When you’re trying to plan the ideal tinder date, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Even though there are lots of great tinder date ideas out there, you may not know what fits you and your date. That’s where these 23 ideas come in.
Read through this list compiled for you to identify exactly what type of date you want this to be and maximize how much you and your date enjoy the activity.
This post is all about tinder date ideas.
TINDER DATE IDEAS:
1. Visit a local art museum (you might be able to find one that’s free!)
Art museums are great for the first date especially if you are worried about awkward silences. You get to experience some cultural enrichment while getting to know your date in a unique way. We will acknowledge that everyone likes art museums.
Some people think that they are boring, which can be valid in its own right. However, after you have verified the other person is interested in art museums, it can be a great way to learn about your date by simply observing them.
People are a lot less honest when you talk to them than when you just watch the way that they act. So, enjoy interacting with the art as much as you enjoy it. You can also go to a local art gallery if you’re interested in supporting local artists and seeing some unique takes on life.
2. Attend a pottery class and make a take-home memory
Pottery can be a lot of tactile fun. There’s something so beautiful about creating something with your hands that you can then take home as a memory. Depending on how the date goes, you may not want anything from the date, but the pottery.
But, even if it goes poorly, you have something positive that comes out of it. On a serious note, pottery can be a really fun way to interact with someone. You have something that you’re doing constantly while also being able to talk to your date about anything that interests you.
Luckily, if you run out of ideas, it’s not the end of the world because you were doing something the entire time pottery classes can be an expensive commitment, so consider that when choosing this one.
3. Go to an art class where you can paint something
When we think about art at Knockoff Therapy, we like to think of the old saying “We’re here for a good time not a long time.” That simply means that the majority of us are not going to be excellent painters, and yet we can still enjoy the process of painting and engaging in creativity.
There is nothing that this applies to more than a fun art class that doubles as a first time date. So, when you’re thinking about planning your first Tinder date, realize that an art class could be one of the most fun things you can do that allows you to be creative.
You won’t need to stress out about art that won’t turn out well or worry that your date will feel self-conscious.
Instead, focus on the freedom that comes with creativity and doing something for the sake of doing something without having to turn out perfectly. We rarely do things that are just fun, so let this date be exactly that.
4. Find a local jazz club
Jazz is fun because it is spontaneous. It keeps things interesting and it is a unique genre of music that always keeps your attention. The nice thing about jazz is that you can mesh fun cocktails with a low-key atmosphere that welcomes both you and your date.
There’s something about a jazz club that feels cozy without being intimidating. So, your local jazz club is a good idea when planning your first date. You can relax, talk a bit when it’s comfortable, and enjoy the presence of the other person without the constant pressure to talk.
While it’s important to make sure that you don’t underestimate the power of spending time with your date and learning about them by talking, it’s also meaningful to take away the pressure and save the talk for when it feels right.
5. Plan out a scavenger hunt or find one online
Admittedly, scavenger hunts are esoteric. They may not be popular among every single person that you go on a date with, so it’s important to think about the kind of person that your date is.
However, they can be unique ways to spend time with someone and bond with them without really even feeling it happen.
A lot of times, you force the bonding when it might be awkward or uncomfortable. A scavenger hunt will lead to a fun bonding experience, in a way, and make the relationship bloom without even trying.
6. Go to a dance class to learn a new skill
Dancing in front of the people is scary. It involves moving your body and ways that might feel uncomfortable and new while getting to a place of vulnerability with someone you are just meeting for the first time.
Even if it’s the second date, it’s still overwhelming and scary. However, some of the best first states are the ones that engage your vulnerability early on. Everyone needs to be vulnerable with their partner.
Whether this good first date turns into a long-term relationship or not, you want to feel comfortable around your person.
And a sort of trial by fire away, you can learn just how comfortable your date is around you and how ready they are to become vulnerable. Plus, it’s fun to dance.
7. Participate in a staycation by going to a local hotel bar
No matter how long you live in an area, you don’t realize how much you stay in your comfort zone. It is easy to get stuck in the same routine all the time. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
But, it does mean that you don’t always explore your city or town as if it’s a place that you’ve never been to before. That’s why it is so fun to go to a place that you won’t normally go to on a first date.
Not only do you get fun drinks, but you also get a cool experience that your date may never have experienced either. It’s always fun to try something new in the area where you live and realize just how much you can still do without getting bored in the area where you live.
8. Buy tickets to a comedy show in town
As they say, “Laughter is the best medicine.” When you find someone that truly makes you laugh, there’s no better feeling. So much of comedy is about what is relatable.
Typically when we are laughing at a joke, it’s because we relate to it in some way, and we can understand it, therefore it’s funny. So, when you think about it like that, it makes sense that it would be a good first date.
Not only is it fun, but it’s also a good way to get to know the person you’re dating. Online dating can be so impersonal and going to a comedy show can completely change that for you.
Honestly, it’s totally possible that by the end of the date, your date will not think that you’re attractive anymore. Maybe they disagree with the things that you find funny.
It might suck in the moment, but it will prove to be useful for understanding the type of person you’re compatible with.
9. Take your date to a theme park
Go to your local amusement park and enjoy some thrill-seeking. Make sure that your date is excited about that type of activity and that you don’t spring it on them all of a sudden.
Theme parks can bring out the inner child in you, which is what makes them so effective in bringing out the fun.
Just like with most of the other dates that we have talked about on this blog, the most important thing about planning out this type of date is making sure your date is excited about something like this.
Not everyone wants to go to a theme park and ride a roller coaster. But, if you were someone who does and your date wants to as well, then you’re well on your way to finding someone that you could be in a relationship with.
