16. Go Rock Climbing
Rock climbing or bouldering is a fun activity that helps you break a sweat. It's great to do it in a group as you can race against each other to the top. It's a really nice trust-building exercise to spot for your partner so you might find it inadvertently builds your bond too.
17. Dog Date
If both couples have dogs, make it a triple date: you, them and the doggos. Take your furry friends on a special dog walk, whether that's somewhere you haven't been before or even to a doggy meet-up.
Cheap Double Date Ideas
We get it, you're working on that wedding budget. These cheap double date ideas will ensure you're not forking out too much to have fun.
18. Pub Quiz Night
The trick to the best pub quiz double date is to choose a couple that has different areas of knowledge to you. A winning team will have people with good knowledge of sports, history, geography, celebrities and current affairs. Choose your fellow teammates wisely and you could win a cash prize, making it a super cheap double date!
19. Go Bowling
Hire a lane and take each other one in the ultimate bowling championship. Best of three games wins.
20. Host a Games Night
Invest in a new board game or play a beloved classic with your pals. There's so many great four player games that you can't do as a couple. Make sure there's wine, snacks and all the game pieces before you begin.
21. Throw a 'Come Dine With Me' Contest
One couple are in charge of starter and dessert, the other couple provide the main and sides. If you live within walking distance of each other then you can move between houses, but if not, then the starter and dessert are easy to bring cold and reheat. The night is even better if you nominate one of you as a sarcastic narrator.
22. Cheese Tasting
Along the same lines, creating your own fancy charcuterie boards of cheese (and meat, if you like) and tucking in in your living room sounds brilliant to us. That way, there’s nowhere to travel when the cheese-coma sets in
London Double Date Ideas
Looking for a double date idea in the capital? These London double date ideas will appeal!
23. See a Play or Musical
From a West End musical to a student production at your local theatre, there's no end of shows and plays to watch any night of the week for every budget. Look for bargains on ticket sale sites like TodayTix for cheap seats to the biggest shows, often with A-list names in the cast.
24. Visit a City Farm
You'll find all the best farmyard animals - goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, donkeys - and often a few odd additions such as guinea pigs, llamas and hedgehogs. Most of them allow you to feed the animals with their special food and have great cafes to fill you up too.
25. Bermondsey Beer Mile
If you and your double daters enjoy craft beer, hit up South London’s iconic Bermondsey Beer Mile. The mile-long stretch takes in countless breweries, where beer loves can sample a whole host of delights from London’s best brewers. Stop at Maltby Street Market for food stalls when you get peckish.
26. Board Game Dates
Head to Loading Bar in Dalston or Four Thieves in Clapham and indudge your inner child by borrowing board games from their extensive collection.
If a pub dedicated to board games doesn’t delight you, just hit up a normal pub and play from their selection of games.
27. Go Boating in Hyde Park
Whether you hire a pedalo or a rowing boat, an afternoon spent on the Serpentine is always good fun.
28. Flight Club
For a fun take on darts (it’s not just for old men!) visit one of Flight Club’s London destinations and watch your competitive sides fire up.
29. Eat at Dans Le Noir
Dans Le Noir is a completely pitch black restaurant, where you’re served by blind waiters. It’s a truly novel experience and one you and your fellow double daters will remember for years to come.
30. Walk the Thames Path
Take a trip through history without paying a penny by walking the Thames Path. Start in Richmond and amble west towards Twickenham, where all the best riverside pubs are, or join the path at Greenwich and walk to London Bridge, taking in all the sites the city has to offer.
31. Enjoy Richmond
Speaking of Richmond, hire kayaks and take to the river for a perfect West London double date. Finish off with a stroll around Richmond Park, keeping an eye out for the famous deers.
32. Go Swimming in Hampstead Heath
There’s nothing better than spending a summers day lounging at the ponds in Hampstead Heath. Take a picnic and while away the hours.
What Are Good Double Date Ideas?
If you're stuck for good double date ideas, don't panic. Dating expert Dr. Emily May has a foolproof formula for finding a good double date idea.
1. Look for activities
“The best double-date ideas are the ones that are fun, and require interaction and teamwork," says Dr. Emily May. "Think bowling, wine tasting, cooking classes or even a picnic in the park. You could even host a board game night at home or pop along to a local pub quiz.”
2. Visit somewhere new
“Exploring new places is a great idea for double dates,” says Emily. “Why not try a new restaurant or plan a day trip somewhere? Not only will this enrich your senses but you don’t need to worry about awkward silences or breaking the ice as these fun activities give you something to do and talk about.”
3. Try different double date duos
“Try double dates with different people, as the company you choose will likely have a big impact on the overall experience,” advises Emily. “Stepping outside of your comfort zone and normal routine can breathe new life into long-term relationships and helps to create a foundation for stronger bonds and long-lasting love.”
4. Take it in turns
If you hit it off with another couple who make for the perfect double date duo, you could take it in turns to plan double dates for each other. “Ultimately you want to choose activities that you’ll all enjoy ensuring that everyone feels included, connected and enjoys it,” Emily says.
Still on the hunt for date ideas? Here are 40 unique date ideas in London to inspire you.
