22 Romantic Date Ideas In 2023

Romantic date ideas … three words that can send a bolt of dread down the spine of some people, and in others, inspire wistful, dreamy fantasies of the ultimate paradise shared by two sympatico souls.

Romance is more a state of being than an actual concept. If you are not romantically inclined naturally, then romance will not come easily to you when you find yourself needing to include it in your life now that you have found someone you long to share the joy of life and all it contains. We feel your angst and have put together a long list of romantic date ideas that cover all budgets, whims, and fancies. Ultimately, romance comes from the heart, not the wallet. Deep pockets certainly help to create some amazing scenarios, but ‘bones of your ass broke’ only requires thinking outside of the box and scaling down to the level you can afford.

The compiled list is intended to reach a wide audience and will include suggestions some may find ridiculous, and others think are fantastic. Take what inspires you and leave behind what does not.

The Well-Heeled Options

1. A Mystery Weekend

Australia has a wealth of stunning beaches, wineries, stately farm stay homes, castles, renowned high-end hotels, and tropical islands to which a loved-up couple can escape for a mystery weekend. If you have the budget, book a honeymoon package, and enjoy the goodies it contains. You don’t have to be on a honeymoon to enjoy the package deals.

Talk to your local travel agent and make a new friend. Some agents, particularly female agents, love to plan mystery weekends that include airfares, accommodation, car hire, etc. The added bonus is that you can give them a budget to work within, and they can book it all without you knowing where you are both going for the weekend until you check in at the airport. A romantic mystery weekend for both of you!

2. Wine And Food Tasting

Australia has some of the world’s best wineries, and there are plenty of them in every state, from Tasmania to the NT. Spend a Saturday cruising the wineries to sample and purchase a bottle or two for consumption later in the evening. You can book two seats on a winery tour in your area if you have concerns about drink driving. The upside to taking a guided tour is that they often pair their wines with tasting plates, so you take care of lunch as you learn all you can about wine.

3. Hot Air Balloon Ride

There are few words to describe the view from a hot air balloon, or the peaceful stillness of drifting at the mercy of the trade winds as you wrap your date in your arms and take in the sights as far as the eye can see in every direction. There is the noise of the burner to contend with, intermittently shattering the silence. Still, you can’t have the ultimate flight of fancy, with the most incredible views imaginable and not have to contend with the source of heat that keeps you aloft. Lift-off times will be weather-dependent, and most balloon rides start before the sun rises, so they can be cancelled as late as five minutes before your due departure time. If you have never taken a hot air balloon ride, and they are not cheap, add it to your bucket list. If you are treating a date or romantic partner, sound them out about any fear of heights before booking the tickets. It won’t be a romantic date if only one of you has your eyes open, enjoying the view.

4. Matching Tattoos

Okay, so this is not an option for everyone, and certainly not on the first few dates. However, if your romantic partner has been in your life for some time and you plan to keep it that way, sealing the deal with small, tasteful matching tattoos that will last a lifetime (even if your relationship does not) can provide the perfect romantic date and shared bonding experience.

Tip: Rings can be easily removed and lost. If you are engaged or looking to propose to your romantic date, why not consider sealing the deal with tattoo rings? It is hard to claim you are single and not married when a tattoo on the finger says otherwise. Not quite ready for the visual permanency of ink, try one of the UV inks that glow under black light for that surreal twist.

5. Harbour Or River Cruise

Australia has to be in the top five for its plethora of Harbour and River cruise hire companies. If you live close to a body of water, someone with a boat will happily allow you to hire them as you wine and wine your romantic partner, and they do all the work.

From high-end five-star jazz, dancing and dinner cruises dressed in your finest clothes to whale watching. From deep sea fishing to puttering along and allowing the river to gently guide you as you and your romantic date drift, exploring the body of water, harbour, Broadwater, or river of choice. Boat hires exist and cater to all budgets and can be found online with a quick Google search.

6. Luxury Resort Weekend Away

When the finances are fluid and the weekend can be secured exclusively, there is no need to pack a passport to take a tropical weekend vacation with your romantic date.

