Coming up with creative ideas for date night can be hard! Whether you’re heading out with someone new or looking to spice things up with your long-time love, you know you can do better than dinner & a movie. But don’t worry! I’ve done all the thinking for you and made a checklist of unique alphabet date ideas in Auckland from A-Z.
This post may contain affiliate links. Booking through these links generates a small commission for me at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Alphabet date ideas in Auckland
Here are 26 epic date ideas in Auckland to try when you need a little inspiration! Use the checklist to narrow down what you want to do. Then keep scrolling for detailed descriptions of each activity and booking links.
- Archie's Cirque Electriq Arcade
- Botanic Gardens
- Cat cafe
- Dice & Fork board game cafe
- Escape room
- Ferry to one of the Hauraki Gulf islands
- Goat island
- Halotherapy salt cave
- Indoor batting cages
- Jet boat driving
- Karaoke
- Laser tag
- Mission Bay
- Night market
- Odyssey Sensory Maze
- Photo shoot
- Queens (Drag Queens)
- Rock climbing
- Sunset boat trip
- Throw axes
- Upscale restaurant
- Virtual Reality (VR) experience
- Wēta Workshop tour
- Xtreme Paintball
- Yoga or meditation class
- Zoo
Details about the top alphabet date ideas in Auckland
Here’s everything you need to know about my super brilliant date ideas in Auckland. All you need to know from where to find them, how much each activity will cost, and where to book for the best deal.
Archie's Cirque Electriq Arcade
With a mix of new and classic arcade games, a bowling alley, laser tag, and (perhaps most importantly) a bar, Archie’s is the perfect place for a date. Jump on one of the Mario Kart racing bikes or play classic ring toss to collect points. When you’re ready to call it a night, trade your points in for something cute to remember the date by.
Location: Inside Westfield Newmarket mall
Cost: $20+ each
Book here: You don’t need to book in advance, you can just show up. But check their website because they often have promos!
Botanic Gardens
Stroll hand-in-hand through lush landscapes and rose gardens of the Auckland Botanic Gardens. Enjoy a relaxing and romantic outing surrounded by nature’s beauty. Ideal for a tranquil and scenic date. You can even bring your fur baby! Stop at the gardens’ Cafe Miko for a drink and a snack after your walk.
Location: Manurewa
Cost: Free
Cat café
Sip coffee and cuddle cats for a cozy afternoon with your date. A great option for animal lovers or just a creative activity when it’s raining. And fortunately, there are a few different ones spread out across the city. Tickets usually include one drink.
Locations: Catfe Mao (Newmarket), Purrs & Beans (Birkenhead), Cat Castle Cafe & Hotel (Devonport)
Cost: $20-$32/hr per person
Dice & Fork board game cafe
Get your game on at the adorable Dice & Fork board game cafe! Grab some lunch and sink some drinks over a game of Catan or risk it all and show your true colours in a game of Monopoly.
Location: Freeman’s Bay
Cost: Board games are free, but they ask that you spend $25 each on drinks and food if you’re staying over 2 hours.
Escape room
Two heads are better than one. Test your compatibility under pressure with an escape room. You’ll get to see whether your date has good critical thinking and decision-making skills. And there’s nothing like the sweet high of success — if you can escape, that is! This is also a great option for a double date. It helps to have the extra brain power.
Locations: Escape Masters, Escapade, Great Escape (CBD, Takapuna)
Cost: Usually around $35 per person. BookMe sometimes has deals.
Ferry to a Hauraki Gulf island
Hop on a ferry for an island adventure! Of course there’s always the classic Waiheke and Rangitoto islands. But if you want to get off the beaten track and explore one of the quieter destinations, check out Rotoroa, Tiritiri Matangi, and Orapiu.
Cost: Around $50-100 for a return trip, depending on where you go.
For a romantic weekend away, consider catching an 8-hour ferry or a short flight to Great Barrier Island!
