Cheap Summer Date Ideas

Looking for the best way to relax, date, and get to know someone better this summer? Here at Bumble HQ, we got together to brainstorm our best cheap summer date plans, ideas, and experiences, and we’ve come up with this list. 

Check here to find your next cheap (or even free!) summer date activity, and you’ll see that getting romantic doesn’t mean emptying your bank account.

Picnics are a great way to soak up the summer sun, enjoy pretty places in your local area, and get to know your date better. 

Keeping costs down can be easy with this one. Make sandwiches, wraps, or salads at home, or pick up treats from your favorite grocery store. Grab a blanket to sit on and any basket or sturdy bag for your supplies. Think about bringing a card game, a couple of books, or a newspaper with crosswords or puzzle games in the back. Don’t forget to throw reusable plates, glasses, and utensils in your bag for the full outdoor dining experience!

Bowling costs anywhere from $5-15 per hour, depending on where you go and the time of day (the earlier, the cheaper). If you’ve got flexibility in your schedule, try a lunchtime bowling date for a cute way to spend time together. 

Got a jar of change lying around your house somewhere? Use those small coins to fund a couple of hours in the arcade. Go for the retro games instead of new VR or 3D ones, and you’ll be surprised how far a few coins will go. Two-player games can give you bonding time, or you can get your competitive streaks out and check if your date is a good loser!

The cost for a round of miniature golf varies depending on where you go, but generally speaking, you can find local courses for $10 per person or less at off-peak times. This is another summer date idea that can get much cheaper if you check prices in advance and pick a less popular timeslot. 

To make the most of your mini golf date, come prepared with comfortable clothing, sunscreen, and your best short game. Like bowling and arcades, we love a competitive bonding experience and the chance to look for green flags in your date’s game face. 

Your city or state probably has a ton of cute touristy spots, fantastic look-out points, and quirky roadside attractions. These can make for a cheap and cute summer date! Search online or in good local guidebooks to see what you could be missing out on, then map a route and make a list of stops. The possibilities are wide and wild. 
Bring snacks, water, and a camera (or use your phone) to snap the photo ops. Make sure you’re fully charged, and consider bringing an extra battery pack if you have one. Your mileage may (literally) vary with this one, as you’ll need a car and gas—but if you’re already set up with these, it can be a cheap and fun date idea.

If you’ve never made pasta, we promise it can be one of the easiest but most impressive kitchen skills to master. Making it into a date means you can get floury, learn a new skill together, and have a delicious, low-cost meal at the end! 

To keep the costs down, you can go as simple as a few eggs and double-zero flour (found at most large grocery stores). Simply take 200g of flour and slowly mix in two eggs. If the mixture seems dry, add a few drops of water until it comes together in a damp (but not sticky) ball. Take turns kneading this ball for 10 minutes with clean, dry hands. That’s your pasta dough done. 

Wrap it in a clean cloth and rest for 30 minutes. Then, dust the ball with more flour, roll it out as thin as possible (this takes some practice and will give your arms a workout), and carefully slice it into ribbons. Dust with more flour as you go to stop it from sticking. No rolling pin? Anything heavy and round, like a full soda bottle, will work. 

Check online videos for fancier hand-shaping techniques, or try out filled pasta with low-cost ingredients like soft cheese. Any good Italian cookbook could help you with more adventurous recipes—but given the cheap ingredients, this date can work out at under $10. Eat your hard work outside for an authentic Italian summer feel!

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, doing light, gentle exercise outside with your date can be a great way to spend time together, enjoy the good summer weather, and save your wallet.  

We recommend finding a free online video and taking your phone or laptop to a quiet outside space. Bring a mat if you have one, or a towel works just as well. Remember to check in with your date on their skill level and find a class that fits you both. Enjoy breathing, relaxing, and stretching out those muscles together.

We hope this list has given you inspiration for a cheap summer date. This summer, you can do so many things with your partner without spending too much money. The most important thing is to have fun, get to know each other a little better, and enjoy yourself.