Central Belt
Date ideas in Glasgow
Updated
Glasgow is a cracking city for dates, and a surprising amount of the best of it is free. The big council museums cost nothing to get into, the parks are huge, and when it rains (it will) there's always somewhere dry and interesting within a short walk. These are our picks for a first date, a fiftieth, or a Saturday when neither of you can decide.
Our picks in Glasgow
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Argyle Street, West End, on the edge of Kelvingrove Park
- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Wander one of the UK's best-loved free museums, from Dalí's "Christ of Saint John of the Cross" to the hall of floating heads.
Why it's a good date: There's enough variety that you'll never run out of things to talk about, and it's the perfect rain plan. Finish with a walk through Kelvingrove Park if the weather clears.
Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the Kibble Palace
Great Western Road, at the top of Byres Road, West End
- Outdoors
- Indoors or out
- Free
Stroll the gardens, then warm up in the Kibble Palace, a Victorian glasshouse full of tree ferns and statues.
Why it's a good date: Half indoors, half out, so it works in most weather. Grab a coffee on Byres Road and follow the River Kelvin walkway from the gardens.
The Glasgow Necropolis
Cathedral Square, next to Glasgow Cathedral, East End
- Outdoors
- Free
Climb through the Victorian garden cemetery on the hill beside Glasgow Cathedral, crossing in over the Bridge of Sighs.
Why it's a good date: Atmospheric rather than morbid, with some of the best views over the city. Go near sunset on a clear evening and pop into the cathedral on the way.
Riverside Museum
Pointhouse Place, on the Clyde at Partick
- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Explore Glasgow's transport museum, with old trams, cars, bikes and a recreated Glasgow street, then step outside to the Tall Ship moored on the Clyde.
Why it's a good date: Playful and properly nostalgic: everyone finds something they remember. The zigzag building by Zaha Hadid is worth the trip on its own.
The Barras
Gallowgate, East End
- Activity
- Indoors or out
- £ (cheap)
Rummage the East End's famous market for vintage finds, records and oddities, then look up at the Barrowland Ballroom sign next door.
Why it's a good date: A set budget and a challenge (find each other the best thing under a fiver) makes for a daft, memorable date. Check which days traders are in before you go.
A walk along the Clyde
Glasgow Green to Finnieston, along the river
- Outdoors
- Free
Start at Glasgow Green and follow the Clyde Walkway west, under the city-centre bridges to the Finnieston Crane and the Armadillo.
Why it's a good date: A long, easy walk with a changing view, and plenty of places to stop for food at the Finnieston end. Good for talking side by side rather than face to face.
Pollok Country Park and the Burrell Collection
Pollokshaws Road, South Side
- Outdoors
- Indoors or out
- Free
Walk the woodland paths, say hello to the Highland cattle, then head into the Burrell Collection, a free museum right in the park.
Why it's a good date: Feels like a day in the country without leaving the city. The Burrell makes it rain-proof, and the collection is as varied as the park.
Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA)
Royal Exchange Square, city centre
- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
See what's on at GoMA, then take the obligatory photo with the Duke of Wellington statue and his traffic cone outside.
Why it's a good date: A short, easy visit that slots into a city-centre afternoon. Contemporary art gives you plenty to agree or (better) disagree about over a drink afterwards.
The Hunterian
University of Glasgow, Gilmorehill, West End
- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Visit Scotland's oldest public museum, inside the University of Glasgow's Gothic main building, then wander the cloisters.
Why it's a good date: Curious, quiet and a wee bit unexpected. The university's cloisters and quadrangles are a lovely walk in their own right.
Ashton Lane
Off Byres Road, Hillhead, West End
- Bar
- Indoors or out
- ££ (mid)
Spend an evening on the cobbled lane off Byres Road, with its strings of lights, bars, restaurants and the Grosvenor cinema.
Why it's a good date: The classic Glasgow date night for a reason: dinner, a film and a drink without moving more than a few steps. Go midweek if you want a quieter table.
Dates in Glasgow: quick answers
What are good rainy-day dates in Glasgow?
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Riverside Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Hunterian and the Burrell Collection are all indoors and free to get into. The Kibble Palace glasshouse at the Botanic Gardens is another dry option.
Are there free date ideas in Glasgow?
Yes, lots. Glasgow's council museums are free to enter, and the Botanic Gardens, the Necropolis, Pollok Country Park and the Clyde Walkway cost nothing to explore.
Where should we go for a date night in Glasgow's West End?
Ashton Lane, just off Byres Road, is the West End's classic date night, with restaurants, bars and the Grosvenor cinema on one cobbled lane.
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