Five Edinburgh date ideas to impress your new (or old) S.O.

Now that Freshers’ is coming to a close, it’s time to start thinking about plucking up the courage and asking out that person… unless you live or work with them (seriously don’t do that). Here are some of my top picks to make a memorable date night and, of course, my unsolicited, slightly under-qualified advice.

Below are five ideas for a date night that should set you up for success. Some of them I’ve stolen from men, but take it as a compliment…we all know how bad men are at coming up with date ideas x

1. Wednesday Stramash Ceilidh

Starting with a strong candidate: Stramash’s Wednesday night ceilidh. This one is certain to let you know if there’s much of a connection, and give you an excuse to hold their hand… A ceilidh proves to be lots of fun, whether you know the dances off by heart or you spend the evening confused but still laughing. 

It’s so busy, no one can see your two left feet…

This one is also perfect if you’re a bit nervous because with everything going on, you won’t have time to worry. But don’t forget, you do need to take a bit of time to talk to the person you’re seeing, so use those dance breaks to head upstairs where it’s quieter (and where the bar is not swarmed by American tour groups).

2. An Arcade Bar

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Edinburgh has a few options for this one, there’s of course NQ64, plus there are a few more hidden gems around the city. The arcade games certainly give a retro vibe to the date and are a classic for a reason, and something to focus on rather than just if it’s going well. 

Plus this option brings the playfully competitive spirit, if you also opt for that as a poor excuse for flirting. A tasteful bit of harmless bullying goes a long way.

3. Escape Room

I must preface this with a strong suggestion not to do this for the first date, as escape rooms are a little bit more pricey… as well as a room with no escape for an hour. Escape rooms can also certainly cause some conflict – so this one is a make or break. As someone who works in an Escape Room, I can confirm that break-ups happen, maybe consider this one a test.

Me in an Escape Room with Edinburgh’s most eligible bachelor…

But, a few more dates down the line, why not test your partner’s problem-solving skills under a bit of time pressure, and see how well you can work as a team?

4. Picnic on Calton Hill

Wrap up warm and take your date to Calton Hill. While this is hardly a hidden spot in Edinburgh, it’s a lot less of an excursion than Arthur’s Seat but still fulfils all the ‘One Day’ vibes (maybe, I’ve still not seen it). Regardless, it invites you to take in the beautiful city together and be away from the hustle and bustle.

A picnic doesn’t have to be in the typical sense either, if you’re eating elsewhere, why not bring out some paints and save yourselves a date to a pottery painting place? Or take this idea over to the Meadows and bring out the disposable BBQs.

5. Highland Cow Spotting

Sticking with the nature dates: this idea is very cute for new Edinburgh/Scotland residents, head on down to the Pentlands for a secluded walk. There is a pack of highland cows that reside in the Pentland Hills, though they’re sometimes hard to track down. Luckily there are a few that stay close to the entrance. 

Tried and tested x

Whether you fancy tracking down the pack, or just going for a wander and seeing the cows by the entrance, this afternoon is very wholesome and adds a new element to the classic Meadows walk date. Leave it there, or follow it up and warm up together with dinner or drinks (maybe after changing out of the walking boots, though).

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