Dating Ideas

What Are We Going to Do on Our Date?
You are ready to ask the person you really want to go out with on a date. Are you ready to answer the question, "What are we going to do?"

The activity you pick for the date plays a big part in the date itself. A fun activity that feels comfortable to both people can make for a great date. The activity also determines how much talking you get to do. If you choose a movie, there won't be much time to talk once the movie starts. If you go out to dinner, you will have time to carry on a conversation all night long. That can be hard sometimes, especially on the first date.

There are three dates we are all accustomed to. While they're not exceptionally creative, they are fairly safe.

Movie
Inviting someone to a movie is definitely safe. You can go to a first-run film or a bargain movie. One good way to make it a little interesting is to let your date choose the film, or put a bunch of movie names in a hat and pick one at random when you get together.

Nice dinner
Another classic. As mentioned above, dinner out means that you will have to think of something to talk about for an hour or two. You could invite some friends and take the pressure off the two of you for your first date.

Dance or game
High schools are always having dances and sports games, so you can invite your date to one of these.

Other Classic Dates
There are several other "classic" dates that you might consider. Most of these are more fun if you invite two or three other couples to go along with you:

Bowling
Miniature golf
Ice skating
Amusement parks
Concerts
Getting ice cream together
Hiking and nature walks
Local city, state or national parks almost always have hiking and nature trails. Throw some drinks or a lunch in a backpack and have fun.

Bike riding
Find a bike path or trail in your area and go for a ride.

Inline skating
Rent a pair of skates if you don't own them and spend the day together. If you have never skated before, make sure the first date includes some kind of lesson or instruction.

Tennis
Horseback riding
Skiing
Water skiing

Educational Dates
Zoo
If your city has a zoo, it can be a fun place to go and provides lots of topics of conversation.

Museums
Most cities and towns have museums: art museums, history museums, nature museums, etc., and like the zoo, museums provide lots of topics of conversation.

Public gardens
If you like flowers and trees, a botanical garden or an arboretum can be a great place to visit.

Other Ideas
"Nontraditional" or "casual" dates can take some of the pressure off going out for the first time. A casual date won't necessarily feel like a "real date," so it is more relaxed. If someone is unsure how they feel about you, then a casual date (especially if it occurs during the day rather than at night) is easier to accept. There will be a lot less tension.

Shopping together
Let's say you are looking for a gift for someone like your mother, friend or sibling. Take your date along with you to the mall and look for the gift together.

Picnic
Plan a picnic at a local park. Invite some friends along if you want a little less intimacy.
Stargazing--Get a book on constellations (or invite a friend with a telescope) and watch the stars. This can be especially fun during a meteor shower.

Walk on the beach
If you live near the ocean or a large lake, taking a walk on the beach or the shoreline at sunset or in the moonlight can be very romantic.

Visit a park
You can swing together or ride down the slide. If you go in the evening, it will be less crowded.

Special events
The Saturday or Sunday paper in your area will have a list of special events for the weekend. You can find some really interesting things to try.

Flea market
Explore a local flea market and buy your date a fun treasure.