Mike Clark lays out seven great date ideas for that perfect guy you haven’t met yet. Oh, yeah, and for the heteronormative, these can work for you too.
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So you’re finally meeting up with that handsome barista from SCRUFF? Or maybe you want to wine and dine your cute neighbor you matched with on Tinder? Here’s the deal — converting online chemistry to real life romance can be a bit tricky. Here are seven unusual date ideas to make sure you stay at the top of this guy’s recent messages.
If you like rope burn and/or butts
take him rock climbing. If you’ve never climbed before or you’re scared of heights, just have him tighten your harness extra-tight for safety purposes. This is seriously one of our favorite date ideas. You’ll have to trust one another as you scale giant walls and fall back into each other’s sweaty arms.
If you don’t scare easily
take him urban exploring. That abandoned factory near work that’s covered in graffiti? A prime location for urban exploring. Find locations near you on Atlas Obscura, a site that maps unusual and interesting spots around the world. Or try Street Art Locator, a site that shows you where to find hidden art.
If you secretly get turned on by subtitles
take him to an independent movie theater. Don’t forget to research the films beforehand. Nothing says “I didn’t plan this date at all!” like sitting through a four hour long documentary about West Virginia coal miners.
If you work 9 to 5 and feel like a recluse
take him to a flash mob. Or a bicycle race. Or a cookout. Meetup is a site that connects you and people in your area for outrageously fun events. Or check out MEETin, another site for discovering local group activities.
If you love nachos and hotdogs
take him to a baseball game. We know baseball games can get pretty slow — but that’s a good thing for your date. It lets you pay attention to each other and enjoy the action at the same time. Pick a night with free fireworks and try to catch the attention of your kiss cam operator.
If you refuse to read books on iPads
take him arcade hopping. Arcades can be a little tricky to find these days, so you’ll need to research this one a bit. Make sure to stock up on quarters beforehand and wear your best underwear — you’ll probably be bending over a lot of machines.
If you need to slow things down
take him to your favorite museum. See what new exhibits they have and check out their special events calendar. Most museums have free admission nights, so you can spend money on dinner instead of tickets.
Originally seen on Sophomore Magazine
Photo: Flickr/Zachary Cunningham