Your hubby is off and you’ve got unexpected alone time – now what? Don’t worry! Check out these last minute date ideas and enjoy your quality time.
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know, what do you want to do?”
THE WORST conversation, am I right?
Okay, maybe not the worst… but when you actually have the opportunity for a date night with your hubby and you waste a good chunk of it deciding what you’re actually going to do, it’s super frustrating.
Tack onto that when you have unexpected alone time and you need to make up your mind quickly, without much advance knowledge.
Ooh yeah. Now the clock is ticking.
But don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. I compiled a list of last minute date ideas to take you out of “decision-making mode” and into “enjoying each other” mode as quickly as possible!
33 Last Minute Date Ideas To Make The Most Of Unexpected Alone Time
1. Try somewhere new for dinner.
Is there a place nearby you’ve been dying to try (or even perhaps have a Groupon for)? Go, tonight! Right now!
This is the perfect time to get going to try something new and have an exciting time trying new things.
2. Check out the thrift store.
I really like going to thrift shops with my husband. We usually spend the majority of the time looking at books, but it’s fun seeing what weird stuff you can find.
Plus, maybe you’ll find a cool treasure you can flip for profit and fund a future date night. Whoo!
In any case, this is a super fun, super inexpensive last minute date night idea.
3. Go to a local arcade.
Who doesn’t love playing games at the arcade?
Especially if you have a local nickel arcade, this is the perfect inexpensive last minute date idea.
4. Go to a trampoline park.
Feeling athletic? Go have fun at a local trampoline park.
You’ll feel pretty exhausted afterward if you’re doing it right, but it’s the perfect excuse to snag some food afterward.
Not before… for hopefully obvious reasons.
5. Go skating.
Whether you go ice skating or roller skating, it’s bound to be a super fun time!
6. Have a game night.
Buy a new game or play an existing favorite together. Get snacks or order dinner in while you play!
Or play video games together or something, especially fun and friendly like Mario Kart.
7. Get outside.
Enjoy time together in the great outdoors either by going for a hike, having a picnic, or just lying in the grass and looking at the clouds (or stars, as the case may be.)
A little outdoor time is sure to set you both at ease, and there’s not much planning required at all.
8. Go to the library or a bookstore.
If you and your husband are into books, go to your library or local bookstore! Bonus points if there’s a cafe in it, because you can get some drinks and baked goodies to enjoy while you peruse the books.
9. Get artsy.
Grab some cheap canvases and paint and get creative together! If you’re not super good at art, that’s okay. Sometimes it’s more about the process.
Plus, just look at modern art – you can totally recreate stuff like that. 😉
If you’re stuck for ideas, just check out these easy art ideas on Pinterest!
10. Go out for ice cream.
Whether you go to Dairy Queen, Coldstone, Sonic, or another local favorite for ice cream, this is sure to be a fun last minute date idea for you and your hubby.
It’s one of my favorites for sure!
11. Have a Nerf gun/Laser tag war.
Nerf guns and darts aren’t super expensive, and if you have kids you likely have a few around you could borrow.
Whether you do this indoors or outdoors, it’s a super fun to spend your alone time.
If you don’t have either of those around, laser tag is another option for last minute fun!
12. Go mini-golfing.
Who doesn’t enjoy mini-golfing?
13. Go to your local zoo or aquarium.
Or go to a pet store if you want for a free option 😉
14. Go for a drive.
Even if you can’t go for a drive somewhere nice and scenic, you can just drive around enjoying your town.
Double this up with some milkshakes or something, and you can have a good time driving and chatting!
15. Perform a random act of kindness (or several!)
What better way to spend your date night than spreading the joy?
If you need ideas, here’s a list of 75 random acts of kindness you can perform as a last minute date idea 🙂
16. Go to a karaoke bar.
Belt out your favorite songs together – whether you’re good at it or not.
Really not feeling like singing? Just go and enjoy the cheap entertainment.
17. Explore IKEA.
I love IKEA. And it’s easy to get lost in that maze – for better or worse 😉
Even if you don’t need anything, you can shop for a dream home. Or find cool new decorations for your house. Or eat some Swedish meatballs.
Side note: Of all these last minute date ideas, this is the best if you’re in desperate need of alone time but can’t get childcare – they have their kids playland that my son LOVES.
18. Find a local open mic night.
Along the lines of karaoke, but arguably one step up.
This is another fairly inexpensive idea, depending on where you go and what you eat/drink.
19. Go to a comedy club.
If you need some lightheartedness to your life/relationship, this is the perfect last minute date idea.
20. Go out dancing.
If you have a local dance club, why not go? This is especially fun if there’s a “specialty” club nearby like a salsa club or country club.
21. Go swimming.
Spend some time splashing around… or just hang out in a hot tub or something.
22. Spa day (in or out).
You could spring for a couples massage, or just take turns giving each other massages.
Couples this with some chocolate and your preferred adult beverage for the perfect relaxation night.
23. Have a picnic (indoor or outdoor!)
Make a simple picnic spread and have a good time together!
Don’t discount having this outdoors if it’s night – especially in the summer it could make it even more fun!
24. Check out a drive-through movie.
I’ve never been to one before, but it sounds like the perfect excuse to grab some fast food and/or candy and chill in the car while watching a new (or old, depending on the theater) movie!
25. Go on a photography date.
Take pictures of each other with your phone cameras or an SLR if you have one, or try out a photography scavenger hunt.
26. Go to a museum.
Check out if a local museum has a cool exhibit and go see it!
Even if they don’t, it’s a good excuse to check out some dinosaur fossils, ancient artifacts, and maybe even a mummy.
Our nerdy selves are super into this kind of date.
27. Mall walk.
You can have fun window shopping (or real shopping for other stuff if you want), getting food from the food court, and maybe getting ice cream, candy, or another treat.
28. Go bowling.
Challenge each other to a game of bowling – with or without bumpers. Up to you!
29. See a new movie.
Come on, dinner and a movie is a classic date for a reason. Sneak some snacks in with your biggest purse and enjoy a new movie together!
30. Try geocaching.
You can check out this quick-start guide to geocaching and get started on a real-life scavenger hunt.
Bonus points if you choose something cool to leave in the geocache once you find it!
31. Find local Little Free Libraries.
Have you seen these around? I think they’re a super fun way to find new books and to declutter books we’re not interested in reading anymore.
Check out this map of local little free libraries to find ones close to you!
32. Buy a puzzle and put it together.
Pick up a cool new puzzle and put it together while snacking and/or listening to music. It’s a fun, quiet date night!
33. Flip a coin.
Really having a hard time deciding? Come up with two options – one each – then flip a coin to decide between the two.
It’s fun to make things more spontaneous!
How To Prepare In Advance With These Last Minute Date Ideas
This probably won’t apply tonight, but in the future, you might want to keep these date ideas accessible.
You can do that by printing the ideas out and cutting them up and putting them in a jar for the future.
That way when you have unexpected alone time with your hubby, you’re not stuck scrabbling! You can just pull an idea out of a jar and go.
This limits overthinking and gets you to your date night ASAP 🙂
See below for a super cute done-for-you option (all you’ll need is a mason jar and some scissors!)
Hopefully these last minute date ideas will help you make the most of your time together! I’m excited to hear how it goes 🙂
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