40 Creative Double Date Ideas, From Cozy To Adventurous
Double dates not only allow you and your partner to spend time with your fellow coupled-up friends; they also infuse a little intrigue into your typical date night. Being around another couple can be energizing, refreshing, and even inspiring, giving you a close-up look at how other couples engage with each other in romantic settings.
Some research suggests observing other people "modeling" their relationship dynamics may help couples feel closer and more attracted to each other and give them ideas for what they want or don't want in their own relationships. One 2014 study even found double date settings may make people feel more passionate about their own partners, in addition to the hit of novelty that's always good for relationships.
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If you're looking for a little inspiration, here are a bunch of cute and creative double date ideas for spending time with other couples and sharing the relationship-boosting benefits with each other:
Take a class together.
Think a ceramics class, painting class, cooking class, or even a fitness class. You can find classes that are specifically designed for couples, which often allow couples to learn the activity together as a pair while also interacting with the other couples in the group.
Host a themed potluck.
Whether you make it seasonal (a fall potluck is a classic, but a spring- or summer-themed potluck will yield some pretty delightful concoctions as well) or something more creative (green foods? recreating classic restaurant dishes? something cultural?), a themed potluck turns a basic meal into a fun and creative project. Each person makes or brings a dish, and then you can regale each other with your best foodie stories and other related anecdotes.
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Attend an open-mic night.
From stand-up comedy to slam poetry, there are all kinds of open-mic nights that help you tap into your performance skills. These events are typically hosted at quirky local bars, making them a great environment for a double date to hang out as a group doing something a little unique that's still in a setting people are generally used to being in.
Pop around to a bunch of open houses.
Even if you're not on the market, open houses can be a fun way to imagine different living situations, get inspo for a future home, and fuel conversations about design styles, domestic habits, lifestyle preferences, and more. It's double the fun with another couple, who may have different ideas about what an ideal home life looks like and may further spark interesting discussions.
Drive out to the beach.
Even if it's not beach season, sometimes just the drive out to the water and walking along the shore can be great fun for a group of four. If the weather is good, bring a volleyball and have a two-on-two beach volleyball tournament, or look into some water activities like surfing, jet skiing, or cliff diving.
Have a full-on game night.
Four people is the perfect number for most board games—think Settlers of Catan, Cards Against Humanity, Monopoly, and the like. You can also go for classics like Charades or Pictionary, or if you're really feeling creative, start up a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
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Take dance lessons.
Dance classes are surprisingly fun, especially for couples who can spring for ballroom dancing styles like swing, tango, or the waltz. Drop into your bodies and enjoy some physical touch and closeness with your partner, while also enjoying having another couple there to learn, laugh, and compete with.
Attend a couples' workshop.
Many therapists, relationship coaches, and organizations host events specifically designed for couples to bond, learn key relational skills, and reinvigorate their connection in a fun, low-pressure way. These events tend to leave couples feeling all the more connected, and they can be entertaining to attend with another couple you know and be able to debrief together after the event about the experience.
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Take a trip out to the nearest city.
Wherever you might be, load up the car or hop on a train and caravan out to your nearest urban destination for a day trip. From New York to Chicago to Seattle, cities offer a plethora of fun group activities. Do the tourist stops and photo ops, eat some good food, check out a museum, and enjoy some nightlife as a foursome.
Fall double date ideas:
- Go to a sunflower patch to pick flowers and take photos.
- Attend a pie contest—or host your own.
- Carve and decorate pumpkins.
- Go to a harvest festival.
- Spend a Saturday making Halloween costumes together.
- Visit a haunted house.
- Go to a football game.
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Winter double date ideas:
- Go on a snowy walk.
- Do an escape room together.
- Book a cabin in the mountains and do a long weekend together.
- Hang out at a coffee shop with your journals and plan for the new year together.
- Go thrift shopping.
- Hit up a karaoke bar.
- Visit a museum or art gallery.
- Go bowling.
Spring and summer double date ideas:
- Hike out to a scenic vista or waterfall.
- Picnic at the park.
- Visit a botanical garden.
- Go fruit-picking.
- Attend a food festival.
- Hit up a water park or other amusement park.
- See an outdoor movie or concert.
- Go camping.
Double date ideas at home:
- Have a book club.
- Buy a karaoke machine and have a karaoke night in your PJs.
- Make brunch at home, mimosas and all.
- Have a video game night (think games like Mario Party, Among Us, or Jackbox Party).
- Sleep over someone's house and binge-watch classic rom-coms.
- Hold a baking contest: The person who makes the yummiest dessert wins.
- Do a DIY wine-tasting: Everyone brings a bottle or two, and you taste and rate them all.
- Have a backyard water balloon fight.
FAQ:
Why go on a double date?
Double dates allow you to see what your partner is like in a group setting, which can sometimes be different from how they are with you one-on-one. Couples also often benefit from being around other couples, feeding off each other's energy and seeing how another couple interacts with each other.
When is the right time to invite someone on a double date?
You can invite someone on a double date at any time, but it's often nice to do so when you already somewhat know your partner. Double dates aren't always conducive to a couple getting to know each other better on a personal level, but they're great for mixing things up on date night or getting to see your partner in a different setting from the usual.
Is a double date a good first date idea?
It depends on your preferences. Some people love a double date for a first date because you get to meet someone in a group setting, which might feel safer and less pressurized. But on the other hand, it can be a bit harder to get to know someone for the first time and suss out your chemistry and compatibility with them when you're on a double date.
The takeaway.
Don't underestimate the power of a double date! Couples can sometimes fall into their own world, but double dates can help pull them back out, allowing them to spend time with each other in a romantic setting while still reaping the benefits of a group dynamic.
Kelly Gonsalves is a multi-certified sex educator and relationship coach helping people figure out how to create dating and sex lives that actually feel good — more open, more optimistic, and more pleasurable. In addition to working with individuals in her private practice, Kelly serves as the Sex & Relationships Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and she’s been trained and certified by leading sex and relationship institutions such as The Gottman Institute and Everyone Deserves Sex Ed, among others. Her work has been featured at The Cut, Vice, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere.
With her warm, playful approach to coaching and facilitation, Kelly creates refreshingly candid spaces for processing and healing challenges around dating, sexuality, identity, body image, and relationships. She’s particularly enthusiastic about helping softhearted women get re-energized around the dating experience and find joy in the process of connecting with others. She believes relationships should be easy—and that, with room for self-reflection and the right toolkit, they can be.
You can stay in the loop about her latest programs, gatherings, and other projects through her newsletter: kellygonsalves.com/newsletter