61 Wonderful Summer Date Ideas

If the pressure of planning a perfect date brings you out in a sweat…

…well you’re going to be having a particularly hard time right now.

Fortunately, however, we’ve just updated our wonderful little collection of summer date ideas, from rooftop bar crawls, marshmallow toasting, floating hot tubs and films on the beach, to alfresco jazz, open air theatre, wild swimming and rooftop croquet…

1.  Watch A Film Alfresco At One Of These Summer Cinema Pop-Ups

You’ll quickly find out if they’re salty or sweet.

2.  Enjoy Some Canalside Jazz At Grow Hackney

It’s nearly as smooth as the bar’s homemade Hackney Spiced Rum.

Details: Various dates throughout summer | Grow, Main Yard, Hackney Wick, E9 5LN | £5/6 | Book here

3.  Build Each Other bouquets at Columbia Flower Market

Revel in your blossoming romance.

Details: Columbia Road, Shoreditch, Shoreditch, E2 7RG | Every Sunday, 8am-3PM

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4.  Go on a Rooftop Bar Crawl Hike

Take your relationship to dizzying new heights.

5.  See Some Opera. Alfresco. In One Of London’s Most Iconic Parks

Ali Wright

Strapped for cash? On Fridays they host free fourty-minute gigs on the steps out front.

Details: 31st May – 13th August | Opera Holland Park Theatre, Ilchester Place, Kensington, W8 6LU | Book here

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6. Rent a Hot Tug Boat

It’s a boat, that’s also a hot tub, guaranteeing a pretttty steamy time.

Details: Available daily | Off Hertsmere Road, West India Quay, E14 4AL | £225-250 per trip | Book here

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7. Take a Lunch break Trip To Watch A Rubber Duck Race

If you’ve got time, stop off for some cheese on the roof of The Cheese Barge, too.

Details: Thursday 29th July, 12.30-1.30pm | Merchant Square, Paddington, W2 | Free, or sponsor a duck for £3 in aid of COSMIC charity.

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8. Spend all day at Summer By The River…

Flit from folk gigs to Gospeloke to hip-hop dance offs without breaking a sweat…

Details: See what’s on here | The Scoop at More, London SE1 2AA | Free Entry
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9. Brush Up On Your Shakespeare At The Globe

Bring a blanket and get £5 yard tickets to cuddle up under the stars.

Details: Throughout Summer | Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT | From £5 | Book here

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10. Frolic In A Tidal Wave Of Multi-Coloured Foam At GDIF

After a late lunch at one of Greenwich’s best restaurants of course.

Details: 27th August – 11th September | Across Greenwich | Some free events, others ticketed

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11. Watch Films With Your Toes In The Sand At Backyard Cinema

Nothing says true love like a last minute trip to L.A.

Details: Screenings daily | Capital Studios, 13 Wandsworth Plain, Wandsworth, SW18 1ET | From £15.99 | Book here
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12. Go On A Pub Crawl Around Richmond

Or keep it simple and park up riverside.
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13. Toast Marshmallows at the Campfire Club

Make sure to tell them that you couldn’t love them s’more.

Details: Various dates | Secret London Locations | £13 | Book here
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14. See Big Name Acts at All Points East

London’s day festival is back, and it’s bringing Mura Masa, Tame Impala and Charlie XCX with it…

Details: 19th-28th August | Victoria Park, E3 5TG | £78.95+ | Book here
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15. Sort Sarnies And Go Watch Some Bearpit Karaoke

It’s free. It’s alfresco. And – if the previous years are anything to go by – it’s full of roar talent.

Details: Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, 139 Vauxhall Walk, Vauxhall, SE11 5HL | Free entry
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16. Catch Some Comedy At The Underbelly Festival

Then get giddy on fairground rides, fuelled by street food.

Details: Until September 26th | Empress Place, Earls Court, SW6 1TT | Free entry, book shows here
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17. Get Lost In Walthamstow Wetlands

Then (re)discover each other over a cold pint at Signature brew.

Details: 2 Forest Road, Walthamstow, N17 9NH |Open Mon-Fri, 9.30am to 4pm | Free entry | £2 parking
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18. Complete the City’s Tiniest Bar Crawl

Cocktails in the City conveniently brings dozens of London’s best bars together in one beautiful, leafy square.

