Top date ideas in Durham

From sunsets over the Wear to quad biking and falconry, there’s no shortage of fun date ideas in Durham to choose from. Whether you’re planning strolling through the woods or a skydiving session, the North East is guaranteed to make your date night as unique and memorable as possible. 

1. Escape a room together

Nothing breaks the ice quite like solving puzzles together, especially when you’re battling the clock. Take a trip to Escape Rooms Durham, where you can lock yourselves away in one of four themed escape rooms to solve your way out of a bind. If you’re looking to treat your partner to a truly memorable experience, the Lily of Lumley escape room is bound to leave a mark: situated inside the 600-year-old castle of Lumley, the room uses real 7th century architecture to tell its story, making it one of the most immersive experiences in the UK to date. 

 2. Celebrate at the Bishop Auckland food festival

Is your partner a foodie? If you’re planning a date in April, Durham’s Bishop Auckland food festival is a must-see. Replace a fancy restaurant trip with a walk around more than a hundred stalls selling regional food and drink - you’ll get far more choice for a much cheaper price! Stop to watch celebrity chefs on stage or dance to live music together, all while sampling the best cuisine Durham has to offer.

3. Compete at a parkrun

Running might not seem like the most social activity, but if you and your partner are sporty types, nothing lifts the mood quite like endorphins. The Durham parkrun operates every Saturday for free, and its volunteers will even track your running time for you. Compare results with your partner and celebrate the victory of whoever won - the promise of evening the score might even secure you a second date next week! 

4. Take a tour of Durham’s history

Whether you’re setting out on a casual city walk or heading to the landmarks with a guide, Durham’s rich history is something well worth sharing. From the imposing Durham Cathedral to the county’s 11th century castle, guide your date through slices of history and learn more about your surroundings on the way while taking photos with a backdrop of medieval architecture. 

5. Zip around a quad biking course

It’s not a standard date, but that’s what makes it memorable! Battlezone Paintball provides both the quadbikes and the track for an exhilarating day of four-wheel driving. Show off to your partner or team up together against other drivers on the track as you prove your skills together. Once you’re done, grab a drink and compare the highs and lows of the day - hopefully it will have left an impression!

6. Watch the sunset from Aykley Wood

If it’s a view of the sunset you’re after, you can’t go wrong with Durham’s overlook reserve, Aykley Wood. As part of the larger Aykley Heads estate, this 32-acre wood is perfect for a peaceful stroll or an energetic hike with your partner. Look up the sunset hour on the day of your date and head out to one of the park’s many viewpoints to sit and watch the sky change colour. If all you want to do is spend a quiet hour or two talking, this could be the perfect date idea to keep things simple. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a deer!

7. Discover a hidden cave

Nothing gets adrenaline flowing quite like discovering a new place together. Gibson’s Cave and Gin Cave are both along pleasant walking trails that take you through the best countryside that Durham has to offer. Learn more about the county with a stroll passing rivers, waterfalls and caves, and spend the hike getting to know each other on the road. Whether this is your first or fiftieth date, it’s the perfect way to spend some quality time with your partner. 

8. Try out falconry

Flying a bird of prey over its hunting grounds is an experience like no other. If you want to try something new and you’ve already been quad biking, running and spelunking, you can’t go wrong with a day of falcon, eagle and owl care. Durham Falconry offers full day experiences with their birds, including tracking and flying sessions. Spend a weekend learning about these beautiful birds in an experience your partner will never forget and take plenty of pictures for the photo book along the way.

9. Play a round of mini golf

Adventure golf is great for competitive partners who don’t fancy the adrenaline rush of wilder activities. At Treetop Golf in the Metrocentre, you can choose one of four golf courses to enjoy. All their courses include miniatures, ambience and models to immerse you in the experience. Celebrate hole-in-ones and commiserate your failures with each other; hopefully, the experience will bring you closer together. 

10. Learn to skydive

For any thrill seekers out there, Durham offers the perfect stomach-dropping date experience: skydiving. While it’s on the pricier side, absolutely nothing will get the adrenaline pumping like a jump from a plane and an exhilarating freefall. Blow your partner away with a date they’ll never forget, and bond over the ultimate trust fall. We advise asking your partner first, just to make sure they’re not too scared of heights!

11. Enjoy some fine dining

If you’re looking for some of the most romantic things to do in Durham for couples, you can’t go wrong with fine dining. Whether you’re celebrating an engagement, a renewal or one of the bigger anniversaries, a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Faru is guaranteed to be a special date. Spend an evening enjoying each other’s company while you sample dishes from some of Durham’s very best chefs. 

12. Visit the botanic garden

A romantic stroll through a 24-acre botanic garden is one of the best date ideas in Durham if you’re a fan of laid-back and traditional evenings. Durham University has operated the site for a century, and the gardens are chock full of unique and beautiful plants to discover. From epiphytic orchids to yellow flowered hay rattle, any botany enthusiast will be thrilled to be treated to a day trip to this invaluable conservation site. 

13. Meet the cats at a cat café

Is your partner a cat person? Why not treat them to an hour meeting the residents of The Pawsome Cat Cafe, Durham’s top feline meet-and-greet location! Book in advance and surprise your date with an hour of cats and coffee. Make sure they aren’t allergic to cats, and that they don’t bring any of the furballs home with you!

We hope that our list has helped you to plan out some fantastic date night ideas in Durham to add a spark to your relationship. If you’re thinking of trying them all, why not check out our new build homes in Durham and make the whole county your oyster? 

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