Outdoor Date Ideas And Activities Every Couple Should Try

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Looking for outdoor date ideas and activities to try with your spouse? In that case, you’ve come to the right place as I have a list of outdoor activities for couples that are geared towards the appreciation of each other’s company as well as the beautiful surroundings of nature for these date ideas.

Couple riding bike- text reads "Date Ideas For Outdoorsy Couples".

As time goes on in any marriage, it can be difficult to find new ways to enjoy the company of your loved one. 

Outdoor Date Ideas

Outdoor dates and activities allow you to boost your fitness levels and find potential new hobbies to do on a regular basis with your spouse which will encourage a deeper connection and provide additional opportunities for some fun communication. 

If they’re really into outdoor activities, check out these outdoorsy gifts and pair it with a date for their birthday or Christmas!

Here are some great outdoor date ideas and activities to consider with your spouse:

Hiking

If you enjoy working up a sweat, trying a difficult day hiking trail is a good option. You can plan ahead and bring along some food provisions so that you can enjoy the view and each other’s company when taking that much-needed breather.  This is also the perfect Free Date Idea as well!

A Day At The Beach

Needing some vitamin D? Going on a beach date for a swim or surf or even just to lie on your beach towel is extremely relaxing. Just make sure that you bring enough sun protection and use it as an opportunity to give your spouse a massage! Great for your Summer Date Idea List.

Camping

Nothing beats sitting around a campfire sharing stories over some roasted marshmallows. Camping is one of those team activities where each person has a set of responsibilities such as setting up the tent, or cooking or washing up. 

Being out in the wild overnight will allow you both to disconnect from the rest of the world and focus on each other which is the aim after all.

couple under blanket with wifey and hubby mugs.

Rock Climbing

If you aren’t afraid of heights and are pretty confident with your knot-tying skills, rock climbing can be a fantastic activity to do with your spouse. 

It’s definitely a sport that requires team effort and encouragement, not to mention offering an excellent workout as you use all your muscles. 

Bird Watching

If you are less of an adrenaline junkie but still love the outdoors and appreciate the creatures on display, bird watching could become your next best hobby. 

Make a game of it by seeing which of you can spot as many different species as possible. With bird calling apps available to download, you are set to go. 

Canoeing or Kayaking

A love for open water is ideal for an activity such as canoeing or kayaking. If you choose to do it in the ocean, you may even encounter some wildlife such as dolphins or seals. This is also one of our favorite Spring Date Ideas

Couple riding in a boat.

Gardening

This activity, although seemingly sedentary, is actually quite physically demanding at times but once you get to see the fruits of your hard labor, (sometimes literally) it’s totally worth it. 

Skiing and Snowboarding

This winter sport is ideal for any snow-lovers. It offers quite a good workout and is a great excuse for snuggling up afterwards with a cup of hot chocolate. 

Doing a Benefit Walk or Run

If you enjoy activities that have a worthy cause then trying your hand at a benefit walk or run is just for you.

They all differ in distance and difficulty level so make sure you do your research before booking your spot. 

Picnicking at Public Gardens

If you have an appreciation for beautifully landscaped gardens which are open to the public for an entrance fee, then this activity with the combination of a picnic is a must! Try these fun picnic dates.

Watching A Baseball Game 

Getting outdoors and enjoy the sunshine while watching a competitive sport is a great way to enjoy the outdoors.

It’s less physical if you’re just sitting in your seats for the game, which is sometimes the best thing to do outside.

You could always head to the park and play your own game as well, or just play catch in the yard. 

Go To The Zoo 

If you’re looking to get outdoors and enjoy some unique sites, heading to the zoo is your perfect date. You get to walk around together and stop at each animal exhibit and have fun watching them play.

We love going to the open air zoo’s like the San Diego Wild Animal Park too. 

2 goats with head through a fence zoo date outdoors.

Fishing Outdoor Date Idea

As a wife of a fisherman, I have to add fishing to any list. It’s the perfect outdoor activity for couples, as you get to do something a bit physical and competitive while enjoying nature all around. 

