Many guys think that Tinder is a hookup app in which girls go straight to their apartment or house. While that has a VERY low conversion rate, most girls will want to meet in public and know you before heading over.
It’s a big safety concern. And most girls will not want to sleep with you before even meeting you. For all she knows you could be a rapist or a killer.
That’s why in this article, I go over 21 different first date ideas. Before even inviting her over to your place, you should meet in public. These are the perfect first dates. Most are low cost and offer a high enjoyment value.
Free Dates
I’m a big proponent of not spending money on the first date. I like to save my money and invest in myself and companies. I’m not saying don’t spend money on girls, but the first date, it should be super casual.
With that in mind, these are my favorite dates. All these free dates are physical activites. You’ll be walking around and talking quite a lot in these.
I find that works best when first getting to know someone and deciding if you want to continue dating her or not pursue any sort of relationship.
PArk
Every city has a local park with some green space. It’s nice to be able to unplug from technology and go out and explore. Walk around and get to know each other and then you can stop on a bench and have a 1 on 1 conversation.
On top of that, parks are public so there’s always people there. She won’t reject the idea compared to other first dates like a trail (still one of my favorites)
If you have an instrument, you can also bring it and play it while on the date. You serenade her.
Trail
If you can go on a trail date, you are set. These are my personal favorite first dates. Just being secluded from reality for a few hours with no distractions. You get a lot of one on one time and really get to know your date.
On top of that, there are a ton of spots where you can sit down and enjoy the surroundings.
For a girl, it’s not the safest to go on a trail for a first date. Especially since there aren’t a lot of people nearby.
If she rejects this date idea, I would go with a park instead.
Market
Go visit a farmer or flea market. There are lots of stands and will keep you busy for a few hours. If you want to spend some money you are more than welcome to.
Local Festival
Cities tend to have some sort of local festivals every weekend. It can be anything from a film festival to some sort of art festival. There’s a lot of walking and exploring to be done.
Shopping (Thrifting, Vinyls, Mall, etc.)
Girls love to shop. Go thrifting, check out some vinyls or walk the mall. The choices are endless.
Paid Dates
Coffee
Go to a local coffee shop or to a national chain like Starbucks. You can grab coffee and walk or sit at a table,
Bar
Visit a local bar. Whether is a dive bar or local college bar. It’s a great way to know your match. One thing I don’t like about bars though is how loud they can get.
Craft Brewery
Craft breweries tend to have much higher quality alcohol than a local bar. It is expensive, but your paying for a better product and atmosphere.
Sporting Event
Catch a baseball, football, hockey, basketball or soccer match while you are rooting for your home team. As a tip, if you want to save some money, catch a minor league baseball game. They are dirt cheap and offer a lot of excitement.
Concert
Go catch a show at a local venue. The more intimate the venue the better. Concerts can get expensive though, so see if she will buy her own ticker (if it’s an expensive show).
Bowling
Roll some strikes at the bowling alley. It’s cheap and you can see her competitive side.
Miniature Golf
Putting is low stress and an easy way to get some 1 on 1 time. You have 18 holes on a course and you’ll be walking around a bit. On top of that, you get to see how competitive she is.
Museum
Museum pricing can fluctuate. Some are free while others are paid. So for the sake of this article, I put them under the paid section. At a museum, you are able to walk around and check out some art displays and galleries.
Arcade
If you are a bit of a nerd, an arcade will be perfect. Play some classic arcade games, hit up the air hockey table and just have a fun time overall.
Zoo
Zoos can range in pricing, if your local zoo is expensive, don’t go to it for a first date. Anyways, check out the wildlife and walk around the zoo. It should kill a lot of time.
Aquarium
Just like a Zoo, aquariums range in pricing. You can walk around a bit and see some fish and other aquatic animals.
Ice Cream / Desserts
Ice cream is really cheap, and who doesn’t like having desserts. Ice cream shops tend to be in shopping districts so you’ll be able to eat the treat while walking around.
Rock Climbing
Nothing wrong with getting some exercise on the first date. Go check out a rock climbing gym. They are fun, affordable and just a different first date.
Escape Room
Escape rooms continue to grow in popularity. Go have some fun trying to solve the mystery. Pricing fluctuates city to city so just make sure it’s not too expensive.
Theme Park
If you both have passes to a theme park, it’s a great first date idea. Disney, Universal or Six Flags? Go on some rides, catch some shows and have a fun time.
Trampoline Park
Get some exercise and jump around the park. These are comparable to the rock climbing gyms. It’s a lot of exercise and fun for the first date.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this helps with selecting a proper venue for a first date. Don’t invite her straight to your place. Meet in public first and see where the date takes you.
If you need more help with pickup or dating apps, check out the site for more articles.