Queensland has endless beaches, resorts, and islands that cater to lovers and romantic couples looking for a child-free environment to get to better know each other. There is nothing quite like a holiday than a weekend getaway. If you seek a little celebrity spotting, you can check your romantic date into a hotel like the Versace Palazzo on the majestic Gold Coast and spend some time soaking up the extravagance while playing espy a celebrity or millionaire.

Romantic Date Ideas On A Budget

7. Thrill Seeker Ghost Walk

There are some people out there who love the concept of being terrified, and they actively choose to seek out experiences that might deliver their adrenaline rush. One such activity for those who seek an ethereal experience is to take a walking tour around a noted haunted house or location. Most cities have at least one ghost tour experience to offer. While the level of romance would be confined to the individual’s love of all things scary and mysterious, if you are both thrill seekers at heart, this can be a great, cheap, and healthy way to get to know your romantic date. You can always add a dinner after the event to discuss what creeped you out and go through your photos to see if you captured a disembodied ghostly image, a shadow person, or an angel orb.

8. Free Camping Sites

The perfect romantic date idea for the outdoor couple. If you both like to leave behind the comforts of your home, a flushing toilet and hot water on demand, a weekend away in a tent by the sea or in the countryside is a cheap alternative to a luxury weekend on a tropical island. Light a fire (season permitted) and roast marshmallows under the stars, then wake up to fresh air and the sounds of nature or the rolling waves of the incoming tide against the shore.

9. Get Water Active Outdoors

Go swimming or take a surfing lesson together. Hit the nearest rink and don ice skates, roller skates or roller blades and see if you can keep your balance with the ease you had as a child. Another one for the hardier souls with thicker skins residing south of the Qld border is to take a bracing dip in a lake, river, or the Southern Ocean. Freezing your bits off can be a joyful, invigorating, and bonding experience. You can always huddle together and use body heat to combat the body cold you gained, plunging into icy waters below 22 degrees Celsius. How can anyone deny the romance in two wet bodies heating up to optimal temperature wrapped in each other’s arms?

10. Cherry Blossom Cascade

Botanical gardens are a cheap or free alternative. One of the most romantic date ideas you can treat your romantic partner to is a picnic under the cherry blossom trees when they shed their flowers. Take a picnic blanket so you can both lay back and embrace the full majesty of mother nature’s cherry blossom cascade while feeding each other finger food.

Romantic Date Ideas For When You Have A Little Lettuce To Spend

11. Couple’s Massage

There are not too many women who would run in the opposite direction to a couple’s spa day. From relaxing full body wraps and skin softening treatments to plunge pools filled with ice and saunas hot enough to cook a chook. Steam rooms rid the body of toxins and stress—Delicious, flavoured waters with fruit floating amongst ice cubes to quench your thirst. Taking the ultimate spa day as a couple means double the fun when you share the experience with your date or lover. You have the added benefit of a masseur each but will be in the same room to quell any jealousy monsters or paranoid minds that might poke their heads out of the cave.

12. Hire A kayak Or Tandem Bicycle

If you seek outdoor action to make the most of the sunshine and glorious day with your romantic partner, why not try your hand at tandem sports? Unlike swimming, tandem kayaks allow you to stay dry unless you are really bad at balance, in which case you might take a dip or two before you get the hang of it. If water sports are not your cup of tea, try a tandem bike ride around the foreshore or a park.

Anything you do together is a shared bonding experience and will spark joy and create romance.

Romantic Date Ideas For Your Boyfriend

There are some dates preferred by men, and they generally have an active and physical component with a competitive element. If your romantic date is with an alpha male who enjoys some of the more traditionally masculine pursuits on a date, then choosing something from this list may be a winner.

13. A Comic Con

If your man is a Cosplay freak or a gaming geek, take him to a Comic Con Convention.

14. Go-Karting/Drag Races

It may seem cliche, but there is a reason why men are drawn to petrol-driven machines that go fast. If the smell of petrol, oil and rubber tyres burning flicks the switch for your date, then look no further than your local go-kart or drag racetrack.

