75+ Brisbane Date Night Ideas

Are you looking for an amazing date night idea in Brisbane?

What is your go-to date night in Brisbane? What ideas do you have on standby for date night in Brisbane? Do you keep a list of ideas?

We can not be the only ones who have so many ideas until date night rolls around and then our minds turn to mush.

No matter how many lists I have, pins I have pinned onto various Pinterest Boards, or suggestions that I have gotten, I can not decide what to do when we finally get a date night.

That brings us to this list of fun date night ideas, none of which is dinner and a movie (though of course, we like both of those things as well).

Keep reading to find ideas for the best date night ideas for couples (or friends!) in Brisbane.

Take a Cooking Class

You can combine dinner and an activity by taking a cooking class or learning to make dessert.

We have taken quite a few cooking classes while traveling, but never where we live.

❤️ Vanilla Zulu also offers cooking classes for many cuisines from around the world. They are located in Tenerife.

❤️ Golden Pig is a restaurant and cooking school in Newstead. They teach a wide variety of classes from pizza and pasta to Argentinian BBQ, and even a butchering class called “Nose to Tail.”

❤️ If you want to have a group date night, Mecca Bah in Newstead has pizza workshops and cocktail workshops for groups of 10+.

❤️ Learn to make chocolate and confectionery such as marshmallows, caramel, and honeycomb at New Farm Confectionery. A master class in candy? That sounds amazing.

Class Bento offers cooking classes around Brisbane including Beer and BBQ, Vegan Mexican, Cheese Making, and a Breakfast Masterclass.

Play a Sport

❤️ Holey Moley has indoor miniature golf with various themes. Each hole has a different and unique theme. We went with the kids, but it is adults only after 8 p.m. for the Winter Garden location. You can choose between 9 or 18 holes, and they also offer karaoke. The Winter Garden location also has laser tag, bowling, and escape rooms. Holey Moley has a full bar and sandwiches available for purchase.

Holey Moley also has a smaller location at Chermside and a new location at Mount Gravatt. I have been to them all, but preferred Fortitude Valley before it closed as it was the largest space.

❤️ Another fun option for indoor mini-golf is Hey Caddy located in South Bank. Each of the 12 holes at Hey Caddy is travel-themed, which will help with the date night conversation. Hey Caddy is also a bar, so the date can continue after a round of putt-putt.

❤️ In the same building as Hey Caddy is X-Golf, which has golf simulators. Show off your skills while staying indoors on this fun date night in Brisbane.

❤️ There are a bunch of places to go barefoot bowling. So far, we have been to Camp Hill, Barden, Windsor, and Norman Park Bowls Club. The clubs generally have restaurants attached. Camp Hill has a Thai restaurant, while Norman Park offers the more typical pub food. If you are on a group date, barefoot bowls are a good choice. We have only gone in a group so far.

❤️ Climb Story Bridge. (Read about the time we climbed here).

❤️ Go kayaking or ride a water bike with River Life. They have twilight kayaking available. Note that River Life only has single kayaks, so your date will be in a separate kayak.

❤️ If you are more adventurous than I am, River Life also offers abseiling both during the day and in the evening. You can abseil down the rocks at Kangaroo Point. If you would rather climb up, rock climbing at Kangaroo Cliffs is an option as well.

❤️ Pinnacle Sports also offers rock climbing and abseiling. They also have bouldering and advanced workshops.

❤️ Head to the batting cages at The Ballpark in Hamilton. They also have pool tables, darts, and show live sports games.

River Life has lots of great options for adventurous date night ideas including twilight kayaking, abseiling Kangaroo Point Cliffs, and rock climbing. 

Find more things to do in Kangaroo Point.

Play Games

There are many arcades of various sizes. While they tend to be family-friendly during the day, they often serve alcohol and prohibit minors after a certain hour. Here are the ones that have been on our radar.

❤️ Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq opened up on King Street in Bowen Hills. This arcade is perfect for date night as it is fun, you can win prizes, and there is a full bar. Bowling is also available at Archie Bros.

