Romantic Date Ideas in Leeds for Students
You’ve taken the plunge and asked your crush out on a date. Maybe the first date has gone well and you’re looking for something romantic for date two? For students in this exciting city there are loads of great date ideas in Leeds, with hidden gems around every corner. There’s also something for everyone, so if you’re looking for a quiet, romantic walk out in nature, a chilled brunch or lunch date, or something a bit livelier in the evening, Leeds has it all!
This post will cover a few different ideas and locations, giving you all you need to impress your date and help you secure the next date, and the date after that, and the date after that. For date ideas in Leeds, you are spoiled!
Let’s start off with a nice country walk:
Go for a walk at Temple Newsam
Temple Newsam Road. LS15 0AE
A beautiful country house, stunning grounds, and museum, Temple Newsam makes for a romantic walking date in Leeds. The estate includes an incredible country estate that is shrouded in mystery and the history of the area for centuries past. The gardens are serene, and if you are looking for an activity, you can muck out the pig pen, plant flowers, or even dance as part of a group! As well as walking the estate and the activities, there is a tearoom for break time, with cakes, sandwiches, tea and coffee available.
Kirkstall Abbey
Abbey Road, Kirkstall. LS5 3EH
Built in 1147, and one of the best preserved medieval Cistercian abbeys in Britain, there are very few places as breathtaking and awesome as Kirkstall Abbey. For a romantic walking date, you’ll have plenty of beautiful scenery and architecture to talk about during your walk around the award-winning grounds, and the River Aire is a beautiful backdrop for a picnic stop at lunchtime. Keep an eye out for open-air cinema at Kirkstall Abbey during the summertime too, that’s a great date night sorted in a beautiful setting!
Street Art Trail
Murals and street art across the city have added to the vibrant, creative nature of Leeds. A fantastic walking date idea in Leeds is to take a walk along a street art trail, finding the beautiful large mural walls that tower up to the sky right down to the smaller pieces of street art that are tucked away as hidden gems. There is art from a diverse range of artists, showcasing the multi-cultural and inclusive nature of the city, and highlighting heroes of the city, from sport, music, art, amongst others. It’s a fun way to spend a day, whether it’s your first few weeks in the city or you’ve been here for a while. You’ll also have a chance to stop along the route at some of the many incredible pubs, bars, cafés, and restaurants.
Live Music
Leeds is a city that has a proud tradition of live music. Two of the best ideas for a date night in Leeds include The Domino Club and Brudenell Social Club. Different vibes, but both great date nights.
The Domino Club is a prohibition-style speakeasy bar and club. You’ll find it hidden below a barber shop in the Grand Arcade, and once you get inside the basement club you’ll see some of the best jazz line-ups from local and international artists. You can sit and listen with a classy cocktail or get up to dance with your date, but either way it’s a smooth and suave place that will impress.
Brudenell Social Club is an institution in the UK music scene. If you and your date are into live music, indie bands and alternative touring bands, this is the place to see those up-and-coming bands and artists that will make it big in years to come. The venue has kept the vibe and aesthetic of the working men’s club that it had been for many decades before it was a music venue. A pint of lager and a packet of pork scratching’s in the back and then wander down to see the band play, a great combination of pub chat and live music that is a great date idea for us.
Hi-Fi Comedy Club
Central Road. LS1 6DE
The best independent stand-up comedy event in Leeds, every Saturday night is comedy night. The Hi-Fi Club has played host to some of the greats of UK comedy that you’ll know from TV, such as Alan Carr, Paul Sinha, Katherine Ryan, Joe Lycett, and Sarah Millican. It shows you the standard you can expect to see as comedians put the graft in on their way up in the industry. It’s a cosy set-up, first-come, first-served, and tickets are around £15. Just don’t pick those front row seats, as you don’t want to be embarrassed in front of your date!
Fun & Games
If you want to do something a little more active, there are loads of great game-themed bars, arcades, and other types of gameplay that bring the laughs for you and your date. The Park Playground is the great place for a date (or double date!) down at Falcon House on Walter Street. You’re given VR headsets and sent into an immersive session like no other. Challenges include walking the plank at the top of a skyscraper or mini games like archery. For arcade fun with cocktails, places like Pixel Bar, Arcade Club, and NQ64 balance nostalgic games consoles and arcade machines with bright neon lights and a lively environment. Chance & Counters on Merrion Street on the other hand is a serious board game bar, with over 500 board games to choose from, a calmer (but still competitive) date space!
Casual food spots
Leeds is full of incredible places to eat, so whatever you choose you’re likely to find a delicious meal. Some interesting standouts that combine food and drink include The Wardrobe or Electro Disco Brunch that’s a combination of vintage clothing sales, a brunch spot, and a mixologist on stand-by with an eclectic mix of cocktails. CASA is the place to go for the full Latin fusion of food and drinks from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. Fearns is a cool, chilled out spot for brunch and cocktails in Leeds Docks.
What do you think to our list of romantic date ideas in Leeds? We’re sure we’ve covered a few different angles, whether you’re looking for the best brunch and breakfast spots in Leeds, a country walk, fun and games at an arcade, or a good night out with live music and dancing. Do you have your own great date ideas in Leeds that you think we might have missed? We’re always happy to hear about new places or hidden date gems in Leeds that we haven’t heard about before. Also, let us know if our date ideas hit the spot and had that perfect romantic feel that helped your date go well!
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