First date ideas for the win!
You finally met. Whether through a social network, a dating app, thanks to common friends or just good old fate, you met someone you like and now that a date is in the air (of not already decided) you need ideas on what to do, what is appropriate, or any advice you can get to make this date the first of many more to come.
These situations are loaded with emotion: excitement, nerves, jitters and joy, as well as a sense of possibility and hope of what it may turn into, be it a great romance or just a hilarious story to share with your pals over cocktails later – yes, some dates will simply turn into anecdotes, so don’t overwork yourself over this.
First dates are designed to check your compatibility, so it’s important to do something you actually enjoy (both of you, obviously). They should also be as casual and un-date-like as possible, to reduce the pressure of a first “official” encounter and be able to feel comfortable enough as to open up to each other, without too much formality. It’s okay if you want to do something fancy from the get go if that’s who you are, but don’t forget what the main goal is, here.
Now, to plan a perfect date it is necessary to ask yourself (and them) a few fundamental questions, information you need to know to be able to direct your search for activities to do together.
How long have you been talking? How much do you know about each other? If the answer is “not much”, maybe being somewhere that can facilitate a conversation is more ideal, to get to know each other more.
There are a few options here, some very different from the others, but the common point is that it’s fairly easy to talk while doing any of these activities.
- Coffee. It is a bit of a classic, but to make it more interesting you could pick one of those really fancy coffee places with the different blends and preparations, a cosy ambiance and the cool décor. It’s easy going, not too much, and you have plenty of room to talk. Make sure your date likes coffe though, or it could go south very quickly!
- Drinks. Another classic, and we suggest you take this advice shaken, not stirred. Find some twist to it, be it the location, the variety of drinks served, or the things happening there. Make it a rooftop bar, an underground speakeasy, an old school jazz club, anything to make it not obvious.
Again, be sure whether or not your date enjoys drinking alcohol. Other disclaimer: if they accept, it doesn’t mean that they have to drink as much as you think they should. Do not be pushy with boundaries, in general but especially with this one.
- A walk. Now, that might sound lame and cheap, but it can not be! Choose a historically relevant area and get informed about it, so that you can sprinkle tidbits of trivia here and there. Or look for a very panoramic path, although a full hike or isolated places may not be the best idea, for personal safety reasons (yes, not all men, but some men, and they don’t have a flashing sign on their foreheads). Anyway, if a hike is what you are really set on, pick a very public area. Bring a picnic or get some food to eat looking at the view!
- A museum or art expo. Sure, usually you can’t really talk too much there, but you can whisper opinions in each other’s ears and then talk about it sitting in front of a coffee or drink. We suggest you plan it on a weekday or off-peak hours in order to avoid a big crowd that might make it more difficult to communicate.
- Stand up comedy could be great, but you have to make sure you both are on board with the genre, or maybe an open night to get a bit of a mix. Sharing some laughs is a great way to connect, and gives you the chance to learn what makes the other laugh, which let’s be honest, for good or bad, it’s good to know early in the process.
- Trivia night! Sharing a fun activity with the other can very much lower the anxiety of asking and answering all those first date questions. And from the general Trivia, you can switch to your own version and treat it like a game, since you will be already in the mood.
- Walk your dog. But first of all, confirm whether your date likes pups and/or isn’t allergic before planning the date. If they’re okay with fur babies, then why not grab a coffee and take a stroll with your dog in tow? It’s cute, and it’s even better if you both have four-legged friends that you can take with you.
- Play at a board game cafè. If they are into board games (which you should know beforehand), it can be a great ice-breaker, and it can help the conversation flow as you play into the rivalry of the game. It will give you an insight on their personality, and if you really have nothing to say, at least you’ll be playing!
- Get active! Go skating, or play ping-pong or get the ball rolling at a bowling alley. Axe throwing? Why not! It’s fun whether you hit the target or not… but be careful what you say.
These suggestions are also valid if you know each other a little bit more, it’s a series of simple, fun and entertaining ideas for any future dates along your path!
Now, if you have been talking for a while, maybe you already have a notion of what the other likes and you can expand a little.
Here are some more possibilities, although the art expo/museum, the stand up comedy or the jazz club stay very viable options always.
Points 10 and 10.1 can definitely be used for the first section too, although personally I wouldn’t venture into a multi-hour date somewhere off (depending on where you live) not knowing much about the other person. Sure, if the conversation is dead at least you have the food, but, you know.
- Dinner. As previously said with the classics, find something that makes it different (not to say unique). It can be the other’s favorite cuisine, or a particularly cool location, like those moving trams with live music that take you around the city to show you the nightlights. It’s cute, but you need to know beforehand if your date suffers from motion sickness, or the risk of disaster is right behind the corner… quite literally.
- Farmer’s market. Walking among the fresh produce, getting bits and bites and tastes of everything possible, seems like a dream date, but it might just be me. Tasting home produced honey and cheese and veggies and jams in the countryside? Yes please.
- But it’s actually more like an 11.1: If you know some stuff about each other, maybe you know whether they like cooking or not, and if they would enjoy getting their hands dirty to make a (hopefully) delicious meal together. Or if you’re a good cook, you could very well show off your skills to impress them!
- Cinema. You already know the gist. Take a classic and polish it up to make it something more than just the movies. It would be a good idea to find out the genre your date likes, or perhaps if there are screenings of their favourite film somewhere, or some curious cinemas with some sort of notable feature, like longevity, or décor, something special in some way.
- Theater. Just as the previous point, but you also have to be sure that the person you are inviting actually likes theater, because that is not a given, and there are many different forms of it. So be a little careful here. You can go and look up classical plays that strike right in the heart or think-pieces to discuss afterwards, either way, you can elaborate a lot, and that is a good way to get to know how the other thinks. And if you hated it, you can laugh about it later.
- Take a class together. Book a class of something, be it a cooking class, a painting class or pottery something else (beginner level). If private or with a group, it is up to you. If it doesn’t work out, at least you both have learned something new!
What matters the most is that who plans the date needs to put some effort into making it something that feels thought, and that shows the other that you care and have an actual interest in getting to know them.
Beware of over-planning: despite of being born from the best intentions, it could actually lead to a negative result because it can become “too much”, be unnatural and give a tense vibe that is the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve.
These were out top suggestions on what to do on a first date, hopefully whichever you choose will be the one to win your interest’s heart.