Fishing is a fairly affordable date idea, and you can even catch your dinner and cook it together at home after. Or, you can bass fish like us and catch and release. 

Boat Ride For A Fun Outdoor Date

I love a good boat ride! Whether it be relaxing in a pontoon on a lake, sailing in the open waters, or taking a exhilarating ride on a speed boat, a boat ride is a great outdoor date activity. 

Riding in a boat gives us a chance to be out on the water all day and not turn all prune-like. Our favorite place is on the water, and it being outdoors is one of the main reasons.  

City Scavenger Hunt

We did a city scavenger hunt on a vacation, and then another for my bachelorette party, and it was the best activity ever! I am slightly obsessed now and want to find them wherever we travel. 

You can sign up for a local scavenger hunt online and they give you a whole game to play. Some require you to take photos of certain parts of the town, some have you solve the mystery, and others have you running around town trying to catch someone.

They are so much fun, and a perfect way to spend the day outside and get to know a new town. Or check out our scavenger hunt date ideas.

couple looking at map during a scavenger hunt outdoor date.

Go Snorkeling

Snorkeling is another perfect outdoor date idea. You get to enjoy a swim in the water, while searching for some really cool sea life. 

We try to go snorkeling on every vacation we take, and each snorkeling trip is always different. You don’t even have to have any experience to do it. Find a good tour that goes out and join them, or try it out yourself. 

Snorkeling is an easy date to plan when you’re anywhere by the water. Hopefully it’s clear water so you can see more stuff. 

Batting Cages

Time to get physical outdoors. Head to your local batting cages and spend a couple hours hitting baseballs or softballs in the cages. 

You can usually get a good number of pitches for just a dollar or so. Batting Cages typically give you all the equipment you need, bats and helmets, so you can just head over there and enjoy this outdoor date. 

Garage Sale-ing 

If you’re looking for an outdoor date idea that’s not to physical but allows you to hang out outside, try out garage sale hopping. A Saturday morning driving around town hunting for different yard sales is a fun way to have an outdoor date. 

You can make it a fun game, where you try to find the best deal, or the best new decor piece for your house. Bring lots of dollar bills and see what treasures you can find. 

Driving Range

A good physical outdoor date idea, but one that almost anyone can do, is to go to the driving range. At the driving range, you get to hit golf balls as far into the field as you can. 

If you have ever wanted to play golf, but you know there’s no way you’d make it even close to the hold, then the driving range is a perfect place to try your hand at this sport. 

Some driving ranges also have a restaurant, so you can order food while you play and have a good time outside.

Bonus points if you find a TopGolf location and have fun hanging out, drinking, and hitting golf balls. 

Stand Up Paddle Boarding 

If you haven’t tried Stand Up Paddle Boarding, this is your chance. Head to your local ocean, lake, or pond and see who has Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) rentals for you to try. 

I actually found it a bit easier than it looked, and have a blast every time we go out.

It’s so nice to get out on the water and do a physical activity while you get to take a dip every once in a while. Definitely recommend!

Bon Fire 

If you want to have an outdoor date at night, have a bon fire night. You can enjoy roasting marshmallows and hot dogs on sticks, take in some fresh air and enjoy the peaceful night. 

Bon Fires are always so romantic and you get to cozy up to your partner and take in the atmosphere on this late night date.

Farmer’s Market 

In the Spring and Summer months, lots of towns host Farmer’s Markets for you to walk through. These farmers markets are great to find local produce, jams, meats, and a variety of local made foods. 

Lots of farmers markets even have craft booths and art available as well. It’s a great way to get outside, bask in the sun, and walk around with your love. 

Winery Tour – Romantic Outdoor Date Idea

If you love wine and love the outdoors, a winery tour would be perfect for you. Actually, you don’t even have to love wine to enjoy a winery tour. 

These tours are always so fascinating to learn how they make their wine, and grow their grapes. The whole process is fun to see, and walking around a winery is a very romantic way to spend the day outside. 

Couple holding champagne glasses at a winery outdoor date.

