10 Date Ideas in Adelaide for the Adventurous
The coastal capital of South Australia is known for its abundance of churches and ludicrous opal industry. However, the city has its charm in the romantic scene, offering hidden gems of date ideas suited for any couple.
While there are plenty of classic first-date ideas available to pursue, the more adventurous types may be looking for more specific activities that don’t stick to the beaten path. Therefore, we have provided a list of adventurous ideas suited for any couple; whether you’re on your first date or trying to shake things up with something new.
1. Dolphin Sanctuary Kayaking Tour
Only 30 minutes drive from the city lies the calm waters of Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary. The waterways are some of South Australia’s most beautiful, with a vast ecosystem of 10,000-year-old mangrove forests and native fauna that encompass your kayaking journey.
Dolphin Sanctuary Kayaking Tours leads you past shipwrecks of bygone eras, with qualified kayaking instructors providing insight into this trail of history. If you’re not looking for guidance, you and your date can enjoy the serenity of the hidden mangrove inlets together as you approach the heart of Port Adelaide.
There, you will get up close and personal with the local bottlenose dolphins, who are as friendly and playful as they are majestic. Don’t forget to bring a camera to capture these perfect moments during your wild and wet date.
2. Jam Out at the Summertown Studio
If you are a local to Adelaide, or just in touch with the music scene, you have likely heard of the roving music sessions known as the Porch Sessions. Providing mini-festivals in backyards, halls, cellar doors and trams left a legacy of easily-accessible live music and a perfect place for a romantic date night.
However, with the Porch Sessions finally closed after 9 years, most figure the dating scene of Adelaide is lacking a place for adventurous music lovers to meet. But just because the Porch Sessions is done does not mean the owners of the music sessions are done with Adelaide.
If you and your date are looking for a place to vibe to interesting music and delicious food, the Summertown Studio has opened a massive warehouse to the music scene. Catch up over a vino or learn all about each other’s music taste throughout the night. There’s freedom and fun a-plenty at this collection of music curation.
3. Go Bold With Adelaide Fringe
If you are lucky enough to be in Adelaide City from February to March, you will be capable of not only enjoying the summer sun, but also the annual Fringe Festival. Known as the biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the oldest at 60 years, Adelaide Fringe is the perfect date idea if you want your quality time together to come with pizzazz and performances.
With various events occurring across 31 days, you can have your pick of date night ideas, including circus, theatre, cabaret, comedy, music, workshops, visual arts and so much more! Grab dinner, drinks, and a show with this bold choice from date ideas Adelaide.
4. Tantalise the Tastebuds at Africola
Dinner is perhaps one of the more common date ideas, especially for first dates, but that does not mean that it can’t be adventurous. Try something different this date night and head on over to Africola, one of Adelaide’s most acclaimed restaurants of African food.
There is no chance of awkward silence on a first date when you and your date are too busy tasting the best African cuisine has to offer. Alternatively, for those who have been around the dinner block a few times, the seasonal menu is bound to keep providing new culinary delights that will surprise and delight your tastebuds.
A coffee date is cute, but no coffee shop can compete with the romantic setting of a famous restaurant.
5. Summer Nights at Moonlight Cinema
Summer nights usually invoke date ideas in Adelaide centred on the cool breezes of the Victor Harbor, or taking the time to discover a local waterfall gully. However, Adelaide offers much more than that in terms of exciting dates, with the Moonlight Cinema being the perfect outdoor place to enjoy the sunset along with a movie watch.
Located in the Botanic Park, the cinema not only provides an outdoor screening of your movie of choice but also comfortable bean beds to get your cuddle on. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, making it the perfect venue for anyone with first-date jitters. The sight of the outdoor screen is bound to attract your attention, but the abundance of dogs to spot can be just what you need to get the conversation rolling.
If you are looking for date ideas in Adelaide this summer, look no further than a lovely date at the movies (with a twist!).
6. Adelaide Botanical Gardens and the Beauty of Picnics
A romantic picnic does not sound like anything that outrageous, but sometimes the best date ideas are the simplest ones.
The Adelaide Botanic Gardens offers both you and your date the chance to keep things simple and free for this outing. With just a picnic rug, some good food (either by your own hands or from a restaurant nearby), and each other’s company, you can have a romantic afternoon to remember fondly for years to come.
Dates are all about enjoying each other’s personalities and thoughts, so get back to those roots with a stroll around the Adelaide Botanical Garden the next sunny day.
7. Take a Sip at Mayfair Hotel
If your date is interested in a drink or two, then a visit to a bar must be included on a list of date ideas in Adelaide. Our pick is Mayfair Hotel. In particular, its Hennessy Rooftop Bar offers practically panoramic views of the city, including the famous Rundle Mall, from its outdoor spaces.
With a host of wines, spirits, and beer on offer from the local South Australia market, you can enjoy a taste of Adelaide as you relax and take in the views. The menu also boasts food made from fresh produce gathered locally, making the Mayfair Hotel a great place to learn more about your partner and their tastes.
If you’re interested in the venue, but not so much a drink at the bar, you can build your romantic interest over lunch or high tea. The Mayfair Hotel has plenty of rooms on offer for any date atmosphere, making it one of the more flexible and diverse options on this list.
8. Spooky Romance Vibes at Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons
While nowhere in the world would think of spooky along with a list of romantic things to do in Adelaide, we’d like to think we’re open to new things – and maybe you are too!
Adelaide’s Haunted Horizons is not a date for the faint of heart. Known for their award-winning ghost tours of famous haunted spots across South Australia, especially within Adelaide city, Haunted Horizons grants adventurous couples the chance to hold hands and face the darkness of history together.
Although not normally placed on a list of best date ideas, there is something uniquely delightful about going on a ghost hunt with your romantic interest. So strap on some ghost gear and spend date night doing something you’ve never done before!
9. Roam the Twilight Seas With Temptation Sailing
Although more commonly known for its Wild Dolphin Tour, the 58-foot sailing catamaran ‘Temptation’ also provides plenty more romantic things to do out on the water of Adelaide’s coastline. Namely, their Twilight Cruise.
This date idea offers a lazy sail of Adelaide waters, with relaxing music and a gorgeous sunset as a background to your romantic coupling. Toast to the evening and your relationship with a drink from the boat’s licensed bar before settling into the gentle rocking and soothing atmosphere.
End the night at the Marina Pier in Glenelg, which offers some of Adelaide’s best outdoor restaurants to keep the night going. Date night ideas don’t have to involve one activity; the night ends when you and your partner want it to end.
10. Pinot & Picasso’s Perfect Paintings
Sometimes a great date idea means getting messy, something that has never been more fun than at Pinot & Picasso’s Paint & Sip sessions. With new painting concepts coming in regularly, there’s always something new to create at one of our studios.
BYO drinks, food, creativity, and enthusiasm for this date idea. No experience is required and our qualified artists will be more than happy to guide you through every step of that session’s designated painting. Creating art has never been easier or more fun than with a pinot in one hand and a paintbrush in the other.
In the end, why go to an art gallery to see masterpieces when you can create your own alongside your loved one? Find a studio near you and get ready for one of the messiest but most romantic things you’ve done in a while.
