Ask any duo to describe their ideal date, and without a doubt, none of their answers will include Netflix and chill (bye, 2017), endlessly mining Instagram side-by-side for #FoodPorn, or working on couple-shaped dents in the couch. So why are you currently spending date night on the couch reading this on your phone? Breaking up the routine with a major adrenaline rush doesn't just get your hearts racing, but it bonds a couple in sexy, thrill-seeking kick-assery. There are plenty of adventurous date ideas to get your blood pumping, as long as you're ready to let go of your comfort zone a bit.
Before you start hyperventilating at the thought of jumping out of airplanes, put down the paper bag and breathe for a second: Getting adventurous doesn't always equal extreme sport. (In fact, there's only one of those on this list.) Amazingly enough, what it can (and often does) equal is sexual attraction. According to several studies, anxiety, fear, and even physical activity can boost sexual arrousal. (Seriously, it's science.)
With that in mind, here are seven date ideas to help you and your date find your inner daredevils and kick up your passion for each other, no matter what your and your partner's interests are.
Let's start with the obvious: If you thought falling in love was scary, try peering over a ledge 400 feet in the air and finding it in you to take the plunge. Bungee jumping is arguably the ultimate activity for adrenaline rushes, but also an amazing way to prove to yourself and the one you love (or kind of like) that you can push yourself to do anything.
Whether it's running a marathon (or a 5K, let's be real) or braving a Tough Mudder, endurance racing will push your physical limits and get your heart rate soaring. It's a huge commitment both mentally and physically, but it'll lead to great couple time during training, with a bit of healthy competition thrown in.
Theme parks as an adult are awesome for two reasons: It's likely you're tall enough to ride every ride, and most of them serve booze. Screaming at the top of your lungs as you zig zag along sky-high, mega-metal contraptions is not only a great release, but a solid excuse to pig out on funnel cake after. (Uh, mass quantities of confection sugar soothe the throat, OK?)
Keeping with the scream theme, a horror film is the perfect excuse to cozy up while bearing inexplicably grotesque sights and sounds together. Bonus points if you can get to a drive-in movie: Scary flicks outside are intense, and your private ride is not a bad place to comfort your date during those particularly disturbing scenes.
Getting up in front of a room of people with the pressure to be quick-witted can be terrifying, which is what makes it undeniably exciting. Improv classes are a fun way to get creative and learn to perform as a team, making this date double as a good time and potential therapy session.
The dramatic arts and adventure don't tend to go hand-in-hand, but immersive theater completely changed the game. Shows like Sleep No More and Then She Fell (both New York City-based) are mysterious, seductive, and include some dark, isolated corners (for taking in the show, of course...). Most immersive theater performances even ask audience members to arrive in comfortable shoes, since there can be running involved as you chase actors around set. So many ways to get your heart pumping.
If putting things in your mouth in the dark doesn't do it for you, go check your pulse. Dining in the dark is a phenomenon that's hit multiple U.S. cities (and several internationally). The concept is simple but adventurous: Throw on a blindfold and eat without seeing what's in front of you. Without vision, all of your other senses will be forced into overdrive.
Whether you're adrenaline junkies or homebodies, these adventurous dates are bound to boost your relationship by bringing you closer through shared, hyped-up experiences. After all that, you'll have earned yourself a cozy night in, cuddled up on the couch.
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