20 Fall Dates To Plan This Season If You’re Tired Of Dinner And A Movie

For the average couple, there are a fair number of dates to figure out every year. Some of them – Valentine’s Day, birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries – will be simpler to make special, just due to the occasion. But the dates that take place on normal, otherwise insignificant days are a little harder to make memorable. And often enough, we fall back on a classic: dinner and a movie.

There’s a reason "dinner and a movie" is the go-to date for many. It offers a nice mix of quality time and entertainment, and it’s time-consuming enough that it feels like you got out. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get old after a while. How many times can you go to that cute cafe and go see another movie that you don’t even really want to see?

Not to mention, the arrival of fall has ignited your need for something new, as well as your sense of adventure. The crisp weather, the incredible fashion, the vibrant leaves, the pumpkin-flavored everything – it all calls for dates that take advantage of this highly anticipated and fleeting season.

Here are 20 dates you need to plan before the season is over.

Visit a Haunted House

Fall is all about spooky vibes. What better way could you two spend a night out than wandering through creepy, barely-lit hallways with the threat of a zombie (or, let’s be honest, a theater major) jump-scaring you? Not only is it all in good fun, but you’ll certainly be holding onto his arm for safety.

Book a Cabin Getaway

Some of autumn’s most wondrous sights can only be enjoyed far away from any city, instead nestled in the mountains, woods, or countryside. If you and your husband are in need of a real getaway, why not find a charming cabin to spend a long weekend in, where you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking autumn trees and can bask in fresh air? There’s nothing like a change of scenery to create adventure.

Go Thrifting

If you’re in the mood for new clothes and a cute date, head to your local Goodwill and pick out an outfit for each other. Or, for a good laugh, try picking out each item without actually looking, but running your hand along a rack until the other stops you – whatever you land on, you wear.

Go Pumpkin Picking (Then Carve Them)

What could possibly say fall more than pumpkins? Head to a pumpkin patch near you, take a couple home, and spend the evening seeing who can carve the best design. Bonus points if you have a classic autumn movie like Harry Potter on in the background.

Have a Movie Marathon

Speaking of movies, nothing will get you in the mood for spooky season like a movie that will give you all the autumnal vibes. Whether you’re into fun mysteries, scary horror movies, creepy artsy films, or pulpy thrillers, there’s something out there for everyone. So pop some corn, turn off all the lights, put on a few candles, and settle in for a movie marathon.

Do a Mystery Book Club

For those nights when you’d rather stay in but still want to do something other than sit and watch TV, a mystery book club for just the two of you is the way to go. Choose a fun page-turner (Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, and Riley Sager are great options, among many others), make some hot chocolate, turn on some background music, and settle in for an evening of reading. In between each chapter, pause to talk about your theories.

Have a Bonfire

The summer heat has finally given it a rest, but it’s not yet too cold to sit outside. Autumn is the perfect time to take advantage of the temperate evenings and have a bonfire with your guy. Get yourselves something tasty to sip on and make s’mores to enjoy while you soak in the beautiful outdoors and talk about anything and everything.

Go to an Apple Orchard

No autumn is complete without a visit to an apple orchard. Don your favorite flannel and boots, and spend the day frolicking and picking out as many apples as your heart desires. Perhaps you could even take them home and make apple cider and apple crumble for an evening treat – you deserve it!

Attend an Oktoberfest Event

The German autumn festival is a memorable way to spend a day – but not everyone can make a quick trip to Munich. In lieu of hopping on an international flight, head to an Oktoberfest event near you and enjoy German beer, enormous pretzels, tasty brats, and music. If you really want to get into it, you can slip on a cute lace-up dirndl dress.

Stop by the Farmers Market

A twofold date suggestion: make your way to a local farmers market in the afternoon and grab a couple of chais to sip on while you peruse the offerings. Make a point of getting items that are best this time of year. Then, make dinner using whatever you picked up earlier – and get creative! Try cooking a dish you’ve never made before.

DIY a Couple’s Halloween Costume

Halloween is just around the corner. And there’s no doubt you’ll make lots of memories that night, but why keep the Halloween-related fun to just the 31st? Figure out a couple’s costume in advance and set aside an afternoon to DIY your costumes. Scour thrift stores and craft stores together until you find everything you’ll need, and then head home to put your costumes together.

Hit Up an Escape Room

There’s nothing like an escape room to bring you two closer together, and there’s just something about the autumn air that brings out the detective in all of us. You’ll share loads of laughs as you scheme and work to free yourselves from the creepy, perplexing room in which you find yourselves.

Grab a PSL and Go for a Walk

Everyone knows that pumpkin spice lattes and fall go hand in hand. Grab a couple of these (sadly) seasonal drinks, and go for a stroll in an area where the views are particularly beautiful, perhaps a local park, on a trail, or through a charming neighborhood where you can admire the autumnal decorations.

Write Original Poems Together

Okay, so not all of us can be Emily Dickinson, but that hardly means poetry should be off-limits. Pick a lovely spot to sit where you’ll be inspired – on a mountain, by the lake, on a park bench, or in a field – and take turns writing and reading to each other an original poem you just wrote.

Take the Train Going Anywhere

Take a day trip to a neighboring area by taking a train, so neither of you has to deal with the distraction of driving. Not only is it fun to explore a new town or city, but you’ll get the benefit of drinking in the glorious fall foliage on your way there as you zip by.

Go to a Football Game

Fall isn’t the only season that has arrived – football season is officially here, too. If you’re already a sports fan, this is wonderful news for you. But even if football is more of your husband’s thing, you can still attend a game for the experience and all the fall feels.

Have a Fall Goodies Bake-Off

Finally, the heatwaves have subsided in favor of chillier (but still pleasant) weather. This means it’s no longer too hot to turn on the oven, and a bake-off is in order! Maple cookies, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, chai cupcakes – this is your time to really indulge your sweet tooth. Set aside an afternoon to each bake your favorite autumn treat (or bake the other’s favorite) and enjoy your hard work for dessert that night.

Take a Romantic Hike

Autumn is the last stop on the seasonal train during which being outside will be comfortable until spring breathes life into the dark of winter, so make the most of everything this gorgeous time of year has to offer. Put together a small pack of delicious snacks and essentials and head to a hike that’s far enough away that even the ride there will feel like an adventure. Then, bask in the beauty of fall leaves with your love while you relish your small picnic.

Go Wine Tasting

You might think of wine tasting as more of a summer activity (and it’s definitely wonderful then, too), but fall is when grapes are at their peak sweetness, making this season the best to go wine tasting. Not to mention, it’s bound to be less crowded and far more temperate outside than in the middle of summer.

Host a Friendsgiving

Not every date needs to be just the two of you. Sometimes, organizing a group date is just what you need. But to make it more special than just going out to dinner, open your home for a friendsgiving, inviting over all of your dearest friends for fall-inspired cocktails and a delectable meal before the chaos of holidays takes over for the next month.

The dinner and movie date will never go out of style, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put it on the back burner for a time and enjoy some more creative, memorable, and season-specific dates with your guy this fall.