Top 20 Summer Date Ideas on the Web

I don’t know about you but searching on the web for great summer date ideas didn’t provide me with much inspiration.

The same ole ones kept coming up over and over again: Picnics, outdoor concerts, drive-in movies, stargazing… But I was looking for some truly unique ideas. At least a few we’ve not done already.

And so began my quest to uncover the top 20 summer date nights on the web (and to come up with a few on my own).

I think you’ll agree these date ideas are pretty different (and tons of fun). So grab your honey and turn up the excitement on your summer.

Top 20 Summer Date Ideas on the Web

1. Watch a Meteor Shower Drive up to the mountains, lay in the bed of a truck (or on the hood of your car) and watch a meteor shower. Talk about romantic. There are 8 meteor showers expected this year and the next one is in just a couple months.

So this summer, head out past the city lights on August 12th to catch something that can rival the best of fireworks: the Perseid Meteor Shower. Grab some blankets, pillows, wine and dessert and have a romantic night among the stars.

2. Set Up Your Own Lemonade Stand On the hottest day of the year, head to the curb and channel your second grade selves by setting up a lemonade stand for the sweltering bystanders. Be sure to make the lemonade free, or use proceeds to raise money for a good cause.

3. Make Love Under the Full Moon Now, if you have neighbors who can see into your backyard or if you’re in an apartment, it may be best to just open the window in your bedroom. But for those lucky enough to have a private backyard, pull the comforter off your bed, grab a bottle of wine and two glasses, and take your date outside. You have just a few more times to catch a full moon before the year ends and two of those dates are this summer.

4. Take a Mystery Trip Download a map of your state (or even if you live in a big state), each close your eyes and point your finger randomly on the map. Decide whose location looks more intriguing and plan a trip or weekend getaway there.

5. World Cup Date You only have between now and Sunday, July 13^th to enjoy this gnarly and unique summertime date so make sure to schedule it soon! Whether or not you’re a soccer fan, this can still be a blast. Decide what country you want to root for and go all out. Paint your face (or your belly if you dare) the color of the country’s flag , wear shirts or hats representing your chosen team, and serve food and drinks from that country (if you’re rooting for Argentina, for instance, you’d paint yourself light blue and white and serve something like homemade empanadas). This date takes a little planning so look at the FIFA World Cup schedule and decide which match works best for your date. If it’s happening in the middle of your work day, even better! This date idea gives you the perfect excuse to take the day off.

6. Play Tourists Pretend you’re tourists for the day (fanny packs optional): Make up a story about your lives-maybe you are long-lost lovers reunited for one day only-and go sightseeing around your city. Take pictures of each other and get lost in the city, stop inside places you often pass but never go into, and grab snacks to go. Afterward, you can say, “Well, we’ll always have Paris.” Or Boston or Raleigh or Phoenix or Minneapolis…you get the gist.

7. Go Berry Picking Everyone loves fresh fruit, and there’s no better way to get it than straight from the source. Berries are a summer fruit, and chances are you have a farm within driving distance that will allow you to pick berries and pay for them by the pound. Grab a basket, and then head home and see what you can do with them. Maybe bake a homemade pie or cobbler, or simply enjoy them on their own. Frozen berries make for great “ice cubes” in wine, champagne and cocktails.

8. Scavenger Hunt at the Zoo “Don’t just go on a date – go on an adventure. Couples who solve clues together stay together.” This date was inspired by How About We’s list of most popular dates in New York. But don’t think this date can’t be done outside of the Bronx Zoo. Anywhere else with grass, trees (and preferably rare animals) will do the trick. Don’t have a zoo nearby, try an aquarium. You might be surprised to find there is one near you no matter where you live in the world.

9. A Moment in Time Seal your time together by constructing and burying a time capsule. Gather memorabilia that symbolizes your love for one another. A wedding invitation, saved wine cork, concert/plane ticket, copy of children’s birth records, meaningful photos, love letters and anything else that is unique to the story of your love. Do one of the other date ideas here and take pictures to remind you of this summer. Be sure to include a note to the capsule’s future retrievers.