Outdoor Movie Night Date Idea

Movie dates are always an easy go to, but have you ever watched a movie outdoors? Some cities host outdoor movie nights, where everyone can come to the park and watch the featured movie they are screening. 

If you don’t have one of those around you, create your own movie night outside. You can use a projector on your house, or just grab blankets, pillows and your laptop. Hopefully you live somewhere away from mosquitos, but if not, be sure to bring your repellent, and maybe even do it in a tent!

Day In The Park 

There is so much you can do for a day in the park. A picnic outside is the first one that always comes to mind. Pack a nice lunch and bring a blanket to eat at the park. 

We like to find parks that have ducks, and we go feed and watch the ducks too. Bring a couple baseball gloves and a baseball and play catch. Or bring a frisbee to toss around. 

Pretend your kids again and climb a tree, or go swing on the swing sets. There’s so many things you can do in a park. 

Ride A Jetski

B took me on a jetski in January for one of our first dates…and boy, was it memorable!

For those adrenaline junkies who love the outdoors, rent a jetski and go for a ride.  Flying around on the water, jumping waves and racing across the lake is a great way to get your heart pumping. 

Be sure to take turns who gets to drive and spend some time sitting out in the middle of the water enjoying the views. 

Go Snowboarding 

If you want to spend some time outside and are looking for an outdoor date idea in the winter, we recommend snowboarding or skiing. It’s such a rush sailing down the slopes on a board or skis.

It’s one of our favorite ways to enjoy the snow together.  The best part is that you can rent all the gear, so you don’t have to purchase everything, which can be quite expensive.

We try to go at least once a winter for our favorite winter date. 

Play Paintball

Get into the competitive spirit and head out paint balling together. This is a fun date where you can run around and shoot the other team with paint balls. 

You get a bit of exercise and get to go against another team together to see who wins each battle. 

Fly A Kite

Take it back old school and go fly a kite. You can pick up kites at the dollar store or a local chain store, or you can even make your own. 

Find an open field or park and go fly a kite together. Try to find a slightly breezy day so it’s a bit easier to fly. 

Lunch Outside 

Whether you decide on a picnic date, or just want to take your lunch outside for the day, this can be a fun and easy outdoor date idea. If you’re both home on a weekend and it’s lunch time, suggest you go enjoy some fresh air while eating lunch. 

Mixing up some of your every day routines can be very beneficial to breaking up any monotony of the relationship. 

Try these other lunch date ideas.

couple laying in the grass with flower petals all around.

Stargazing 

Another one of my favorite outdoor activities…a stargazing date! Grab a blanket and same pillows and head to a place that is nice and dark, away from the city lights. 

If you own a truck, you can make a bed in the back for a truck bed date, or you can just lay your blankets out on the ground. 

Try to look up when your next meteor shower is, and watch all the shooting stars. Super romantic!

Amusement Park Date Idea

Spend the day on an amusement park date. It can be a park with all your favorite roller coasters, like Six Flags, or a themed park like LegoLand. 

Walking around throughout the day, hopping on some rides, and checking out different exhibits is a great way to spend your day outdoors. Plus, it’s probably a bit different than your normal dates throughout the year. 

Drive- In Movie

Going to a drive-in movie date is always a good time. You can opt to sit in your car and have the windows rolled down if you want, or you can even bring chairs and sit outside to watch. 

Better if you have a convertible car too! It’s even great for a rainy day date idea outdoors!

Check to see if you have any drive in movie theaters near you.

Picking Fruit At A Farm

Go fruit picking! There are different seasons for each fruit, but you can go apple picking, strawberry, cherry, apricot, and even pumpkin picking. (yes we know pumpkin isn’t a fruit!)
Depending on the season, you can find a farm near you and go pick some fruit. We recommend turning this into an At Home Date Night when you’re done, and take home your fruit and make lots of different recipes with your new pickings.

Horseback Riding 

Take a horse out for a ride outside. Find some local stables that allow you to take a horseback riding tour, and spend some time outside while riding a horse.

