Eight date night ideas to impress your Uni of Birmingham Valentine

In the month of love, you might want to treat your significant other to a special night out, convince your situationship to take things further, or get to know someone new in a public setting. If you’re stuck on ideas on how to impress a special someone, don’t worry, we’ve got you. Here are eight different ideas for a successful date night in Birmingham:

Cocktail Night

If you want to keep it classy and relatively relaxed, Birmingham has a host of different cocktail bars on offer. If you’re not looking to impress but not to spend too much, then be sure to look out for happy hours and student deals.

Las Iguanas, Be at One, and The Cocktail Club, (and even the Goose if you’re not looking to stray from Selly Oak) are particularly great for happy hour deals, helping you to calm the nerves on the date and not bring them back when checking your bank account, the next day. Las Iguanas and Be at One have several bars distributed around Birmingham so you can choose which location is most convenient to get to (or get away from if necessary), but make sure to specify where you’re going if you’re meeting there.

If money isn’t an issue for this special occasion, then you could consider trying some of the truly spectacular concoctions at The Alchemist, drinks that come fully accessorised at Gas Street Social or some tasty cocktails in intriguing vessels at The Botanist.

Bowling

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Another classic date night idea involves a trip to the bowling alley. You can opt for the standard set-up at Hollywood Bowl in Birmingham Broadway Plaza, where you can grab a few drinks and finish the evening in the arcade if you have some spare coins to use up. They also offer a 10 per cent discount for students, meaning that prices start at £6.25 per person for one game. This is ideal if you’re unsure about your date and don’t want to commit to an entire evening of awkward small talk as you can book one game and extend it when you’re there if things are going well.

Alternatively, you could jazz it up at Lane 7 Birmingham and pair the bowling with various other activities such as shuffleboard or karaoke.

Stand-up comedy

If you want to take the pressure off, then you could see what is on at one of Birmingham’s stand-up comedy clubs including the Old Joint Stock Pub & Theatre, Closeup Comedy, or The Glee Club. This could be a great way to send your date home, having had a hilarious night, and being under the illusion that you had something to do with it.

However, it might be wise to check that the show you attend matches your date’s taste and sense of humour, otherwise they might leave the night angry and offended by some of the content. These events usually happen on specific days of the week (like Wednesdays and Thursdays at Closeup Comedy), so be sure to check in advance. Prices also range from £8 for early bird to £12 on final release (Closeup Comedy ticket prices).

Paint and Sip

If you fancy showing off your creative side in a relaxed environment and a drink of choice by your side, then you might want to take a look at the various ‘Sip and Paint’ classes in Birmingham. ClassBento offers public and private sessions throughout the year, however, it is quite popular so it would be best to book in advance. Also, the venue changes each time and the prices range significantly depending on which session you book, which may be something to consider.

Truffle making

The Chocolate Collective’s truffle-making workshops offer another creative alternative. Held at the Novotel Birmingham, this unique bonding experience will stretch your culinary skills and improve the instant dread that one feels when told that they are going to Broad Street.

If this is a first or second date with someone you don’t know too well, you might want to check that they actually like the food and don’t have any life-threatening allergies (which could take the night on an unexpected turn). This activity is on the more expensive side, putting a slight dent in the student budget at £45 per person. However (given that things go well), you will come with some fun memories, a new skill, AND 15-20 handmade truffles to enjoy back at home.

Trampolining

Visiting a trampoline park is a slightly more intense activity but could be fun if you both enjoy raising your heart rates in a high-energy environment. Watching each other causally bounce around with a bunch of 6-year-olds is certainly one way to quickly break the ice. You can also impress your date with some flips and potentially pass a major ick test (just don’t break any limbs).

Rush Trampoline Park is an affordable option starting at £13.50 for a 60-minute session (early bird booking price when you book 24 hours in advance). You could also spice it up by attending a two-hour “After Dark” session in UV lighting. This nightclub atmosphere definitely gives Rosies a run for its money. There is generally plenty of availability for bookings, so this is a safe option to fall back on if you have truly left planning until the last minute.

Crazy golf

This is classic activity that almost every fresh does with their new friendship group or flat at university. However, it also makes for a fun date with the various challenges on each hole and the option to get some drinks as well (in case you need something to blame your poor performance on).

You could even extend the invitation and go with a group of friends and their significant others (just make sure that you’re the one going with your friends and their dates). Golf Fang in Birmingham is a popular spot in Digbeth. Prices start from £12.50 for a classic 18-hole round, but only increases to £14.50 if you decide to include a drink with the booking.

Ball Park

The Ball Park in Birmingham Town Centre is a fantastic opportunity to roll around freely in a pool of balls with a cocktail in each hand. I would highly recommend this for those going on a first date with someone that you don’t know that well or are meeting for the first time. There are various extra activities that you can add to the experience, including table tennis, pool, and a 90-minute cocktail masterclass session.

With fun all provided for you, this is a safe way to guarantee a good time, even if your new Tinder date is not everything you had hoped. If things aren’t going great, you could even try and escape them for a bit in the arcade if it turns out that they’re an iPad kid and get stuck to the screen (they might just forget you are there, creating the perfect escape route). Moreover, it’s a great place to take some fun Instagram pictures. Prices start from around £10-15 and go up depending on what you chose to do. Also, there is generally a lot of availability, so it’s not too risky if you decide to book the day before.

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