Details: August 11th – 13th | Bedford Square, WC1B 3HH | £20 | Book here
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19. Listen to Live Jazz on the Lawns at Fulham Palace

Bring your own picnic – or fish & chips from local Fishers.

Details: 15th & 17th July| Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, London SW6 6EA | £75 for two, with Champagne | Book here
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20. Hire A Go Boat and Sail Through Little Venice

See if you can agree on your future home.

Details: Available daily | Paddington, Kingston & Canary Wharf | £89+ | Book here
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21. Grab A Coffee And Take A Stroll Around Stokey’s Clissold Park

Feeling Peckish? The Good Egg‘s got brunch (inc. babka) just down the road.

Details: Green Lanes, Stoke Newington, N16 9HJ

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22. Test the Oysters-As-Aphrodisiacs Theory with London Shell Co.

Or the whole candlelight, sparkling wine, and London sailing past your window thing…

Details: Cruises Wed-Sat | The Prince Regent, Sheldon Square, W2 6PY | £65 | Book here
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23. Play It Cool With An Ice Cream Crawl Through Central London

Make sure not to waffle on.
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24. Play Croquet on a Rooftop At Skylight

Because the stakes are automatically higher.

Details: Open Thurs-Sun | Penning Street Car Park, Wapping Lane, E1W 2SF | From £15 for 45 mins | Book here
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25. Make a Picnic Hamper at One of London’s Best Food Markets

Or just cheat and get some street food hot out the kitchen.

26. Take A Stroll Through Dalston Eastern Curve Garden

And learn how to plant seedlings…of love.

Details: Open daily from 2pm | 13 Dalston Lane, E8 3DF | Free entry

27. Take In The Views From Greenwich Park

Before listening to some live jazz at the bandstand.

Details: Various weekend dates from 3pm | Greenwich Park, SE10 8XJ | Free
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28. Sip Cocktails From Coconuts At Limin’ Beach Club

Soaked up by a little Trinidadian grill

Details: Open daily | Gabriel’s Wharf, 56 Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1 9PP | Book here
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29. Compete To Buy Each Other The Most Unusual Object at Spitalfields Market

Victorian print of the anatomy of the lungs? No really, you shouldn’t have. 

Details: Every Thursday, 8am-5pm | Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW | Free entry
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30. Take A BBQ Boat Trip Around The City

Good at cooking and sailing? Who knew.

Details: Available daily | Off Hertsmere Road, West India Quay, E14 4AL | £150-250 | Book here
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31. Challenge Each Other To a Triathlon on Roof East

There’s batting cages, lawn bowls, crazy golf and more.

Details: Open Tues-Sun, and bank holidays | Floors 7 & 8, Stratford Multi-Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Way, E15 1XE | Free entry – games from £10 | Book here
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32. Go On A Craft Beer Tasting Down The Thames

Dish out a little cheese….in the shape of a cheeseboard from the esteemed Neal’s Yard Dairy.

Details: 14th, 28th August & 11th September | The River Princess, Lambeth Pier, Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7SG | £44+ | Book here
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33. Eat Al Fresco In Circolo Popolare’s Hidden Courtyard

In fact….eat al fresco for EVERY MEAL, thanks to our al fresco dining guide.
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34. Plan A Day Trip Out Of London

This beach is 90 minutes away….
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35. Play Dinosaur Mini Golf 

Don’t like Dinosaur Mini Golf!? Maybe one of these golf courses will do the trick.

Details: Dinosaur Safari Adventure Golf, A1 Golf Driving Range, Rowley Lane, Barnet, EN5 3HW | £20 for 2 | Book here
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36. Hire A Boat On One Of London’s Many Lakes

Or a pedalo, if you want a calf workout while you’re at it.
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37. Go Geocaching Together

They’re literally all over the city… meaning you can tie it in with a visit to the best restaurant in whichever neighbourhood you end up in.
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38. Listen To Mozart In A Car Park At Bold Tendencies

Then head upstairs for negronis at Frank’s.

Details: Various Dates | Bold Tendencies, Floors 7-10, 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4TG | £5-10 | Book here

39. Crack Codes for Personalised Cocktails at The Bletchley

If you like each others’ too, that has to be a good sign.

Details: Wed-Sun | 459 King’s Road, SW10 0LR | £36
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40. Browse the Stalls at Hackney Night Market

And stop off for drinks at Night Tales. 

Details: Friday nights, 6-10pm | Bohemia Place, Hackney Central, E8 1DU | Free entry
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41. Take a Board Game to The Faltering Fullback’s Roof Garden

Then crush the competition at quiz night.