10. Focus on finding good food you’ll both enjoy
Sometimes, the best date is the date that values food. In a way, you can consider it going back to the basics. Good food can help you teach your date something about you and you also get a chance to learn something about your date.
The type of food that you like says something about you and your date can understand you better. The same goes for them.
So, if you’re stressing out about planning the perfect date, remember that the best thing about a date is that you’re thinking about the other person and how you two can spend time together in an enjoyable way.
There’s something incredibly meaningful about choosing the place that you like the most. When you let that be the place that you go to for a first date, you’re being incredibly vulnerable and honest about the things that you love.
11. Attend a sporting event together
Something about sports events can bring people together. Sports have always brought people together, her better or worse. People do not have to be invested in sports to enjoy partaking in the cultural phenomenon that is sports.
Whether it’s a football game, where you can scream and yell, or it’s a baseball game where you can cheer at random times, you and your date can enjoy a sporting event, just like any of the other fun date ideas.
You can avoid the tropes of a bad date by allowing small talk to only happen when you two actually want it to and avoiding adding that much pressure to the actual conversation you’re having.
12. Plan out a night to share your favorite books with each other
Books have the power to change people’s lives as many of us well know. Maybe there’s a book that you grew up with or there’s one that you have never stopped thinking about since the day that you read it.
There’s nothing more enjoyable than sharing an amazing book with someone that you are interested in. Not only can they learn a lot about you, but you can grow incredibly close to your potential partner in a short amount of time by sharing the book that has meant so much to you.
Plus, you get to enjoy reading the book that has changed them and there’s no better feeling than reading the book that you know someone loves enough to share with someone that matters to them.
13. Play a classic round of mini golf
Miniature golf inspires the only kind of fun that comes from lots of laughter and affordable prices. While that is a weird way to put it, most of us likely have memories of going to mini golf and absolutely loving it because it’s a fun, affordable way to hang out with people.
Mini golf makes for a great date. You can have so much fun and a public place without losing any of the intimacy that comes with having a first date.
You don’t want to avoid opportunities for meaningful conversation on your first date, but you also don’t want to leave lots of room for awkwardness. That’s why mini golf is perfect, and not just for frugal college students.
14. Opt for the typical dinner date sure to please
There are lots of different places you can take for the best first dates. However, that doesn’t mean that the typical restaurant dinner is going to be any worse than any of those ideas. There’s nothing wrong with sitting down to a nice meal and having a good conversation.
Admittedly, it can be a little bit more stressful than you’re used to and can make you more nervous than you would be on other dates.
But, as the best first date, ideas go, dinner is a good one. It’s simple, yet perfect. Your typical dinner is the perfect opportunity to show your date how interested you are in them while keeping it simple.
15. Go to trivia night at your local bar or restaurant
Quiz yourself, and your date, at your local quiz night. These can be fun, lightly competitive ways to start conversations with your date without either of you needing an agenda. It’s okay to not have a retort to every comment or a response to every story.
Luckily, quiz night makes it easy to keep the focus off awkward silences and on how well you two work as a team. This is what matters when it comes to the perfect first date, especially if either of you is prone to anxiety (aren’t we all on the first date?).
16. Find a flea market to explore together
You can find all sorts of cool, interesting, unique things at your local farmer’s markets. Whether you find that perfect pan that your grandmother used and you can’t find anywhere or you find a cool trinket to display in your home, flea markets are the way to go.
They encourage fun conversation topics based on what you see without committing much money to the cause. Plus, you can walk around just to see what there is to find and leave it at that.
17. Volunteer or visit an animal shelter if you’re an animal lover
Animals can be the best source of stress relief, especially when you get to pet them and love them. However, it’s also hard to visit animal shelters as a pet lover, so double-check with your date to make sure they like the idea.
Animals are an easy way to break the ice between you and your date without breaking the bank. Plus, you’re socializing animals that need to be adopted, which is always a good thing.
18. Dedicate a night to exploring some video games
Video games can get some friendly competition going in ways that nothing else does. Whether you’re in a serious relationship or not, your competitive side will get going the moment you start engaging with video games. They can bring out the best in people and the worst, so be prepared for what you see.
19. Sightsee at your local botanical garden
Botanical gardens are the way to go. From the beautiful scenery to the plants surrounding you, they make for romantic pictures and seclusion while in public.
Get your phone ready for those Instagram-ready pictures in between beautiful conversations that make you never want to see the end of the night.
Yes, we’re making this sound overly romantic and that’s truly what you’ll experience. So, go find a botanical garden to start your next fairy tale.
20. Get competitive at a bowling alley
Try on someone else’s shoes and get creative at our local bowling alley. Avoid asking them to put up the rails and do your best.
As scary as it is to fail in front of someone new, remember that this is all about getting to know your date. Plus, you want to make a good impression and show them you can have a great time while also getting a little competitive with a new person.
21. Meet up at a coffee shop for a yummy drink
You can get the best drinks at your local coffee shop while supporting a small business. Take the person from your dating app to a fun, local spot where you two can enjoy some well-made house drinks.
Whether you’re into coffee or hot chocolate, you’re going to pave the way for beautiful conversations and a calm atmosphere to go on your first date together.
22. Get tickets for an escape room
Take your thrill-seeking and team-bonding to a new level with an escape room. They’re fun, can be a little expensive, and are always a way to learn new things about the person you’re escaping with.
Whether they bring out your deepest fears or get you excited for the next escape room you do with your date, you’re sure to enjoy this first date.
23. Go get ice cream together (but share at your own risk!)
Nothing says chill and enjoyable like ice cream. Maybe this is the end of your date or the start of every one of your next dates, ice cream brings people together. Have fun trying new flavors, walking around the local park with ice cream in hand, and enjoying conversation with your date.
