Here are some relaxing date ideas for when energy levels are low but enthusiasm to meet is still high!

Visit a cathedral or church

If you want to spend time together and keep God at the centre of your thoughts, a trip to a place of worship when there isn’t a service happening can be ideal. Sometimes the only guaranteed place to find a haven of calm in a busy place is inside a church building! Even a large cathedral popular with tourists will have an aura of rest about it.

Whether you look at and chat about the architecture and design, historical signs and features or just spend some time sitting quietly and reflecting on God and your surroundings, it can be a great location to inspire conversations about your own faith journey too.

Spend some time outdoors in nature

Whether you go for a country walk out in the wilds, to a nature reserve or just wander around a local park, you can make a low key but meaningful date as you amble and chat. Take time out to sit and breathe in creation, and maybe share a simple picnic.

Rather than set yourself targets or look for challenging hills to climb, take it slow and easy. Listen for the sounds of birds and wildlife, and look at what’s growing around you.

Visiting the same spot at different times of year can provide an extra level of interest, too, as you observe the seasonal changes that unfold.

Go to the beach

If you live near a coast, one of the most peaceful of our relaxing date ideas is to visit the beach when the crowds have gone home. Take a trip at early morning or late evening when it’s quiet and enjoy the sound of the waves, uninterrupted.

A picnic blanket and some food – pick up a pizza or some street food on your way – can make a low key, impromptu evening dinner date into something really memorable.

Wander around an art gallery

You don’t have to be an art expert to enjoy a gallery trip. Stepping out of the day to day rush into the calm of an exhibition brings its own rewards, even if the environment is unfamiliar. Rather than feel intimidated, blend in with other visitors and go with the flow. The chances are lots of other people feel like you!

Enjoy the open space and peace. Take some time to stand in front of paintings or sculptures and focus on the details as well as your overall impression of the work. You might chat about what you like or don’t like and why, or spot something that’s a real talking point!

Some galleries are very family friendly and more boisterous, so won’t necessarily be as quiet if you’re looking for relaxing date ideas, but you can make your own path through the gallery, avoiding some parts and spending a long time in others if that helps. And there’s almost always a gift shop to explore and a cafe too.

Go on a retreat

The word retreat might bring up images of austere silence in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn’t have to be the case. A retreat can be a day or more out of regular life to reflect, rest and restore anywhere. There may be local churches offering a retreat offering teaching and prayer, or specialist retreat centres with regular programmes to sign up to.

The atmosphere will be friendly but restful, with a peaceful environment and welcome at the heart of the experience. Going together will give you quality time that doesn’t rely on filling silences, and if you’re in a teaching retreat, you can spend time listening and absorbing. Search online for places and opportunities close to you by typing ‘Christian retreats Melbourne‘ or ‘Christian retreats Florida’, Wales, Singapore or wherever you want to visit, and you might be surprised at what’s available!

A self guided retreat or time out to ‘just be’ can be something you do together without a programme, especially if there’s nowhere nearby or easy to travel to. Take the pressure off and you might find conversations about your faith and spiritual journey can go deeper too.

The classic low energy date – a cinema trip

The age-old dating wisdom says to avoid the cinema when you’re just getting to know each other as silence can be awkward and you’re not developing your connection, but sometimes a bit of screen time can be just what’s needed. If there’s a film you’ve been waiting to see, an old classic that’s come back into fashion or something easy and unchallenging to watch, why not suggest a date where the talking is done for you? It’s one of the go-to relaxing date ideas!

Grab a bag of popcorn, sit back and let yourselves be entertained for a couple of hours. Afterwards you’ll have saved your energy for a new topic of conversation as you dissect what you’ve seen!

And don’t forget a simple coffee date!

In the middle of a busy week when a date is on the cards, or when you’ve made it to the weekend and are looking forward to some time out, you can always fall back on a restful hour or two in a cosy cafe. Whether you chat about life or share comfortable silences, make the most of not having to be anywhere and relax.

What are your favourite relaxing date ideas?

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