30 Anniversary Date Ideas That Aren’t Dinner and a Movie

Pick a spot on the map (preferably somewhere not too far away), queue up a playlist with music you both love and hit the road together for an intimate and memorable adventure.

Picking sweet fruit with your partner on a picturesque orchard is a recipe for romance. Needless to say, if your anniversary coincides with apple picking season, this one is a no-brainer.

If you’re scared of roller coasters, your SO will just have to hold you tight.

A moonlit boat ride with your better half is the perfect way to celebrate an anniversary—assuming you live near a body of water, that is.  Bonus points if you bring a bottle of wine along and toast to many years of smooth sailing ahead.

Take a trip back in time to the day you said ‘I do’ with a sentimental visit to your wedding venue—just be sure to pack some tissues in case someone starts crying happy tears.

Soak up some culture with your sweetie by visiting a nearby museum that speaks to both of your interests. When you’ve made the rounds, head home together for an evening of stimulating conversation about what you saw and learned.

If you don’t have a record collection already, start one. Building a music collection with your SO is an intimate bonding experience and a fun project, too—and arguably the best part is hopping from store to store in search of an album you both can get down with.

Sure you can just pop a bottle of wine at home, but if you swirl and sip at a vineyard instead, you’ll be rewarded with a scenic backdrop and a bit of education too.

Whether you buy tickets to see a comedian you both know and love or risk it by attending an open mic night at a comedy club, a good time is practically guaranteed.

Research has shown that music is a powerful tool for bonding and a live performance takes it to the next level. Score some tickets to see an artist you both love, and it will be an anniversary to remember.

Set yourselves up for a successful anniversary celebration by booking a side-by-side appointment for a massage that melts the stress away.

You don’t have to go all in on a pricey couple’s massage; a little R&R in the form of a mani-pedi or even just some time in the steam room together should do the trick.

Here, an anniversary date locale that boasts cultural appeal and romantic picnic potential, to boot.

An anniversary is an ideal occasion to stop and smell the roses with your sweetheart, don’t you think?

You know what they say—the couple who cheers for the home team together, stays together.

Bookstores are inherently romantic places, and celebrating another year of storybook love with a trip to one is, well, rather poetic.

That candlelit dinner will be so much more romantic if you make the mood lighting with your twin flame.

Because you don’t have to be married to take a romantic trip down memory lane together.

Many culinary institutes offer cooking classes, but you could also go the virtual cooking class route if you want a more intimate way to heat things up with your SO.

Learning a new skill with your partner will bring you closer, especially if that new skill involves spending the afternoon pressed up against each other and moving rhythmically to the tune of tango music.

Prefer to get physical? No problem—just head to an indoor rock climbing gym together for an endorphin-boosting workout that will prime you for romance. (Hint: The science says that endorphins play a role in attachment, bonding and sexuality.)

What better way to celebrate such a special day than by dressing to the nines for a night out at the opera?

You don’t have to be Picasso to have a blast painting with your partner—just maybe steer clear of portraits, lest anyone get offended by the finished piece of art.

Throw back some liquid courage if you need to and drag your partner on stage for the best rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” that you can manage.

This one is particularly romantic if your anniversary falls during the off-season.

Get some new family pics for the living room wall or hey, why not capture the sexy side of your romantic relationship with a couples boudoir photoshoot?

Bowling is just downright fun—and who knows? The friendly competition might even get you and your boo to start flirting like it's your first date all over again.

Netflix and chill has grown a little tiresome, but an outdoor viewing experience—be it on a projector screen in your backyard or at the drive-in—is a special occasion-worthy way to breathe new life into your movie night routine.

Hiking is yet another way to get those endorphins pumping, and if you pick your trail wisely, the pay-off might also include an oh-so romantic view from the summit.

We know, we know, we said no dinner date ideas. And sure, dinner at a restaurant isn’t exactly groundbreaking as far as date ideas go…but going to a different restaurant for every course is a whole other story.