Someone catches your attention at the pub, and you whip up enough courage to initiate a conversation. You ask them out, and they say yes. But now, the nerve-wracking part – planning something compelling enough to get a second date. When thinking about first-date ideas, it’s wise to consider a few things, from your personalities to budgets to how you can get to know each other. Here are a few tips and suggestions to get you started.
What happens on a first date?
Dating does not come with a manual. You can decide whether to veg out or go all out with an elegant affair. First-date ideas can be many things, but they should not be stressful. The pressure of impressing your date and developing chemistry is enough! Your goal is to get to know the person.
The first date should provide you with a good sense of who the other person is. What are they looking for in a relationship? What is their love language? Do they share the same beliefs and views? All these things will help you realise if the potential relationship is worth pursuing. Do you kiss on the first date? It depends on you and your partner and how the rendezvous goes.
There are just two rules to the dating game – be yourself, and be respectful. Stay courteous in your manners but also respect your date’s boundaries, thoughts, feelings, and opinions while standing by your own.
Good first-date ideas
Perhaps a candlelit dinner or bungee jumping is a tad extreme – unless your date is high brow or an adventurer. Because first impressions last, find a way to put your best foot forward. Here are some of the best first-date ideas to get to know someone.
1. Meet up at a café.
It may sound clichéd, but an invitation for coffee is a classic for a good reason. A café can be fancy yet impressive – and it is certainly affordable if you don’t want to commit fully yet. Even non-coffee lovers can enjoy tea or smoothies with a muffin or croissant.
Intimate yet casual, a coffee shop provides a conducive environment for insightful conversation. You can get to know the other person by exchanging stories or even through their menu orders. Do they add two sugars or one? Do they opt for soy over regular milk? Fun little details will add to building your rapport.
2. Head out for cocktails or a boutique beer.
If you’re both comfortable with a bit of booze on your first date, then cocktails or boutique beer can be a terrific alternative to coffee. Go for a quiet pub so you can hear each other without yelling. You can bond over your drinks’ tasting notes or flavours. Just make sure to drink in moderation and keep an eye on your glass through the evening.
3. Go for a friendly stroll.
While this may sound old-fashioned or even yet another cliché, a stroll in the park is a no-frills, low-pressure first-date idea that puts witty banter and dialogue front and centre without using elements such as a movie as a crutch. When the weather is ideal, invite your date for a walk in the park and look at the sights. You may talk about anything and everything under the sun, including the things you see around you. You could even do this after your coffee outing if you want to prolong the date.
4. Try a class.
Make memories by discovering a new skill together. Learning in low-key settings, such as a cooking or pottery class, makes for a creative first date. Opt for a private lesson if you can. It’s more intimate and you get more one-on-one time to get to know each other.
A class lets you see traits you won’t ordinarily get with one conversation, like whether they have a creative or artistic spirit or follow directions well. Doing something new and fun together also helps break the ice and opens the door for other topics to discuss. Plus, there’s something intimate about cooking and making pottery, further fanning the flames of a connection.
5. Visit a bookstore or museum.
6. Have a picnic.
Make the most of a beautiful day and share a meal outdoors for your first date. You can bring a blanket or find a spot with picnic tables. Prepare an easy-to-eat meal like sandwiches and chips, with cut fruit and cookies or pastries for dessert. Or if you don’t have the time or aren’t confident about your culinary skills, get takeout from a favoured restaurant or cafe.
Don’t forget to ask your date ahead of time if they have any allergies or restrictions on what they can eat. Even if they don’t, it’s still a good bet to make healthy food choices, limiting the amount of sugar and acidic food.
7. Go mini golfing or skating.
Not everyone feels comfortable having sit-down, face-to-face conversations with an acquaintance or stranger. If this is true or if you’re looking for fun first-date ideas that keep you moving, try a light activity like mini golf or roller or ice skating. These activities give you something to do and serve as icebreakers on their own. If all goes well, it also provides you with opportunities for physical contact.
8. Take a walking tour.
Another way to keep moving, learn together, and make new memories is by signing up for a walking tour within your town or city. This can be around a historical area or a food or cultural tour.
You won’t feel as much pressure to make conversation as your tour guide will be doing a lot of the talking. Better yet, the sights you see, food you eat, and any other experiences can become instant talking points for you and your date.
9. Catch a show.
If you’re already familiar with your date’s entertainment preferences, you might want to invite them out for a show. Comedy or magic shows keep things light and happy. If you enjoy musical theatre, you can check out a ticketing or Broadway website for show schedules in your city or nearby.
10. Volunteer at a shelter.
Are you and your date pet lovers? Check local shelters or other animal rescue organisations for their volunteer schedules. These can include helping with animal feeding or bathing. Another activity for shelter volunteers is dog walking. If “must love dogs or cats” is on your list of attributes for an ideal partner, this could be one of the best first-date ideas for you.
11. Go to a zoo or aquarium.
Another fun first-date idea for animal lovers is to visit your local zoo or aquarium. Together, you and your date will be wowed by and learn about majestic creatures of land, air, or sea. The animals and gorgeous scenery will give you lots to talk about, and what better way to bond than squealing over the cuteness of baby animals? Whether you’re looking at otters and octopuses at the aquarium or kangaroos and capybaras at the zoo, you and your date are in for a fun time.
12. Watch a sports game.
Are you and your date sports-minded? If so, you could catch a game of football or rugby live at your local stadium or on the big screen at a sports bar. Win or lose, this will instantly give the both of you something to discuss and bond over. Trash-talking the opposing team isn’t just fun – it’s an easy way to establish an immediate connection with your date.
13. Go for an adrenaline rush.
If you like a more active sort of date, here are a few good first-date ideas to get your blood pumping:
- Visit an amusement park for some roller coaster rides
- Race each other on a go-kart track
- Fly down a zip-line
- Get bouncing at a trampoline park
- Engage in playtime with laser tag or paintball
These activities help you show each other how you work in a team, how competitive you get, and how you deal in extreme situations. They’ll also encourage you to unwind – the adrenaline will trigger the release of known mood boosters like endorphins and dopamine in your body.
14. Play a board game.
Playing board games is another way to challenge each other, but this time without having to venture outdoors. If you’re not comfortable with inviting your date into your home for this, you can search for board game cafes in your area – most cities will have at least a few. How your date reacts when sent “to jail” or when losing tells you a lot about them, so it’s a great way to get to know each other.
15. Dinner and a movie.
As far as first-date ideas go, this one’s an absolute cliche, but it’s an oldie but goodie for a reason. The movie gives you time together without risking awkward silence or conversation, and once it’s over, it’ll be something for you to talk about.
If you want this advantage early in your date, swap things around by watching the movie first, perhaps in the afternoon, then having dinner afterwards. That way, you can talk about the film – whether to gush or criticise – over your meal.
Whatever you decide among these first-date ideas, the important thing is for both of you to enjoy each other’s company. To ramp up the connection, it’s important to feel confident, as this can lead to a higher chance of success (and a second date).
Many times, your confidence can stem from a perfect smile. If you are looking for a teeth-straightening solution that won’t disrupt your daily life or look, a dental aligner can help solve crooked-teeth issues.
Comfortable and discreet, ClearCorrect features a unique tri-layer ClearQuartz material, a flat trimline, and other customisable features that work together for a fully personalised and effective teeth alignment treatment. An online smile assessment will help you determine if this solution will work for you.
So what are you waiting for? Jot down these fun first-date ideas and ask your crush out. Who knows what will happen next?
