What is your idea of a perfect date night? From dreamy rooftop drinks to competition-filled activities, London has plenty of romantic things to do for fun and creative couples.
Date night is always accompanied by a certain level of suspense and expectation.
Whether it be a first date or the 100th, it’s an opportunity to intimately spend time with another human being.
You want to have fun together (just with your clothes on…). So how can you do that in London?
London has a certain romantic charm that makes it a wonderful host for couples on a date night.
The city is a cultural centre rich in museums, shows and events, and there is an electrifying energy in places like Shoreditch and Soho at night. There are just so many things to do in London.
The list below should provide some inspiration to help you make many awesome memories with your date.
1. Activity Bars
Games bars around London are a pretty great spot to do something together without fear of finding topics of conversation while discovering your common ground.
We love going to games bars as a couple and they also make for a cool and relaxed location for double dates too.
Fun activity bars in London for couples:
- Bounce, Old Street and Farringdon: ping pong, shuffleboard, wonderball and beer pong.
- Draughts, Hackney and Waterloo: Board game café
- Flight Club, Bloomsbury, Islington, Shoreditch and Victoria: Darts
- Swingers, West End and City: Crazy golf
- All Star Lanes, Brick Lane, Holborn, Stratford and White City: Bowling
Alternatively, you can just take a travel game to a normal bar to enjoy with a cocktail! Here’s a list of the our favourite travel games to enjoy with your partner.
2. Watch a top-notch theatre show
One of the must-do couple activities is watching one of the many outstanding performances at the West End.
I can’t remember a year (apart from 2020 because it doesn’t count!) where we don’t buy theatre tickets for each other as a birthday outing.
There are many breathtaking shows to choose from. You can even get affordable last-minute tickets on TodayTix, and always check your seat reviews at SeatPlan.
Our favourites plays/musicals include:
3. Wander around a museum to revel in the arts
Calling all fashion fans, modern art lovers, history fiends – you have plenty of options for a more intellectually stimulating date (or to just pretend you are super-cultured).
Pick your poison, from modern art at the Tate Modern, pleasing portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, to thought-provoking artefacts at the British Museum and many more. Just leave the moral ambiguity of the British Museum until you are at least a few dates in…
4. Take a cruise down the River Thames
There’s nothing better than cruising down the River Thames on a sunny day and catching glimpses of the iconic London skyline.
We especially like stopping in Greenwich for some Fish & Chips. There we go, that’s your date meal sorted too.
For a date meal on the river, you can book a dining cruise here.
5. Head to Kew Gardens for scenic exploration
If spending time in the big city has you yearning for some fresh air then you are going to love Kew Gardens.
Strolling through the different gardens (the Japanese area is our favourite) is a fantastic and relaxing way to spend a day.
Top tip: plan your date to finish late so you catch the romantic lights. At Christmas time especially, it turns Kew Gardens into an even more magical place.
6. Hire a pedalo on London’s lakes
Create a scene straight out of a Rom-Com with London’s outdoor space during the warmer months.
Rent a pedalo in some lovely London’s parks such as Alexandra Palace Park, Hyde Park, Regent’s Park and many others.
7. Skate away on ice rinks
Is there a more romantic way to spend a cold day than to skate around in one of London’s magical ice rings surrounded by Christmas lights? We think not.
Unless you are terrible at ice skating. In which case you should still go and maybe you can play the pity card when you fall over constantly. Or use it as an excuse to hold hands, although you risk dragging the other person down with you. Decisions decisions…
Get your skate on at Natural History Museum, Somerset House, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and many more.
8. Upgrade the usual cinema dates
A cinema date might not be for everyone (since you can’t really talk to each other) but it’s a classic location for a reason.
Impress any ‘film buff’ date with a trip to the quirky cinemas around London where you can enjoy a movie while sitting in a comfy chair and get served snacks.
Quirky cinemas in London:
- Backyard Cinema, Wandsworth
- Secret Cinema, secret location
- Electric Cinema, Portobello and White City
- Everyman Cinema, various locations
9. Sip on cocktails
Sitting at a cocktail bar with a picturesque night sky view of London is a romantic way to spend an evening.
There are plenty of rooftop bars to choose from around the city. Though, we love the stunning view of St Paul’s Cathedrals while sipping on some drinks at Madison Bar, One New Change.
If you’re looking for something a little bit different there are plenty of theme cocktail bars around London or if you want to show your musical talent why not try a karaoke bar.
Rooftop bars:
- Sabine Rooftop Bar, St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Skylight, Tobacco Dock
- 12th Knot, South Bank
- Coq d’Argent, The City
- Alto by San Carlo, Selfridges at Oxford Street
For a theme cocktail bar, try The Cauldron, Dalston for potion making themed cocktails
10. Dinner dates
Connecting through food is one of our favourite things. In fact, food may be the main reason we travel.
So, if your date has the same predisposition you might feel under pressure to pick the best restaurants for your next date.
Luckily, you’ll struggle to find a city with more top restaurant choices than London. Here are some of our best-value recommendations:
Top London restaurants for a date:
- Som Saa, Spitalfields
- Dishoom, various locations
- Padella, Shoreditch
- Le Mercury, Islington
- La Famiglia, Chelsea
- Burger & Lobster, various locations
You can also check out our London Guide for more restaurant picks.
11. Picnic in the park
English weather is not known for its sunny climate, so when the sun peaks through those clouds you have to make the most of it.
Order your favourite food or make your own spread with some bubbly to create your very own picnic. I love making homemade sausage rolls and fruit salad and some charcuterie board.
Some of our top picnic picks are Regent’s Park, Battersea Park, Richmond Park, Holland Park and Greenwich Park.
12. Couple classes
Get to know each other while learning something new with a variety of classes.
Take your pick from cooking, cocktail-making or dances! Dancing in particular is fun and a great way to get physical.
A cooking class is also quite handy for exposing the other’s skill level. No one is expecting expert level, but it’s ideal to know that toast isn’t the best you can hope for on Valentine’s Day…
We really liked our dim sum class with London Cookery School.
Classes you can book together:
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