The best budget-friendly date ideas around Perth
Times are tough, but we’re still softies at heart – which means we’re always looking for cute, wallet-friendly ways to impress an even cuter date!
Here’s a few budget-friendly ideas to impress your main squeeze on your next date:
Get the heart pumping on a hike
With a combination of a great coastline, the Darling Scarp and some amazing national parks, Perth has some great hiking trails to explore. Plus nothing will test the strength of an established relationship, or the future prospects of a blossoming one, like tackling a hike through some beautiful landscapes. You’ll find out who wears the pants and whose happy to take the lead, a bonding experience that will no doubt leave you stronger than ever… Check out 20 of the best hikes near Perth here.
Pack a picnic
Feeling less “hike” and more “lay on the ground”? We feel you. Luckily, Perth is chockas with picturesque parks for picnicking – and we’ve got the weather to enjoy it practically year round! Head to one of our favourite local gourmet grocers or bottle shops for a DIY picnic spread, then check out our list of Perth’s best picnic parks to find one near you.
Look at the stars… Look how they shine for you!
Our wide brown land, with plenty of vast night skies, is perfect for stargazing – and what a romantic way to spend an evening! Pack some snacks and a picnic rug, drive into the night and find one of Perth’s best stargazing locations – or head further afield and discover some spectacular stargazing locations around the state!
Enjoy the ultimate flower-filled day out at Araluen Botanic Park
The Hills are alive! Not just with music, but with flowers. Araluen Botanic Park is a pretty spectacular destination whatever time of year you visit, but from August the park explodes with colour for the annual tulip festival. With over 150,000 tulips and 36,000 spring flowers, it’s truly an amazing display, especially set amongst the backdrop of the manicured gardens and surrounding bushland. Araluen does require a small entry fee, which contributes towards the upkeep of the gardens and park – but you can bring your own picnic and take in the picturesque surroundings all day long.
Find love at a farmer’s market
Farmer’s markets can be an excellent way to get to know someone – after all, what could be a better insight into someone than whether they go for an açai bowl, breakfast burrito or decadent Nutella-filled crêpe? Nothing beats a chilled weekend morning walk around one of Perth’s many great farmer’s markets, perusing some stunning fresh produce and locally-made goodies – and supporting local suppliers while you’re at it! Why not buy some bits and bobs for a delish picnic (or dinner 😉 ) and keep the good times rolling? Find a great market near you with our guide to the best farmer’s markets in Perth!
Flex your art knowledge (or lack thereof) at AGWA
Looking for somewhere to flex that big old brain muscle of yours in front of a special someone? The Art Gallery of WA is just the ticket; access to the majority of the exhibitions will only cost you a small donation, and you get to wander around scratching your chin and pretending you know what it all means. Having saved your pennies, you can head up to the rooftop bar for some spectacular city night sky views.
Want even more cultural, arty goodness? PICA is just across the Cultural Centre, and always has an exciting program of contemporary, boundary pushing art – and free entry!
Get spooooky in the Freo Prison
The Fremantle Jail hosts Torchlight Tours every Wednesday and Friday night, providing the perfect opportunity to test your date’s bravery. Plus, you’ll get a ghoulish history lesson from one of their experienced guides, and ample opportunity to provide a comforting hug should things get extra haunting down there. Tickets are $28 for adults, and cheaper for students and concession card holders.
Catch a free gig in Freo
Our state bats way above its weight when it comes to our musical exports, and one of our favourite, low-key ways to take in the local talent is at Fremantle Arts Centre’s Sunday Music series. Running between October and March, pack a picnic and set up camp under the plane trees and enjoy some of our state’s best musicians. We’d call it underrated, except the weekly crowds speak for themselves. Make sure you pop into the gallery and check out the latest exhibition too!
Can’t get enough? Overlooking the tranquil waters of the Derbarl Yerrigan, Goolugatup Sounds is a series of free and accessible performances that unite visual art with curated musical acts, featuring groundbreaking local and interstate musicians alongside exhibition openings at Goolugatup Heathcote Gallery.
Test your skills with some retro gaming
Want to impress your date with your awesome gaming skills? Of course you do! No we’re not talking about parking up on your couch forcing them to watch you play GTA 5, get out there and fiddle some joysticks together at one of a few potential places: Nostalgia Box (pictured, below). It’s Australia’s only video game console museum, and it’s an awesome place to visit with over 100 consoles on exhibit, with a heap of them available to play. Alternatively Palace Arcade can sort you out with not just excellent booze and tasty food, but dozens of old school arcade machines! Pro tip: Head there on a Wednesday and spend just $10 to get unlimited gaming plus $10 wings, or on a Sunday for half price games!
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Feel zen with some pay-as-you-feel yoga sessions
Blooming Happy Yoga operates out of its Highgate studio with some beginner-friendly vinyasa yoga classes, so you can both achieve some zen and offset the first date butterflies! They also operate regular pay-as-you-feel classes if you’re strapped for cash – one in the lush green surrounds of Hyde Park, and the other over the warmer months at Rooftop Movies in Northbridge.
Send down some sexy strikes at Ten Pin Bowling
Take a trip down memory lane and head to the one of the classic bowling joints – nothing will get your date in the mood like the nostalgic sounds of glam 80s and 90s rock’n’roll, the clanging of pinball machines and the smell of succulent, chicken salt-coated hot chips on offer at old school bowling lanes like Rosemount Bowl in North Perth (the “Friendliest Bowl in the West”!) or Super Bowl in Melville. Read to our full Perth bowling alley guide here.
Catch a flick at the Galaxy Drive-In
Keep the retro vibes going and visit one of the last remaining drive-ins in all of Australia! Galaxy Drive-In is open all year round and offers $22 per-car movies on Tuesdays, along with showing movies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. They’ve got snacks on site, but there’s no reason you can’t bring along your own goodies to enjoy while catching movies both classic and just-released.
Chow down with some cheap eats
Although it feels like dining out might be a rich man’s game these days, there are still plenty of spots to feast without spending a fortune – just check out our guide to the best cheap eats in Perth!
Cover image credit: Rosemount Bowl