Date Ideas Guaranteed to Impress Your Girlfriend or Tinder Date

We are creatures of habit and it’s easy to get trapped in the same repetitive actions, whether it’s what we do after we get home from work or what we choose for date night. Dinner, drinks, and a movie are all common date ideas. They’re reliable, safe, and nobody is going to be surprised by the suggestion. However, nobody texts their friend the next day to rave about what a great and amazing idea eating some food was and a movie doesn’t exactly make for great conversation. Instead, try something different, something they have likely done before, and something that could just become a new favorite hobby.

Dance lessons are a great way to break with tradition. Not only are they a good night out, but it’s a good skill to learn, and additionally a good hobby to take on. As most classes are taught as groups, there’s the added benefit of meeting new people and starting new friendships to go along with your relationship. If you both enjoy it, then you’ve got a repeated date night set, and something to practice in between.

Assuming you live in a large enough city, you’ll be able to find at least one studio. If it’s early on in the relationship, you may want to look for a studio that goes by the night instead of the month and come at the beginning of the month. If you think you might make a fool of yourself, studios tend to be a fairly positive place. Also, unlike most media depictions, the basic steps of most dancers are fairly easy and quick to learn.

If you live in a city with a botanical garden then you’re already set, otherwise you might need to spend a little time on Google to find a local park that has a floral focus. Gardens are a great way to get out into nature without having to put on your hiking boots, pack your water, and come with convenient access to plumbing and all on a curated path.

There’s the obvious benefit of lovely flowers, plants, and other arrangements to dazzle the eye. But think about those awkward moments you’ve had, where the conversation starts to lag, you don’t know what to say next, and so you try to break the ice with something stupid or a lame question. With a garden you have ready-made discussion pieces around every turn. Don’t just stop and smell the flowers, take a moment to discuss them as well.

Strap on your boots, or at least a good pair of sturdy shoes, and head to the great outdoors. If the weather’s great, and there’s scenic vistas to be found, get yourself a good packable picnic lunch, a partner, and see what nature has to offer. While it may not be a great first or early date choice (being out in the woods with somebody you don’t know well isn’t the best), once you’ve gotten to know each other, cultivating a great physical activity along with a bond with nature is a great way to spend a weekend. Not only do you get a physical benefit, but spending time amongst the trees is a wonderful boon for your mental health and creative endeavors.

If dirt paths and backpacks aren’t your things, many places are creating networks of paved paths along creeks and to connect parks. These greenway trails are a good alternative to hiking and usually easier to access.

Give your feet a break, try stimulating your creative side with an art class. Sometimes you can let your arms make something you can hang on your wall other than your old college posters. The real challenge here is deciding between a more traditional class or the increasingly popular drinking and painting events.

If none of these appeal to you, just remember the one thing they mostly have in common. Being activity is key. Even therapists are starting to see the benefit of getting off the couch, getting their patients out of the stuffy office, and moving about. Moving about helps stimulate our minds and makes us more willing to talk. Then there’s the positive benefits to our moods that exercise has. So whether it’s a first date or your fiftieth, get out there and try something fun that gets you moving.