15. Event Tickets

If he loyally follows a team and would be called a fanatic, why not purchase a package or hospitality tickets to a hot game, fight, or event? Some VIP tickets even include a player meet and greet with nibbles and alcohol and come with access to a private box. If you can afford the ticket price and know it will be a smash hit with your lover, take the private box and wear a dress. He will be so enamoured of your romantic date idea you’ll likely get a 2-4-1 deal. Cowgirl anyone?

Romantic Date Ideas For Your Girlfriend

If your romantic date loves all things feminine, relaxed, pampered and raising a sweat is not her idea of romance or good times, then consider treating her to one of the following.

16. High Tea

For most women, not all I hasten to add, a date that includes frocking up in her killer party dress and being served tea or coffee while consuming chocolates, cakes, dainty pastries, and cucumber sandwiches is usually a winner. Most high-end hotels offer a High Tea option for guests or with a booking.

17. A Carriage Ride

Princesses often have a yen for their Prince Charming and love everything fairy tale-related. Hire a horse and carriage or visit a park with this service as a hire option. If you need a ready source, try ringing your local equestrian clubs and asking if they can recommend anyone privately. This will be the ultimate dream come true and talked about for the rest of her life with you as Prince Charming.

18. Jewellery Shopping

You’ve been dating for a while and desire to take things to the next level. You are not ready to propose yet, but you want her adorned with some form of jewellery she will wear daily and always think of you when she sees it. Unless you have an incredible knack for knowing exactly what jewellery style your romantic date likes, it is risky to buy her jewellery without getting a feel for her preferences. Take her jewellery shopping for a necklace, earrings, bracelet, or anklet. While there, look at the ring sections and openly talk about what styles you both prefer, what type of gems and what type of metal. The list is endless: Gold, Silver, Rose Gold, Platinum, Titanium, and Chrome. If you seek matching his and hers wedding bands, then broaching the subject at that stage would be ideal and clear up any doubts or concerns. Of course, you stress that it is all hypothetical at that stage, but if the future bodes well, you intend to see them wearing your rings at some point in the future.

Rainy Day Romantic Date Ideas At Home

19. Board Games, Cards And Gaming Consoles

Do you have young children and can’t get out as often as you would like to have your couple’s date nights? Did you lead a wild life in your teens and have done and seen it all in the clubs, preferring to stay home, save money, and avoid the hangover that follows a night out? You can create a romantic date atmosphere in the privacy and comfort of your own home using the things you already have on hand. Bring out your old, rarely-used board games and add an adult twist to them. Instead of going directly to jail, sentence them to remove one item of clothing. Fined by the community chess cards, swap them out for kisses and risqué flashes of body parts.

Try using a gaming console set to easy mode and race each other to win the game. Let the winner of each round demand and receive one sexual favour before going for the next round.

Strip poker is tried and true, but it can add romance and passion to your life if it has been a while. If you have infants or toddlers, it has probably been since you conceived the sprite keeping you apart.

20. Culinary Cuisine

If you love food, you may be surprised by how easy it is to create your favourite cuisines at home. You might need to purchase a few tools to give it the professional touch and source the freshest ingredients to use to make your masterpiece, but most of all, you can shake, bake, knead, pound, massage, and stuff yourselves crazy creating your romantic meal to consume by candlelight or from each other’s bodies.

21. Host A Murder Party

Go all out, or keep it simple with a professional panic room in a box adventure-style theme night to spice things up. Try a murder party and give your guests a reason to wear a costume and play a role. Host a murder parties take Cluedo into the adult realms and are a tonne of fun if you have other couple friends and like to roleplay and solve mysteries.

22. In-Home Cinema Night

Creative Romantic Date Ideas

There’s no end to the possibilities for creating amazing romantic date ideas. You are only limited by your imagination, seasonal weather, and the surroundings available to you. You might have a tight budget and need to scale back the grandeur, but you can still pull off the perfect picnic in the park or botanical gardens for next to nothing. Swap out the capers, cordons, and smoked salmon for cheaper alternatives. Go fishing on a riverbank, cook your catch, and eat it while watching the sunset and the meteorite shower above your heads after the sun sets. Be unique and use your friends, family, colleagues, or contacts to organise a bespoke date via a treasure hunt. Have your romantic date solve riddles and clues to find your location and the time to meet you there for your date.