Date ideas along the Ruhr

September 2, 2025

The Ruhr region can be romantic too, especially around the water, and particularly along the Ruhr River! 😊 The Ruhr River winds its way right through the Ruhr region and offers numerous spots on and along the water that are perfect for your next date – and of course, that goes for dates with your friends too!

Attention early risers – head to Lake Baldeney for sunrise!

The alarm rings at 5:00 a.m. – it hurts a bit when you first open your eyes, but it's worth getting up early in the Ruhr area for a special experience! Especially when you do it with someone special. 😊 I'm lucky; my friend Sarah is a passionate early riser, and that motivates me because we have a very special date night today: enjoying the sunrise at Lake Baldeney!

A tranquil river meanders through a lush, green landscape at sunset, with orange and blue hues in the sky and silhouettes of trees and hills in the distance.
Morning mood at the Korte Klippe in Essen – since the sun was missing, we moved on to the other side of the lake. It's still beautiful though!

Two Sunrise spots in the Ruhr area

We start at Korte Klippe in Essen; the sky is bathed in red, mist drifts across the water, and the first rays of sunshine slowly appear. Since we can't see the sun behind the dense trees, we decide to move to the other side of Lake Baldeney, to the Hardenberg shore, and are rewarded with a magnificent sunrise. The atmosphere, a mix of morning chatter and quiet enjoyment, is simply magical. And after that, we've definitely earned our breakfast.

Off to the Ruhr: SUP in Mülheim

It's beautiful by the Ruhr River, but it's also beautiful on the Ruhr! So we decided to find out and try stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). We've both done it before, but Antje from Glück auf SUP gave us some valuable tips beforehand to ensure we had a safe trip. Once on the water, we glided along the Ruhr and were thrilled by the fantastic view. An unforgettable experience!

A large pond with a tall water fountain on the left, surrounded by trees and a cloudy sky. In the distance, two people can be seen paddling.
We were still dry then – we're about to drive UNDER the fountain. 😀

Getting wet is part of the fun of stand-up paddleboarding.

And since it was quite warm, we even ventured under the fountain – getting wet included. That was fun and a cool end to the tour.

Glück auf SUP, for example, also offers evening tours, paddling together into the sunset – how cool is that?! We're definitely going to do that soon. 😊 Because an experience like that brings people together, especially when one of them falls in and the other can barely stay on the board from laughing so hard. 😀

Riding together in rhythm: Tandem cycling on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path

The Ruhr River not only runs right through the Ruhr region, but so does the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path, a 240-kilometer-long riverside cycle route from Winterberg to Duisburg. The great thing about this cycle path is that it's very flat, especially in the Ruhr region (it's a different story in the Sauerland, but you can find all the information about that here). here. Of course, you can easily cycle the entire route in a few days, or you can simply pick out a small section and do a little bike tour as a date in the Ruhr area (pro tip: pack snacks for the journey!).

Two people wearing helmets are riding a tandem bicycle along a paved path surrounded by lush green trees. They are smiling and each raises a hand in a cheerful gesture.
What's better than cycling alone on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path? Why, riding a tandem with someone else, of course!

Why not try tandem cycling on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path?!

But these wouldn't be date tips for the Ruhr area if there wasn't one very special suggestion: Rent a tandem bike and cycle the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path together. We picked up our tandem at Mülheim Central Station and then cycled a few pedal strokes further onto the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path. Pedal together in rhythm and let the Ruhr area glide by. This will make your bike tour on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path a truly special experience for two!

A picnic on a checkered blanket with food, drinks and a pink bicycle helmet in the grass, with a tandem bicycle and lush green trees in the background.
Break during the bicycle/tandem tour on the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path

Pack some food and games: picnic

And finally, a classic tip: Pack a small picnic basket with everything you fancy: juice, sesame rings, fruit, and chocolate, and sit down by the lake to chat and relax. Enjoy yourself and simply savor some quality time.

What I find particularly lovely is packing card games, small travel games, or even outdoor games and just playing a round. Time flies by with loved ones! Having a card game in my bag is a game-changer for me, whether I'm at home or traveling. You can play a little anywhere, especially after a long day of walking.

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Image by: Katharina Rübertus (Editorial Team) Katharina Rübertus My name is Katharina, and I'm a child of the Ruhr region. There's always something going on in my life; I love singing, dancing, and acting – both as an audience member and on stage myself – and I'm a big fan of events. I also frequently take day trips – often by bike – which ideally end with a delicious meal. At Ruhr Tourism, I'm responsible for marketing the two long-distance cycling routes, the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route and the Roman-Lippe Route.