UK’s Wildest Sober Date Spots Revealed

With the UK ditching the drink, a whole new world of exciting date nights have opened up.

AS sobriety has now headed fully into the mainstream, and dating with a drink starts to look like a thing of the past, the hottest trend in romance is sexy, sober and seriously fun. 

Brits, especially the younger generations, are ditching the drink in record numbers with a 2023 ONS report finding that 26% of 16 to 24-year-olds now say no to booze altogether.

The sober revolution is clearly continuing, and it’s also coinciding with a rekindling of the dating scene, with a recent survey showing that more than half of us expect to increase our dating activity in 2025

With the UK trading out the wine for the water and swapping beers for bubble tea, the dating options available have also skyrocketed.

While the local pub used to be a hot spot for the first date so that you and your partner could both get a shot of dutch courage before the meet, sober dating is taking couples to the most unusual of places.

Nicky Wake, Founder of the new sober dating and support app Sober Love, said: “When you first start dating when you’re sober, it can seem like your options are limited. Bars, pubs and nights out all look like they’re off the cards, even though they aren’t, and it can sometimes be a struggle to get ideas for where to kick your new romance off. 

“In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Dating sober not only means you can experience the same date spots in a new way, but it opens up a stunning world of possibilities for you to explore and create new memories that were quite literally off limits when you’re dating and drinking.

To help you find that perfect place to break the ice without breaking your sobriety, we’ve pulled together a top list of the most interesting dates you couldn’t do when you were drinking;

For the speed freaks:

Ever felt that your first date needed to be sped up a little? Well, while you might be stuck with an Uber if you’re over the limit, when you’re sober you can access something a little bit more punchy - with a date at a supercar trackday.

As you’d expect, to get behind the wheel of something that is well into the six figures, you need to be sober, with providers breathalysing you before you get the keys just to make sure. 

For the bouncy personality’s:

Sometimes you just want to let out your inner child, and what better way than to take your date down to a trampoline park for an evening where you can really lower your barriers. 

Health and Safety laws prevent any intoxication on the parks, making them a surprisingly underused date spot - especially as they have boomed in popularity from just a single park in 2014 to over 150 across the nation by last year.

For the high fliers:

Love them or hate them, it’s hard to deny that heights truly do get the heart beating that little bit faster.

One new option for the non-drinking dates that you couldn’t access before is the UK’s network of tree-top rope courses. Popularised by the UK’s biggest chain, Go Ape, the courses require coordination and total sobriety to make sure you don’t end up taking a dive off the side. 

For couples (or dates), they give you the option of supporting your new partner through their scary moments - or laughing at them as they scream in terror.

 

For the Water Signs:

Water and romance have always been linked. When you’re looking for a sober date though, the lakeside picnic can be traded in for something with a little more excitement - namely, white water rafting at one of the hundreds of centres on rivers across the UK.

These centres are incredibly strict on your alcohol consumption, as even being slightly tipsy can be highly dangerous out on the water, making them a great spot for a sober set up.

Most centres will even offer double kayaks, giving you the chance to put your fate in each other's hands and build that bond through sheer adrenaline.

For the Insane:

Some couples thrive on the quiet life, enjoying chilled picnics and nights in - but for those that want something a little more exhilarating, then a sky dive could be the one for you.

The UK’s skydiving industry body bans any alcohol on a jump, drop zones will breathalyse you before you head into the sky and most providers insist on no alcohol for 24 hours before you jump - so any drinks are a definite no-no.

If you’re looking for the ultimate adrenaline-seeker date, you’ve found it.

For the Cool Down:

Once you’ve spent the day getting your hearts racing, the best way to cool down is over a nice drink - and nowhere better to get one than at one of the rapidly growing numbers of temperance bars in the UK.

Places like Hinterland in Manchester’s Northern Quarter are perfect spaces that are built for sober drinkers, with their dry bars hosting an array of mocktails and no-alcohol options for you and your date to unwind with and discuss the excitement of your day.

Nicky continued: “Dating has to be about finding that excitement, and it is actually far easier to see and encourage that fire in you and your partner when you look at the amazing options available to you when you date without drinking.”

So if you’re thinking of taking the plunge, try and see what you can add to your date night choices that can truly get that spark firing.”