Culture lovers can enjoy amazing dates in Surrey without having to open their wallets at all. From learning about the local history to taking in breathtaking views, below are 15 great ideas for cultural dates that will help you impress your date. Meet new people, learn new skills and expand your mind, all for free.
1. Explore Guildford House Gallery
This quaint and beautiful little gallery offers changing exhibitions and is housed within a gorgeous seventeenth-century building. This gallery is sure to impress your date. In addition to exploring the Gallery for free, you can take advantage of workshops and talks for further learning. Refreshments are available for sale in a tranquil café set in the rear courtyard.
2. Take a spin around Mercedes-Benz World
Mercedes-Benz World is a fantastic place to impress a car-loving date, and it is completely free. See some of the inner workings of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and take a look at some classic cars.
3. Delve into local heritage at Guildford Museum
Situated in Castle Arch, this museum is the perfect place to learn more about the rich history of Surrey. If you and your date are both Guildford residents, why not discover more about your common roots? Or, if they are coming to this town from further afield, you can use the museum visit as a way to show them a little more about the heritage of your home town.
4. Stand on the site of a pivotal agreement at Runnymede
What more momentous place to take a date than the site where the Magna Carta was signed? If you really want to impress your date, why not read up on the history of the Magna Carta beforehand so that you can regale them with your knowledge when you arrive. As well as being a National Trust site, Runnymede is very beautiful spot for a picnic. This will be a successful date, signed, sealed, delivered!
5. Learn about Victorian inventions at the Museum of Farnham
This quaint and charming little museum is an ideal stopping-off point during a romantic country walk. The museum, which focuses on the history of Farnham starting in prehistoric times, is located within a beautiful Georgian house dating back to 1718. This makes it a very historic location for a date. The museum sponsors the work of local artists, so you can view local contemporary art in this museum as well. Therefore, this is a great location for a date that fuses culture from centuries ago with the art and creativity of today.
6. Try a spot of birdwatching
Head down to Frensham Little Pond, which is a popular site for grebes, buntings, and warblers as well as romantic couples, and do a spot of bird watching with your date. Getting out into nature can be so romantic, and there is something about having to stay still and quiet with your date to avoid scaring the birds away that can be very thrilling.
7. Show your softer side and pet some cute animals
Head down Head to RSPCA Millbrook to meet some cute ducklings, puppies, kittens and more. There are also usually some lovely little ponies here, too. If you choose this as a destination for a date, be prepared to fall in love with more than just your date!
8. Go for a stroll at Virginia Water
This gorgeous lake is a prime location for a romantic stroll. Why not pack a picnic or simply bring along a bottle of bubbly and enjoy some quality time with someone that you have met on a Surrey dating site? If you like, you can show your date some of the key points of interest around the lake, such as a 100 foot high totem pole, an obelisk that was erected by none other than George II, and the remnants of an ancient North African city (which has been shipped over to Britain and reconstructed). This is also a lovely place for a spot of bird watching.
9. Get Shakespearean in Windsor Great Park
This beautiful park has some great cycling routes, and you can gain extra points by quoting from The Merry Wives of Windsor whilst you are there. The next time that you are chatting with Surrey singles on a dating site, why not ask them how they feel about a leisurely glide on a bike through some gorgeous park scenery? Perhaps you can also stop for a picnic on the way.
10. Engage with interactive contemporary art at The Lightbox
The Lightbox is a fresh new take on the classic museum space. It is renowned for its interactive exhibitions, which change regularly throughout the year. Boutique-like in appearance, and innovative in terms of what it presents you with, The Lightbox is the ideal location for a date with one of your fellow culture lovers in Surrey.
11. Explore behind the scenes at Grayshott Pottery
If you meet someone in Surrey who is a hands-on, artistic type, why not take them on a tour of the famous Grayshott Pottery workshop? These tours typically take around half an hour and provide you with a fascinating insight into how pottery and artistic hand-decorated ceramics are created here.
12. Marvel at the history of Farnham Castle Keep
This superb dating location was founded way back in 1138. Therefore, it is steeped in history and is an excellent place to bring a culture lover, especially someone who loves their medieval history. There is also plenty of Civil War material to be discovered here as well. It’s a real treasure trove of stories, artefacts, and amazing architecture.
13. Take an elegant stroll in Priory Park
You and your date can enjoy a picnic amid some stunning scenery in the formal gardens of Priory Park in Reigate, perhaps whilst discussing the finer points of garden design.
14. Roam through the grounds of Guildford Castle
This is another fantastic option for lovers of medieval history. Guildford Castle was built not too long after the Norman Conquest, which means that it is steeped in centuries of history. It is totally free to wander around the grounds of this castle, and the castle is located very close to the town centre in Guildford as well, so you can combine your cultural visit to the castle with a trip to a museum.
15. Relax in the East Surrey Museum
Treat the culture lover that you have met online to a visit to the East Surrey Museum, which has no entry fee, boasts four separate exhibition rooms, and is conveniently located near the town centre in Caterham. To finish your date, why not wander around the lovely town for some window shopping?
Introduce some cultural but affordable dating options into your Surrey dating life; you and your date will be sure to have fun whatever the cost.
Image Credit: Mercedes Benz World via businessatbrooklands.co.uk; Guildford Castle via exploringsurreyspast.org.uk; Couple with cat via pestell.com; waterfall via windsorgreatpark.co.uk; Windsor Great Park via fabriciopretti.files.wordpress.com; Magna Carta via getsurrey.co.uk; The Lightbox Gallery via coolplaces.co.uk; Pottery pieces via http://www.cbasouth-east.org; Bird flock via Stocksnap.io; Reigate Priory Park via picturesofengland.com; Noah’s Ark via farnhammaltings.com; Farnham Castle Keep via english-heritage.org.uk; Grayshott Pottery via grayshottpottery.com; Guildford House Gallery via guildford.gov.uk; Guildford Museum via gettyimages.com.
Featured photo credit: Unknown via windsorgreatpark.co.uk
