Find your match on the offline-focused dating app, Inner Circle, and take them on one of these delightful dates (that aren’t walks)!
Outdoor socialising is back, singles can finally kickstart their love lives and we can all enjoy lovely outdoor dates in the sun! But while we all wish dating could be a walk in the park, not many of us want it to be…a literal walk in the park. An Inner Circle study of single Londoners revealed that only a measly 11% will be sad to see park dates go. With a whopping 80% of singles primed and ready to get back to start dating in bars, restaurants, cafes and other social spaces!
Yes, it looks like Londoners can’t wait to return to the dating scene, and Inner Circle can help you get there. If you don’t know it, Inner Circle is the app that’s designed to get you offline and actually meet people in real life. In fact, they’re so serious about their mission, that they host outrageous parties and unusual experiences to help you meet new people and break the ice. If you’re sick of swiping or matches that go nowhere, this is the app for you.
While we sit tight for Inner Circle’s epic events to kick off again, we’ve got some ideas for the perfect outdoor dates to help you take that leap out of the digital sphere and into real life. So put down your phone, and start meeting people in the real world!
Feeling bold enough to start dating in real life? Sign up to Inner Circle here to meet your match.
Sip cocktails at an outdoor bar
You can’t go wrong with a drink (or two!) at a lovely outdoor bar, and there’s plenty of scope to get creative with your choice of venue! Visit the summer igloos at the Aviary Rooftop, enjoy cocktails and oysters in a lush Mediterranean setting at Seabird, or walk through the wisteria arches for a drink in The Sipping Room’s courtyard. Pick a place with spectacular city views and time your visit to catch the sunset, if you really want to impress!
Test the waters on an actual boat
Hire a boat and sail off into the sunset for a date you’ll never forget. Show off your strength in a two-person canoe, or kick back in an electric boat to just take in those romantic riverside views.
Dine on a restaurant terrace
Oh, how we’ve missed the classic dinner date. But now, with loads of London restaurants opening up terraces and outdoor spaces, an alfresco dinner date is back on the cards. Get inventive with your choices – you could dine in a colourful beach hut at the Berkeley, or amidst the flowers at the Petersham Nurseries, or out on a Sicilian terrace at Circolo Popolare. Buon appetito!
Catch a movie at an outdoor cinema
From rooftops offering sky-high cinema to outdoor film screenings in picturesque parks and gardens, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Just pick your genre – loved-up romcom (hint hint), jumpy horror, cult classic, or a thrill-inducing action?
Ride off into your happily ever after
Hire a pair of bikes and go for a scenic cycle around one of London’s lovely parks. You could take the Tamsin Trail around Richmond Park and try and spot some deer while you’re out there. Or you can venture into London’s biggest nature reserve, the Walthamstow Wetlands.
Tickle your tastebuds at a street food market
Treat your date to a gastronomical adventure as you visit one of London’s many street food markets. From bao buns to burgers, chicken wings to pancakes – there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Challenge yourselves to try new things together and who knows, maybe you’ll find that the food of love is actually…well, food!
Feed the giraffes at London Zoo
For a one-of-a-kind date you’ll never forget, take your date behind the scenes at London Zoo with the Giraffe Experience. You’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be a giraffe keeper, and have the chance to hand feed the majestic residents of the Giraffe House, Maggie and Molly! If you want to impress your date with something truly out of the box – this one’s for you.
Get into some friendly competition with crazy golf
There’s no doubt about it, crazy golf is an unfailingly cute date idea. And as luck would have it, there are plenty of outdoor crazy golf courses in the city. Why not give it a swing, after all, there’s nothing like a little flirtatious competition to really spice up a date!
Hunt down some street art in Shoreditch
Quick disclaimer – this date idea does involve walking, but it’s so much more than a stroll in the park… Let London become your art gallery as you and your date scour the streets of Shoreditch for street art. From Camille Walala’s colourful Dream Come True mural on Old Street, to the epic art triangle formed at New Inn Yard, Holywell Lane and King John Court, Shoreditch has some of the most creative artwork in the city.
Enjoy a picnic at sunset
For a simple, yet epic, date idea grab a picnic hamper and head to high ground like Primrose Hill or Alexandra Palace to watch the sunset together. Pack snacks, speakers, some extra layers and enjoy date night with a view.
But planning a date is nothing without the perfect person to share it with… here’s where Inner Circle can help. They take dating seriously, and that’s how they get you offline so quickly. Their users are honest about their intentions and actually know how to behave properly online – they’re not just ghosting people or chatting on and on with no end game. And, they’ve even got a team of people who search the app for fake accounts, so you can be sure that the person you’re talking to is the real deal.
At the end of the day, Inner Circle is specifically designed to help you get to know like-minded potential matches, and start enjoying the world of serious (but still fun) dating. And since 73% of you single people out there are looking to find a serious relationship in 2021, it’s a pretty good place to start your search!