With Valentine's Day around the corner, you might be worried about dating without alcohol. It's a valid concern. After all, a bar is a natural meeting place and if you're trying to avoid drinking, that can be tough. Don't worry though, we're here with some brilliant tips to help you enjoy alcohol-free dates. Not dating at the moment? Feel free to save this post for when you need it. Or simply enjoy some of our ideas with friends.
Dating without alcohol: Before you meet
According to an opinion piece in the Guardian newspaper, one of the most important things when sober dating is to be upfront in your dating profile. Whilst most of us are happy to socialise with people who are drinking, "social drinking" loses its appeal when you're the only one not drinking. So, be honest with your date before you go. If the fact you won't want a glass of wine is a game changer for them, they're not the one for you right now, are they?
So, raise the subject before you go out. Find out their opinion on alcohol and whether they feel like they need it to have a good time. Chat about their interests and yours and see if there is some common ground. Will you be able to enjoy a mutual hobby together? Do you both love hiking or have an interest in historical buildings? Perhaps you both enjoy a spine-chilling horror film with popcorn and a hot chocolate at home.
If evenings revolve around social drinking for your date but you still want to give it a go, it's not the end of the world. Check out our day date ideas, or go on an early evening date. That might mean you enjoy a meal together then you're home by 10pm while they party until dawn. If that works for both of you, feel free to embrace it. After all, relationships are about compromise and each of you will need to retain your own interests if it's going to last.
Dating without alcohol: Day date ideas
Whilst dates traditionally take place in the evening, that doesn't have to be the case at all. Why not arrange a daytime date doing something you will both enjoy? If you do end up in a bar afterwards, ask about their alcohol-free drink selection. These days, many bars and restaurants across Switzerland serve non-alcoholic beverages. Here are our day-date ideas to inspire you. Why not combine a few of them to make a full day of it?
- Do an escape room together
- Visit a country house or historical building
- Go to a museum
- Visit a theme park
- Go ice skating
- Go hiking
- Have a picnic
- Visit a health spa
- Go Geocaching
- Swim in a lake
- Go karting
- Go horse riding
- Enjoy a bicycle ride together
- Play crazy golf
- Try rock climbing
- Hit the ski slopes
- Do a high ropes course
- Go canoeing, kayaking or even white-water rafting
- Take a hot air balloon ride
- Hire a rowing boat
- Go stand up paddle boarding
- Visit an aquarium
- Watch a sports match or event
- Have afternoon tea together
- Visit a local fruit farm to pick fruit
- Head to a food market
- Go for coffee or ice cream
- Enjoy a pub lunch
- Visit an art gallery
- Have brunch together
Dating without alcohol: Evening dates that don't involve a bar
Are you surprised at how many things you could do on a daytime date? Many of them could be done in the evening too but not all will work after dark. However, the below suggestions can be done with or without daylight.
- Go to the cinema
- Go bowling
- Enjoy a pub or restaurant dinner together
- Go on a dinner cruise
- Go on a night hike or do some stargazing
- Take a dance lesson together
- Go to the theatre
- Agree on a band you both like and see a gig
- Go to the circus or a funfair
- Go to a drive-in movie
- Watch the sunset together
- Go and see a comedy show
- Get tickets for a ballet or opera
- Book an hour in a trampoline park
- Do an evening cookery class
- Hit some balls at the driving range
- Take a picnic dinner and meet somewhere outdoors to enjoy it together
- Enjoy a sunset cruise
Alcohol-free date ideas when you're staying in
You may have noticed that all of our suggestions of things to do when you're dating without alcohol take place outside of the home. There's a good reason for that - we want to keep you safe. If you're on a first date or with someone you don't know well, it's really important to meet in a public place. However, if you're a little way down the line with dating or simply looking to liven up your relationship, you'll probably want a few ideas for things to do at home. Here are our suggestions and you can keep reading to find out the perfect non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy on your date.
- Play board games
- Watch a movie
- Binge-watch a series or box set
- Cook dinner together or for each other
- Make alcohol-free cocktails
- Ban technology and see where the evening takes you
- Plan a holiday together
- Make a scrapbook of your dates so far
- Hire a private chef for the night
- Have a carpet picnic
- Eat dinner outside
- Set up some easels and paint together
- Have a bake-off
- Hire a projector for an at-home cinema experience indoors or outdoors
- Do a home workout together
- Have an at-home spa night
- Do a DIY project together
- Play video games together
- Have a kitchen disco
- Do some gardening
- Play cards
- Do a jigsaw
- Enjoy blind alcohol-free wine tasting
Alcohol-free drinks to enjoy at home
If you're staying at home for your date, you'll probably want to serve some delicious non-alcoholic drinks. Check out our blog for a wide range of alcohol-free cocktails recipes. If you're looking for a distilled drink to enjoy with a mixer or an alcohol-free wine, read on.
Alcohol free wine
Red: Thomson & Scott Noughty Alcohol-Free Rouge is a red wine that has been carefully dealcoholized to under 0.5% ABV whilst retaining its rich flavour. At only 14 calories per glass and 25 grams of sugar per 100 ml, this is a great option if you want to enjoy the flavour of a glass of red without the hangover.
White: Thomson & Scott Noughty Organic Vegan Alcohol-Free Sparkling Chardonnay boasts all of the flavour you would expect from a glass of luxury Chardonnay, but none of the alcohol. If you like to celebrate with a glass of fizz, this is the non-alcoholic wine for you.
Rosé: Thomson & Scott Noughty Organic Vegan Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé is one of the most delicious rosé wines you will taste. Just 18 calories per glass and 4 grams of sugar per 100 ml make it a healthier yet tastier option than standard rosé. If you think that dealcoholized rosé is inferior, try this luxury bottle and think again.
Non-alcoholic distilled drinks
Pentire: Adrift and Seaward are botanical non-alcoholic spirits brewed by Pentire in North Cornwall in the UK. Its values align with the Swiss way of life, based around living an active, healthy life with plenty of time outdoors. Enjoy the crisp, fresh and herbaceous taste of Adrift with notes of citrus, sage, rock samphire and sea salt. Then, try the invigorating, replenishing qualities of Seaward with its zesty grapefruit top notes and refreshing green, natural tones with sea buckthorn and wild seaweed.
Feragaia: Soon to become your favourite distilled Scottish blend, Feragaia is an alcohol-free spirit made from land and sea botanicals. With a name meaning 'wild earth', Feragaia is distilled, blended and bottled in the lowlands of Scotland. Amber in colour with a warming finish, this is going to be a game changer when it comes to a late night glass of something hearty.
Aperitif
APRTF: With 0.0% alcohol, APRTF carries tart notes from its natural cranberry along with the bitterness of orange and wormwood. Pair with soda, tonic or Thomson & Scott Noughty Sparkling Chardonnay or Rosé to make the ideal alcohol-free spritz. Garnish with a slice of orange.
Wilfred's: Wilfred's non-alcoholic aperitif is a bitter-sweet drink that pairs perfectly with a premium tonic water, served over ice. Savour the taste of rosemary, rhubarb, bitter orange and clove that is free from allergens, artificial flavours, sweeteners and colours as well as being vegan friendly.