8 Creative Outdoor Date Ideas That Aren’t Just Hiking

Renting a kayak or canoe for an hour on a lake or calm river gets you moving together, and creates a peaceful atmosphere for deep conversations or enjoying the reprieve of nature. Time it around sunset and you have a highly romantic setting.

Set up a blanket and projector in the backyard or head to a local outdoor screening of a film. Roll out a blanket, some snacks and open a bottle of wine and voila, you have yourself the perfect, low-fuss outdoors date night.

Walk a local farmers market, sample all the free produce and pick out fresh ingredients for a meal you'll cook together later. It's casual, cheap and provides an activity to do together that requires little to no planning.

Check out your area for the best local spots to stargaze, bring a blanket and pull up a stargazing app to help identify what you're looking at. Another lowkey idea that doesn’t take a whole lot of effort but makes for a whole lot of quality time.

Slower-paced than a hike but still outdoorsy, botanical gardens give you something to focus on together instead of relying on tons of conversation. If you or your partner are into photography, you can also turn it into a photography walk.

Look for free summer concert series in local parks. There are usually plenty of free shows in most cities that you can attend with your partner. Just bring the beers and the lawn chairs and you’re set for a nice, relaxed evening outside.

For the more adventurous couple, paddleboarding might be right up your alleyway. It’s still a way to get in some exercise while having fun out on the water.

This one is almost always a guaranteed winner. You can each decide on something to make and bring, lay out a blanket almost anywhere and enjoy each other’s company for hours. Plus, you can do this one literally any time of the week.