A lot of people end up taking really safe and proven first date ideas. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with playing it safe, it is just that pretty much every other first date your date has been on will run through a similar set of things that happen. taking them out for food and a movie is simple, doesn’t require much thought and is often thought of as a good first date. In reality, sitting in the dark without being able to say a word to your date for a few hours isn’t exactly the best way to get a good rapport going with your new date.

When you think outside the metaphorical box a little bit though, you start being able to make first dates something that your date will remember for a long time, even if you don’t end up dating them in the end.

A good first date is actually pretty hard to come up with, because you need to make the date accessible and not too much trouble, tailor it to the person you are dating and make it fun all at the same time. There’s no point taking a date out to something they will not enjoy or even something they actively dislike. I heard a story of a guy who took a girl to the opera because she said she liked classical music. Needless to say, after the date, she was pretty annoyed with him! Planning a great first date means you might have to ask your date some questions about what kind of things they like to do so you don’t make the same mistake as opera guy. If your date doesn’t like shopping, don’t walk through the local market and get coffee, for example.

What you are looking for in a great first date is plenty of conversation to happen, whilst making it so there is still something to do if there is a particular lull in conversation. A great first date is all about getting that balance and hopefully you’ll be able to think of some of your own ideas as well as these.

Combining two of my favorite things, exercise and people, I often recommend that people should try walking, hiking nor playing some type of game that involves you being outside. Getting out there and exercising gives you plenty of time to talk about whatever it is you want, whilst giving you the opportunity to not say anything and just take in the scenery if you don’t know what to say. If your date isn’t the kind of person that likes being outside, you’ll find it pretty difficult to get them to come along on a long trek with you, so plan a backup date just in case. Make sure you tell them to wear appropriate clothing too. Whilst stilettos might be great when you don’t have to walk too far and a suit looks great on a guy, neither of these are really great ideas for moving around in nature. Make sure the weather is going to be alright as well, as it is not particularly endearing to be covered in mud and walking around in torrential rain!

Another of my favorite first date ideas is to take our date away to a live show of some kind. Some people like talks whilst others prefer the theatre and this is a good choice because you can dress up however you like and fit in with the rest of the crowd. You can also go to a musical gig, but there will be a lot less time to talk and actually get to know your partner this way. Whatever you do decide to go and see, you’ll be glad you did because if there is nothing for you to talk about, you can exchange commentary on the show and hopefully both of you will like what you go and see. Another word of caution here though, if you are a die hard death metal fan and your date likes jazz, you probably don’t want to go to see the latest death metal show. Unless your partner has very varied tastes of course.

In the same vane as this, you’ll be doing well if you can take your date to a sporting event. The atmosphere and uplifting feel that you get from these kinds of things might help you get caught up in the moment and there is plenty of distraction if you don’t particularly feel like the date is going that well. It is a good idea if you know your ate is interested in the sport, but less of a great idea if you know the opposite is true. Use your judgment and you should have a great time.