
Inspiration
9 of the best date ideas in London
Feb 1With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s about time to start thinking about date ideas. Coming up with the perfect date idea can be quite the task, but in London you’ll never be short of wonderful and whacky date ideas for Valentine’s Day 2024. From a date with your friends to a date with your other half, these 9 best date ideas in London will be sure to delight, no matter who your date is this Valentine’s Day.
9 of the best date ideas in London
1. Go to a secret intimate gig

Is music your love language? One of the best date ideas in London has to be an evening with Sofar Sounds. Sofar Sounds transforms everyday spaces, like a yoga studio or an art gallery, and turns them into spaces for secret and intimate live music performances. Simply sign up and choose a show near you, but the location and artists will remain unknown until a day before the show. A great way to discover new artists, Sofar Sounds is a wonderful way to spend an evening with your partner, or with your close friends!
2. Head to a luxury cinema

Next up on our list of the best date ideas in London is spending an evening at the luxury Olympic Cinema in Barnes for cocktails a film screening. With roomy red seats and sofas to boot, you can tuck into pick and mix and popcorn, and enjoy the most delicious cocktails all whilst watching your film. Fancy dinner before? Next door to the cinema is their very own restaurant so you can dine on their delicious dishes ahead of your screening. Sounds good? Make sure you book ahead, Olympic Cinema, and their restaurant, often gets booked up very quickly – enjoy the show!
3. Enjoy some afternoon cheese

If you’re looking for date ideas that are a little outside of the box, we’ve got just the thing for you… Move aside afternoon tea, afternoon cheese is here to stay! Yep, you read that right, you can enjoy an afternoon of cheese tasting on The Cheese Barge that floats on the Thames. With a platter of six different cheeses, a carafe of wine, served with crackers and a grilled cheese, this will please any cheese lover in your life. The best bit? These cheeses are only cheeses you can’t get in the supermarket, in support of the cheese makers of Britain. Hurrah!
4. Take a row on the canal

Take your date to the water and hire a canoe or kayak to experience some of London’s lovely waterways. Moo Canoes at Hackney Wick is a particularly fun jaunt, where you can spot some pretty epic houseboats and wonderful wildlife as you paddle down the canals together. Once you’re in your boat, you can head to The Milk Float which has a little window you can paddle up to for takeaway tea, coffee and ice cream to enjoy in your kayak or canoe. Delicious!
5. Enjoy a creative workshop

Try your hand at something new this Valentine’s Day and pop to one of M.Y.O’s workshops. Standing for Make Your Own, there’s a whole plethora of workshops to choose from, from watercolours to lino printing, trying something new together can be a wonderful way to switch off and connect. Want to go with your friends? There’s plenty of workshops that are guaranteed to have your sides hurting with laughter. One of our favourite date ideas in London!
6. Have a mooch around a food market

London is home to some of the finest food markets around, so why not make a day of it and hop to different food markets to see what each has to offer? From the famous Borough Market to Broadway Market, from Maltby Street Market to Leather Lane Market, the options are pretty much endless. You could spend the whole day walking between each and munching as you go that’ll leave your belly, and your heart, feeling full.
7. Paint some pottery

Next up on our list of the best date ideas is London is heading out for a spot of pottery painting together. The Ceramics Café in Kew is one of our favourites, with so many things available to paint and lots of lovely colours to paint them in too. A lovely date idea and something fun to do together, get creative and crafty for an afternoon of fun!
8. Enjoy a spot of jazz

Is there anything more quintessentially ‘London’ than a rainy evening at a jazz bar? One of our top date ideas is spending an evening at the one and only Ronnie Scott’s jazz bar in Soho. Iconic for its’ musical guests, this is for sure a pricier night out on the town but it’ll be one you’ll never forget. Lit by candlelight with a small bar at the back, you can sit back and enjoy the smooth tones of the musician playing that night. Being a small venue, Ronnie Scott’s is often fully booked so make you plan ahead to grab a couple of seats at this favourite musical hotspot.
9. Explore some of London’s parks

Whilst heading to the capital to see greenery and nature may feel a little counter-intuitive, London is home to some truly beautiful parks that’ll make you both forget you’re in a bustling city. Head south to Richmond Park to see the herds of deer and stags, not forgetting the chatters of parakeets. Or perhaps you’ll take a walk through Battersea Park to enjoy a soak up the stunning Peace Pagoda. Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones to spot the peacocks roaming through Kyoto Garden at Holland Park. A lovely date idea that is free to do and will for sure make one for the memory book!
We hope this list of the best date ideas in London has inspired you to have a truly wonderful date with your partner, or a fabulous time with your friends!
P.S. Our Valentine’s Day shop is now open! Discover gifts as unique as they are with our range of personalised valentine’s day gifts here.
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