From the moment your date said yes to going out with you, you’ve been frantically Googling for date night ideas in Melbourne that’ll knock their socks off. And you’ve ended up here - no dramas, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s be honest, going out for drinks or a dinner date is fine and nice and all…but in this economic climate? Even if money worries haven’t got you down, knowing where to go and what to do with your partner isn’t the easiest task.
But let’s not dwell on the negatives. The truth is, there heaps of date ideas in Melbourne, you’ve just gotta know where to look.
Whether it’s your first date with a new partner or your hundredth date this year, keep reading to find 20+ of the best date ideas in Melbourne that you (probably) haven’t found anywhere else…
And just so you know, nobody pays us to be listed here. They’re just experiences we’ve had or places and activities we wanted to recommend to you, so you can find the best things to do in Melbourne.
The Best Date Night Ideas in Melbourne
Try An Outdoor Escape Room in The CBD
Here’s a free dating tip: don’t lock your date in a room with you and expect them not to be freaked out. The idea is a fun one, but the execution is…well…not great.
But there’s a solution! Turn Melbourne’s CBD into a giant, romantic escape room by roaming the streets together and taking in the city’s vibrant scenery.
Outdoor escape rooms like these work by guiding you and your through the city using clues sent to you via Whatsapp. Answer riddles, solve puzzles and pause for refreshment at hand-picked cafés, bars and pubs - all while appearing very knowledgeable and astute to your date.
Bonus: These games require you to work together, so this is a great alternative for couples who’ve been together a long time. And if you’re a new couple, it’s great for finding out early that your partner has no sense of direction...
Sip Cocktails & Sink Into Melbourne’s Best Pools
Going for a dip at the beach or your local pool is old news. Next on our list of date ideas in Melbourne is something you might never have done before: namely, visiting some sweet bars with pools.
Why would you wanna do that? Well, why the heck wouldn’t you want to?! Depending on the level of bar-vibe to relaxation ratio you’re after, there are heaps of different alternatives for you to consider.
Here are my recommendations:
- Marriott Hotel (Docklands) and Le Meridien (Bourke Street): Swanky rooftop pools with incredible panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay. If you’re as cold-blooded as I am, the sauna here at Docklands is a dream. Both have nice rooftop bars up there (Le Meridien’s is Cote D’Azur themed).
Unfortunately, you have to be hotel guests to visit (🥲) but hey, at least you won’t have far to walk “home”.
AFLOAT: Reopening this spring, Afloat is a themed floating bar on the Yarra that just about sums up everything right with the world: great drinks, sun loungers, and incredible themed food. Last year’s theme was Mexican (oh my gosh those Margaritas🤤) and I’m picking up on some heavy Greek hints for 2024…
Bond over Australia’s Incredible Wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary
Located an hour away from the CBD, Healesville Sanctuary is one of the best date night ideas in Melbourne for animal lovers.
Show your softer side by taking your date to see Australia’s most iconic animals such as kangaroos, koalas and platypuses. Go for a romantic stroll through the koala forest and keep an eye out for allusive echidnas scratching around for ants or walk hand-in-hand through the wallaby walkabout: your date is bound to be thrilled.
Take a Wander Through One of Melbourne’s Many Markets
Melbourne is home to some incredible markets, and what could be more romantic than gathering some ingredients for a home-cooked dinner or picking up a fresh bunch of flowers for your sweetheart?
If woeful cooking skills or pollen allergies prevent you from doing either of those things, don’t worry.
There are still heaps of alternatives left for you to try out: try on vintage outfits, go record shopping, pick up some secondhand books, eat doughnuts (American Doughnut Kitchen, IYKYK) or sip coffee after a stroll around… the list is endless.
Go on A Mystery Walk
Looking for unusual date ideas in Melbourne? This is for you.
Transform your date into an adventure as you team up with your date to discover Melbourne’s secrets on a Mystery Walk?
