Five Great First Date Ideas

I've already told you five first date ideas you should avoid - now I'm going to give you five suggestions you should consider. I'm a very picky (and occasionally very princessy) girl who has a reputation for being hard to please - but any of these would make me smile.

Take your date bowling.

Unless the girl (or guy) is a total princess, this is a good first date idea, even if one or both of you suck at it. You have your own lane, your own table, you can talk to each other and you don’t have to stare at each other the whole time. Just make sure it’s fun and not a serious competition. No one wants to feel like a loser on a date!

Note: If the date’s a surprise destination, tell her to bring a pair of thin socks with her. You don’t want her showing up in sandals – that will be the end of your date, cos no woman on earth is going to stick her bare feet in bowling shoes!

Visit an amusement park.

This is cool, because it’s a great opportunity to get close and pretend it’s because the tilt-a-whirl slid you across the seat. It’s also a chance for a man to act brave and fearless – and protective. Women love that, as long you do it romantically and not paternally. It’s also a great chance to win her a stuffed animal. ALL women love that kind of thing, don’t you believe otherwise, even if she says so.

Tip: Do NOT pressure your date to go on a ride they’re afraid of. This can turn a fun evening into a unpleasant scene. Let your date decide what they are ready for – no pressuring, there are plenty of alternatives!

Eat at a Japanese restaurant where the chef prepares your food at your table.

You don’t have to like sushi for this, don’t worry. I highly recommend you order something that sizzles – the idea is to have something snazzy to watch as your chef prepares everything at your table. You won’t have to worry about finding something to talk about, the chef will give you plenty of fodder for that kind of thing.

Note: To save space, these restaurants often will group couples together, as the tables tend to seat 8 or more. I recommend contacting the restaurant in advance and see if you can reserve something for just the two of you. You don’t want your date feeling awkward being sat with strangers, when you’re practically a stranger as well!

This is especially cool if you have access to one designed for kids. Meaning, a Disney theme or just something playful and animated. I recommend doing this after sunset if possible, as many of them have special lights at night time and add to the magic.

Note: If you live in an area with many mosquitoes, you may want to do this *before* sunset, instead.

You'll need:

1. A nice quite place to picnic in. Something near a pond or river would be best, if that’s not available, something nice in local park will work fine.

2. A thick blanket – thick enough that you won’t be feeling the prickly grass under you. Also, make sure the blanket is large enough for 2 people to lie down on. And no, not for the reason you think! If the meal goes well, you can relax, stretch out, chat and check out cloud formations.

3. You’ll also need a picnic basket filled with food and drink – and ice packs to keep it all cool. If the woman is preparing this, she probably doesn’t need suggestions on what to fill it with. But if the man's in charge and doesn't have a clue what to bring, here’s a tip:

Go to your grocery store’s deli, find a woman who works there (preferably someone who looks old enough to be married) and tell her you want to take a girl on a picnic. Tell her you want some premade goodies to impress your date with. Ask the woman for suggestions. Seriously. When she’s done going “awwww!” she’ll be thrilled to help you put something really nice together.

Note: If you’re going to pack alcohol, make sure you also bring something non-alcoholic, in case your date doesn’t want to drink. And make sure your date doesn’t have any food allergies before you go shopping!