So we’ve been talking a lot about vegan dating and how to make things work when one person is vegan and the other isn’t. (You can find that first post here. ) But today I wanted to look at the fun part of dating–the actual dates.
If you’ve never dated a vegan before, you may not know what suggestions are good ideas or bad ones. And this is only natural. A new concept to integrate is likely to have a learning curve. And so, I’ve compiled a list of some ideas for dates to take vegans on. Obviously, this list is by no means comprehensive and just because your idea isn’t on this list doesn’t mean it’s not vegan. But these were the ideas that I came up with as a starting off point. I decided to group them with like ideas, in order to help in the deciding process. Happy dating!
Mental/Emotional Experiences
Museums—There are lots of museums you can visit, based around historical events or scientific concepts, All of them can be really fun experiences and give you things to talk about!
Art Galleries—Art galleries are great if you have the same attitudes about art. If you’re both connoisseurs, you can talk about technique and skill. And if not, you can look at pieces and make fun of them or talk about how they make you feel.
Visit a botanical garden—This one is pretty straightforward. Walk around and look at the pretty plants. Although, if you have a green thumb, you may be able to teach your date a thing or two.
Movies—Nearly everyone appreciates a good movie, and vegans are no different. If you’re someone who likes to get drinks, popcorn or candy at the theaters, worry not. There are often many vegan options.
Farm Sanctuary Tour—If you’re looking to learn more about veganism or your date is an animal lover, this can be a good way to meet in the middle and learn a thing or two about farm animals.
A Concert—Music lovers unite, regardless of vegan status. Even better if you find an artist you both like who’s coming to town.
The Theater—Go to the theater, and watch a show. Whether it’s a play, musical or opera, this is a fun experience.
Attend a sporting event—Another spectator event, but not as quiet and reserved. Going to a game together can be super fun and show you a new side to a person.
Learn a Language Together—Expand your knowledge and skills together by taking a language class. You’ll have a built in study buddy and you’ll learn how to be understood by more people in the world!
Visit a Library—And speaking of expanding your mind, go visit a library together. You can find movies, music, books, and reference materials that open up a whole new world. This can be a great way to explore life together and find new common ground.
Volunteer Somewhere—Another fun date idea is to give back in some way. You can volunteer with the elderly, children, animals, so many things. Find a cause that you both agree with and offer some joint time to give back.
Fun things to do
Have a Photo Shoot—This one can take all day if you want it to. Start with giving each other makeovers. You could even buy a new outfit for the shoot. Do each other’s hair, makeup and/or accessories and hit the town. Find tall building, nature scenes, whatever floats your boat and take pictures—serious or silly, or a mixture. You’ll have plenty of moments from the day and have a blast doing it.
Take a Pottery Class—Taking a ceramics class is a way to combine your artistic skills with a hands-on physicality and is quite the unique experience. I would recommend it as an activity to almost anyone. So throw a hunk of clay on a wheel!
Amusement Park—For the thrill seekers, enjoy the rides and attractions or amusement parks such as Ferris wheels are roller coasters. There’s always something new to see or do around every corner!
Mini Golf—While golf may be expensive and difficult to learn, mini golf sure isn’t. Fun for everyone and easy to pick up where you left off, take some time for a little bit of putt-putt.
Roller Rinks—This one may take some more coordination but going to a roller rink can be a pretty fun date. Enjoy the lights, the music and share a soda the old-fashioned way.
Bowling—Bowling is another classic date-night idea, and in my opinion, it’s a classic for a reason. Even if you’re not very good at it, it’s still an enjoyable game, and hey—no shame in using bumpers to bulk up your score.
Karaoke—Not everyone loves singing, but if you’re game, a karaoke night can be a great idea for both vegans and non. Make it about camaraderie and not perfection though, so that everyone involved can leave feeling good.
Have a Scavenger Hunt—You can either print off a pre-made scavenger hunt list online, or make your own, but I find scavenger hunts to be very amusing. Some environments might include shopping malls, nature walks, or city streets.
Axe-Throwing—This one is very physical and a good outlet for aggression. Find that adrenaline high and ride it!
Archery—Another sort of weapon-related date, archery is great for honing your precision and just like axe-throwing, will make for some definite memories.
Shooting Range—Believe it or not, vegans aren’t inherently against guns. (Some people think they might be, but that’s not accurate.) If you’re a fan of all things that go “bang”, see if your date may be interested in trying their hand at the shooting range.
Take Dance Lessons—It can be fun to move your body with music and dancing together is a good way to gauge physical chemistry. Dancing can be a great couples activity and if you try it once and like it, could make the basis for many dates to come.
Have a Game or Trivia Night—An old fashioned game night might be just what you need to make it out of a dating funk. Invite other couples over to play board games and ask trivia questions. If you want a modern twist, add in some party style video games or put together a VR session.
Laser Tag—Laser tag is another fun memory-making activity. You can run and hide and shoot and your teeth will look so much whiter than usual. All fun things.
Arcades—Speaking of laser tag, many places have a combined laser tag and arcade. If you’ve got the budget for arcade games, that’s also a fun way to let your competitive side out in a healthy way.
