50 Awesome Outdoor Date Ideas for Summer

Updated on March 19, 2024

A closeup of the arms and hands of two people holding hands with ocean water out of focus in the background.

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The best outdoor date ideas for your next day date or summer date night.

Whether you’re looking for first date ideas or are married and looking for ideas to switch things up on your next date night, this list of 50 outdoor date ideas will inspire you to get outside and enjoy the nice weather.

There’s just something about spending time outside that allows us to feel more connected to ourselves and to each other. It’s easier to put down our phones, feel the summer breeze, and be more present in the moment. Outdoor dates also allow for us to actively participate in something together, which can make us feel closer to whoever we’re with. If you’re having trouble coming up with outdoor date ideas, you’ll love the list of 50 outdoor date ideas below.

These outdoor date ideas cover numerous interests, including fun summer date ideas, day date ideas, romantic date ideas, date ideas for couples, date night ideas, first date ideas, and outdoor activities for couples. If you’re interested in date ideas that are more athletic and adventurous, or are looking for something quiet and calm, we’ve got you covered. There are also ideas for a range of budgets, so whether you’re looking for free date ideas, inexpensive and cheap date ideas, or have a larger budget, there are lots of ideas for everyone. Whichever type of outdoor date ideas you’re looking for, there are many great options for you in the list below.

Here’s a list of the best outdoor date ideas for summer and warm weather dates.


The Best Outdoor Date Ideas

A couple walking on the beach holding hands.

1. Take a walk at a beach, lake, or pond.

One of the best backdrops for good conversation is strolling around a body of water, whether you’re on the coast or inland. If you run out of things to talk about, you can always talk about the things you see as you’re walking around.

2. Play mini golf.

There’s nothing like a little friendly competition. See who can get the first hole-in-one!

3. Go berry picking at your local pick-it-yourself farm.

This is potentially a two-part date idea because after you go berry picking you can go home and make something together with what you picked, like a pie or a fun cocktail!

4. Go to a minor league baseball game.

Support your local minor league baseball team by attending a home game. Share a pretzel or popcorn.

5. Fly kites at the beach or park.

Flying kites isn’t just for kids. It’s actually much more fun as an adult!

6. Visit a botanic garden.

Anyone with an appreciation for nature will enjoy exploring a botanic garden. Depending on where you live, there can be different things in bloom at different times of year, meaning you have an excuse to go more than once.

7. Go on a ghost tour.

Ghost tours are meant to be fun and spooky but not too scary. You’ll have fun listening to interesting stories and learning more about the history of the area.

A couple walking with their arms around each other's backs.

8. Visit a farmer’s market.

This is a cute date idea because you can either choose a recipe beforehand that you want to make together and find fresh local ingredients for it, or you can go to the farmer’s market for lunch and eat as you walk around to the various stands and vendors.

9. Spend the day at the beach.

Is there anything better than a beach day?! We don’t think so.

10. Go to a retro drive-in movie theater.

It’s fun to experience a movie in a different way, so buy some snacks at the snack bar and enjoy the show!

11. Rent stand up paddle boards.

You’re sure to have some laughs together as you try not to fall into the water.

12. Go for a hike somewhere you’ve never been before.

A perfect combination of exploring, nature, and exercise.

13. Take a walking tour of a nearby city.

There’s always something interesting to learn on a walking tour, and you can find one catered to your specific interests, such as architecture or history.

14. Spend the day at an amusement park.

For a thrilling date, ride all of the roller coasters together.

The hands of two different people forming a heart shape that frames the sunset.

15. Watch the sunrise or sunset.

For romantic outdoor date ideas, you can catch a sunrise or sunset together.

16. Get takeout for lunch or dinner and eat it at the beach or park.

You’ve probably had a lot of dates at restaurants, so switch it up and bring takeout to the beach or park.

17. Go on a camping trip.

For one of the more adventurous outdoor date ideas, you can go on a weekend camping trip, consisting of hiking, swimming, making s’mores, and any other camping activities you enjoy.

18. Visit a historic cemetery.

An interesting way to learn about the history of your area. Challenge yourselves to see what the earliest dated headstone you can find is.

19. Go for a run.

Whether you both regularly work out or you want to motivate each other to begin, you can go for a run together and grab a meal or snack to eat outdoors once you’ve finished.


Related: Create Your Perfect Fall Bucket List With These 32 Awesome Ideas


20. Take a day trip to a small town.

Walk around, grab lunch, and visit the local small businesses for some shopping.

21. Go to a driving range.

Even if you’ve never played golf before, this is a fun outdoor date idea because you don’t need to know how to golf in order to give it a try.

The hands of two different people holding melting ice cream cones.

22. Go out for ice cream cones.

One of the best outdoor date ideas because you can do it for a day date or a date night. Plus, everyone loves ice cream!

23. Plant a vegetable garden.

Not only do you get to select the vegetables and plan out the garden together, but then you can try new recipes together with the ingredients once they’re ready to be picked.

24. Go to the zoo.

The zoo isn’t just for kids, and you might actually enjoy learning about the animals more as an adult.

25. Watch fireworks.

There are usually a lot of fireworks displays in the summer, so check out your local event websites to plan for this fun date night idea.

