Going out for drinks is the most common date suggestion because it’s easy and convenient. You can count on alcohol to smooth out most of the awkwardness and fill in conversation gaps. But if you or your partner don’t drink, there are still plenty of things you can do together to have an incredible time.
- Discover your inner child at an amusement park. Remember how much fun you managed to have long before you were of legal drinking age? You can travel back in time and experience the pure innocence, unbridled joy, and rush of adrenaline at an amusement park. Ride the Ferris wheel with your date, make sure to laugh and scream at the top of your voices on roller coasters, and bond over how silly you’re being.
- Break out the sweats on a hiking trip. Couples that enjoy the outdoors and fitness will definitely love this kind of date. Get to know your partner while relishing the views around you and getting some fresh air. Being out in nature shields you from the world you’re used to, so you’ll find yourselves more in sync.
- Take a beginner class. There are tons of things both of you don’t know how to do, and what better way is there to bond than learning a new skill together? It could be a class for dancing, cooking, ax throwing, skating, pottery, painting—anything that interests you. You get a memory you will cherish while also picking up fresh knowledge.
- Hang out with the stars at your local planetarium. Staring out at the cosmos with your lover will make you realize how magnificent it is that you even exist. It might spark some deep conversations about the meaning of life that will help you see better into his or her mind. The beauty of it all will intoxicate you without the help of alcohol.
- Go see a concert for a band you don’t know. Want to switch things up a bit? Look for bands or singers in the area whose music you’re not acquainted with, grab two tickets, and go listen to them play. If their music sucks, you can spend the rest of the time talking about other musical acts that you hate.
- Unleash your inner Beyonce with karaoke. Whether you’re the kind of people who are brave enough to sing in public is irrelevant—do it anyway. Find a karaoke bar and proceed to embarrass, scar, and thrill each other with your singing. Take turns belting out the lyrics to songs with notes that you can’t hit and even spice things up with a duet. I promise it will be some of the best fun you ever have.
- Act like art historians at a museum. Here’s an opportunity for you both to talk about things other than yourselves. You really don’t have to be familiar with art forms or history to look at an object and form an opinion about it. How does this painting make you feel? Be as free and ridiculous as you want. You can both make up your own stories about the artworks you encounter.
- Go on a food crawl. Get your partner to put on clothes with ample room for their waistline to expand and then blaze through food trucks and restaurants in the area. The crawl has one rule: don’t eat anything you’ve tried before. Share different meals and review them to each other. Try to pack as many stops into your culinary adventure as your stomach can hold. You’ll completely full and connected to your partner by the end of the date.
- Compete against each other at a games center. What is love without a little healthy competition? Depending on the place you choose, there will be plenty of games that you both can play from bowling to arcade. If you want, you can even make a game out of the games you play. For every pin you miss, you get asked a personal question and vice versa. Whether it’s your first date together or the hundredth, you’re bound to have an amazing time.
- Take a ride on the water. Few dates are as perfect or romantic as a date by the water. All you need is some chilled juices or iced teas to sip on while you paddle out on a rented canoe or rowboat, relishing the tranquility and talking about everything under the sun.
- You can’t go wrong with an outdoor movie. This is a timeless classic. Find an outdoor movie viewing in your area, then pack a blanket and picnic basket and go watch whatever is showing with your date. You won’t get to talk as much until the movie is over, but it’s a perfect way to get prepped for getting to know and spending time with the person you’re with.