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Falling in love in Melbourne again: Great city date ideas

Amrit Kaur

Fri Jun 07 2013

Great Melbourne city date ideas

FOUND yourself in a date rut? Amrit Kaur has five fantastic Melbourne date ideas that will liven up your weekday or weekend and impress your sullen sweetheart.

He asks you what you want to do this weekend. You don’t have any ideas. He suggests dinner and a movie and all you can manage is, “Again?”

The secret to keeping things fresh in a relationship is to try something new every now and again. So here are some awesome suggestions that will work no matter what you and your honey are interested in.

For the Adventurous Couple

If you’re an active couple who enjoys a dose of adrenalin, why not try go-karting? Most of us don’t drive while we’re here in Melbourne, so this is the chance for you to unleash your inner speed demon and you don’t need a driving licence to participate.

Auscarts Racing in Port Melbourne offers indoor go-karting packages at a reasonable price. And girls, if anything, we can guarantee you’ll score major points with your man when he sees you racing around those bends!

If you’re not such a motor sport fan, you can opt for indoor rock climbing instead. For only $30 per person, Hardrock in Melbourne CBD gives you the rental of your harness, shoes and unlimited climbing for the day. Not only is it fun, it’s great exercise as well.

For the Gastronomers

So you’re a couple who takes food seriously, but tired of walking around the city aimlessly until you settle on the same places you always do. For an entirely different experience, treat yourselves to a night of fine dining at Maha on Bond St in the city. For $125 per person, be transported into an Arabian night with a Middle Eastern-themed eight course dinner and music.

After treating your tastebuds, you can choose to sit in the courtyard and relax with an after-dinner coffee. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to dress up and make the night a truly unique and sophisticated affair.

If that’s too hefty on your pocket, you can book a table for two for lunch, with a respectable three or four course meal at $40 and $45 per person.

For the Thrifty

Being on a budget doesn’t have to be a bad thing. There are plenty of date options that cost close to nothing, like a picnic in the Royal Botanic Gardens. You can buy some dips, cheese and fresh fruit from the Queen Victoria Market along with a bottle of wine or sparkling water. The gardens are open from 7.30am every day and close at sunset.

Another money wise idea is to meet up for a coffee date. Melbourne practically runs on coffee, after all. Seven Seeds on Berkeley St in Carlton boasts the city’s best. On Saturday mornings, they run free public cupping sessions where guests can try original coffees from around the world. Expert roasters are on hand to educate and guide you through the tastings for a special and memorable culinary experience.

Related story: Melbourne’s Top 10 Cafes

For the Culture Aficionados

The State Library offers free screenings of documentaries and animated films on most Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm to 8.00pm in their Outside-in Cinema. You can bring along nibbles and non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy with the movie while relaxing in the deckchairs provided.

Alternatively, visit Melbourne Town Hall for one of its frequent exhibition. It’s a great way to engage the mind while still spending quality time with your other half. Right now you can catch ‘Cluster‘ – an exhibition that explores the branding of streets in Melbourne, including the 38 Camleot-themed streets in Glen Waverley. ‘Cluster’ closes at the end of July.

For the Experimental

So the two of you enjoy trying new things, but don’t want to wade too far out of your comfort zone. Why not try mini-golf with a twist? Black Light Mini Golf in Docklands offers an 18-hole putting range that’s entirely glow-in-the-dark. It’s the only one of its kind in Australia, so you know you have to try it! Entry costs $14 per person, balls and clubs included.

Or you could give Funky Bunch Trivia a try. There are pub trivia nights held Monday to Thursday all around Melbourne, and the format consists of five rounds of eight questions ranging from television, movies, celebrities and music to sports, current events and general knowledge. Combine forces to take on other participants for a night of great trivia fun. The competition will most certainly bring you and your honey closer together!

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