Go Karting—If you like fast moving things, try go-karting. You’ll get the adrenaline rush and get driving practice. It may not last quite so long as other dates, but it’s a fun activity and will give you tons of memories together.
Rock Climbing—Have you ever been to an indoor rock-climbing wall? It’s temperature controlled and you’re strapped into the harness tight so the risk is very small. However, it feels very exciting all the same and is an awesome opportunity to try at least once.
For the Outdoorsy Types
Hiking—Go explore a national or regional park. You’ll walk and talk and sweat together. Just make sure to bring sunscreen and bug spray.
Camping—And if you enjoy hiking and the outdoors, consider making it a camping trip. You can add on a road trip and a campfire with s’mores, followed by cuddling up in the tent at night. Perfect bonding experience.
Beach Day—The beach is a lot of fun in the summertime. Swimming, sunbathing, sandcastles and picnics can all be part of your beach day festivities. And don’t forget to take a selfie or two!
Pick some fruit—There are many fruits that you can go pick together. If you find that you both like apples or blueberries, consider going together and making a day of picking some. Then you can bring them home and bake with them later, if you wish.
Ice-Skating—I always see these cliche images of old-timey dates where you go ice-skating together, and to be honest, that’s not a bad idea. Bring some hot cider or tea with some cookies and a warming house, and learn how to skate on one of these oh-so cold days.
Sledding—Sledding is fun because it takes basically no skill—gravity does all the work for you. Be sure to dress warm and choose an area that is wide-open and safe. All you’ll really need is a cheap sled and you can reuse that as many times as you want.
Skiing and SnowBoarding—If you go to any sort of ski resort, they’ll likely have both skiing and snowboarding available. It can be a lot of fun to learn how to descend the slopes together, or to stay nice and cozy in the lodge all weekend.
Bird-Watching—Some people find bird-watching a delightfully relaxing hobby. You’re in the woods and the world just melts away as you inhabit the lives of these birds. It’s a beautiful thing.
Star-gazing—Star-gazing can be such a romantic activity. Hold each other beneath the stars and talk about your hopes and dreams for the future, and marvel at the expanse of the universe. In all the possibilities of this life, isn’t amazing that you managed to find each other at all?
Have a Bonfire—A bonfire is a super fun activity, and you can invite however many people you want to share it with. Reminisce about the past, tell weird stories, make funny jokes, and bring snacks that everyone can eat.
Things that could work, with extra planning
Cooking Dinner Together—This is a good opportunity to learn more about vegan food, if that’s something you’re interested in. You could even find a new recipe neither of you have made to make it a good bonding experience. And of course, everybody loves the part when you finally get to sit down for dinner.
Go Out for Dinner—A classic date idea will take a little bit more preparation with a vegan. See if you can find a vegan restaurant if you really want to impress. However, a restaurant with vegan options is sufficient. A lot of ethnic restaurants will have better vegan options than “American Style” restaurants or steak houses, for example. Try downloading the HappyCow app to see some good options in your area.
A Bar—Many vegans also drink alcohol, so taking a vegan to a bar or a club isn’t that difficult of a feat. If you want to be prepared, take a look at Barnivore.com to see if your favorite beverages are vegan.
Wine-Tasting—If you’re really into wine, you may know that not all wine is vegan. Many wines will use nonvegan fining agents such as isinglass, which is a byproduct of fish. So calling ahead to the winery to check the vegan-friendliness of the wines is an important step, but after that, you should be good to go.
For when you know each other better
There are some dates that aren’t really first date material, but are viable options once you get to know each other better and/or become an established couple. Here are a few ideas.
Trade Massages—Once you’re more comfortable sharing your bodies, trading massages is a fabulous couples activity for relaxing and sensuality. You could even add on all sorts of activities and make it into a full-on spa day at home. Or, if you’ve got the finances, you could go to an actual spa and share the day there.
Run Errands together—I like to join my partner for errands, and vice versa. You can also have a day in where you take care of all the projects that have been piling up with some beers and tunes—just make a game out of it, enjoy the little moments in the mundane and take care of business together as a team!
Try Couple’s Yoga—There’s nothing more romantic than sweating together, am I right? But in all seriousness, couple’s yoga is a great way to learn balance and mutual trust, and keep in shape together!
Plan and celebrate holidays together—This is a good way to learn more about each other’s values and traditions, and if you’re established enough of a couple to be spending the holidays together, I highly recommend doing this jointly and really getting into the spirit. And hey, it’s not just the big holidays—try going all out on the little, lesser known holidays too!
Things to Avoid
There are some dates that you’ll want to avoid because they’re just not vegan. So here’s a quick list of non-vegan dates that you don’t want to offer.
- Zoos
- Aquariums
- Horseback riding
- Hunting
- Fishing
Thank you for reading my thoughts. Now, I want to hear from you. If you’re a vegan or you’ve ever dated a vegan, let us know some of the vegan dates you’ve been on that we’re great experiences. If you’re interested in more vegan social content, consider subscribing to the blog for email updates when a new post goes live. And, as usual, have a lovely day.