Date Ideas in Los Angeles
A hand-curated, couples bucket list of 148 real things to do in Los Angeles — from sunrise hikes and food crawls to museums, day trips, and cozy weeknight dates. Put your names on it and cross them off together.
Beaches, Canyons & Nature 22
Los Angeles's outdoors set the tone for a slow date — think sunset at Griffith Obs., pedal boats, Echo Park, or a long walk and good conversation.
- Sunset at Griffith Obs.
- Pedal boats, Echo Park
- Picnic at Barnsdall Park
- Tour Huntington Gardens
- Wander Descanso Gardens
- Cruise Venice walk
- Dusk at El Matador beach
- Kayak Marina del Rey
- Explore the Arboretum
- Run Lake Hollywood loop
- Beach day at Will Rogers
- Lunch at Vista Hermosa
- Hike Kenneth Hahn ridge
- Play at Tongva Park
- Tide pools at Point Dume
- Paddle the Malibu Lagoon
- Trek Fryman Canyon
- Scramble Stoney Point
- Bike the Manhattan pier
- Reef dive at White Point
- Roam Franklin Canyon
- Wind through Greystone
Activities & Games 14
Want something to do? Los Angeles brings the fun — strike night at Bowlero, arcade bar at Two Bit Circus, and friendly competition worth the bragging rights.
- Strike night at Bowlero
- Arcade bar at Two Bit Circus
- Escape room challenge
- Board-game cafe afternoon
- Trivia night showdown
- Axe-throwing match
- Laser tag arena battle
- Pinball arcade face-off
- Indoor climbing session
- Roller rink skate night
- Paint-and-sip evening
- Pottery wheel night
- Improv comedy show
- Karaoke private room
Walkable Districts 14
Some of the best Los Angeles dates are just a wander — abbot Kinney boutiques, explore the Arts District, and a coffee or a bite along the way.
- Abbot Kinney boutiques
- Explore the Arts District
- Old Town Pasadena
- Larchmont Village
- Silver Lake shops
- Little Tokyo wander
- Olvera Street market hop
- Melrose Avenue browse
- Sawtelle Japantown
- Browse Highland Park shops
- Downtown Culver City
- Atwater Village walk
- Montrose shops
- Los Feliz Village
Playful Sports & Action 24
Feeling active? Los Angeles has bike the Strand, surf at Manhattan Beach, and skate at Venice to get the blood pumping.
- Bike the Strand
- Surf at Manhattan Beach
- Skate at Venice
- Volleyball Santa Monica
- Climb at Sender One
- Paddleboard the marina
- Golf at Griffith Park
- Hike Runyon Canyon
- Dodgers game night
- Lakers game night
- Ice skate downtown
- Pickleball, Culver City
- Trapeze at the beach
- Run the Rose Bowl loop
- Tennis in Griffith Park
- Roller skate Venice
- Archery in Pasadena
- Spin class in WeHo
- Swim laps at a city pool
- Sail out of the marina
- Disc golf at Oak Grove
- Kayak from the harbor
- Kings game night
- Boulder at Cliffs of Id
Culture, Arts & Unique Tours 22
Rainy day or not, Los Angeles's culture scene delivers — getty Center art day, lACMA + Urban Light, and plenty more under one roof.
- Getty Center art day
- LACMA + Urban Light
- The Broad museum
- The Music Center
- Hollywood Bowl night
- Griffith planetarium
- Comedy at the Improv
- Movie at Hollywood Forever
- New Beverly double feature
- The Last Bookstore
- Watts Towers visit
- La Brea Tar Pits
- Natural History Museum
- Academy Museum tour
- Norton Simon museum
- MOCA Grand galleries
- Street art in DTLA
- Jazz in Leimert Park
- Vista Theatre film
- Improv at UCB
- Hammer Museum visit
- Sketch at the Getty
Food & Sweets 14
Make it a food date: Los Angeles does tacos at Grand Central Mkt, korean BBQ in K-Town, and dessert worth lingering over.
- Tacos at Grand Central Mkt
- Korean BBQ in K-Town
- Dim sum in San Gabriel
- Build a classic SoCal burger
- Sushi in Little Tokyo
- Birria in Boyle Heights
- Thai feast in Thai Town
- Glaze donuts at Randy's
- Oaxacan mole tasting
- Slurp ramen in Sawtelle
- Salvadoran eats, Westlake
- Scoop ice cream in NELA
- Graze a farmers market
- Tour a craft brewery
Day Trips (Under 2 Hours) 14
Got a free day? These Los Angeles escapes stay close — santa Barbara day, stargaze atop Mt. Wilson, and more within easy reach.
- Santa Barbara day
- Stargaze atop Mt. Wilson
- Big Bear lake day
- Catalina Island ferry
- Ojai village trip
- Malibu wine tasting
- Palm Springs tram
- Carpinteria beach town
- Laguna Beach coves
- Idyllwild mountain day
- Temecula vineyards
- San Juan Capistrano
- Ventura pier day
- Channel Islands boat
After-Work Weeknight Dates 24
Short on time? Los Angeles's after-work dates like korean spa night and rooftop bar in DTLA turn a Tuesday into a memory.
- Korean spa night
- Rooftop bar in DTLA
- Drive Mulholland at dusk
- Taco truck crawl
- Cocktails in Silver Lake
- Ride the Ferris wheel
- Drinks in the Arts District
- Night market food
- Trivia in Silver Lake
- Cocktails in Koreatown
- Live music at the Echo
- Beach bonfire at Dockweiler
- Stargaze at the Observatory
- Karaoke in K-Town
- Dessert in Little Tokyo
- Record shops on Sunset
- Drinks on Sunset Strip
- Abbot Kinney at night
- Movie under the stars
- Jazz club night
- Boba run after dark
- Baldwin Hills overlook
- Wine bar in Los Feliz
- Tram at The Grove
Common questions about dates in Los Angeles
What are the best date ideas in Los Angeles?
Local favorites include sunset at Griffith Obs., getty Center art day, and tacos at Grand Central Mkt. Below you'll find all 148 hand-picked Los Angeles date ideas across nature, food, culture, sports, day trips, and cozy weeknights.
What are good rainy-day or indoor date ideas in Los Angeles?
Stay dry with getty Center art day, lACMA + Urban Light, or korean BBQ in K-Town. Los Angeles's museums, theaters, and food spots are perfect when the weather turns.
What are some cheap or free date ideas in Los Angeles?
You don't need to spend much — sunset at Griffith Obs., abbot Kinney boutiques, and pedal boats, Echo Park are free or low-cost and easy to make a whole afternoon of.
What's a romantic date idea in Los Angeles for an anniversary?
For something special, try korean spa night, picnic at Barnsdall Park, or rooftop bar in DTLA — then make it a tradition with a date-idea poster you check off together each year.
What are fun first-date ideas in Los Angeles?
Keep it easy and low-pressure: abbot Kinney boutiques, korean BBQ in K-Town, or bike the Strand give you plenty to talk about.
Turn this into a date-night ritual
Put all 170 Los Angeles date ideas on one poster with your names on top, and check them off together.
Create your Los Angeles poster →