For when it’s your turn to impress with your date night ideas in Dublin

In the hustle and bustle of daily life in the city it can be hard to carve out time to see your friends and family, let alone spend time with your partner. We can all be guilty of staying in of an evening with a bottle of wine, putting the feet up and watching Netflix. But there’s a lot to be said for taking the time out, getting out of your comfort zone and doing things you wouldn’t normally do.

Whether you are first date in or your first decade in, it’s always nice to pop out with your love and have a day to yourselves. Without further ado here are our date night ideas in Dublin presented in no particular order.

1. Some indoor climbin’

Gravity Climbing Centre, Inchicore

If you are planning on starting a new hobby together, doing an intro to rock climbing at Gravity Climbing Centre, in Inchicore’s Goldenbridge Industrial estate is a great shout. It’s not too far out from the city centre, plus it’s right next to Rascals the perfect spot for some post-climbing pints and pizza. Whether you are an experienced climber or a beginner, the friendly team are always there to help.
www.gravityclimbing.ie

2. Dinner on the water

La Peniche, Grand Canal

There’s something undeniably romantic about having your dinner on a boat—just the right mix of old-school glamour and mild seafaring peril. Moored along the Grand Canal, La Peniche leans all the way into the charm, draping itself in twinkling fairy lights, setting the mood with sultry French noir tunes, and keeping the wine flowing till you start feeling vaguely like a character in a European arthouse film. It’s a floating feast with just enough sway to make you wonder if it’s the boat or the Bordeaux doing the work.
www.lapeniche.ie

3. Pottery Painting

Dublin Pottery Painting, Smithfield’s Queen Street

If you grew up going to birthday parties in Leisureplex, there’s a good chance you’ve got some deeply nostalgic muscle memory for Pompeii Paints—the holy grail of Celtic Tiger-era celebrations. Sure, Q-Zar and bowling were grand (even if the Green Team was always cursed), but getting to decorate your very own mug, bowl, or inexplicable soap dish? That was elite. Now, after a bit of a hiatus, Pompeii Paints is back with a new studio, open Thursday to Sunday for walk-ins, plus private bookings all week.

There are 11 different ceramic bits to choose from, and once you’ve slapped on your masterpiece—abstract genius or absolute chaos—the staff will fire it up in the kiln, and you’ll have a shiny new mantelpiece-worthy creation in a few weeks. Ideal for a date that’s a little different, a little nostalgic, and entirely dependent on how steady your hand is after a coffee.
www.dublinpottery.ie

4. Crazy Golf

Rainforest Adventure Golf, Dundrum town centre

Nothing like a round of mini-golf to test the waters of a relationship. Nothing reveals a person’s true nature quite like missing a two-foot putt on a novelty-sized green. Rainforest Adventure Golf is a tried-and-tested date spot, complete with jungle-themed chaos and just enough absurdity to keep things interesting. It’s ideal for a first date (built-in conversation starters, no awkward silences), but just as good if you’re already deep into coupledom and need a reminder of who the real sore loser is. And hey, even if the date’s a disaster, at least you can take out your frustrations by absolutely leathering the golf ball.
www.rainforestadventuregolf.ie

5. Rage Room

We’ve all seen that strangely wholesome scene in Season Two ofSex Education where Maeve, Ola, Lily, Olivia, and Viv try to help Aimee get her rage out by smashing a car to bits – we might not quite understand why it feels good to smash stuff to literal smithereens, but it can’t be denied that it’s therapeutic, and now we can experience it for ourselves in Dublin, with Ireland’s first Rage Room. If your idea of a bonding experience involves controlled destruction rather than candlelit dinners, the Rage Room might be the date spot for you.

