14 Unique First Date Ideas In Minneapolis To Woo Your Potential Boo (2024)

Minnesota’s largest city has a lot to recommend it as a first date destination. World-class restaurants, art classes, waterfront activities, and coffee shops are all plentiful here. No matter the kind of outing you and your potential boo prefer, there’s a first date idea in Minneapolis that will be a surefire hit.

We at Peerspace are all about special occasions and finding a place to celebrate them. From first dates to 50-year anniversaries, we’ve collected hundreds of local event venues for celebrants to search through. So as you browse, think about making your date or other event even more special with a private booking through Peerspace! 

1. Try Nordic dishes at FIKA Café

Minneapolis is one of the US epicenters of Nordic culture. The American Swedish Institute explores this connection through Nordic history exhibitions, art installations, and cultural events. Visitors can explore the museum and mansion, enjoy Midsommar day festivals, and try Nordic dishes at FIKA Café like classic Swedish meatballs or more adventurous offerings like Svamptoast!

2. Walk together on the Stone Arch Bridge

Minneapolis’s Stone Arch Bridge is a famous local landmark; a former railroad bridge that’s now a public bike and walkway spanning the Mississippi River. Built in 1883, it is also the only stone arch bridge in the nation that crosses the Mississippi River. The yearly Stone Arch Bridge Festival makes for an even more entertaining first date idea in Minneapolis, with hundreds of local and national artists gathering just west of the bridge to showcase photography, sculptures, paintings, and other works of art!

3. Play mini golf at Can Can Wonderland

Can Can Wonderland is one of the best examples of former industrial construction given new life! The site was home to the American Can Company for nearly a century before becoming the entertainment complex beloved by all. Can Can Wonderland has an award-winning 18-hole indoor golf course that was designed to be as much an immersive arts display as a fun place to putt. A second adults-only course is in the works and taking art submissions from folks for ideas!

4. Enjoy the peace of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary

Do you prefer quiet outdoor activities over rowdy party halls? We think the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary is the perfect first date idea in Minneapolis for you! The Wildflower Garden is a 15-acre meadow filled with native flowers and plants to support butterflies and birds. The garden itself is a short 2/3rds-mile walk but sits close to Lakeside Cafe, where you can enjoy coffee, soup, and sandwiches for lunch!

Considering hitting the town with another couple? Then those unique double date ideas will provide all the inspiration you need to make this four-some awesome!

5. Have a movie night in a private screening room

Movie nights are a great way to get to know your potential boo! If local theaters aren’t playing what you enjoy, then it’s time to make your own movie night experience with a private screening room. Peerspace has several venues in Minneapolis with big-screen TVs or movie screens you can reserve for a few hours. Have you seen this bar, game room, and screening room in Lowry East Hill? The space comes with a high-end sound system, DVD/computer hookups, and a prep kitchen if meals are a part of your movie date night! 

6. Go to your favorite coffee shop

Coffee shops are a classic, chill way to get to know someone during a first date. Minneapolis has a variety of local and national chain brands to explore; we prefer the smaller local shops for their artsy interiors and unique beverage options. Everyone has a favorite coffee shop so why not bring your date to yours? Your choice of venue and beverage say something about you, after all! And if you need ideas, we recommend Café Cerés, a brand owned by award-winning pastry chef Shawn McKenzie! Café Cerés has incredible pastries like pistachio croissants to go along with their teas and Turkish coffees! 

7. Play video games at Ox Cart Arcade & Rooftop

Looking to bond over a few competitive games? Video game arcades have a lot to offer as a unique first date idea in Minneapolis! Most are either free to play with entry or are a cheap quarter to $1 per game. And then there are arcade bars like Oxcart Arcade & Rooftop that have more than video games to enjoy. You can visit the restaurant where they have menu options like grilled oysters, Asian salads, and cheese fondue! 

8. Enjoy a wine-tasting class

A shared love of fine wine makes wine-centered events a must-try first date idea in Minneapolis! You’ll both get to learn about the background of a tasty new beverage and try classic pairings like charcuterie and cheese alongside it. Wine sommeliers are experts who hold classes in venues like local vineyards and wine bars. You can also try an art and wine event like Wine and Canvas! Here, you can work on paintings, pressed wood cutouts, and other creative ventures together while sipping wine!

9. Bring the pups to Unleashed Hounds & Hops

Pets aren’t always allowed to come along on a date experience and we think that should change! So does Unleashed Hounds & Hops, Minnesota’s first indoor/outdoor dog park, bar, and restaurant! Dogs get to unwind and play in an enclosed, clean play space while their humans get to know each other over beer and sandwiches. Unleashed Hounds & Hops also has special events for humans and pups alike, like their monthly Puppy Playtime for young pooches and fundraising events for local dog rescues. 

10. Take a cooking class

Creative first date ideas in Minneapolis like cooking lessons give you a chance to learn something new about both your partner and the culinary arts! From pasta making to Thanksgiving dinner, you can enroll in a class that’s interactive and educational. At the end, you’ll be able to eat what you whip up! Sometimes the entire class even has dinner together. Check out Cooks Bellecour; with three branches in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, you can choose between fascinating events like Indian cookie making and backyard barbecue classes!

Commemorate your date the modern way by swinging by some of these gorgeous indoor photoshoot locations in Minneapolis and posing with your boo!

11. Enjoy a new restaurant together

Minneapolis is no slouch when it comes to fine dining; it has one of the Midwest’s best food scenes. You’ll find African, Asian, and Mediterranean options to rival any other major city. Fly far from the Great Lakes to the tropical Yucatan Peninsula with Petite León, one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city! Jorgé Guzmán is a James Beard nominee for one of the best chefs in the Midwest.

12. Go bowling and sing karaoke at Punch Bowl Social 

Punch Bowl Social is an indoor venue with enough entertainment options to please even the pickiest group. You can go bowling, sing karaoke tunes in a private room, win a trivia night, play ping pong or shuffleboard…And once you’re done, there is a full menu with beers, brunch, mains, and happy hour specials to satisfy you. It’s the best place in Minneapolis for a first date where you want multiple things to do without having to drive all over town!

13. Drinks and trivia night at Trivia Mafia

Many bars and clubs have trivia nights on occasion but no one specializes in them like Trivia Mafia does. This bar and brewery runs themed trivia nights on pop culture topics like The Big Bang Theory, junk food, and more. You’ll also get rerun nights to revisit trivia themes you might have missed. Plus it’s all posted well in advance so you can pick the right night to impress your date with your collection of mostly useless knowledge! 

14. Paddle along the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River and the many lakes in the area offer fantastic water-based first date opportunities if you’re willing to rent a canoe or paddleboard. Even lifelong locals can learn a thing or two by taking a canoe tour and seeing heron rookeries or factories along the waterfront. Or you can book a rental with any of the canoe rental agencies open during the warm season!

First date ideas in Minneapolis: conclusion

We hope something in this list caught your eye! Peerspace is one of the leading online marketplaces for special event venues. So we like to think we’re experts in bringing people together for fun. If you’d like to learn more about what venues we have for dates and other big moments, check out a few more of our Minneapolis special event venues!

Find unique event spaces in Minneapolis on Peerspace