Whether you met a potential special someone on a dating app or you’ve been friends for years and suddenly realized that romance might be on the horizon, a promising first date can be nerve-wracking. One of the hardest parts, though, is coming up with something that goes beyond your typical dinner and a movie. There are plenty of options if you get creative, though.
1. Go To a Tasting Event
Coffee dates have long been one of the most common first dates, but if you’re looking to create something unique, it isn’t all that special. You could put a fun twist on it, though, by going to a coffee tasting event. Spend the afternoon trying a wide variety of roasts that come from all over the country. After you’ve had your fill of coffee, you can spend time walking off some of the caffeine energy at a local park or even just going through the neighborhood. If you’d like to make it extra-special, see if you can find a walking tour to check out as well.
2. Spend the Day at a Theme Park
Warning: This idea isn’t for the faint of heart. If you and your date are both the adventurous type, head to the nearest theme park. Spend the afternoon and evening challenging each other to ride the highest roller coasters, go into all the spooky fun houses, and eat as much cotton candy as possible. If it’s summertime, be sure to wear a swimsuit and check out the fun water parks that most theme parks have as well. After a day of fair food, loop-de-loops, and laughter, you can wind down with a leisurely drive home while you talk about the day’s fun.
3. Have a Thrift Store Adventure
Do you and your date both have a love of vintage things? Maybe you just like finding weird stuff at the thrift store. Why not create a game out of it? First set a budget of $25-$50. Then, each of you heads to a local thrift store and creates outfits for one another. You can create a theme based on the tackiest items you find, a color theme, a decade theme, or anything else. Once you’ve each chosen and paid for the other person’s outfit, change into them and head out on the town. Whether you go to the bar or a restaurant, walk in the park, or hit up more vintage shops, you’re sure to turn heads.
4. Play Some Board Games
Maybe you and your date have a love of board games. These days, a lot of cities have board game stores that provide space for you to play. You might even be able to find a local bar or cafe that is set up for you to play board games. Playing games is an excellent way to see a fun competitive side of each other and to show each other some of your favorite games, whether they’re brand new role playing games or your favorite ones from childhood.
5. Go Restaurant Hopping
Everybody’s heard of bar hopping, but why don’t more people go restaurant hopping? Make sure you have enough time to check out six different restaurants on this adventure. First, each of you picks a restaurant to show each other your favorite appetizers. Then, head to two more restaurants for the main courses. Finally, each of you chooses a place to have dessert. Of course, with so much food on the menu for the day, be prepared to bring home plenty of doggy bags.
Whether you’re going to taste coffee or try every restaurant in town, remember that conversation is key. Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself but be sure to ask plenty of questions as well. With laughter and a bit of adventure, your date is sure to be memorable.
