Making The Most Of Summer

In anticipation of the sunnier months to come, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for summertime activities that you could share with a date. Make sure you’re really making the most of the good weather while it lasts.

1. Day Trip

If you fancy a change of scene when the weather starts warming up, you don’t need to go far. As well as its beautiful seaside location, Brighton Pier offers carnival rides and fish and chips for your inner child, making for a picturesque and thoroughly enjoyable day out. Blackpool is a similarly charming alternative if you’re based a little further north.

2. Stargazing

On a clear night with a warm blanket and hot drink, stargazing is the perfect date night activity. Several meteor showers are forecast for July and August 2015, so if you time it right you could be lucky enough to see some truly magnificent shooting stars. For the tech savvy among you, there are even downloadable apps, such as Distant Suns that identify the constellations in the sky overhead.  

3. Open-air Cinema

Open-air cinemas are becoming more and more popular, turning this typical rainy day activity into something perfect for summer. Temporary screenings are popping up everywhere; choose The Luna Cinema for light-hearted classics, Backyard Cinema for a more intense and personal viewing experience, or just drop by the The Scoop at London Bridge for Thames-side, free films as summer stretches into September.

4. Theatre

If you’re a bigger fan of theatre than film, there’s no reason to overlook it as a potential summer outing. London’s West End has an endless supply of dramas, comedies and musicals to suit your taste so an early alfresco dinner followed by an evening’s theatrical entertainment is hard to beat. Whether it’s the ABBA soundtrack of Mamma Mia! or modern classic War Horse that takes your fancy, theatre definitely offers something for everyone.

5. Ice cream

This might seem simple, but grabbing an ice cream after dinner could act as the perfect icebreaker for your date. Making you nostalgic about summers past it will make you feel more relaxed and get conversation flowing as you start reminiscing. Be sure to try the ‘breakfast in Turin’ – a milky coffee flavour with fine fragments of dark chocolate - at Covent Garden's Gelatorino, or take your date to Sicily on a budget in the form of Soho's Gelupo.  Gelato Mio is another safe bet for tasty flavours whether you're in Notting Hill, Fulham, St John's Wood or Muswell Hill. 

6. Picnics

Summer picnicking is idyllic regardless of who you’re with, but it’s a particularly good way to spend a date. Complete with lemonade and sausage rolls to make it a truly British affair it’s the perfect way to relax while making the most of a summer’s day. If you’re feeling indulgent you could even buy a hamper instead of making up your own; The Bull and Last in Hampstead does one at £40 for two people, and the Heath is certainly a good location to set up your alfresco dining. 

7. Rooftop bars/Restaurants

There are countless rooftop dining options across London, offering romance with a view. Our top picks are the Millbank Tower’s Sky Bar or the Rooftop Bar at the Trafalgar Hotel, that almost puts you eye to eye with Nelson’s Column (although this one’s very pricey – so make it a real treat!).