20 Summer Date Night Ideas Under $20

As I sat down to write this I instantly titled the post, '20 Spring Date Ideas." Then I remembered spring was almost over and I just hadn't noticed because the weather in Washington DC has been terrible. 

With summer coming, it's leaves a lot of us either wanting to go outside completely (totally understandable) or wanting to enjoy every bit of sunshine while it lasts. As someone who lives her life like she only has $20 in her bank account, I thought I'd put together a list of summer date ideas that won't empty out your wallet or leave you wanting to run back into the nearest air conditioned building. 

Summer date night ideas don't have to cost too much money. Click to read 20 summer date nights that cost twenty dollars or less! Date nights that will keep you having fun all summer long!

1. Outdoor movie
If you're looking for a fun date idea you can only do for the season, outdoor movies are the perfect option and free a lot of the time. All you need are some snacks and something to sit on!

2. Learn a new water sport
For couples who don't mind trying something new on date night, learning a water sport is an option to both spend a few hours having fun and spend little money. To save even more money, rent the equipment instead of buying it. 

3. Host a garage sale
Need an afternoon date idea? How about a date that will make you money? If so, having a garage sale will help you pass the time together and earn some extra money for your next date night. 


4. Go hiking
Outdoor dates are perfect if you want to spend the whole day doing something without spending your entire paycheck. Find a local trail, grab a ton of water and challenge yourself to complete a certain amount of miles. 

5. Visit the zoo
Let's be real for a second, zoos are full of kids during the summer, so they aren't always the most fun for date night. You can avoid this by visiting later in the evening or early in the day during nap time. To avoid the heat on a zoo date night, opt to only visit the indoor exhibits. 

6. Go tubing down the river
If you live near a river, why haven't you tried this? It's tons of fun, gives you a break from the summer heat, and costs very little. 

7. Adult water balloon fight
Remember being young and spending an hour filling balloons with water only for the fun to be oer in five minutes? It doesn't have to be that way! There's products now that let you blow up like twenty water balloons at a time! Click here to see what I'm talking about. Now there's no reason to not have an adult water balloon fight this summer.

Rapid fill balloons: Blue   ||   Pink   ||   Green

8. Attend a local concert
Summer is a great time to buy tickets for a summer tour. If you rather not spend the money on tickets, tons of cities host free concerts, typically at festivals and markets.


9. Road trip
Road trips totally cost money, hello, gas ain't free. Which is why a creative summer date idea is to take a trip to as far as twenty dollars will take you. There's websites that can estimate this for you, or you can just fill your tank and get on the road. If you do end up doing this, share your photo with me on Instagram with the hashtag #SurvivingOur20s

10. Visit a theme park
Where I grew up you could buy entry into a theme park for $20 if you brought a Pepsi can with you, otherwise you can wait for a summer promotion. 

11, Adult slip n slide
Just like the water balloon fight, you can turn a childhood favorite into a date idea. This date night idea can be expanded into a summer barbecue with some of your closest friends as well. 

12. Tie dye
Craft date ideas are always fun, no matter how the project turns out. Tie dye isn't only for tshirts though, you can also dye beach towels to prevent you from ever losing your towel in the crowd again. 

My Fave Tie Dye Kits:   5 Color Kit || 18 Color Kit || 5 Neon Color Kit


13. DIY popsicles
While on the topic of DIY projects, jump onto Pinterest and find some popsicle recipes to make at home. This is an inexpensive summer date idea that you can enjoy for days.

14. Botanic garden
Visiting the botanic gardens is a great date idea no matter what season. During the winter you can escape the cold inside the greenhouses, while in the summer you can browse all the new bloomed plants.

Summer date night ideas don't have to cost too much money. Click to read 20 summer date nights that cost twenty dollars or less! Date nights that will keep you having fun all summer long!
15. Volunteer
Maybe this is just me, but I love visiting the animal shelter. This summer date idea cost no money, plus it just feels good to help animals in need.

16. Game night
Who says date nights can't include friends? Invite over other couples or mutual friends and host a board game night. To keep the date night inexpensive, encourage friends to bring snacks and drinks to share. 

Favorite Games: Cards Against Humanity   ||   What Do You Meme?


17. Dance class
For an adventurous date night, enrolling in a local dance class is an option if you want to try something new and not spend too much. Tons of cities host city sponsored dance classes, plus studios often have discounted rates on Groupon or LivingSocial. 


18. Flea market
Flea markets are a fun way to spend $20, seriously. Both of you can browse the market to find the best thing you can buy with $20.

19. Watch a summer blockbuster
If you've a movie lover like me, summertime is known for pumping out a ton of awesome new films. Splurge on this movie date night by treating yourself to some food at the concession stand.

20. Visit an arcade
Want to get the most bang for your buck? Go to an arcade! Twenty dollars will give you at least an hour of competitive fun on your next date night.



What's your favorite date night idea during the summer? Share your suggestion in the comments below!

2 comments

  1. I love the botanic gardens! And the zoo. I think the best time to go to the zoo is on a drizzly day because hardly anyone is there so you have the whole place to yourself. I wish it was summer here cause all of these things sound so fun

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  2. Anonymous15 July, 2017

    I LOVE doing tie dye kits, but I never thought to do that as a date, thanks for the idea!
    www.everythingbeyondmyskye.com

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