15 Weeknight Date Ideas to Mix Things Up

Make date night a weeknight event to look forward to with all of these fun and interesting ideas.

Published January 23, 2023
young couple sit on a sofa and laugh together

Every Saturday and Sunday, we try to cram as many activities into those 48 hours as possible. There's not always enough time to fit appointments, errands, shopping, and going on dates into two days. That's where moving date night to during the week comes in clutch. Switch up your daily routine with these fun weeknight date ideas you can fit into just a few hours. You don't have to wait for the weekend to spend quality time and have some fun with someone you care about!

Perfect Date Night Ideas to Enjoy Your Post-Work Evening

After you come home from work, the first thing on your list is probably putting on comfier clothes and lounging for a good hour or two. To make your weekend calendar feel a less cramped and to spice up your post-work routine, you and your partner or someone you're dating for the first time can do a few a date nights during the week. Since you'll have to be up bright and early the next day, you might think your options are limited. Have no fear; there are a ton of great weeknight date ideas perfect for any post-work evening.

Have Your Fortunes Told

Midsection Of Man Holding Cards

Psychics operate all during the week, and there's nothing cooler than bonding with each other over your shared futures. Whether they use Tarot cards, palmistry, oracle cards, or other means of delving into the divine, it'll be an experience you'll never forget. And, the best part is, they normally have appointments that last between 30 minutes and an hour long, so it can work for a weeknight date.

Take a Cooking Class

Getting two for the price of one is something we all love, and taking a couples' cooking class for a date night during the week is a great way to hang out and get a good meal. Instead of spending money on a one-time dinner out, learn how to cook that delicious meal over and over again. You can find cooking classes offered through gourmet kitchen stores like Sur La Table and other culinary studios or venues like Taste Buds.

Start a Strategy Board Game

Some people love a game night, but the games that everyone typically plays in a big group are fast-paced games. Switch out these simpler, quick games for strategy board games you can play for hours on end. From Monopoly to Risk, you can stretch your mental muscles and spend some quality time with your boo. The best part is, you can set the game aside and revisit it throughout the week or month to keep your date night going.

Take a Ghost Tour

couple look at smart phone for lovely selfie during dating in Haloween

If you and your beloved enjoy the spooky things in life, then you should look into finding any haunted tours or ghost tours in your area. These normally last about an hour, and they typically happen at night. This makes it a perfect post-work date since it won't start until long after you've punched the clock.

Go for a Drive in a Luxury Car

Check out the rental services in your area and see if they've got any luxury cars in their fleet. Or, if you're into classic cars, you can look for collectors' groups that rent out restored ones. Pick the car up after work and take your honey on a cruise around town.

Pick an Outfit Out for Each Other at a Thrift Store

Happy couple taking a selfie in a store

Trying on ridiculous outfits was so many people's favorite pastime as a kid, but your dress up fun didn't have to stop when you became into an adult. Take your partner to a local thrift store and give each other a certain amount of money. Race through the stacks, picking out the best, or most ridiculous, outfit you desperately want to see them in. Then, go home, change into your outfits and head to dinner. It'll be a night full of laughter that the two of you will never forget.

Play Date Night Scramble

Let the internet (or the phone book, if you're lucky enough to still get those) pick out your date night activities. Pull up restaurants in your area on a map, and randomly point your finger at one or scroll down to one and visit the place they list.

Weeknight Date Ideas for When You're Too Tired to go Anywhere

Some weeks, every day feels like a Monday, and going out for date night feels like more work than it's worth. Don't throw the towel in on spending quality time with your partner just yet! You can romance each other from the comfort of your own home with these fun ideas.

Have a Nerf Gun Fight

If you've ever had to get a gift for a kid in your life, then chances are they had a Nerf gun on their list. You don't have to buy name-brand Nerf guns to have loads of fun playing target practice with one another. Bring your video game skills to real life and see which one can get the most targets to stick to the other person.

Play a Few Rounds of Blindfold Art

Test each other's listening skills by seeing if you can direct the other person to draw an image while blindfolded using only your words. Give them directions as to where to put their circles, straight lines, and shading, and see who can come up with the better looking pictures. Some of them might look so impressive that they have to be hung on the fridge for family and guests to see.

Challenge Each Other to a Chopped Meal

Affectionate couple preparing salad

Each person should rummage through your pantry and fridge to see what ingredients you have. Both of you should select an assortment of different ingredients and challenge each other to make a dish using only the ingredients you pulled out. Do a taste test, partnered with your favorite beverage, at the end of your cooking to see who did a better job.

Hold a PowerPoint Night

Who said school was out of session after you turned 18? One hilarious social media trend that's taken off in the past few years is holding PowerPoint nights with friends and family. The idea is to come up with an interesting and off-the-wall topic to give a school-style presentation on using PowerPoint slides. Take 30 minutes or so to come up with your presentation and wow your partner with your deep knowledge about covered-up Disney park deaths or the best dog breeds ranked solely on their barks.

Date Night Ideas for When You Need to Get Back to the Babysitter

Just because you have children doesn't mean that you shouldn't carve out some intentional time to spend with your partner. Considering that weeknight babysitters are cheaper than weekend ones, and the weekends can be filled with running all sorts of errands and hopping from practice to practice, you might consider adding weeknight dates into the mix!

There are a ton of cool things you and your partner can get up to that'll get the two of you out of the house, but will have you back in time to let your babysitter go at a reasonable hour.

Visit an Art Exhibit

Get in touch with your inner creative by touring around an art exhibit. You don't have to only rely on museum or galleries to get a taste of the art in your area. There might be a park with some art installations you can visit or an area of town where street artist perform and sell their wares. These are self-paced enough that you can decide when you need to head back home.

Walk Around a Botanical Garden

Smiling seniors couple on the walk

All throughout history, couples used to stroll around the gardens, and it's a practice that you can still enjoy. Of course, frolicking among the blooms is best suited for warm weather, so you should keep this date night idea in your pocket for the sunniest days out of the year.

See a Random Movie

Although seeing a movie isn't a groundbreaking date night idea, it's still a great option for people who have kids. When you can't remember the last time you saw a movie without a G rating, it's time to take you and your partner to the theater. One way to make movie going exciting is picking a time on a random weekday and getting tickets for whatever show's starting closest to that time.

Buy Books for Each Other

man and woman in the book store

For couples that love to read, there's no happier place than running around a bookstore, but having kids in tow makes it challenging to read through all of the synopses you want to. On a weeknight, you and your partner can head to a bookstore and try to pick a surprise book out for the other person.

Spice Up Your Relationship With Weeknight Dates

Whether you're thinking about where to take someone on a first date or you've been together for years and want somewhere new to spend the evening, these weeknight date ideas will cover all the bases. After all, the best weeknight dates are the ones filled with the biggest laughs and brightest smiles.

Trending on LoveToKnow
15 Weeknight Date Ideas to Mix Things Up