Before you make plans, ask your date about their dietary restrictions. Prepping a lamb chop for your vegan crush could be a bit of a mood killer. Before your date, strategically do some prep work. Chop onions, wait out long marination periods, and complete unappetizing prep tasks beforehand. Your date may not chop just the way you like—that’s okay! Prioritize having fun over perfecting dinner. Keep things laidback. Worst case, you order takeout!
Introduce your date to the “concession stand,” where you have popcorn, soda, candy, and snack options set up. Ask them for their order. Create a theme. For “Nostalgia Night," screen childhood favorites and buy candies that everyone forgets about (like Wonder Ball and Baby Bottle Pops!). Use a movie franchise you both love for inspiration. If you’re Harry Potter fans, offer butterbeer, jelly beans, and test your date with an HP quiz.
Pick out a local spot with great reviews and if necessary, remember to make a reservation. Check the weather before you make your plans. For the perfect rooftop experience, choose a bright, sunny day for your date.
Enjoy getting flirty with a little wine-induced buzz. Avoid drinking too much, though. On that note, remember to eat before you leave. Bring along a couple bottles of water to swish around. Red wine can stain your teeth. For a more intimate experience, you could totally pull off an at-home wine tasting. Grab your favorites, print out your background info, and start serving!
Bring drinks, snacks, and a towel to the beach. Go for sunset to turn up the romance. Get to know each other while enjoying the sea breeze. Take your date on a beginner-level hike (unless you know they’re experienced). Bring lots of water and play twenty questions while you walk together. Pack your date’s favorite snacks in a wicker basket. Bring finger foods, wine, a comfy blanket, and a nice plate. Find a pretty park, and you’re picnic ready! Engaging in activities or going on an outdoor date helps avoid the awkward silence that you may experience on a dinner date. There are so many things happening around you, so the environment is more casual. It allows you to get to know the other person in a less formal setting.
Pack snacks, drinks, and dessert so you two can enjoy a little floating picnic together. For paddleboat rides, you may want to plan out a route. Choose a spot on land to dock at or an exciting site to check out together.
Choose a spot far away from city lights. Light pollution dims starlight, so for the best nighttime views, travel out to the countryside. Check the weather beforehand. Clouds make it difficult (or impossible) to see those glittering lights. Make sure skies are clear before you make plans. Do some research. To impress your date, look up info on visible constellations, stars, or even planets to share with them.
Input funny names for the two of you in the bowling alley computer to make your date laugh. To spice things up, challenge your date. Playfully suggest that the loser has to tell the winner a secret. If the two of you aren’t great players, show off silly “trick shots” instead. Go back and forth tossing unique shots, like backward-facing throws.
Make sure your car is drive-in ready, meaning that it’s warm, clean, and comfy. The drive-in allows for more intimacy than a typical movie theater, but it’s always possible that this wouldn’t have occurred to your date. Stay communicative when you two get intimate. Consent is a must. Make sure your date knows that whenever they want, you can drive them home.
Do some research to discover farmer’s markets near you. To beat the crowds, show up on the earlier side. Make sure you check the weather, too. Both wind and rain can shut down outdoor markets early.
See an artist you both love. If you know a mutual favorite is coming to town, buy two tickets. Excitement will be running high—perfect for date #2! Go to an intimate, local performance. That’ll mean a more relaxing atmosphere and more time to chat. Discover a genre neither of you knows well together. New experiences can be a great way to bond and get to know each other.
Research showtimes beforehand. If you think you two might enjoy watching the sea lion show, for example, make sure you catch it. Ask your date if they’d like to enjoy one of the zoo’s extra offerings with you. Go for a train ride, feed the giraffes, or get a caricature done. Find a memento to keep. Get a penny pressed, buy a stuffed animal, or save your map. Who knows, it could come in handy on your year’s anniversary!
Before the game, text your date a flirty challenge. Whoever sports the best/most team merch gets their hotdog paid for. Enjoy some people watching while you’re there. Take turns making up silly backstories for those around you. Or, try to get on the fan cam. When the cameras pan over the crowd, dance your hearts out together.
If you think sharing a bottle of wine could be fun, sign up for a paint and sip course. If you know your date wants to learn to be a better cook, sign up for a beginner’s cooking class. Or, if your date is a fitness fanatic, sign up for a workout class. As an added bonus, this will get your endorphins going, too.
Spend Saturday morning working together at the Humane Society. Donate food, books, and toys to the local children’s shelter. Cook food to serve together at your local food pantry.
