Finally you found the courage to ask your love interest out on a date! Of course you want to impress them, right? And you might want to go all out in an elaborate mega-date to show them how much you care… maybe it’s not the best idea, you know? Get the ball rolling with a fun, original, interesting base, and then just let it roll. You can throw the bowling ball, but you can’t carry it to strike.
On that note, that’s a good option! So:
- Pick among your wide choice of bowling alleys that London has to offer. Like Hollywood Bowl Surrey Quays, that lets you bowl in your own shoes, has VIP lanes are available with staff at your call! You can head to the arcade afterwards for some old-school fun and games.
- Let yourself be amazed by immersive experiences: there are plenty of options, from theatre shows, attractions and more to win a memorable date!
- Catch a surprise gig at a secret venue! Don’t overwork yourself, let the fate decide by booking a Sofar Sounds gig. Each intimate secret show has three surprise acts and takes place in living rooms, shops, cafés and other mystery locations across the city, only announced on the same day. This is too cool not to be cool.
- Go for a magical stroll among all rare and ancient plants at Kew Gardens: perch under the pagoda, go up the spiral staircase to the picturesque balcony or cozy up in the palm houses for a beautiful all-green experience.
5. Take a class together! Get your hands dirty with a pottery taster session at Skandihus (you might be tempted to replicate the Ghost scene, but it’s probably not encouraged). Spend an afternoon learning the basics and leave with a few pieces to commemorate this fantastic date!
6. Make your date exciting with a treasure hunt for two. Choose from different locations to explore, such as Covent Garden, London Bridge or Soho and attempt to crack the clues and decipher puzzles. For this one you will have to put your head together, and maybe… your faces? But don’t let the smooching help the other teams to the win!
7. Hire a pedalo in Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, or any pretty body of water you can find! Or why not give a twist to boating by cruising down London’s waterways in one of Skuna Boats‘ hot tubs and barbecue boats, drink in hand, year-round.
8. Head to Shoreditch and cuddle up on Electric Cinema’s front row bed: get cozy, grab your drinks and snacks, and enjoy your favourite films while sharing a bag of popcorn.
9. Catch some Shakespeare at The Globe: the location is impressive, the tickets inexpensive and I mean… it’s Shakespeare. It’s got to move up feelings. You can also join a special tour of The Globe! A 50 minute tour given by expert guide-storytellers Tuesday to Sunday, recreating the stories of the 1599 Playhouse, the London Shakespeare would have known and the Globe reconstruction process in the 1990s.
10. Is it sunny? Well then grab a basket and get to work to prepare a love-filled picnic to eat in one of London’s many, beautiful parks. That’s so, so cute.
11. Bring your date to the Seventh Heaven at the Sky Garden, where you can access for free until 6pm (after that, you’re invited to sit at the bar and order a drink, which can definitely be a nice part of the date). Enjoy spectacular views over the capital as the sun sets over it, leaving space to the night lights.
12. Get on board for this night-time cruise to get an entirely different view of the Thames. Plan your date on a Dinner Cruise and take in the spectacular sights on your ride as you make your way through a four-course meal, all the while enjoying some great tunes from a live performer. And on the return trip, well, it’s time to hit the dance floor!
13. Spend day to night and night to day at Duck & Waffle have dinner (or breakfast) accompanied by an epic view if you’re looking for a unique way to start or end the night. This 24-hour restaurant is located on the 40th floor of Heron Tower, offering unexpected combos such as spiced-duck doughnuts, foie-gras crème brûlée and the signature duck and waffle.
14. Test your date’s competitive side, challenge them to a game of crazy golf at Swingers Crazy Golf Club. As they say, the crazy golf club takes the holy trinity that is crazy golf, street food and amazing cocktails and combines them all into one incredible social experience.
Reward yourselves with food from Patty & Bun, Breddos Tacos or Made of Dough pizza, plus plenty of cocktails. Check out the Bottomless drinks Sundays!
15. Explore the Barbican Conservatory’s hidden tropical oasis: Visit on selected dates and grab a drink at the bar. other than that, the Barbican includes a concert hall, two theatres, three cinemas, two art galleries, a library, two trade exhibition halls, five conference rooms, foyers, shops and a conservatory. The conservatory also has a Marriage Licence approval… Just so you know.
16. Book the Planetarium in the Royal Observatory in Greenwich for one of its The Sky Tonight Live sessions, so you can get a front-row view of all the astronomical action! Old-school stargazing means lying outdoors looking up at the night sky, but today’s light pollution would make it quite difficult.
17. Choose an independent coffee shop to sit down with a special brew, ready to spend quality time with each other. For example, check out the Vietnamese Cà Phê VN is spreading the word through its weekly Saigon street cafe stall at Broadway Market every Saturday where it serves up coffee Vietnamese style. Or make your own customised coffee blend at Coffee Island. You can even choose how your coffee is brewed, including pour over, Chemex, AeroPress, Syphon and cold drip.
When it comes to dates creativity is very important, but remember that what matters the most is the company, so relax, smile, and enjoy being with the person you’re with!