45 Underrated Dates That Don’t Get Enough Credit

You've had "date night" on your Google calendar for a week and a half, and yet, you still have no idea what you're going to do. Not only that, you promised your date that you would plan something thoughtful and fun for them that wouldn't break the bank. No pressure or anything. (Your palms are so sweaty, you almost dropped your phone.) As you start to brainstorm some underrated dates that don't get enough credit, you think about all your shared interests with your boo and can't help but smile.

As cheesy as it sounds, as long as you're spending quality time together, it doesn't matter where you are. No matter what the two of you get up to, you're sure to have together. Of course, you're a creative, thrifty, and caring queen, and you are full of good date ideas. And with a bit of planning, this date night is going to the best one yet. Whether you've been smooching your sweetie for years or you're just starting to see someone new, there's no better feeling than going on a date with someone you're totally into.

Here are 45 underrated date ideas that are sure to make you and your boo's week.

1. Volunteer at a non-profit that you both care about, or try a letter-writing campaign.

2. Pick out a recipe you want to try preparing, go grocery shopping, then cook a meal together.

3. Have a picnic in a park, your backyard, or on your living room floor.

4. Go to a used bookstore and buy each other a book to read.

5. Have a "Mall Day;" get hot pretzels and slushies, run around your old favorite stores, and look in awe at how trendy teenagers dress these days.

6. Go on a long walk or hike together.

7. Watch the sunrise, the sunset, or lie out and look at the stars.

8. Have an adventure date at a Sky Zone or another indoor obstacle course. Laugh when you fall and make silly jokes the whole time.

9. Get on a train without knowing where you're going and get off at a stop you've never been to.

10. Find a dive bar and see who can play the worst songs on the jukebox.

11. Try new foods around Chinatown and buy each other little trinkets.

12. Save up for a month (with a swear jar or some other fun money-saving mechanism), then go for drinks at a super fancy restaurant.

13. Go to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

14. Visit to a museum or the aquarium.

15. Draw or otherwise create art together.

16. Go to the local library, then sit and read.

17. Go bowling together or to a "League Night" at a local bowling alley to watch people bowl who are really good at bowling.

18. Find some gems at a flea market or vintage store.

19. Take personality tests and online quizzes at a coffee shop as you share a pastry.

20. Read a journal or draw in a park while listening to music.

21. Go see a cheesy cover band, a jazz trio, or some sort of musical event you wouldn't typically go to.

22. Do a beach, forest, or park cleanup.

23. Go to a spa or get a day pass to a hotel or fitness center with a hot tub or sauna.

24. Go dancing! Or, if you're not night owls, take a Zumba class together. Find a form of exercise you both like and enjoy it together.

25. Go to a local farmer's market, and try artisanal jams and hand-rolled candles (or joke about buying artisanal jams and hand-rolled candles, and then go to Popeye's).

26. Visit each other's hometowns and show them where you liked to hang when you were in high school.

27. Explore a national or state park.

28. Plan a road trip or a budget-friendly vacation.

29. Take a class together, like cooking, art, a different language, or car repair.

30. Get a tasting flight at a brewery or distillery.

31. Take your date to your favorite places in the city where you currently live, like a cafe, a park, or a movie theater.

32. Visit a botanical garden or arboretum.

33. Build a blanket fort, then take a nap or watch a bad movie together.

34. Do the crossword or sudoku together and race to see who can finish it first.

35. Go to a surplus store see who can find the most random item.

36. Travel to a nearby body of water, and watch the tides or current for a while.

37. Hit the batting cages.

38. Go to an indoor rolling or skating rink.

39. See a comedy show together.

40. Try a paint-your-own-pottery date.

41. Go mini-golfing.

42. Challenge them to laser tag.

43. Invite your friends over for a game night.

44. See a midday movie.

45. Write to-do lists of all the annoying adult things you need to do (think: taxes, license renewal, health insurance forms), then see if you can get some of them done. Afterward, treat yourselves to a nice dinner.