Unique First Date Ideas
Spend the day at an amusement park. Take your date to your favorite theme park or amusement park, whether it’s Six Flags, Disney, or something local to you. Enjoy each other’s company (and maybe a little privacy) on the ferris wheel, and bond over your terror on the wildest roller coasters!
Work your way through an escape room together. Find out how much of a Sherlock Holmes your date is! Escape rooms are a fun and unique way to see how compatible you and your date really are. They often come in different themes, so find one that you and your date can both have fun with and have at it!
Go on a dessert tour of your favorite bakeries. Take your date on a tour of all your fave local cafes, bakeries, and ice cream parlors and split a treat at each one. It’s a fun way to find out how well your tastes overlap (literally)—and who doesn’t love sugar?
Get your fortunes told together. Having someone tell you your future is a fun and memorable way to spend your first date! Who, if not a fortune teller, can tell you if you and your date are meant to be together? There are lots of ways to have fun with this one: you can get your palms read, have someone read your tarot cards, or even get your auras read.
Go ax-throwing. Ax-throwing is a fun, active, and unique way to spend a few hours together. You’re sure to get a glimpse of your date’s competitive side during this activity (and give them a glimpse of yours too)!
Go to a magic show. Love is magic on its own, but adding some actual magic can’t hurt! Take your date to a magic show for a totally unforgettable first date.
Check out a drag show. It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s glam (and sometimes not for the underage crowd). Go see a drag show together if you’re looking to have a total blast on your first date!
Active First Date Ideas
Go to a farmer’s market together. Get your grocery shopping done and get to know your potential new partner—while supporting local farmers and businesses! Farmer’s markets also often have coffee or even booze sometimes, so you and your date can enjoy a fun beverage while you hang out and explore what different vendors have to offer.
Go hiking. Take your date to your favorite forest or park, or try a trail you’ve never done before. Hiking is a fun way to get some exercise and enjoy the beauty of nature, both of which are proven to boost your happiness and energy—in other words, the perfect combo for a first date!
Take a walk together. It’s one of the simplest ways to enjoy someone’s company. Go for a walk in a shady park together, or swing by your favorite cafe for something to sip while you stroll.
Do couple’s yoga. Yoga is a great way to relieve stress and be in tune with your body. Doing it alongside a date is the perfect way to spend your afternoon—especially since it’s in a class setting, and it’s easier to bond with people when you’re learning something together. Afterward, you can go enjoy smoothies together and chat about the class. (Admittedly, since this one involves a lot of physical contact, it can get a little awkward, so be sure you both know what you’re getting into!)
Go fishing. If you and your date appreciate nature and are more on the introspective side, fishing could be the perfect get-to-know-you activity. Take them to your favorite fishing hole and enjoy a quiet morning or afternoon by the water (and, if you feel like it, wow them with your tallest fish tale).
Play mini golf. It’s a classic summertime first date. See who knows their way around a golf club better by challenging your date to a breezy game of putt-putt! Mini golf is also a super easy activity to turn into a group date, if you want to invite more people along.
Go for a bike ride. If you’re both into biking, chit-chat while you cruise through town or the park together. You could even make pit stops at cafes, shops, and restaurants along the way for a more eventful afternoon.
Go rock climbing. Whether you’re both climbers or you just want to try a new activity, rock climbing is the perfect first date idea—and you can do it indoor or outdoor. Even if you’re brand new, most indoor rock climbing gyms have instructors who can guide you.
Creative First Date Ideas
Sing karaoke. Really show your date who you are by belting out “Stacy’s Mom” in front of them. We don’t know for sure, but we suspect you’ll be able to tell a lot about them based on what song they pick too.
Take a paint-and-sip art class. These classes are exactly what they sound like: you do arts and crafts while sipping booze. They’re perfect for the artists and the hopelessly unartistic alike!
Take a cooking class. Whether you’re an amateur chef or just a foodie looking to learn a thing or two, taking a cooking class on a first date is a fun twist on going out for a nice dinner. Plus, it’s a good way to get to know more about the other person, including their favorite dishes, how open-minded they are about trying new things, and how well you work together as a team.
Check out an art gallery. If you and your date are arts-and-culture lovers, check out an exhibit at a local art museum or gallery. Gallery openings in particular tend to be free, fun, social, and flowing with complimentary wine and cheese.
Take a dance class together. Whether it’s waltzing, tango, hip-hop, or another style, dancing together is a fun and active way to get to know someone—and have a little physical contact at the same time. Plus, learning a new skill together is the perfect way to bond with someone.