What is a mystery walk, you ask? Well, it’s a walk, but neither of you know where you’re going, but there’s a twist–you do have a route, you just have to unlock it as you go!
Crack codes, unravel puzzles and watch as Melbourne’s CBD unfurls in front of your eyes, revealing hidden alleyways and curious gateways to the past. On top of that, get hand-picked recommendations to bars, pubs and cafés for rest stops. Trust the process - they’re great fun!
Go From Bao to Bae in Chinatown Melbourne
The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach - or so they say.
Juicy Bao is Melbourne Chinatown’s answer to the perfect date by offering a wide selection of delicious Asian cuisine. Stop and watch fresh dumplings being prepared in the window, or cut to the chase and get your order in.
Oh, and, it'd be remiss of me not to mention dim sim while you're in Melbourne (we Melburnians never miss a chance to point out it was invented here, do we?).
Opinions vary on where you get the best dim sim in Melbourne but if you ask me, it's at:
- South Melbourne Market: South Melbourne Dim Sim (they’re bigger, and for that reason, occasionally better!). My faves are from Mama Tran.
- Secret Kitchen (Best if you prefer steamed dim sim over fried)
- Momo Central (Technically not dim sims but momos, a Nepalese equivalent. They’re delicious).
Take Your Date on a Melbourne Scavenger Hunt
Some people say that Melbourne has no hidden gems. Well, they’re wrong – there are heaps of them, and many of them are hiding in plain sight.
Test your city knowledge in tandem as you follow cryptic clues that take you around the CBD or St Kilda, discovering new hidden gems and things you never noticed before along the way.
Perfect if your partner is from interstate, rural Victoria, or overseas, or even if you’re both Melburnians, scavenger hunts like these get you looking high and low, left and right, up above and down below for secrets that have been there all along!
This is also the perfect activity to squeeze in before a dinner (the walking helps you work up an appetite and there’s no chance of running out of things to say to each other).
Cute Date Night Ideas in Melbourne
Grab Gelato at Pidapipó Opposite Flinders Station
Often claimed to be the most romantic country in the world, Italy feels just around the corner in Melbourne due to the city’s Italian community and heritage.
Luckily for you (and us!) the founder of Pidapipó on Flinders Street has channelled her Italian ancestry and passion for Italian sweet treats into the most incredible gelato (and store) in the CBD.
I recommend raspberry swirl and hazelnut (but the menu has heaps of flavours I'm desperate to try too, including vegan options!).
Show Off Your BBQ Skills at Newport Lakes Reserve
This adorable reserve has had many lives: once a quarry, then a rubbish tip and now a sprawling verdant public space, a visit to Newport Lakes is one of the best cheap date night ideas in Melbourne.
Firstly, it’s free to enter and secondly, it’s got acres of space for recreational activities. Show off your cooking skills by mustering up a feast worthy of a king or queen before taking a gentle stroll around the lake for a romantic evening together.
Bonus tip: If you or the lucky man or woman you’re hoping to impress has a dog, this is a superb place to introduce your or their four-legged friend!
Have High Tea at Overnewton Castle
Trying to impress a high-class somebody? Knock the date out of the park with a visit to Overnewton Castle, a lovingly restored ‘castle’ and historic building dating back to the 19th century.
As well as indulging in an extravagant high tea, visitors can take a tour of the grounds and learn more about the castle’s past.
Get Theatrical at Princess Theatre
For couples who like to indulge in dramatics, a trip to Princess Theatre has got to be up there as one of the most fun date ideas in Melbourne.
With a whole range of shows to choose from including ballet, opera, musicals and more, you just can’t go wrong with a theatre trip.
Bonus: If you or your partner is into the paranormal, remember that this theatre has a resident ghost - keep an eye out for him in the stands…
Find out what’s on.
Go For a Romantic Stroll Around Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens
What’s so romantic about a stroll in the park, we hear you ask? Well, we’re about to tell you.
