Take advantage of the beautiful weather and plentiful sunshine with these fun (and cheap!) summer date ideas. At home, or out on the town, you'll be soaking in the romance of the season without busting your budget!
Could there be a more romantic season? Soaking up sunshine during the day and watching stars at night—sounds pretty fabulous to us! Take advantage of those long summer days and spend some extra time loving on your sweetheart. It will definitely pay off.
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Whether you're stuck at home or ready for a night on the town, these summer date ideas are sure to get the sparks flying… and maybe even end in a little bow chicka wow wow! You'll keep your connection strong and your bank account intact—because these summer date ideas are mostly FREE!
SUMMER DATES AT HOME
Staying home doesn't have to be a bummer in the summer. You'll have so much fun with these summer dates, you won't even know you're at home!
- Get a Fire Going – Make a bonfire or use a small fire pit. Now, sit back and watch those sparks fly… literally! Grab some roasting sticks and make S'mores for a delicious treat!
- Have a Patio Dinner – Sometimes a simple switch-up can make things really special! Light some candles to make it even more romantic.
- Adult Scavenger Hunt – Write a secret love note to your lover and hide it in the backyard. Give clues to see if they can find it!
- Make Homemade Ice-cream – So easy and so worth it.
- Cook a Meal – Make it together using only fresh summer produce from the farmer's market.
- Plan a Sunrise Breakfast – Get up before the sun and cook a delicious breakfast to enjoy as you watch the sun come up. Try this pancake recipe!
- Backyard Campout – This one is for just the two of you! Set up a tent in the backyard and hang out by the fire pit.
- Water Fight – Channel your inner kid and surprise your significant other with a fun water fight. Make sure you have plenty of water balloons ready and a few backup water guns!
- 5-Star Restaurant – Yes, we are still talking at home! Recruit your kids as servers and let them treat you to fancy 5-star service. Tips are optional. 😉
- Wash Your Car – Splish, splash! If you don't get soaked while doing this, you're doing it wrong.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to summer dates at home. Get creative and use the resources you have to keep the cost down.
OUTDOOR SUMMER DATE IDEAS
Nothing screams outdoors like the sweet, sweet smell of summertime. Get outside and have an adventure with these fun outdoor summer date ideas!
- Go for a Jog – Check out other active date ideas here!
- Doggie Date – Take your dog out for a hike or even just a walk around the block.
- Go Berry Picking – Then go home and bake a pie!
- Go for a Swim – At the pool, at the lake… whatever tickles your fancy!
- Stargaze – The starts just seem so much brighter in the summer! See if you can find any constellations. Comfy blankets are a MUST for this date night! (Use code PAGE45 for 45% off the comfiest blankets on the planet!)
- Sleep Under the Stars – Spend the night on a hammock or on a blow up mattress under the stars.
- Outdoor Movie Night – Grab your laptop or iPad and take it to a local lake for a movie with a view.
- Eat Popsicles Outside – Try one of these recipes!
- Go Roller Blading – If you have skates already, this one is totally free! Just pop them on and go for a neighborhood roll together.
- Find a Free Outdoor Concert – Lots of local towns host free summer concerts!
Make the most of the beautiful summer weather with these outdoor summer dates. Just don't forget the bug spray… it is summer after all!
SUMMER DATES OUT ON THE TOWN
Are you the kind that loves to hit the town? Here are our favorite summer date ideas you are sure to love!
- Thrift Date – Go to your nearest thrift store and shop for the other person's date night clothes. No matter what they pick out, you HAVE to wear it! *Insert evil laugh here.
- Go for a Drive – Borrow a friend's convertible and go for a summer drive with the top down.
- Attend a Sports Game – Soccer, baseball, golf—whatever floats your boat! Skip the pricy professional games and go to a minor league game instead if you want to save extra cash!
- Hit the Food Trucks – Sample things from a few and share!
- Dice Roadtrip – Get a dry erase set of dice and put the name of a different restaurant on each side to decide where you'll eat. Keep doing this to see where the night takes you. Hellooooo spontaneity!
- Photo Date – Try your hand at amateur photography and take some shots of each other at locations all around town.
- Go for Fro-Yo – Fro-Yo is super cheap… unless you go crazy with toppings!
- Garage Sale Hopping – Look for treasures. Don't forget to haggle—that's half the fun!
- Visit the Driving Range – Grab a couple of golf clubs and a cheap bucket of range balls. It's okay if you've never played before, the worse you are the funnier it will be!
- Go Shopping – No, not for yourself… for a local food pantry! Nothing is more rewarding than serving others together.
Try one of these fun summer date ideas every week to keep things fresh and exciting… for a fraction of the cost of a traditional date night out. Watch your relationship bloom right along with all those beautiful summer wildflowers. What is your favorite summer date activity? Share with us in the comments below!
Looking for more helpful posts?
- Having trouble getting the conversation going? Try these 50+ get to know you questions to break the ice!
- Check out this list of marriage books you SHOULD invest in!
- Learn how to get your spouse to stop spending money and get on the same page!
Hope you have a great date night!
I’ve noticed a lot of cities have free tennis courts at parks and schools. If you can get your hands on some second-hand rackets and balls, it can make for a fun day. Loser can clean up after dinner.
We enjoy going bike riding together and I’m trying to convince my partner to do a picnic in the park with me. All fun ideas for really cheap!