26. Go swimming.

Cool off with a swim at the beach, lake, or pool.

27. Play corn hole in your yard.

Put on some good music and challenge each other to a friendly game of corn hole.

28. Go sailing or boating, or take a boat tour.

There’s nothing like a day out on the water. Take out your own boat or find a boat tour that aligns with your interests, whether that’s sightseeing, fishing, or something else.

A couple kayaking in the same kayak.

29. Go kayaking.

For a fun and active date idea, you can rent kayaks. You can either get single kayaks or share a two-person kayak.

30. Visit a local brewery.

If drinking craft beer is something you enjoy, check out a local brewery. Many have great outdoor setups complete with lawn games, and some are even dog friendly.

31. Play catch or frisbee.

Head to the beach or park and throw around a baseball or frisbee. When was the last time you did that?

32. Go on a sunset cruise.

A little romance, a little adventure.

33. Sign up to run, jog, or walk a 5K road race for charity.

You can either just go for it, or you can train together in the time leading up to the race.

34. Go to a car show.

You’ll get to see unique cars up close and can chat with car enthusiasts if you want to learn more about them.

A couple riding bikes at sunset while holding hands.

35. Go for a bike ride.

A leisurely bike ride is a fun way to take in the sights. If you don’t own bikes, you can find a local shop to rent them from, usually in a more touristy area.

36. Go tubing down a river.

One of the more adventurous outdoor date ideas, and so much fun!

37. Watch a movie in your backyard using a projector.

Hang some string lights and bring out pillows and blankets to make it feel extra cozy.

38. Go to an outdoor concert, or see live music at an outdoor restaurant or bar.

It’s always fun to see live music, and you can support local musicians at the same time.

39. Try a new sport together.

For active outdoor date ideas, find sports or games that neither of you have tried but are interested in, such as pickleball, tennis, bocce, or archery.


Related: 150+ Best Beach Instagram Captions and Quotes


40. Go to a local outdoor food festival.

Check your local events listings to find a food festival and spend the day eating your way through.

41. Host an outdoor game night.

For outdoor date ideas that include other couples or friends, you can host an outdoor game night on your patio. Set up citronella candles, pick out some games, make a playlist, and put out snacks for an easy and fun date night.

Two people holding hands with a path behind them out of focus.

42. Be tourists in your own area.

This is a fun outdoor date idea because you probably haven’t seen or done everything in the area you live in, so why not do something new together?!

43. Visit a local winery.

Tour the vineyards, learn about the winemaking process, and sample some of the product (optional).

44. Cheer on your local high school or college sports team at a home game.

Support your local home team. Even if you don’t usually follow them, it can be fun to cheer them on!

45. Go whale watching.

An exciting day on the water looking for whales and dolphins, plus beautiful views of the ocean and coastline.

46. Take a surfing lesson.

If you’ve never tried surfing before, taking a lesson together can be an exciting and memorable experience.

47. Go bird watching.

You don’t need to be an expert to take advantage of this free outdoor date idea โ€”ย just download a bird identification app on your phone and see how many different birds you can identify at your local park.

48. Visit a local farm to see the animals.

Learn about the farm, see the animals, and you can even take something home with you if they’re selling produce, honey, or other treats.

49. Go to an outdoor craft fair.

Support local artists while enjoying the outdoors. It’s a great place to browse and pick up a gift for someone’s upcoming birthday or start your holiday shopping early. This is a fun option if you’re looking for low-key outdoor date ideas.

50. Rent jet skis.

Wrapping up the list with one of the more thrilling outdoor date ideas, riding jet skis is an exciting time out on the water, whether you live near the coast, lake, or river, and you can choose to ride separately or together.


Save These Outdoor Date Ideas for Later

Pin one of these graphics on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to these ideas. And don’t forget to follow Stars and Anchor on Pinterest for more beach and coastal lifestyle inspiration.

A closeup of the arms and hands of two people holding hands with ocean water out of focus in the background. A text overlay says, 50 best summer date ideas, by Stars and Anchor dot com.
Two people holding hands while walking down the beach, as viewed from behind them. A text overlay says, 50 awesome outdoor date ideas for summer, by Stars and Anchor dot com.
The top of the image shows the silhouette of two people holding hands while riding bikes at sunset. The bottom of the image shows two hands holding melting ice cream cones. A text overlay says, 50 Awesome Outdoor Date Ideas for summer, by Stars and Anchor dot com.

Now that you’ve read about the best outdoor date ideas for day and night, you should have many date ideas for summertime and warm weather.

Summer dates are fun because the option to spend time outside allows for you to explore a new place, try a new activity, and have a change of scenery. There are many activities for couples for a wide range of interests, so there’s always a fun date idea that both people can enjoy together.

Whether you’re looking for first date ideas, romantic date ideas, outdoor date ideas, summer date night ideas, date ideas for couples, outdoor activities for couples, cheap date ideas, fun date ideas, cute date ideas, or summer date ideas, we hope this list has given you some great activities to add to your list.

Which of these outdoor date ideas sounds the most fun to you? Do you have any good outdoor date ideas that we forgot to include? Let us know in the comments.

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