Goat Island
Dive into or paddle through a crystal clear paradise in the Goat Island marine reserve. You can rent snorkelling gear, clear kayaks, or join a diving excursion for a refreshing and adventurous date in nature. We saw some crazy stuff down there, from fish nearly as big as me to a teeny tiny baby octopus. No goats, though, just in case you were wondering.
Location: About 1 hour from Auckland CBD (A bit of a journey, but still technically Auckland!)
Cost: $25 – $100 per person depending on the activity you choose. You could just drive up for a picnic on the beach for free.
Book here: Check Goat Island Dive & Snorkel for snorkel gear, kayaks, diving equipment, and more. You can also find transparent kayak rentals for cheap on BookMe.
Halotherapy salt cave
Has your partner always wanted a salt lamp? Level up by surrounding yourself in salt with a halotherapy experience instead. It’s low key, and whether or not you believe in the magic of crystals or whatever, it’s one of the more relaxing date ideas in Auckland.
Cost: About $60 per person.
Book here: Salt Cave (Windsor Park), Salt City (Panmure). BookMe usually has deals on different packages.
Bonus: Check out couple’s float therapy, where you hang out in super salty water for an hour in complete darkness. I was so comfortable I fell asleep, so I totally rate it. Very zen and cool you can do it together.
Indoor batting cages
Sa-wing batta batta! If you’re uncoordinated like me, this may not be the best way to impress your date. But it’s a great way to blow off some steam, and is something cool to keep in the back pocket as one of your date ideas in Auckland when it’s raining.
Location: Pakuranga
Cost: $40/hr (the price for up to 4 people, in case you’re on a double date)
Book here: The Fieldhouse, check BookMe first to see if there’s a deal on.
Jet boat (You can drive this one yourself!)
This is a super cool experience I didn’t even know existed until I was looking for something to fill J. You can rent a whole jet boat, and apparently they’re so easy to drive that you don’t need a permit or anything, they’ll just like, give it to you. They have a marked course to complete and time you. So it’s really one of the most adrenaline-pumping date ideas in Auckland — perfect for thrill-seekers. I’ll be giving this a go as soon as the weather warms up!
Location: Wiri (Basically out at the airport)
Cost: $165 +
Book here: Check out the Super Thriller website, or hope for a good discount on BookMe.
Karaoke
Sing duets to express your love at karaoke. Whether you prefer to belt out your tunes on a public stage or hide away in a private booth, karaoke is always a great date night activity. Auckland is covered with karaoke spots and many stay open super late on weekends.
Cost: A few bucks (per song) or $35+ for a private room. Free if you go to a public bar on karoke night!
Check out: Coin Singing Booth (CBD, Newmarket) Beyond Karaoke (CBD), ACE KTV (CBD), 123 Casino Karaoke Bar (Howick), Wairau Karaoke (North Shore), Saloon Bar (K-Road, attached to Family Bar).
Laser tag
You can’t take photos when you play laser tag so this is the best I’ve got.
Gear up and run, hide, and strategize with (or against) your partner in a friendly game of laser tag. One of the more lively and exciting date ideas in Auckland for those who love a bit of competition. It’s also a great option for a rainy day. I recommend going on a weeknight if you can, as a Sunday afternoon session will probably be full of screaming kids. But maybe teaming up against them will bring you closer together.
Cost: $20+
Details here: Timezone (Newmarket), Paradice (Botany), Megazone (Mt. Wellington), Thrillzone (CBD and Takapuna), LaserForce (Wairau). And of course, BookMe usually has deals.
Mission Bay
Take a classic date trip to Mission Bay and enjoy the sun, sand, and sea for free. Hit Movenpick (another M) for ice cream and relax on the beach with a view of Rangitoto Island in the distance. You can also consider walking, driving, or hopping on a scooter to neighbouring St. Heliers.
Bonus: If you’re more into mountains than beaches, hike up Mount Eden (still an M!) for a picnic instead.