❤️ Kingpin Chermside is much more than an arcade. Besides video games, they have bowling, laser tag, escape rooms, virtual reality, and karaoke. There is a full bar and restaurant inside, as well as many restaurants to choose from in the shopping center.

❤️ Netherworld is another bar and arcade in Fortitude Valley, but this one is more like the old arcades with classic video games and pinball. They also have a very large variety of board games available, which you can see on their website. Netherworld has a large vegan menu, but many items can be made non-vegan if you prefer.

❤️ Oche in Fortitude Valley is a bar and restaurant with darts. I am used to free darts in basic bars, but Oche seems to be a nice restaurant with fancy darts, and the price tag shows that. For basic darts that are free to play, check out Dirty Harry’s just a few blocks away on King Street.

Find more fun things to do in Fortitude Valley.

❤️ Lumber Punks in West End have ax-throwing. They have a wide variety of drinks and snacks, but no alcohol is allowed. You can bring in food or have it delivered to you.

❤️ Another place for ax-throwing has opened in both Newstead and Brisbane City. Maniax has snacks and pizza as well as alcohol, with a limit of 3 drinks per person.

❤️ Hijinx Hotel currently has a location in Chermside and Mount Gravatt. Hijinx Hotel is a mix of challenge rooms that can be completed as a pair or with a group. You can opt for 1 or 2 groups of challenge rooms, with time to eat or drink in between.

If you aren’t quite sure what to expect at Hijinx Hotel, read our Hijinx Hotel review.

❤️ Play interactive games in a private room at EKPE in Chermside.

❤️ Brisbane Street Games can be played as a couple or as a group date with up to 3 couples. This mystery takes place in Brisbane CBD over 1-2 hours and 2.2 kilometers. We played Brisbane Street Games as a Family, though it would be easier to play without kids.

❤️ Fun House Brisbane, located in the Myer Center in Brisbane CBD, has arcade games and lots of machines where you can win tickets to earn prizes.

❤️ Bowling is always fun at Strike Bowling, which offers a great date night atmosphere. Located at Wintergarden at Queen Street Mall, it is easy to add a round of golf at Holey Moley to your date night.

Learn Something

❤️ Class Bento is a site that keeps track of many different classes from different companies in Brisbane. They also have a bunch of classes that you can currently attend virtually. Many virtual workshops include a kit sent to you. That sounds like a perfect lockdown date or even one for after the kids go to bed.

❤️ Take a tour with Brisbane Greeters. They offer neighborhood tours, history tours, and a twilight tour.

❤️ Go on a Bike Tour. If you’re not interested in the guided tour, you can rent a bike and go for a ride.

❤️ Head to Gin School at Brisbane Distillery.

❤️ Take a Brewery tour at Felon’s Brewery or XXXX.

Book your XXXX Brewery Tour and Tasting.

Make Something

❤️ Take a clay workshop at Our Space in Wilston. Another option is to paint pottery either by dropping in during open hours or BYO on Friday nights.

❤️ Build something unique at a Sculptures and Sips workshop at Dead Puppets Society in Woolloongabba.

❤️ Epilo, a plant shop in Woolloongabba, offers workshops. While you are there, you can build your own bouquet.

Paint Something

❤️ Experience a Splatter Paint room at Rose Soiree‘s Fortitude Valley location. This experience includes a take-home item to remember your fun date.

❤️ Pinot and Picasso has many locations, including a studio in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.

❤️ Located in South Bank and South Brisbane, Cork and Chroma also have pop-up events at nearby Brisbane restaurants. In addition to paint and sip at Cork and Chroma, they also have an Art Cafe. If you book a session with Art Cafe, you can choose the type of project to work on, including painting, beading, collage, and clay.

❤️ Frida’s Sip and Paint in Paddington offers many unique painting options.

❤️ In addition to painting classes, Wesley Taylor Art Studios offers clay and sip classes.

More Paint and Sip options are available through Class Bento.

Have Someone Else Plan Your Date

❤️ AmazingCo is a company that plans events for you. All you have to do is show up!

Currently, their Brisbane couples dates include a Mystery Picnic (read our family mystery picnic review here), which includes solving clues to figure out where to collect items to be eaten at a special location at the end of your date.

