holding hands at the beach

Five Date Night Ideas in Marina del Rey

Whether it’s your first date or one rare night out without the kids, you’ll find fun on-the-water options for couples in Marina del Rey. Ditch the dinner-and-a-movie routine in exchange for a unique date night (or day!) in LA’s Marina. Try these suggestions:

Moonlight Paddle Excursion ($)
paddle sunset

Paddle through the calm waters of the Marina on a guided kayak tour for about $35 per person. Hosted by the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center, sunset and full-moon group paddles take place monthly on select Saturdays. Pro SUP Shop also leads guided group and private stand-up paddleboard tours starting at Marina (Mother’s) Beach – this cove is the perfect place to get used to the feel of the board.


Wine & Dine Aboard Your Private Duffy ($$)

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Pack a picnic meal, champagne, and chocolates and head to Fisherman’s Village, where Marina del Rey Boat Rentals offers electric Duffy boats as low as $115 per hour. Enjoy a private cruise with your sweetie or invite one or two other couples along. The easy-to-drive boats make touring the harbor a breeze.


Amore Aboard a Gondola ($$$)

gondola - westways

Image by Vanessa Stump; from Westways magazine January/February 2017

Explore the Marina in an authentic Venetian gondola. Your private tour provides a romantic ambiance with Italian music, pillows, and candles. You can prearrange a catered meal, or bring along your own picnic. Cost for two people starts at $140. ATTRACTION IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.


Put On Your Dancing Shoes ($$$)

hornblower

Get your groove on during Hornblower’s dinner cruises, offered Friday and Saturday year-round for about $90 per person. Begin your evening with a welcome champagne toast. Then sit down at your private table for a delicious four-course dinner crafted from local, seasonal ingredients. After your meal, head up to the outdoor deck for music and dancing under the sparkling night sky. (In summer months, sailing options also include midweek sunset cocktail cruises.)

 


Charter a Yacht ($$$$)

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Be greeted by a bucket of shrimp and champagne aboard a private sunset sail on a yacht. Enjoy the famous coastlines of Venice, Santa Monica, Malibu and beyond. Make it a triple date and charter a yacht with up to six people and enjoy dinner aboard the yacht with your own picnic or one catered by a local restaurant for a more luxurious treat. Yacht charters begin as low as $55 per person, per hour (usually with a six-person minimum and hourly minimum). Skippered boats and bareboat rentals are available from a variety of companies licensed to operate from Marina del Rey. Find our updated charters list here.