Horseback riding isn’t just for vacation. You can do this whenever. It’s a fun little mix to add to your date ideas throughout the year. Fun Fall Date Idea too.

Have A Water Day

Spend the day outside playing in the water. You can buy squirt guns, play with water balloons, have a slip and slide, or even play in the sprinklers.

All you need is a bathing suit and your partner for a fun filled water day in the sun.

Outdoor Festival 

Outdoor festivals are a lot of fun too. An outdoor festival can be anything depending on your city. Some host food truck festivals, Christmas in the Park, County Fairs, and so much more.

Find a local outdoor festival that’s near you, and take your honey with you. Grab a turkey leg, fried Oreos, go through the carnival mazes, and enjoy the music outside.

couple walking around at a carnival.

Zip Lining

Another fun adrenaline date idea outdoors would be to go zip lining. You might be surprised how many zip line areas are around you. We use to think they were only for vacations out of the country, but we’ve found some really good ones close to our weekend getaway spots.

Check out the map to see if there is a zip line near you. You can even turn this into a weekend date and add camping in the mix.

BBQ Day 

Host a bbq with your friends and family. BBQ’s shouldn’t just be reserved for the Fourth of July. Invite everyone over for a random day bbq, and have the whole day to spend with everyone.

Outdoor BBQ’s are great for having a meal with one another, but you can also play fun games, play music, build a bon fire and watch the stars. This is a great Double Date Idea as well.

Bike Ride

How about taking your bikes out for a spin? If you don’t own a bike, maybe you can borrow one from a friend or rent them too. Spend the day outside riding around town, finding great bike paths you’ve never noticed and just explore.

It’s a great way to get some exercise in and feel the breeze on you as you ride.

Play Tennis

Head to your local park and play a game of tennis. We have lots of tennis courts that are free to the public at our city parks, so we would go whenever we had a free evening.

Playing couples sports outdoors is a fun way to get some fresh air and get some physical work in as well.

River Float

Anytime we find a river, this is the first thing I want to do. Floating down the river in a large inflatable raft or tube is something everyone should do at least once.

Lots of different rivers have a section that they recommend doing this, and you can park one car at the beginning of the float and one at the end, so you don’t have to walk all the way back. We recommend taking some drinks and maybe even lunch depending on how long you want to be out there.

Be sure to bring your sunscreen as well. Then you can enjoy your day just floating down the river in peace with the beautiful scenery.

Rooftop Bar

A great outdoor date idea at night would be to go spend your evening at a rooftop bar. This is especially fun when its a tall building and you have some really great sights.

This doesn’t just have to be done at night either, but we love the city lights all around when it’s evening. We’ve been to a couple rooftop bars that are actually restaurants or quick eats during lunch hour too.

couple sitting on bridge holding hands.

Snow Tubing 

A perfect outdoor date idea in the winter is to go snow tubing. This is one of the most fun winter date nights we’ve done. It’s even more fun when you have a snow tube place that can pull you back up the mountain rather than you having to hike back up with your tube.

We just search for snow tubing around us wherever we are, when we decide to go try it for the day. Perfect for winter outdoor date ideas!

p.s. Snow Tubing in the evening is lots of fun too!

Sign Up For A Obstacle Run  

So for those of you who aren’t runners and the thought of a 5K or more is not ideal, try out an obstacle run. These are runs that have fun challenges and obstacles in the middle of the run, so it’s not just running the whole time.

Check out the Spartan Run or the Rugged Maniac Race.

This would also be an awesome opportunity for you to start a new hobby as a couple, and you can train together to get ready.

Go Tide Pooling 

Have you ever checked out tide pools? They have some of the most interesting things inside of them. We love exploring on the beach and finding tide pools in between the rocks. You can find lots of living creatures and watch them as the waves come in and out.

It’s so much fun to explore on this outdoor date idea.

couple going tide pooling.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Obviously a hot air balloon ride is not something you do every day. But after going on one, we for sure recommend you try one at least once in your life.

It’s so awesome and peaceful being up in the sky in a basket with fire. If you’re on vacation and this is an available outdoor activity, try it!

