Date Night: 25 Kickass, Nerdy, and Fit Date Ideas

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Date night!

Maybe you used 20 seconds of courage and talked to a stranger. Maybe you got introduced to a friend of a friend and you’re ready to hang out with them. Or maybe somebody is babysitting the kids and you got a night alone with your wife/husband/self aware operating system.

Awesome!

After all, many people are here on Nerd Fitness because they want to look better and feel better about themselves, and hopefully find that special someone.

I love it.

Regardless of whether it’s your FIRST date, or the 1,000th date with your spouse of 20+ years, here are some options for fun dates that don’t involve drinking and dinner, or sitting on your ass in a movie theater. Of course, there is a time and place for those dates as well, but at Nerd Fitness we felt our role was to give you nerdy and fit date ideas so everybody wins. Or, in Michael Scott’s opinion: win win win.

Here are 25 kickass date ideas that are nerdy, fit, and sure to introduce something different into your life. We’ve ranked each date idea on a scale from 1-3 on nerdiness, fit factor, and cost.

The more $, the more expensive.
The more ▲, the nerdier.
The more ♥, the more the activity contributes to your fitness and health.

Swing dance lessons

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

I promise that learning to swing dance is a lot easier than it looks. When we hosted swing dancing lessons for the Level Up Your Life book tour, everyone overcame initial hesitations quickly and had a TON of fun!

Rock climbing

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲▲ (You’re “solving” problems!)
Fit:     ♥♥♥

Head to a rock climbing gym and give both bouldering (climbing at lower heights without rope) and top rope a try (using rope to climb higher walls). There are usually routes at a wide variety of skill levels, so just like we preach – there’s always something for you to tackle and master next.

AcroYoga

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥♥

I just did this one last week and it was really interesting (fun fact, this is also a GREAT place to meet somebody if you’re single!).

Walk in the park

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

Buy an iced coffee (black) or tea (black or green) and go for a walk through your park. You can stop on various benches and discuss things.

Rent bikes and ride together – please wear a helmet!

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

Rent a rowboat on the lake – up the nerd factor if you can pay off some frogs to sing “Kiss the Girl.”

Tossing a frisbee casually in the park

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

Put together a picnic or go for a walk afterwards!

Take a cooking class together

Cost:  $$$ 
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥♥ (Nutrition is 90% of the battle!)

While cooking classes can be expensive, they can impart valuable skills that you can carry with you for the rest of your life! Plus, they are an awesome bonding experience.

Ice Skating 

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

This classic romantic date has fitness built right into it!

Ping pong

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲▲
Fit:     ♥♥

You may not be as good as these guys, but ping pong makes for some simple, easy fun!

Live Action Roleplaying

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲▲▲
Fit:     ♥♥♥

LARPing has it all. Depending on what gear you already have, it can also be incredibly cheap (especially once you have what you need).

Frisbee Golf 

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

Find an existing course or set up your own on the fly!

Hit golf balls at the driving range

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥

This low key activity gets you out and doing something, while giving you an opportunity to easily chat up your date!

Laser Tag

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲▲▲
Fit:     ♥ ♥

There’s never been a better bonding experience than dominating the kids at your laser tag arena with your date. It worked for Barney.

Mini-golf

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲▲
Fit:     ♥ 

Another classic that gets you out and about while strategizing like a nerd how best to miss the windmill while making it over the waterfall.

Improv class

A great experience to bond over!

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲▲▲
Fit:     ♥ 

Home cooked meal together 

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥♥ 

It’s cheap, it’s impressive, and there’s something about working with food together that is always a great time.

Geocaching mission 

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲▲▲
Fit:     ♥♥

Think of Geocaching like a real world version of National Treasure: you’re on a real life treasure hunt, set up by other people.

Do an informal (or formal, if you’ve got one) walking tour of your town. Ghost tours and historical.

Cost:  $
Nerd: ▲▲
Fit:     ♥♥ 

It’s easy, creates a great conversation opportunity, and is incredibly cheap!

Survival course/5k/color run/charity walk

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲▲
Fit:     ♥♥♥

Do it in a costume for bonus points!

Group painting class, or a drink ‘n’ draw session 

Cost:  $ 
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥

It doesn’t matter if you’re not very artistic; in fact, it will be part of the fun!

Walk around or explore a Planetarium/Science Center/Museum 

Cost:  $ 
Nerd: ▲▲▲
Fit:     ♥

If you find a fellow science/space nerd, this is an incredible date. There’s nothing more romantic than nerding out about our amazing universe.

Hiking and picnic

Cost:  $ 
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥♥

Your hike can be as long or as short as you need it to be. Prepare a picnic for bonus points!

Driving range, batting cage, firing range, or archery: (cost $$, nerd 2, fit 1-2)

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲-▲▲
Fit:     ♥-♥♥

Learning or simply doing a skill based activity makes for great discussion and connection. Revel in how much better one of you is than the other, or how you both suck!

Stand-up paddleboarding 

Cost:  $$
Nerd: ▲
Fit:     ♥♥

It’s a lot of fun and a great workout!

That’s our best shot at 25 nerdy, fit dates.

Romantic nerds out there, what ideas did we miss?

-Steve

###

photo source: date night, improv, laser tag, geocaching, LARP, swing, acro, rockclimbing

Filed under: Fitness