Details: Quiz night on Monday | 19 Perth Road, N4 3HB | Book here
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42. Pick a Picnic at Garson’s PYO Farm

It’s totally ok to just get five punnets of strawberries. See our pick of fruit-picking farms near London

Details: Daily from 9am-4pm (10am Sun) | Winterdown Road, Esher, KT10 8LS | £4pp | Book here
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43. Go For Dinner At This Romantic Churchyard Restaurant

Just be sure to get to the church on time.

Details: Open Wed-Sun | 1 Marylebone Road, NW1 4AQ | Book here
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44. Watch Stand-Up or a Musical at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Request a Champagne picnic for two.

Details: Throughout summer | Regent’s Park, Inner Circle, NW1 4NU | Tickets from £25, picnic £55 for two | Book here
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45. Attend a Seasonal Supperclub in an Ancient Apothecaries’ Garden

Ask if they’ve got anything for love sickness.

Details: Various dates until September | Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HS | £65-95 | Book here
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46. See How Far You Can Get Along the Bermondsey Beer Mile

Remember, in these summer months it’s important to stay hydrated.

Details: Saturdays 11am-5pm | See the route here
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47. Listen To Live Music In An Old 18th Century Mansion

Everything from pop, to rock, to grime.

Details: Across the summer | Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA | £31.25+ | Book here
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48. Follow A Cryptic Text Trail Around Hidden Parts of the City

And stop in at tiny, off-the-beaten-track pubs en route.

Details: Daily | Across London | £25pp | Book here
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49. Play a Little Al Fresco Shuffleboard

On weekends they do bottomless prosecco, beer, and stone-baked pizzas too.

Details: Open daily | London Shuffle Club, 4 Ebor Street, E1 6AW | £25-52 per lane | Bottomless ‘brunch’: £35-£45 | Book here
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50. Go Wild Swimming At One Of These Outdoor London Swim Spots

Work on your butterflies…
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51. Go Dinosaur Spotting at Crystal Palace Park

Decide why this one is soooo lazy.

Details: Open daily | Crystal Palace Park, 13 Orchard Grove, SE20 8DN | Free
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52. Take a Stroll Round Holland Park’s Kyoto Garden

Then go for a drink at the equally floral Churchill Arms.

Details: Open daily | Holland Park, Ilchester Place, W8 | Free
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53. Brave the Waters at Hampstead Heath Ponds

Then get ice creams at Kenwood House.

Details: Open daily from 7am | Hampstead Heath, NW5 1QR  | Book here
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54. Go Kayaking Down the Thames By Twilight

Double kayak gets double points. YOU GUYS.

Details: Various dates | The Beach Next to St Mary’s Church Battersea, SW11 3LX | £67 | Book here
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55. Bask in the Azaleas at the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park

Well hellooo, super romantic summer date spot.

Details: Open daily | Richmond Park, KT2 7NA | Free
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56. Get Crazy Romantic in the Gardens of Southside House

Then listen to live musicians in the stunning rooms inside.

Details: 28th August, 25th September | Southside House, 3-4 Woodhayes Road, SW19 4RJ | £25-30
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57. Hang Out Canalside At Crate Brewery

Share a pizza and design your imaginary houseboat together.

Details: Open daily from noon |7, The White Building, Queen’s Yard, E9 5EN
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58. Skate, Dine and Bowl at Skate, Dine and Bowl

Keep cool while everyone else is sweltering above ground.

Details: Open daily | 17 Queensway, Bayswater, West London, W2 4QP | £12.50-14.50 | Book here
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59. Head to the Midnight Apothecary

Because: botanical cocktails, subterranean live music, and bottomless, toastable marshmallows.

Details: Thursday-Sunday | Brunel Museum Rooftop Garden, Railway Avenue, London, SE16 4LF | From £6 | Book here
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60. Take a Food Tour of the World at Mercato Metropolitano

…and bop your head to live music.

Details: Open daily from 11am – late | 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR | Free entry | Music ticketed separately, book here
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61. Play Beach Badminton… In Paddington

Loser buys the Champagne slushies at Pergola Paddington nearby.

Details: Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays 10am-6pm until 6th September | Merchant Square, Paddington W2 | Free | Book here

Need even more inspiration? Luckily there’s 101 year-round London date ideas right here…