Melbourne’s botanical gardens are famous all over the world for their beauty, but they’re also packed with intriguing pockets of history such as Guilfoyle’s Volcano and the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden.
Make it extra romantic by picking up a picnic and settling down somewhere cosy to get to know your date.
Fun Date Night Ideas in Melbourne
Chase High Speed Thrills at Karting Madness Bayswater
Fallen for a petrol head? Easy, get yourselves over to Karting Madness in Bayswater for a fun date packed with high speed thrills!
Karting Madness in Bayswater is Australia’s largest indoor go karting centre, equipped with the longest and fastest indoor kart track, no less. Compete with each other’s PB’s or strap yourselves into a 270cc kart and whizz around the track for a date neither of you will forget in a hurry!
Host Your Own Australian Open at Edinburgh Gardens
If the person of your dreams is a sports fanatic, you’d be wise to brush up on your own sporting abilities before trying this one out. But hey, sport’s the winner (and so is this date idea).
Edinburgh Gardens is 24 hectares of gorgeous outdoor space in the heart of Fitzroy with bookable tennis and basketball courts. Even better, you can get there easily on the tram (either Rushall Station and Brunswick Street). All you need to do is reserve a court, grab some rackets and invite your date along!
And if you can’t bear the idea of playing tennis, a nice walk through the gardens is a less competitive but still romantic option.
Make ‘em Laugh at a Comedy Club
‘They’ say that laughter is the best medicine, and if you’re really low on ideas for date night in Melbourne then this is a remedy for you.
A night out having a laugh is a great way to get to know your partner or to show them you listened when they told you about that podcast they love.
Check out The Comic’s Lounge on Errol Street for an easy venue to combine drinks, food and comedy for the ultimate low-effort but high-reward night out with your partner.
Battle It Out at Bartronica
No matter what generation you’re from, there’s always fun to be had while gaming - especially if you’ve been looking to find a ‘player 2’.
Bartronica is a vintage games bar with plenty of options to show off your gaming prowess or get competitive with your partner. Think Smash Bros, Mario Kart or retro arcade games - all within a convenient walking distance of the bar.
Visit The Only Irish Pub in Australia to Make it Onto The Irish Times’ List of Best Irish Pubs in The World (Outside Ireland)
If you think your date might be a Guinness or whisky lover, head to The Drunken Poet.
This cute, cosy snug pub is super atmospheric and is the opposite of a clichéd attempt at an Irish pub. Popular with Aussies and Irish people alike, this small but unique venue has a great selection of Irish drinks and snacks available.
This is also one of the best date night ideas in Melbourne for music lovers: regular live music events take place here that transforms the atmosphere from comforting to convivial.
Watch a Movie “Underground”
While it might sound a little creepy to invite your date to a secret bunker to watch a movie, this date night idea in Melbourne isn’t as ominous as appears.
Underground Cinema shows a range of movies in ‘undisclosed locations’ around Melbourne and Sydney, offering an immersive cinema experience that is a step above a trip to your local mall.
Get tickets to all sorts of movies including classics, horror movies and fan favourites by checking out their website.
Escape The CBD and Head to St Kilda
If you’re looking for classic Melbourne date ideas with a twist, trade the city buzz for beach vibes in St Kilda.
Kick off your adventure with a fun scavenger hunt through the streets, then catch a glimpse of the famous penguins at dusk. After that, the world is kind of your oyster: go down to the beach, grab a bite to eat, hang out in Catani Gardens…it’s all here and waiting for you.
Summary
So there you have it! 20+ date night ideas in Melbourne that are sure to shake up your date night.
Remember that no matter what you decide to do on your morning, arvo or evening out with your date, there’s nothing like teamwork to make the dream work.
That’s why we at CityDays create fun, interesting and challenging trails around the world to help you immerse yourself in a city’s culture, history and curios.
Want to find out more?
Check out all our available activities in Melbourne here and embark on an adventure in the city you’ll never forget: CityDays awaits!