It’s exactly what it sounds like—a space to absolutely obliterate a load of breakable items, soundtracked by whatever music best fuels your inner chaos. You’ll get suited up in protective gear, handed a weapon of choice, and let loose on everything from glassware and crockery to old printers and TVs. You can even bring your own items if you’ve been looking for a dramatic way to say goodbye to an ex’s leftover junk. Sessions last 20 minutes, fit up to three people, and cost €35 a head—a small price to pay for the joy of watching your date go feral on a broken fax machine
www.rageroomireland.ie

6. Vintage Tea Trips

You’ve probably seen the yellow-and-blue vintage bus rolling through town, packed with people sipping tea and scoffing tiny sandwiches. The Vintage Tea Tour is exactly that—afternoon tea on a 1960s Routemaster, complete with 1950s tunes and a spin past Dublin’s best landmarks. The buses even have names (Pauline, Kitty, and Jean) after the owner’s tea-loving relatives, which feels fitting. It’s a solid shout for a date, a catch-up with your mam, or even a left-field work outing. They cater for all diets, prices start at €49.50 a head, and, miraculously, most people manage not to spill tea all over themselves.
www.vintageteatrips.ie

7. Roller Disco

Fusion Rink, Long Mile Road

If you’re looking for a date idea that’s equal parts fun and potential public humiliation, the roller disco in Walkinstown is a solid shout. Whether you’re gliding around like you were born in a pair of skates or clutching your partner for dear life (romantic?), it’s a guaranteed laugh. It’s €12-14 to get in, and if you need a bit of guidance, they do lessons so you can at least attempt to stay upright. Once you get going, there’s something undeniably brilliant about flying around the rink, living your Blades of Glory fantasy—except instead of a roaring stadium, it’s just some fella in a GAA jersey cheering you on from the sidelines.
www.therink.ie

10. The Viking Splash

While the amphibious buses that float along the Grand Canal Basin, may seem like they are more suited to tourists than Dubliners, they are actually super informative and a bit of craic. If you fancy a day date where you can don a viking helmet and roar at people, look no further than the Viking Splash.
www.vikingsplashdublin.ie

8. Go Paintballing

If you fancy a date with a bit of chaos, paintball is a great way to see how well you and your other half work under pressure—or how fast they’ll throw you under the bus to avoid getting hit. There are a few solid spots around Dublin, like The Mill (indoor, €30-35 per session), Flynn Park (Balbriggan, around €24 per person for 90 minutes), and Nationwide Paintball Dublin (€55 for 2.5 hours with 400 paintballs). Expect a mix of adrenaline, mild bruising, and a great excuse for a celebratory pint afterwards.
bedlampaintball

9. Stella Cinema

You’ll be following in the footsteps of generations of lovestruck Dubliners, by taking a trip to the Stella. The iconic cinema first opened its doors in the 1930s, its interiors having been lovingly restored and are in keeping with the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. You can grab some cocktails upstairs, or a steak next door and then toddle in to see new release films and Hollywood classics seven days a week. They even have couches instead of seats up the front if you fancy a bitta spooning and a smooch while you watch your film.
www.stellacinemas.ie

10. Jewellery Making

Silverworks, Drury Street

If it’s not too awkward to make a ring together, a jewellery-making course at Silverworks is a great way to spend an afternoon. Their 2-hour workshops are incredibly popular for a date night, and if the date goes really well they also have a wedding ring-making workshop! Priced at €85 they are a little bit on the spennier side of things, but you genuinely learn a lot about the process and also get a handmade ring to take home- winner winner.
www.silverworks.ie

11. The Zoo

Phoenix Park

Heading to the Zoo is a great shout whether you are on a date or not. If it’s a bit early on in the relationship it can be nice to have things outside of the two of you to talk about to ease the awkwardness, and at the Zoo there are umpteen talking points. Bond over how small the meerkats are, how playful the sea lions are and if either one of you can spot the tiger.
www.dublinzoo.ie

12. Karaoke

Maneki, Dawson Street

There’s something about being serenaded that gets things heating up on a date, the beautiful thing about Karaoke is that they don’t need to be able to sing to do it. Show your loved one just how you really feel by banging out some Seal, Barry White or even Chappell Roan, depending on how the date is going. Grab a bite to eat from the delicious Maneki kitchens before entering into the private groovy karaoke room for the night to sing and smooch to your heart’s content.
www.maneki.ie

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