Indoor First Date Ideas
Go antiquing or thrifting. Browsing an eclectic antique store is one of the most fun and soothing activities we can imagine—why not do it with a date? Better yet, grab a coffee and swig it while you explore. To make things a little more interesting, turn your shopping spree into a scavenger hunt: challenge your date to find the oddest items possible—and then dare them to purchase them.
Make a craft. Host a craft night at your house for you and your date (or a whole crowd, if you want to have a group date). Either plan out a specific craft (like origami or adult coloring books), or provide some craft materials and both of you can go with the flow and make what you want. Throw on a movie or music in the background and offer drinks and snacks, and you’ve got yourself a perfect cozy night in! Crafting isn’t just a fun way to spend time together, it’s also a good way to help yourself calm down and be happier, which can make a first date less awkward.
Cook a meal together. Invite your date over to your house for an intimate evening cooking dinner together. You’ll get to enjoy getting to know one another in a quiet space away from the outside world, plus you’ll get a chance to see how well you work together as a team. Throw on some classy background music, light some candles, and you’ve got yourself a 4-star restaurant atmosphere.
Attend trivia night at your favorite bar or cafe. Is your date an avid Office watcher? Taylor Swift admirer? Or just general know-it-all? Challenge them to a night of trivia at your favorite haunt and let them wow you with their smarts.
Enjoy a wine or beer tasting. If you or your date is into wine or beer, check out a local brewery or winery for a tasting—and maybe even a tour. It makes for a unique spin on the classic drinks date.
See a play or movie. Feeling nervous? Seeing a movie or play in a darkened theater will give you an excuse not to have to think of something to say for a few hours—and when the show’s over, you can treat your date to a meal, drink, or dessert and chat about what you thought of the show.
Go to a museum. Check out an art, history, or science museum near you—or look for something a little zanier in your area, like the Vampa Museum of Vampires and Paranormal Activity in Doylestown, PA or the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho. Whatever you choose, you and your date are sure to find loads to talk about. And once you’ve finished exploring, you can talk about what you thought over coffee in the museum cafe.
Go to a comedy show. Take your date to a local comedy club and crack up together over drinks and apps. Laughter doesn’t just put you both in a good mood and boost your energy—it’s also one of the best ways to bond with someone.
See live music. Whether you’ve got tickets to see your favorite rock band at a major arena or you want to check out a local musician at your favorite bar or cafe, invite your date along. It’s the perfect way to learn more about your date’s taste in music as well as to support the arts!
Go to the zoo or an aquarium. Explore the wonders of the natural world with your date by taking them to the local zoo or aquarium. Here’s a tip: ask your date about their favorite animal, and then see if you can find a plush version to get for them in the gift shop.
Go bowling. Another activity that’s fun in a group or on your own, bowling is a casual and fun way to be active, engage with your playful and competitive sides, and maybe—just maybe—help your date perfect their form and get some physical contact in.
Cute First-Date Ideas
Have a picnic. Pack a basket (or your backpack) with cheese, crackers, wine, or whatever says “outdoor romance” to you, and escort your date to a grassy hill in your favorite park for a charming meal. (Picnic tables are also acceptable.) Add some atmosphere by bringing a bluetooth speaker and playing some background music while you nosh.
Pick out library books for one another. The perfect date for bookworms. Go to your favorite library and split up to find a book you think the other person would like, based on what you know of them already, or a book you like that you feel they have to read. Then, talk about the books and maybe even read to one another over coffee or drinks.
Go to a cat cafe. Cat cafes are exactly what they sound like: they’re cat rescues where you can enjoy beverages (and sometimes meals), as well as meet and play with the kitties in residence. Even if neither of you have plans to adopt, it’s still a fun and suuuuper cute first date activity. How can you not fall in love with someone when you see them cuddling a widdle baby kitten?
Go mushroom foraging. Another great date for foodies that isn’t the standard “dinner and a movie,” foraging for mushrooms or morels is a fun, magical, and educational way to spend your afternoon. (Just be sure to go with a guide so you don’t accidentally pick poisonous mushrooms! Dying from a toxic mushroom isn’t something you’re going to want to do in front of your date until you’ve been going out for a few weeks, at least.)
Go stargazing. Pack your coziest blanket, hot bevvies in thermoses, and, if you’ve got it, a telescope, and head out to a remote park (or just, like, your backyard) for a dreamy date night that’s truly out of this world. Impress your date by pointing out all the constellations you know—or just make some up together.
