he summer is officially here, which means it’s time to throw on some board shorts, grab some shades and get out of the house. If you’re in a relationship (or looking to start one 👀) the summertime is a great opportunity to spend some time off from school or work with your significant other.
The gorgeous sunny days that only summertime can bestow upon us are fleeting, so you’re going to want to make the most out of them. What better way to do this than to spend some time outdoors with your significant other?
But, you can’t have an outdoor date with your partner without having an idea for one first. Summertime may be hot, but when it comes to thinking of ideas for outdoor dates, there’s no need to sweat it. We’ve compiled a list of 21 outdoor date ideas that you and your partner are sure to love. Not to mention, they’ll create all the fun and excitement you need to have a memorable summer.
1. Go on a picnic 🍎
Picnics can be as elaborate or simple as you want them to be, but either way they’ll serve as a good change of pace from you and your partner’s normal dates out to restaurants. Plus, you get to decide what’s on the menu yourselves.
2. Grab a blanket and watch some clouds ☁️
Grab a blanket, find an area with relatively low air pollution, and just spend some time looking up at the sky. Cloud watching is a great excuse for you and your partner to just spend some time outdoors relaxing while enjoying each other’s company. You can even call it a date.
3. Grab a blanket and look at some stars ✨
Depending on how long your cloud watching date lasts, you might be able to squeeze a second date in by looking at the stars. Stargazing, the cousin to cloud watching, is a better alternative for couples who want to spend some time outdoors but are looking for something a little more romantic than looking at clouds.
4. Take off from work and head to the beach 🏖️
*Cough cough* Not feeling well? Doctor’s orders are to head to the beach...
5. Compete against each other in a round of mini golf ⛳
Couples who have golfing experience can find an 18 hole golf course to walk around on in the sweltering heat. But, for everyone else, there’s mini golf. Who cares that mini golf courses are popular locations for kids’ birthday parties? That’s no reason not to take the game seriously and to compete against your partner.
6. But determine the real winner with a round of frisbee golf 🥏
Now that you and your partner have warmed up with a round of mini golf, it’s time to see who the true golf champion is with a round of frisbee golf. Because yes, turning ultimate frisbee into a game of golf makes complete sense.
7. Have a cookout for two 🌭
What’s a summer without a cookout? Probably not a great one...Keep your outdoor date casual by grilling lunch with your partner. If you don’t own a grill, take a trip to your local public park—you can turn your cookout into a picnic and make you date that much more enjoyable.
8. Spend an evening by the fire 🔥
Fire pits and s’mores are without a doubt another summertime staple. Plus, cuddling with your partner by the fire is a sure way to make for a cozy and relaxing evening.
9. Watch the sunrise 🌅
It’s peaceful, outdoors, and yes, very romantic, but it will also make you feel productive for the rest of your day.
10. Watch the sunset 🌇
The other romantic alternative for those who don’t consider themselves early birds. Spending some time with your significant other a warm summer night as you watch the sun go down—what’s better than that?
11. Go hiking 🥾
Going for a hike may sound like the most cliche outdoor date idea, but trust us, it’s only cliche because it’s a good one. Although, if you and your partner are a little tired of hiking, finding a few new trails you can explore is a sure way to regain interest.
12. Play Pokemon Go 📱
There’s something for everyone in the great outdoors, including those who love Pokemon. Yes, we know, Pokemon Go is so 2016, to which we respond with “so?” Regardless of what you and your partner like to do, find time to do it during the summer. Beautiful weather means you can transfer most fun activities and hobbies to an outdoor setting.
13. Go for a drive 🚘
No, going for a drive in a car isn’t an indoor date...as long as you roll the windows down. Driving without a destination in mind may seem pointless, but that’s exactly the point. Putting on a playlist that you and your partner can both sing along to and just going wherever your intuition takes you can help relieve you of the stress and pressure that comes along with everyday life. Just enjoy the time you have with your partner while you have it, regardless of where you are. There’s nothing else to it.
14. Eat some ice cream 🍦
Going out for ice cream is a rite of passage during the summer, regardless of how old you are. Take your partner out to an ice cream place you both enjoy and no, don’t feel bad about it.
14 (½). Eat some more ice cream 🍦🍦
So you and your significant other went to one ice cream place...what about all of the others? Summer lasts three months for a reason!
15. Explore cute and walkable towns 👫
People often think of exploring as venturing out into nature, but there’s no reason why this can’t include going to new towns and locations that you are unfamiliar with. Perhaps there’s a town nearby with a quaint main street you and your partner can walk down. This allows you to get outdoors and engage in light physical activity while also keeping things exciting by changing up your usual scenery. Even better, when the heat becomes unbearable, you and your partner can sneak into a few stores to reap the benefits of some much needed air conditioning.
16. Spend time at local farmers markets 🌾
Farmers markets aren’t around all year long, so you don’t want to miss them. Not only does a walk through your local farmer’s market result in some delicious hand grown food that you can stock your fridge with, it also makes for a perfect date on a weekend morning.
17. Set up a hammock and relax 🌳
Hammocking allows you and your partner to engage with nature in a relaxing and carefree way. It’s also a great excuse to go to L.L. Bean to buy a hammock (in addition to some other things you might not need).
18. Take a trip in a hot air balloon 🎈
Taking a ride in a hot air balloon with your significant other may seem like a pretty out-there idea (which makes sense considering most hot air balloon rides will take someone between 1,000 and 3,000 feet in the air). You may be asking why you should even consider riding in a hot air balloon, let alone mention it to your partner. But here at Adultist, we don’t ask why, we ask “why not…(unless you’re afraid of heights)?”
19. Do some bird watching 🦅
When you and your significant other get tired of watching clouds and looking at the stars, change your scenery and start watching birds instead. If you both enjoy DIY activities, try building a birdhouse or setting up a bird feeder together. Not only will they save you a trip to the park by bringing the birds to you, these projects can test your collaboration skills.
20. Rent a canoe 🛶
There are plenty of fun outdoor water activities you can do with your partner over the summer. But for those who aren’t well equipped for water skiing, white water rafting, or surfing, we recommend canoeing. You and your partner can both fit in a canoe and, since you’ll (hopefully) be on a tame lake, there won’t be any danger if neither of you know what you’re doing.
21. Go camping 🏕
The real test of any relationship is spending the night together...in the woods.
Now that you have our 21 outdoor date ideas for an awesome summer, it’s time to get out there and enjoy nature however you wish. Whether it be cloud watching or camping, there are plenty of ways you and your partner can enjoy the great outdoors this summer (although we really recommend going on a hot air balloon ride).