10. Sunrise, Sunset This date will get your spouse excited first thing in the morning and ensure you end the day that exact same way. Pre-pack a bag with your morning coffee or tea, bagels (or whatever you and your spouse enjoy for breakfast) and have it ready to go. Set the alarm before sunrise but don’t let your spouse know what you’re doing. Then when the alarm goes off, help him get dressed (sleep still in the eyes and all), grab his hand and the pre-packed bag and head to your nearest park. Watch the sunrise together while enjoying your coffee and pastries. Then do it again…this time that night…and fill the thermos with hot cocoa or red wine this time around.

11. Take Me Out to the Ballgame Hot dogs + minor league baseball, where teams play for the love of the game, not a bajillion dollars = the perfect all-American evening. Check out the Major League schedule or the minor league schedule here to find a team near you.

12. Service For Two Sometimes when things aren’t going the way we want them to in life, we get SO involved with worrying about ourselves that we forget the very thing that we can do to help us feel better: serve others! If you want to feel closer to your spouse, do something for others with your spouse. Sounds a little crazy, but IT WORKS. Even small acts of kindness performed side by side with our spouse can bring us closer together and help our marriage be more fulfilling. Don’t believe it? Seriously. Try it.

13. Drift Away Rent or borrow a couple of kayaks, a rowboat or a sailboat—whatever makes the most sense considering your experience and ability—and spend the afternoon or early evening exploring local waterways. Moving slowly through the water in a wind- or human-powered craft will reduce your stress level, give you and your date a chance to talk, and increase your chances of spotting some wildlife.

14. Hot Wheels Summer is the ideal season to get active. And a great way to combine exercise with dating is to grab a couple of bicycles and go for a leisurely ride along one of the cycle paths one finds by rivers or through one of the larger parks. Cycling dates allow both of you to see the most of nature and the picturesque scenery whilst enjoying each other’s company. And if exercise isn’t for you, grab a tandem and take it slowly.

15. Visit a Food Festival Sometimes you have a hankerin’ for something in particular, but other times you just want to try all of the foods. Well, that’s what food festivals were tailor-made for. Bring your lady friend and spend an afternoon hopping from booth to booth, sampling what your local vendors have to offer. Sometimes they’re broken up by cuisines/regional styles, and other times there’s an overall theme (like barbecue or Southern food). Either way, you’ll have a great time together tasting new things and comparing notes.

16. Backyard Camping A tent + blankets and pillows + a flashlight + an empty house = A fun, romantic backyard camp out. S’mores optional!

17. I-Spy a Fun Summertime Date A hot sexy man, his cute little wife, the family car, a few activities, some treats and an amazing view from afar! Are these some of the things you all “spy” on a daily basis? Me too!! Have you ever wanted to be a detective? Go around spying on people and things? Print out this I-Spy invitation for your spouse from The Dating Divas or use it as inspiration to design your own. Load the car with an I-Spy book, a magnifying glass, an I-Spy bag or jar, blankets, snacks and the list of things you will “spy” on your date.

18. Get Up, Get Out, Get Fit There is no better time to get fit than the summer. And no better person to get in shape with than your spouse. Here are five great ways to get fit together this summer (while having loads of fun).

19. Channel Your Inner Child Do some of your favorite summer activities from when you were kids. Hit balls at a batting cage, race go-carts, challenge him to a round of mini golf, and, if you live near a boardwalk, play a few games and try to win a stuffed animal.

20. Adult Game Night An adult-only game night + a bit of sexy wagering = competition (that doubles as foreplay). Actress Victoria Rowell, author of Tag, Toss, and Run says, “Game nights are my absolute favorite way to have a date with my husband—and it’s even better in the summer when you can take things outside. We string some Christmas lights and laugh our heads off.”

YOUR TURN: Do you have a creative summer or outdoor date idea that’s not on our list? Please add it below!

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

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Fawn Weaver

Founder at Happy Wives Club

Fawn Weaver is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of Happy Wives Club: One Woman's Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage, adopting the same name as the Club she founded in 2010. The Happy Wives Club community has grown to include more than 1 million women in over 110 countries around the world. She’s an investor in real estate, tech sector and lifestyle brands. When she’s not writing or working, she's happily doting over her husband of twelve years, Keith (and sometimes manages to do all three simultaneously).