Go to a board game cafe. Enjoy a delicious latte while you and your date settle the heck out of Catan (or play, like, some other board game). Plus, you can invite buddies to join you for a fun group experience, or keep this date one-on-one for a little more intimacy.
Be a tourist in your own town. Even if you’ve lived in the same place your whole life, pretending to be an out-of-towner with your date is a great way to see the same old sights with fresh eyes—and maybe even stumble upon some stuff you haven’t seen.
Go bird-watching. Pack some binoculars, snacks, and coffee, take your date to a quiet park, and do some good old-fashioned bird-watching. Find a book to guide you at your library, or download a bird-watching app like SmartBird or Picture Bird to help make it easier to identify any feathered friends you spot.
Long-Distance First Date Ideas
Watch a movie together…apart. Who says you need to be in the same room for dinner and a movie? Pull up your fave flick on a streaming app and synchronize your viewings—but be sure to talk on the phone or video chat while you watch. And don’t forget the popcorn!
Share childhood memories. A long-distance first date is really like a “normal” first date in that it’s a time to get to know each other and share a bit about how you got to be the person you are today. Ask your date what their happiest and/or most impactful childhood memories are, and offer yours up in return. Dating coach Lisa Shield advises avoiding “[skipping] from subject to subject… People will ask, ‘How many siblings do you have? Where did you grow up? What do you like to do for fun? Where did you go to college?’...[but] really great conversation happens when you take one topic, and then you go deeper with it.”
Cook together. You can try out the same recipe, or each do your own thing. Keep the video chat rolling while you chop, whisk, sauté, and do whatever else is required to make your meal. Then, pop open a bottle of wine or your favorite soda and enjoy your meals in front of the camera—as if you were looking at each other from across a table.
Play a video game. Online games like Among Us or Phasmophobia are fun and edge-of-your-seats games you can play remotely—or if you’re looking for something more casual and wacky, you can’t go wrong with JackBox. Just have your mics hooked up so you can chat freely with your date while you play.
Hold a food tasting. Collect a few varieties of your favorite candy, soda, beer, fast food, or what have you—ideally, pick something your date can easily get their hands on too so they can taste test alongside you. Then, try each item one by one and offer your opinions.
Play “Would You Rather” or “Never Have I Ever.” Get-to-know-you games like “Would You Rather” or “Never Have I Ever” are fun and funny. Plus, they’re truly a great way to learn a little more about the person you’re dating. Best of all, you can play them in person, or easily over the phone or webcam.
How can I make a first date less…awkward?
Consider keeping the date short (with the potential to extend it). “Dinner and a movie” is a classic first date idea, but according to dating app developer Jeremy Sharvit, it can be “too much of a time commitment for basically a complete stranger… What if you realize that this really isn't going to work out?” What does he recommend instead? Coffee or drinks: “It could be one drink if it's not working out. If you're both having a good time, it could be a couple more.” Similarly, Shield advises modifying the classic, sometimes-dull coffee date: “Grab a cup of coffee and go for a walk to a neighborhood you've never [been] before or go to a museum and walk around… Laughing at the artwork is always fun. There's always something that will actually start some natural conversation, rather than just being with someone at a dinner table or a table in Starbucks.”
Choose an activity-based date. Playing a boardgame, taking a cooking class, crafting together, or doing anything activity-based can make for a fun, less awkward first date. You’ll both have something to focus on besides the strangeness of meeting someone new—and it’ll make it way easier not to put any pressure on the date.
Keep it casual. Sharvit also suggests meeting during the day if you’re concerned about awkwardness, because it can feel more casual and everyday. On the other hand, going out after dark can make the date feel like more of an “event,” which can add a lot of unwanted pressure to a first meeting.
Prepare some talking points ahead of time. Dating coach Joshua Pompey advises keeping in mind that “dating is a skill just like anything else in life. It does take practice and it does take preparation.” He suggests having a few funny anecdotes in your back pocket to fall back on to fill any awkward silences, but to remember to go easy on yourself and have fun.
Acknowledge the awkwardness. At the end of the day, sometimes you have to call a spade a spade. It’s not like your date doesn’t know first dates can be anxiety-inducing—and they’re probably feeling a little nervous, too. So why not put it out there in the open with a friendly smile? They’ll likely feel more at ease knowing they’re not the only one.
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