AmazingCo also hosts Mystery Walks, which are like picnics but take place in restaurants. Another restaurant experience is their Secret Menu Taster.

If you want to get out of the city, check out the Explorer Picnic, which is like a mystery picnic but includes a hike.

Maybe you don’t want your date to be food-focused. If you would rather just explore and take fun pictures, they have an Insta Worthy Adventure.

For those of you who want to get away for the night but don’t want to plan it, AmazingCo offers a Mystery Weekend (which is available every day of the week).

Check back, it seems like AmazingCo is expanding its offerings all of the time.

Also, if, like us, you usually just stay home with the kids, AmazingCo has at-home date nights as well.

Make Your Own Drinks

❤️ Take a cocktail-making mixology class through Class Bento. Options include specific drink options such as margaritas or daiquiris, masterclasses, and “the prettiest cocktails.”

❤️ If you are willing to head a little north of Brisbane, you can help brew and bottle beer at Hub Brewing in Geebung.

❤️ Create your own gin at Brisbane Distillery. This experience includes a gin tasting, making your own blend, and bringing a bottle home.

❤️ Contact Coffee Commune if you are interested in learning how to brew coffee. They offer beginner, intermediate, and private barista classes.

Enjoy the River

❤️ Take a walk along the Brisbane River. Another option is to ride a scooter or electric bicycle along the river.

❤️ Besides their boat rides to Moreton Bay, River to Bay has a variety of Brisbane local boat rides, including a pub tour, cocktail cruise, and twilight brewery tour.

❤️ If you have spent time on the Brisbane River, you have most likely seen the Kookaburra River Boat go by. Hop on board and view Brisbane from the river while enjoying lunch, dinner, or high tea.

❤️ Book a double or triple date and rent a Go Boat, where you drive the boat yourself. Go Boat is located in Newstead along the Brisbane River.

❤️ Take a 90-minute sunset cruise ride down the Brisbane River.

❤️ For a different kind of boat ride, Golden Gondola offers private dinner tours.

See a Show

Of course, you could go to the movies, but Brisbane is home to some great theatres. See what is on, and what is coming up.

❤️ QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Center) is made up of multiple theatres. This is the largest theatre in Brisbane and features traveling Broadway shows as well as smaller local performances.

❤️ A small theatre, Queensland Theatre, has a different play performed each month.

❤️ A theatre and music venue in Fortitude Valley, The Tivoli offers a wide variety of entertainment options, as does their other venue, Princess Theatre in Woolongabba. Check out the schedules at Tivoli and Princess Theatre to see which concerts are coming soon.

❤️ Brisbane Arts Theatre is a small theatre in Petrie Terrace. Both well-known and lesser-known performances take place at Brisbane Arts Theatre.

❤️ For those who enjoy dance and off-the-beaten-path performances, check out Metro Arts at West End. Metro Arts is located in the West Village, along with shops and restaurants.

❤️ Located in Kelvin Grove, the Roundhouse Theatre has performances by La Boite Theatre Company.

❤️ Did you know there is an Underground Opera in Spring Hill? Find more fun things to do in Spring Hill.

❤️ 12th Night Theatre in Bowen Hills runs popular musical performances in its small space.

❤️ Learn about the stars at Sir Thomas Planetarium. The shows at the planetarium run during the afternoon. Sir Thomas Planetarium is located at Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

❤️ Brisbane Powerhouse has live shows and films, cabarets and comedy shows, as well as visual art exhibits.

❤️ Go to a Candlelight Concert. Candlelight Concerts are performed at various locations in Brisbane and include music from popular artists in a candlelit space. Read about our experience at a Candlelight Concert.

❤️ Watch a comedy show at Sit Down Comedy Club or Good Chat Comedy Club.

❤️ Yes, it is a movie, and I said this list isn’t for things like dinner and a movie, but Moonlight Cinema is a different kind of movie-going experience. An outdoor movie theatre in Roma Street Parkland, Moonlight Cinema, is open seasonally.

❤️ Can we just agree that outdoor movies are different? Skyline Cinemas at The Star offers movie nights each Wednesday.