Go To An Outdoor Shooting Range 

Outdoor shooting ranges are the best, because there is so much you can do. You can try your hand at the long range, where you try to hit the target from far away, or you can shoot clay disks after someone launches it for you. This was my favorite!

Some shooting ranges allow you to rent the equipment you need, so you might not even need to own anything. Or you can take a friend with you who has their own and have them teach you a thing or two about shooting.

Play Beach Volleyball 

A day at the beach is always a good day. Spend some time getting physical and play beach volleyball in the sand. You can play just the two of you, or invite some other beach goers to join in on the fun.

If you get a bunch of people together, you can do tournaments and make it into an all day thing. Or use this as a chance to invite your friends with you and have a fun friends day at the beach…don’t forget the volleyball!

Watch the Sunrise/Sunset 

One of the best things about the outdoors during daylight is the sunrise and the sunset. Watching these together while you’re all snuggled up is a really romantic date idea.

We like to try to catch the sunrise and sunset in the same day. The coolest part is that no matter how many sunrises or sunsets you have seen, each one is a bit different. And everywhere you go, the colors are different too.

couple watching the sunset in the ocean.

GoKarts

Find a GoKart raceway that’s outdoors where you can drive your own and race each other. We like going to the GoKart parks and spending a few hours outside racing them. It’s hard to stop because you always want to go just a bit faster “next time”.

It’s a great way to be a little competitive together and have a fun outdoor date.

Go To A Football Game 

Fall football games are the best. You can go to your local college or high school homecoming football game and reminisce when you were in high school or college. Rooting for the home team while drinking some hot chocolate is a fun way to get outside at night for a date.

Garden Walk 

If you are lucky enough to live near a botanical garden or a large garden area, take the opportunity to go for a garden walk. The fragrances in these gardens are so beautiful, and walking around together with the fresh air and pretty flowers and plants is definitely one to add to your list.

Spend The Day Relaxing on A Hammock 

Tie up a hammock somewhere outside. This can even be in your backyard. It’s a fun thing to do while you’re camping or visiting the lake too. All you need is a hammock and a couple trees, or at least strong posts, and you can spend the day relaxing in the hammock together.

Bring a good book the two of you can read together and just bask in the peaceful moments together.

Watch the Clouds For Outdoor Date Ideas

Lay out a blanket at watch the clouds pass by. This is so fun when you’re being creative and trying to pick out all the different shape each cloud makes.

Take turns showing your partner what you see in each cloud.

Play Catch/ Frisbee

Step outside and play catch with a baseball, football, or frisbee. This is always such a good time to chat about life, love and random things together.

Playing catch outside is a fun way to be a bit physical and still have a good chance to talk with one another.

Outdoor Fitness Class

Take an outdoor fitness class. This can be Zumba, Yoga, Boxing, and so much more. Find out what classes are offered near you in a park and sign up together.

You can even do your own “class” outside if you aren’t someone who needs to follow another person.

Join A Walking Tour

There are several walking tours available in different cities, and no matter how long you may have lived there, there is a good chance you will find something new in your town. This is also a great way to meet new people if you’re new to the area as well.

couple walking through city during an outdoor date.

Go Shoot Hoops 

Grab a basketball and go to your local park that has basketball courts outside. You can’t play a full game with just the two of you, but you can enjoy some games with shooting. Play games like Horse or Around the World. Or take turns shooting while you chat about different topic.

Outdoor dates make the best dates, and help you combine so many things in one. It’s always good for your health to get outside, and spending time outdoors with your love is something we should all be doing.

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Sara, a seasoned expert in wedding planning and date ideas, brings a wealth of experience to our couples blog. With a background in the television industry and hands-on involvement in a dozen weddings, including working as a wedding assistant on "My Fair Wedding with David Tutera," Sara has an innate understanding of the magic that makes weddings truly special. Growing up with four sisters has given her unique insights into the dating world, making her a go-to source for practical and heartfelt dating advice. Her knowledge and enthusiasm make her the perfect guide for couples seeking to infuse their relationships with creativity and love.

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