While going for coffee may be a handy first date, and dinner may work for the second, finding things to do beyond the usual trip to the pub can sometimes feel tricky when looking for love.
To help you find fun and unusual activities for date night with your match, we have listed alternative date ideas in Dublin in 2023 (and beyond).
Be a tourist
Going on a date can feel like a lot of pressure. To make things easier, think of your romantic outing as an opportunity to tick off your to-do list or simply get your steps in. From art exhibitions to historical tours, there are plenty of fun ways to spend a day with your potential other-half without the nail-biting nerves.
Windmill Lane Recording Studios Tour
Lasting 50-60 minutes and costing €22 per person, this tour will allow participants to explore the very studios that some of the best musicians in the business have experienced. This hands-on tour will examine how tracks are put together, how sessions are mixed, and may even introduce you to Cosmo - the resident ghost.
Step into a world of mythology and folklore and have a laugh while exploring the wonders of Ireland's Leprechaun Museum. The Darkland tour, which explores the "twisted tales of the darker side of Ireland", takes place at 7pm and 8pm and is strictly over 18s. Lasting one hour, it costs €20 per person.
This gorgeous gem can be found in a Georgian home on 15 St. Stephen's Green. Home to a treasure trove of Irish memorabilia, it was created by public donation, with guided tours revealing the history of a city that has undergone remarkable changes in the last 100 years. Guided tours from €13 per person.
Art lovers and culture vultures can enjoy a series of diverse and exciting exhibitions, performances, screenings, workshops and free events at the museum this summer. IMMA Outdoors will host a series of free outdoor events, with this year's programme including IMMA Nights, an evening series of events taking place every Thursday, and Sunday. Running until 24 September.
If the good weather continues and you're looking for new grounds to explore for free, the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin may be the perfect date spot. A picturesque oasis of beauty, the Gardens contain important collections of plant species and cultivars from all over the world as well as restored historic glasshouses.
Walking Tours
If sitting across from your dating app match sounds like a recipe for disaster, why not shake your nerves with a walking tour? As well as getting to know your date, you'll have the chance to learn something new about your city.
Dublin City Exploration Smartphone Game
Running from 8am to 6pm, this two and a half hour self-guided tour costs €22 per person and will allow players to explore the city of Dublin. Players will discover local landmarks by taking part in tricky challenges. Once a riddle is solved, players will unlock a local recommendation and fun facts about the city.
As the home of Halloween, Ireland is a long and storied past with mythical ghosts and ghouls. This one and a half hour walking tour costs €19 per person and will lead participants down the eerie, cobblestoned streets of the capital.
Costing €22 per person, this musical walking tour will see a bonafide local musician and balladeer lead an interactive journey through the music of Ireland. Sing along to the street songs of Dublin, hearing the folk ballads of Ireland's musical heritage.
Lasting two and a half hours, this unconventional food tour comes in at a higher price point (€85 per person) but hosts no more than six people at a time, allowing for a more curated experience. Exploring both traditional Irish food and international dishes, this tour explores the farm-to-fork connections and small business origins.
Creative classes
Idle hands make fretful minds. To keep date night flowing, sign up for a class that will keep you busy while you get to know your beau.
Dublin bar The Little Pig offer cocktail class for €50 per person. After receiving a welcome cocktail upon arrival and learning about the venue and cocktails in general, you and your date will each have the opportunity to learn how to make, and then drink, two different cocktails.
Find the Patrick Swayze to your Demi Moore while sitting behind a potter's wheel. Located near Dublin's old Fruit and Vegetable Market area, Arran Street East offer pottery classes and workshops for people interested in exploring the craft. Their elementary throwing classes last two and a half hours on weekends and cost €85 per person.
If you want to mark an anniversary or do something special for your date day, why not create your very own rings? Running at €80 per person, the team at Silver Works will teach the basics of silver-smithing from sawing, soldering, filing, hammering and polishing to create your very own handmade silver ring!