Night market
Can’t agree on what you want for dinner? Head to one of the night markets and sample a few things from the many food stalls. There’s one on every day of the week, but the location changes. They’re usually set up in sheltered car parks and still run even if the weather doesn’t cooperate. I believe all the stalls are equipped with eftpos (debit) machines these days.
Locations: Wynyard Quarter, Botany, Henderson, Mt. Wellington, and many more. Up-to-date details about when and where to find every night market are here.
BONUS: Also check out the Catalina Bay Farmer’s Market every Saturday and Sunday for a unique daytime date. You can drive to Hobsonville Point or catch the ferry direct from the CBD. This didn’t fit into my alphabet list, but it’s a very cute market!
Odyssey Sensory Maze
Full of lights, optical illusions, and Instagram-worthy photo ops, you can get lost in the Odyssey Sensory Maze with your date. I don’t want to give too much away, because it’s more fun to go in with no expectations and experience it for yourself!
Location: Auckland CBD
Cost: $25 per person
Book here: You don’t need to book in advance, but you can usually get a good discount on BookMe! Otherwise, check their website.
Photo Studio
Obviously one of the more unique date ideas in Auckland. Why not capture the moment with some professional photos? Perfect whether your aesthetic is more funny-awkward ’80s pics you can frame, or spicy boudoir shots to keep in a secret album. Beauty fades, but true love lasts forever. And in 10 years, you’ll thank yourself for documenting how hot you both are right now.
If a professional shoot feels like too much, you can always hit a traditional quick and simple photo booth.
Location: Studio Self (CBD), @berseneva.women (she does couple shots too), 4 Cuts of Life (CBD)
Cost: $40-300 per session.
Queens (See a drag show)
Alright maybe the alphabetizing of this one is a little cheeky, but finding a Q activity is hard! There’s nothing like a good drag show. And you can find some of the best queens in Auckland! I’m not even biased — Kita Mean won Season 1 of Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under, and Anita Wigglit (pictured top centre), made it pretty far, too. They’re both hilarious and own Caluzzi on K-Road. The Phoenix, just down the road, also has great performances, and both venues do cabaret & dinner events.
Location: K-Road (CBD)
Cost: $110+ per person (including dinner)
Rock climbing
Take your date rock climbing for a fun and physical challenge. Test your strength, balance, and problem-solving skills while supporting each other. There are a couple great bouldering gyms (my partner loves Boulder Co.) and a few rope climbing gyms, too, if you want to go to greater heights. This is one of my most fitness-y date ideas in Auckland.
Location: Boulder Co. (Westgate), Northern Rocks (Wairau), Clip ‘n’ Climb (Mt. Eden, North Shore)
Cost: $23-ish per person. Clip ‘n’ Climb often has deals on BookMe.
Sunset boat trip
Sunsets can make anything romantic, but adding a boat into the mix? Stunning. Auckland has tons of private and group boat tours you can book, or you can rent a tandem kayak for something more active. One of the most romantic and memorable date ideas in Auckland to end the day or kick off a night out.
Cost: $200ish
- Check out this one where you’ll head to Rangitoto Island for a hike then kayak back at sunset. They even cook you a BBQ dinner — but of course you won’t be alone on the tour, which maybe makes it a little less romantic.
- This one requires no paddling and includes a 3-course dinner!
- Bonus: Ok so this isn’t sunset, but a kayaking tour you can do after dark to see the bioluminescent plankton, which is pretty epic.
Throw axes
That’s me getting a bullseye on *the first try*
Give axe throwing a go for a unique and thrilling date. (And let him know he shouldn’t mess with you.) This was super trendy for a while but the hype has calmed down. I guess there’s only so many times you can go axe throwing before you either get bored or become a certified lumberjack. But it makes for one of the best unique date ideas in Auckland!
