We all love it – date night. Picture a glossy restaurant with leather-bound menus or a darkened cinema, and you’ll be about right. Dinner and a movie is the go-to for all would-be romantics and long-term couples, but it can get boring pretty quickly. Birmingham is full of exciting events and trips that make for an exciting date night, whether it is your first or fiftieth date. Read on for our best date ideas in Birmingham.
Ghetto Golf
If you’d rather get up and do something than sit in a restaurant, Ghetto Golf is the answer to all of your dating struggles. With an 18-hole mini-golf course, this is a great date idea in Birmingham if you prefer something more active. It is undercover, with great snacks and a bar for liquid refreshment and they sometimes even have live music. Located in the heart of Digbeth, it is great for either an afternoon date or part of a day out together exploring one of the most exciting parts of the city, full of thrift stores and cool bars.
Hang out at Hockley Social Club
From the Digbeth Dining Team is Hockley Social Club, a great place to hang out, eat delicious street food and listen to music. It’s a really cool space, set in a former foot printing factory. It’s now an event space that kind of has it all; a food hall, bar, coffee shop, record, store and more. And there’s lots of live events such as classical music nights, comedy events and a lifestyle market on Sunday mornings. It’s a great place to go on a date in Birmingham – especially if it’s with someone new and you’re not sure what they’re into as Hockley Social Club has everything under one roof.
A few tipples?
‘Drinks’ is another classic date idea in Birmingham. Here are a few places that you can go to experience the bar culture of Birmingham and support local businesses. The Gin Vault is my absolute favourite place to go for a drink in Birmingham (although I would recommend something else from our list if gin isn’t your thing) – with over 350 types of gin on their menu; there is something to suit every taste, whether that be sweet, dry, bitter or sour. Try different mixers, different gins or even different garnishes and make your date into a mini tasting, just for you. Or, head to one of their official tastings where a certified gin expert will run through tasting notes and the history of gin making. If gin isn’t your thing, why not try Revolucion de Cuba, a specialist rum bar just minutes from New Street Station? With delicious drinks and great music, it is chilled and friendly. Or, The Jekyll and Hyde is a must-try for cocktail lovers, with a well-curated menu of sweet and bitter cocktails of a vast variety of flavours. In a Victorian-themed bar, guests can enjoy their drinks in the style and comfort of a Victorian salon.
Chocolate is a way to the heart!
If you’d prefer somewhere a bit further out of town, Cadbury World is a fantastic day out, fun and interactive, for everyone. Although it is a near-permanent attraction for school groups, it is a fun place to spend a few hours, where you can learn about the history of chocolate and the Cadbury’s factory, as well as try some lovely melted chocolate. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, this might just be the perfect date idea in Birmingham for you!
Love is a walk in the park. Literally.
If you’re trying to stick to a budget (we have more tips for you!), or you don’t have much time, then a simple walk in the park is just the trick. Cannon Hill Park is reasonably near to the town centre, with bus links and excellent parking facilities, with vast areas of green space, as well as a lake with a footpath. Activities there include mini-golf, swan-shaped boats on the lake, touring the park by train and a wildlife conservation park. It is a beautiful space and the perfect date idea in Birmingham if you want to get out of the city centre for a few hours.
Ol’ Reliable
All this being said, if dinner and a movie are working for you, then don’t be afraid to stick with them. To mix it up, though, why not try Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox? Perfect for date night, the screens are furnished with plush sofa-like seats with plenty of cushions. They show a mixture of classic films and newer releases, which makes it the perfect ‘dinner and a movie’ location for film lovers. If you want to follow that with a meal, why not try one of the hundreds of fabulous independent restaurants that Birmingham has to offer, like Jojolapa, a Nepalese restaurant with a classic street food menu? Or why not try Sushi Passion, an independent sushi place in the Great Western Arcade that serves delicious, freshly made sushi at affordable prices? Or, if Mediterranean food is more your thing, 4023 on Stephenson St serves lovely food in a sociable, bubbly environment, great for a lunch date.
Try a few of these best date ideas in Birmingham for your next date night. Wherever you decide to go on your date, Birmingham has something unique and fun that will make the day extra special. Whether it’s active or sedate, eating, drinking, watching or listening, there is something for everyone to enjoy in the centre of Birmingham, easily accessible by bus, train and tram.
