The following is a guest post about date nights from Martin of Studenomics, where he tries to make personal finance fun since you have enough to stress about. You can click here to check out the wide range of content on everything from student loans to getting paid to drink coffee.

“We're looking for a new show on Netflix.” – Most boring couples these days.

We all know what it's like to get stuck in a relationship rut. You have the same routine and nothing feels exciting anymore. You go from being amped up to spend an evening with your partner to feeling a strange malaise when even thinking about making plans.

This is why we're going to look at some new date ideas to test out to keep things fun in your relationship. Keep on reading if you're looking for some inspiration for your next date night.

“What should we do tonight?”

This question could spark an interesting new adventure or lead to another boring night of serial killer documentaries as you snack on fast food wondering why you guys aren't fun anymore.

We're going to look at a variety of activities for date nights and separate the date ideas into sections. We're going to give you options for date night so that you don't get bored with each other.

Let's take a look at the best date ideas (outdoor dates, indoor dates, and frugal dates) so that you have ideas for the next year…

Outdoor Date Night Ideas

The good news is that there are outdoor activities for every season. I'm also going to assume that you live in a place that has seasons.

Go on a Hike

Google “trails near me” and go check out on a new spot. You'll be surprised by what you can find within an hour of you. Whenever I post an Instagram story on a hike, friends are surprised to see that the location tag indicates this scenic trail is only a ten-minute drive away.

The good news is that you don't have to purchase hiking gear to make this happen. There are many leisurely hikes/walks where you can grab a coffee and stroll through nature.

You can bring a picnic basket for a lunch break or you can see if there are any fire pits along the trail if you want to stay cozy on an evening walk.

Take a Biking Adventure

Can you rent bikes and go exploring? One thing that I like to do in Toronto is to show friends/dates around on bike. There's so much to see and there are many bike paths that make this easy.

If you're not feeling the bike, you can rent electric scooters and cruise around.

This will force you guys to stay active and to discover parts of your town that you've never been to before. I'm always finding new places in Toronto that I've never seen before.

Go on a Water Journey

Have you tried water activities? I'm not the best at kayaking, but it can lead to a pretty interesting afternoon. This is also a unique relationship test because you have to really work together to make it across the river.

Here are a few options for a water journey:

• Stand up paddleboarding: We did the sunset version and it was the perfect way to kick off the summer.
• Canoeing: You can get a few couples together and go on an adventure in the river to burn some calories before the evening food arrives.
• Rent a private boat for the afternoon: There are many boats you can rent to go exploring.
• Fishing: A few friends caught some delicious salmon for us this summer.

Here are a few more outdoor dates to consider:

• Go for a picnic in the park. All you need is a bottle of wine and some food.
• Check out a local Christmas market. There are many Christmas markets where you can grab some hot chocolate and walk around.
• Visit a haunted house. These are actually making a resurgence.
• Go on a ghost tour. This sounds silly but there all kinds of unique tours likely available in your hometown.

The goal with outdoor date ideas is to explore and get active. You want to try something new and have something to talk about.

Related Podcast: Why Date Night is So Important in Marriage

Indoor Date Night Ideas

If it's getting colder where you live and you're not a winter person, then you may not want to be outside when you're shivering. You're also in luck because some of the best date night ideas are for activities that you could do indoors.

Let's say that you're looking to do something indoors that will get you moving, here are some options:

• Glow in the dark mini-golf
• Bowling
• Arcade
• Archery tag
• Rock climbing
• Smash room
• Axe throwing
• Indoor go-karts
• Trampoline park
• Paintball
• Laser tag
• Obstacle course
• Dance lessons. (I stepped on my partner's toe, so please ensure that you both have the proper footwear (she forgot her steel toe boots)).

These are pretty self-explanatory. I've done every single one of these and would highly recommend each of them. They allow you guys to bring out your inner child as you jump around on a trampoline or shoot each other at archery tag.

You may even discover that you guys have a new passion. I've seen couples join axe-throwing leagues and start competing in salsa competitions because they really connected.

Long story short: anything slightly competitive will be fun. It may even take you an entire season to go through this list so by the time you return to an activity, it's going to feel new again.

Relaxing Indoor Dates

Let's say that you had a busy week with homeschooling the kids and don't feel like moving too much. We have you covered.

There are many relaxing indoor date activities.

• Test out a new restaurant. Is there a new style of restaurant that you could check out in town?
• Role-play a first date. Pretend it's your first date and get to know each other again.
• Wine tasting. These are usually relaxing and you may find a new wine that you fancy.
• Paint night. You can test out your artistic abilities to see who's the better painter.
• Float tanks. As the name suggests, these sensory deprivation tanks allow you to zone out and relax. This is ideal for all of the busy parents who need a break.
• Escape room. You can find out who's the better detective. There are all kinds of escape rooms with different themes available.
• Comedy club. Let someone else do all of the talking while you sit back and laugh. You can look around and even try out an amateur to see some of the comics that are working their way up the ranks.