❤️ Sing along at Doo Bop Bar, a piano bar in Brisbane City.

Attempt an Escape Room

❤️ We have tried and failed to get out of 3 escape rooms, but they’re always fun.

Escape rooms are great for a group date, as the more brains you have working together, the easier it should be.

So far in Brisbane, we have attempted a room at Escape Manor and Fox in a Box, both of which I recommend. There are plenty of escape rooms in Brisbane, so see what is near you.

Escape Manor also offers an outdoor “escape” called Equilibrium. As of now, they accept large groups only, but you can join the waiting list as a couple.

Staycation at a Local Hotel

You don’t need to spend the night to enjoy a date night at one of Brisbane’s best hotels. Depending on the time of year, Brisbane hotels offer special events that are open to non-guests as well as hotel guests.

❤️ The Westin has opened up its pool and a swim-up bar to day guests in the summer. A ticket to Nautilus Beach Club includes access, a towel, and a drink. Food is available to purchase, and so are cabanas.

Find out all of the Brisbane hotels that offer day passes in the summer.

❤️ W Brisbane hosts pool parties, floating movie nights, and even special events in winter such as eating in an igloo.

Turn date night into a whole weekend by booking a stay at The Westin or W Brisbane.

Relax at the Spa

Brisbane has many day spas for various budgets. Here are a few unique spa options.

❤️ Soak Bathhouse in West End is open late, making it a fun place to go for a date night in Brisbane. In addition to being open late, Soak Bathhouse is located on a rooftop, and treatments include time to relax at the mineral pool, hot spa, cold plunge pool, steam room, and sauna.

❤️ Go for a float. We had a date night in the float at The Bathhouse Albion, and while I have heard it is not a traditional float, as it is big enough for 2, it was nice to relax together.

Get Spooked

Learn about Brisbane’s spooky side on a true crime tour or a haunted cemetery tour.

❤️ Is your date obsessed with True Crime? Book Brisbane’s True Crime Tour and explore the not-so-nice stories about the city.

❤️ Another option for a true crime tour is the Bloody Brisbane CBD Crime Tour.

❤️ Learn about the haunted past of Toowong Cemetery. You receive a copy of the book Ghosts of Toowong Cemetery on a 2-hour tour.

❤️ Listen to spooky stories as you explore a 19th-century cemetery on the South Brisbane Cemetery Ghost Tour.

❤️ Learn about true crime in the 70s and 80s, Fortitude Valley with Vice City, a 90-minute walking tour.

Hang Out at a Museum After Dark

❤️ Cinematheque at QAGOMA screens films. Some of the films at QAGOMA are free, while others are ticketed.

❤️ Queensland Museum has nighttime events for those 18+ throughout each year. Special events may include entry into exhibits, food and drinks, talks, and live music.

Go out for Dessert

❤️ It is like a (very sad) joke between Mark and me, but every time I say I want dessert, there is nothing open except ice cream places, and I rarely want ice cream. This goes back to a small town in Asia in 2009, when I made him wander the streets with me, looking for something sweet. He had an icee from a truck, but I wanted more. Spoiler, I got nothing.

Flash forward to now, every time we look for dessert at night, only ice cream shops are open.

Here is my list of places that are specifically dessert places open at night AND aren’t mainly ice cream.

If you want ice cream, don’t worry, I promise it is available wherever you happen to be.

• Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, South Bank
• Doughnut Time, South Brisbane
• Chocolateria San Churro, multiple locations
• Krazy Desserts and Restaurant, Hamilton

Date Night Brisbane Wrap-Up

As you can see, there are plenty of Brisbane Date Night Ideas that do not involve dinner and a movie (though that is always a fun idea too).

Whether you are looking to abseil down the cliffs, relax in a rooftop spa, cruise down the Brisbane River, or learn how to make gin, there is an option for you on this list.

There are even companies that will plan your Brisbane date night so that you can relax and enjoy a fun night out.

You May Also Like

• Adventurous Date Nights in Brisbane
• Day Date Ideas in Brisbane
• High Tea in Brisbane
• Brisbane Hotels with Swimming Pool Day Passes
• Candlelight Concerts

Pin for Later!