Summer of Self-Care (60 Solo Date Ideas for Summer 2023)
Have you ever taken yourself on a date? And no, we don’t mean the awkward Tinder meetup — we mean a date with yourself. Just you, yourself and maybe a good book. Getting comfortable spending time with yourself is one of the best forms of self-care. And we’re dubbing this summer as the summer of self-care.
We’ve shared solo date ideas before (read our guide to dating yourself here) and one of the biggest responses that we’ve gotten is that people feel awkward going out by themselves. They don’t feel comfortable going to the movies or sitting at a restaurant alone.
If you feel that way, you’re not alone. We’ve been there, and in today’s guide we’ll share tips to help you gain confidence to go out by yourself, but also we’ll share plenty of tips for creating a romantic solo date from home.
(Psst: If you’re wanting to step back into main character energy and reclaim your life to explore mindfulness, slow down and romanticize your life, check out my 28 day challenge.)
Spending time alone can be like flexing a muscle. It’s hard at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable and confident you become. Think of these solo dates that way. You might start out with solo date ideas that can be done from home, but the more time you spend with yourself, the more confident you might feel to explore the ideas that take you out of the house as well.
And don’t forget, a good book is your best friend when you start eating out alone.
The Summer of Self-Care
With summer comes longer, warmer days and new ways to practice self-care. Being able to spend more time outdoors, open your windows, let out the cobwebs and breathe in the fresh summer air will renew you.
As we move towards the longest day of the year, a lot of these solo date ideas will help you get outside and make the most of the summer. Think listening to the birds chirp, taking a nice long walk or reading a book outside at your favorite cafe.
We also want to encourage you to put your phone away and be truly present with yourself. Simply putting your phone away while you spend time with yourself can be the best form of self-care.
Get ready to embrace the magic and beauty of this season.
60 Solo Date Ideas for Summer 2023
We hope you get inspiration from this list! It’s meant to inspire and encourage you to try new things, be playful and discover your passions and JOY.
Each one of us is going to enjoy doing something different and that’s OK. If there’s something on this list you love, great! If there’s something that you don’t, that’s OK! With 60 incredible solo date ideas, we’re sure there’s going to be something for everyone.
Summer Solo Date Ideas for June
- Watch the sunrise
- Take your morning coffee or tea outside (getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is the perfect addition to your morning routine)
- Spend the whole day sunbathing and reading in the park
- Put on your favorite playlist and dance around your room, singing at the top of your lungs
- Grab a book and sit outside at your favorite cafe
- Take a long walk listening to a podcast
- Go around your neighborhood and take pictures of flowers
- Make yourself a picnic to take to the park or beach
- Sit in the sunshine in your house and do a puzzle
- Play tourist and book a walking tour of your city
- Take yourself on a weekend away
- Go for a bike ride
- Do a pottery class
- Take yourself to an outdoor summer concert
- Enjoy your first aperol spritz of the season (or whatever cocktail makes you feel like summer)
- Try a new workout class
- Join a summer book club
- Plant an herb or vegetable garden (a small herb garden can even be planted inside)
- Attend a sound bath or guided breathwork session
- Make a summer bucket list!
Summer Solo Date Ideas for July
- Learn to salsa dance
- Go for a solo hike (remember to tell someone where you are going and when you should be back)
- Lay in the park and watch the clouds go by
- Watch the sunset
- Take a creative writing class
- Go to a paint night
- Take yourself to the movies
- Go for a bike ride
- Build a new wellness habit
- Go thrifting
- Try a new outdoor sport like rock climbing
- Cook yourself dinner using fresh, in season ingredients
- Take yourself out to dinner at a restaurant you’ve always wanted to try
- Join a run/walk club
- Attend a guided nature walk
- Go to an orchard or garden to pick in-season fruits
- Pick flowers and make yourself a bouquet
- Spend an entire weekend disconnected from social media
- Go to a vineyard and do a wine tasting
- Try acro yoga or ‘goat-yoga’
Summer Solo Date Ideas for August
- Take a cooking class
- Learn to watercolor
- Go bird watching
- Do a river cruise or boat ride
- Rollerskate
- Take a nap
- Go to an open air play or show
- Explore a farmer’s market in your area (and eat whatever you want — guilt free)
- Buy yourself fresh flowers
- Take yourself out to lunch, bring a journal and write your goals for the autumn season
- Do an outdoor yoga class
- Go for a swim
- Make a scrapbook of all your summer memories
- Do absolutely nothing
- Have a spa day (either at home or treat yourself to a spa day out)
- Explore your local botanical garden
- Go for a shopping spree
- Try your first cold plunge
- Take a language class
- Visit a museum or art gallery
If you want even more solo date ideas, read this post next! Altogether we’ve created 90 incredible solo date ideas for you to practice self-care, spend time alone and really get to know yourself. Remember, having the confidence to truly spend time alone is similar to flexing a new muscle. The more you practice, the better you’ll become and the more fun you’ll have.
When it comes to dating yourself, we always encourage you to take steps out of your comfort zone. Always wanted to take a dance class but you’ve always been too nervous? Push yourself past your comfort zone and try it.
Too nervous to go out to a wine and paint night alone? Buy your favorite bottle of wine and create your own at home.
No matter what, we hope that this list of solo date ideas helps you to practice more self-care this summer and get more comfortable spending time alone.
If you want to track your progress and keep track of your favorite solo date ideas, download our free habit tracker or grab daily and weekly planner templates. These templates can be customized to your needs, helping you to keep track of the activities that you love and how often you practice them.