Those are the best indoor date ideas that we could think of. The activity that you choose will depend on your mood and what's available with everything going on in the world.

Related Article: The Top 3 Reasons Marriages End in Divorce

Creative Date Night Ideas

Are you feeling creative? Do you want to spice things up to really step out of the comfort zone? Here's what you can do if you're looking for a creative date night idea.

Take a day trip to somewhere completely random.

A date night can be a daytime adventure. You likely have many options depending on where you live in the world. You also have many Facebook groups and options for looking up interesting day trips. Find something out of your comfort zone and go exploring.

What are random day trips worth checking out?

• Find a historical site near you. Look up the history and then go exploring.
• Check out a brewery or vineyard.
• Visit a friend that you guys met on vacation. Bonus points if you can surprise them.
• Look up hidden gems.

Re-live your favorite experience together.

Is there a concert that you guys can't stop thinking about? Was there a sporting event that really brought you closer?

Try to think of one event and then look it up online. For a friend, they watched the Blue Jays win the World Series (this goes WAY back) for a date night. She's a diehard Jays fan and he wanted to bring her that nostalgia from her childhood.

A few more creative date night ideas to try out:

• Go for an open house. Explore houses in a new part of town.
• Work on a puzzle. Have you ever tried to put a puzzle together? This could be challenging, rewarding, and frustrating at the same time.

Romantic Date Night Ideas

Has the romance been missing? Are you looking to try something that will bring you closer?

Here are some interesting ideas for romantic date nights…

Recreate your first date

We mentioned this earlier, but I wanted to dig a little deeper. How did your first date go? Do you still talk about it? Is there anything that you would change about it.

The goal here is to return to those feelings from that first date where you still had butterflies and were a bit nervous around each other. Go back to that time and try your best to relive those early days.

You can make this more interesting by actually pretending it's your first date. Pretend you just met on a dating app and don't know each other. Get to know each other from the start.

Don't discuss surface-level topics, but try to discuss the deep stuff. Talk about your future plans, your life goals, your fears, and your aspirations.

Go shopping for each other

Here's something that could be a romantic and creative date night idea. Go shopping for each other at the mall, a local market, or online depending on local restrictions.

Set a budget of $100 (or whatever you feel comfortable with) and go shopping for each other. The goal should be to purchase thoughtful gifts and to surprise each other.

Attend a virtual workshop

There are many virtual relationship workshops worth checking out online. You can do a yoga class, attend an intimacy class, or try some sort of bonding experience. The goal should be to do something that scares you a little bit yet brings you closer together.

Related Podcast: Holderness Family: Everybody Fights So Why Not Get Better At It?

Cheap Date Night Ideas

Are you guys on a tight budget? No problem. Empty pockets should never hold you back from a date night.

Here are some date night ideas on a budget:

• Try an Airbnb Experience. There are Airbnb Experiences that range from $10-50 per person. Go through the app and find something on a budget.
• Visit Groupon and choose a random activity. This will depend on the city that you live around.
• Give a new type of liquor a try. You can visit the liquor store to test out a new cocktail. There are many stores and websites that share cocktail recipes to try out.
• Try cooking a new recipe. You have to eat dinner, so you may as well play around with a new recipe from Instagram.

Those are the best date ideas for couples out there. It's important that you stay active and keep things interesting so that you don't get bored.

Totally Free Date Night Ideas

While we think that date nights are definitely valuable and worth working into your budget, we also know that sometimes the best things in life are free.

Here are some totally free date night ideas:

• Take a hike. No, really! There are so many local, state, and national parks that are closer than you think. Even if hiking isn't your thing, you can play frisbee golf, go birding, or pack a simple picnic. Time together outdoors is a great free way to reconnect.
• Visit your local library. Libraries often host different events throughout the month that are completely free. This is a fun way to explore a new hobby together, meet an author, or just get more connected to your community–and each other.
• Volunteer. While we know there won't likely be candles and wine on this kind of a date, spending time together serving your community can bring you closer together as a couple. Everything from animal shelters to food banks can use your time and energy. Bonus points if you pick an organization that one or both of you are really passionate about!

Final Thoughts on Date Night Ideas That Aren't Boring

It's also critical to remember that you should try to step out of your comfort zone. If you can't dance, those salsa dance lessons could be the best thing for a confidence boost or a quick laugh. If you hate cooking, you could work together with your partner to finally prepare the perfect Thai dish.

Even if you're busy, even if you're a parent, date nights are so important.

Let us know in the comments which date ideas you plan on trying out first.

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