Wish you could paint like Bob Ross? Drink and Draw are hosting a paint party in Dublin's Grand Social. Costing €26 per person, painters will enjoy a two-hour art party complete with cheesy music, a canvas to take home, and prizes up for grabs throughout the night.
This Must Be The Place is an events venue in Temple Bar that hosts a variety of fun workshops, classes and performances. Hosted by Alternative Dublin, the 'Paint With Coffee Art Workshop' is set to be a wholesome afternoon of creating masterpieces using only coffee. €17.93 per person with free tea, coffee and biscuits available.
Active adventures
If you enjoy getting out into the fresh air, there are plenty of great hiking trails and wild swimming spots to enjoy in and around Dublin. However, if you would like a more structured day to enjoy with your date, there are plenty of events on offer.
Kicking off at 11am, this four-hour hiking adventure costs €49 per person and will lead you on a charming hiking trail on the beautiful Howth Peninsula. Spanning approximately 10-15 kms, this tour will bring you through history as you walk through the ages and explore unique habitats that vary by day and season.
Costing €75 per person, this half-day guided tock climbing tour will see you scale to new heights above Dublin City. From Dalkey Quarry, participants can witness vast views from Dun Laoghaire to the Poolbeg towers and beyond.
See the city from a whole new viewpoint and enjoy a gig under a bridge with City Kayaking. Costing €47 per person, this date will see you share a kayak with your other half while taking in a memorable show under some of the most iconic bridges of Dublin. This unique experience will last about two hours.
For €25 per person, you can spend an exciting hour voyage around Ireland's Eye (a small long-uninhabited island off the coast of County Dublin) and the Howth coastline.
Play games
If you want to hold off on soul-searching conversations and have a little fun with your dating app match, play some games with them (like table tennis, not their feelings).
Located on South William Street, The Hideout is a BYOB (bring your own bottle) pool and table tennis hall. Costing €15 or €20 per hour depending on the day, this is a great date spot in the centre of the city.
Home to 40 arcade and pinball machines, decked-out event spaces and award-winning food, this Dublin 7 hot spot is a great place to spend some time with someone new. Find out how competitive your date is over a game of Gumball. Tokens are €1 for one, €5 for seven, €10 for 15, or €20 for 32.
Dublin's only roller disco and dance centre is based in Finches Business Park and is open to all levels and all ages. If you’ve never skated before, they offer lessons for beginners and always have plenty of staff on hand to help. General admission €10.
Located in Dundrum Town Centre, Rainforest Adventure Golf boast two indoor, fully air-conditioned mini-golf courses, café, and mini arcade. Suited for all skill levels, the Aztec and Mayan themed 18 hole courses will provide a tropical 45-minute experience. €14.90 per person.
Dublin's only axe-throwing venue is located in the heart (or bullseye, if you will) of the city. Axe Throwing is an aggressively fun date idea with a difference. Open on weekends, and costing €27 per person for a one-hour session, this is a great group event if you fancy a double date with friends.
There are plenty of pubs hosting weekly quizzes across Dublin, so give your local a call and see what's on offer. If you want to venture into the city centre, The Wood Shed is a sports bar on Parnell Street with a free quiz night every Monday at 9pm. Get ready to put your knowledge to the test.
Live Shows
If you want to take in a show before your night of wining and dining, you can head to any number of historic venues to take in a play, music gig or spot of stand-up.
For plays, check out Theatres Online for a list of upcoming performances at The Gate, Smock Alley, The Gaiety, The Abbey, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, 3Olympia Theatre, and more.
If you want to get a taste of everything the arts have to offer, be sure to check out the Dublin Fringe Festival this September.
The Irish Comedy Guide Comedy is a great way to discover your local comedy venues for a night of stand-up. If you want a weekend of side-stitching Irish and international comedy, don't miss the Paddy Power Comedy Festival taking place in the Iveagh Gardens this July.
For a romantic night at the movies, look no further than an extravagant show in the Stella cinema or an intimate indie flick in the IFI. If you want something a little different, check out a drive-in experience this summer.