Location: CBD (K Road)
Book here: Sweet Axe
Cost: Kinda wild expensive tbh. It’s a whopping $180 for 45 minutes in a private lane, so a bit cheaper per person if you make it a double date. This is not my best suggestion, friends. My heart’s not in it at these prices. But it starts with a T and it would be a fun date, so here we are.
Upscale restaurant
Another somewhat cheeky use of the alphabet, but it’s a good one! “Oooh thanks Naomi, I hadn’t considered a dinner date before,” you might say. However I’ve got the inside scoop on how to eat at several of Auckland’s upscale restaurants for literally half price. New Zealand has this thing called First Table. If you haven’t heard of it yet, I’m about to change your life.
Basically, you browse through a list of restaurants and choose from early reservations like 5:30 or late around 8:30. You pay $5-15 to hold the reservation, then you get 50% off your entire meal when you go! Sometimes this even includes alcohol, but not always.
Some of the upscale Auckland restaurants you can dine at include: Sidart (my favourite), French Cafe, Bar Magda, and Kingi. But there are also tons of mid-range options. It’s honestly SO underrated.
Book here: Click this link to sign up and get $5 credit for your first booking. (I’ll also get 5 bucks!)
Virtual reality (VR) experience
Test the latest technology and immerse yourselves in a virtual reality adventure to explore new worlds together or compete in games. You can even do virtual escape rooms! A fun date idea for a rainy day.
Location: Zero Latency (CBD), VR Voom (Newmarket) Thrillzone (CBD, Takapuna)
Cost: $50+ per person
Book here: Check BookMe for deals (many were 50% off at the time of writing). Or book direct through the links above.
Weta Workshop tour
If you’re not from New Zealand, you might not know Wetā Workshop is the country’s pride and joy. The Oscar-winning special effects company hails from Wellington, but there’s an extended interactive exhibit on right now in Auckland. You can see cool movie props and learn how they created special effects for box office hits like Lord of the Rings and Avatar. A unique date idea whether you’re local or visiting from overseas!
I don’t know how long this exhibit is going to stay on at the Sky Tower, so you should put this at the top of your list of date ideas in Auckland!
Location: CBD
Cost: $65+
Book here: Weta Workshop Unleashed (30% off with your AT HOP Card!) or you can book through Get Your Guide.
Xtreme paintball
Gear up for an action-packed date with a friendly game of paintball. Probably best to save this for a third or like, tenth date, as it can be pretty intense. But it’s a high-energy activity for those who love a bit of healthy competition. Fortunately, (and a bit strangely) this Thrillzone “Xtreme” version of paintball in Auckland is actually paintless. If you’re really keen on the paint part though, you can do the regular version at Asylum, too. It just… doesn’t start with X.
Location: CBD, Takapuna, Papakura
Cost: $90 per person
Book here: BookMe, Thrillzone, Asylum Paintball
Yoga or meditation class
Enjoying the benefits of mindfulness and physical well-being in a yoga (or meditation) class is a great way to bond. This is a calming and healthful date that promotes inner peace… and doesn’t require any talking. That might be a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t know you.
Sign up for ClassPass to get at least two weeks free (depending on the current promotion) of access to yoga and other fitness classes all over Auckland. If you like it and sign on for a membership, which costs about $75/month, you can also get massages and other spa services! I just had a 75 minute massage the other day through my membership — maybe some spas do couples’ massages?
Zoo
Classic Z. Go check out some exotic animals at the Auckland Zoo and enjoy a day learning about wildlife together! One of the more educational date ideas in Auckland. If you’re lucky and your partner is anything like mine, they’ll have a wealth of fun animal facts to share. Or maybe you wear that hat in the relationship.
I’m not always pro-zoo, but the Auckland Zoo has a great rating when it comes to ethics and animal treatment.
Location: Western Springs
Cost: $19 if you live in Auckland, $29 for visitors. That’s crazy cheap if you ask me.
Book here: Auckland Zoo
Bonus: There’s also the Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium if your date is into fish, or the Whitford Bird Garden if they’re an ornithophile.
