Date Ideas: Fun Things To Do For Couples
By Alan
Detwiler
Smashwords addition
Copyright
2012 Alan Detwiler
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Introduction
Where to go and what to do are questions dating couples often ask themselves. Sure, perhaps the most important aspect of dating is getting to know each other and being together. But dating will be more successful and enjoyable if you choose activities that are pleasant and provide opportunities for each of you to gradually find out about your partner's interests and attitudes.
Often it is enough to choose among the more common dating options of eating out, seeing a movie or attending an organized event such as a sports game. However, occasionally doing something that is new and different creates interest and enthusiasm and helps make all your time together more enjoyable.
This book is meant to provide a mix of activities some of which will likely already be familiar. Hopefully a good many of the activities will provide you with new and exciting ways to experience and explore the world and the pleasures of each other's company.
To go to a particular section, click on the title
of that section.
article title
Introduction
A
walk in the park
Drive
in a remote area
Cook
something
Look
at photo albums
Play
Frisbee
Watch
a video
Have
a pizza party
Check
out a book store
Go
to a movie
Neighborhood
walk
Take
a one-day class
Try
a new food
Rollerblade
Explore
a habitat
Go
fishing
Play
a sport
Eat
at a restaurant
Go
to a flea market
Fair
or amusement park
Orienteering
Make
twenty wishes
Bake
cookies
Browse
a fave store
Small
boat cruise
Tour
a park
Watch
the sun set or rise
Listen
to music
Lookout
tower
Canoeing
Raft
ride down a creek
Check
a greenhouse
Conversation
in kitchen
Have
a picnic
Walk
and follow a creek
Sightseeing
nearby town
Check
visitor bureau
Write
candidate policy
Ping
pong
Pitch
and catch
Go
see grandparents
Simulated
power failure
Do
miniature golf
Go
hiking
Make
snow sculpture
See
a planetarium show
Launch
model rocket
Watch
lightning storm
Visit
a museum/gallery
Giant
slide ride
Play
bocce
Pose
in scene
Shoot
pool
Snowshoeing
Drive-in
movie
Take
on a corn maze
Go
to a county fair
Tell
likes/dislikes
Tell
each other your plans and dreams
Star
gazing
Childhood
memories
Sand
sculpture
Ask
questions
Tell
life stories
Learn
to dance
Your
job nitty-gritty
Play
with gadgets
Relationship
fears
Paper
airplanes
Hike
a mountain
Simulate
tropics
Play
air hockey
Take
factory tour
Go
on a bike ride
Cookout
home/away
Walk
in the rain
Invent
something
Nature
center
Living
history event
Make
a pie
Walk
your city
Plant
a garden
Candlelight
dinner
Unusual
dinner
Overlook
your city
Know
what you like
Learn
a card game
Together
times scrapbook
Tour
a grand house
Pick
your own fruit
Sidewalk
chalk doodles
Teach
each other
Make
something
Join
a club
See
an aquarium
Skyscraper
lookout
Moonlight
picnic
Volunteer
Walk
in the woods
See
local attraction
Coffee
and talk
Arts
festival
Walk
in moonlight
Found/natural
gift
Gardening
together
Playground
Go
bird watching
Browse
charity store
Make
candles
Walk
the beach
Travel
video
Play
poker/solitaire
Explore
a park
Deals
at yard sales
Shapes
with clay
Do
doodle art
Personal
questions
Tour
a ship
Tie-dye
t-shirts
Explore
your town
Bizarre
dress up
Window
shop
Christmas
lights
At
the zoo
Childhood
play
Photograph
nature
Meeting
people
Pick
up lines
Ask
out a stranger
Ask
someone out
Reducing
date anxiety
First
date etiquette
Ice
breaking questions
Make
dates better
Topics
for conversation
Making
dates romantic
Improving
relationships
Relationship
turn-offs
A
quotation
Where to go and what to do are questions dating couples often ask themselves. Sure, perhaps the most important aspect of dating is getting to know each other and being together. But dating will be more successful and enjoyable if you choose activities that are pleasant and provide opportunities for each of you to gradually find out about your partner's interests and attitudes.
Often it is enough to choose among the more common dating options of eating out, seeing a movie or attending an organized event such as a sports game. However, occasionally doing something that is new and different creates interest and enthusiasm and helps make all your time together more enjoyable.
This book is meant to provide a mix of activities some of which will likely already be familiar. Hopefully a good many of the activities will provide you with new and exciting ways to experience and explore the world and the pleasures of each other's company.
Things To Do On A Date
Take a walk in a park. Perhaps use a shallow stream as your walkway if the weather is warm. Wear on old pair of sneakers and jeans that already show signs of usage. Stop and examine anything that seems interesting.
Take a 1 or 2 hour drive through the most undeveloped area you can find. Take along a road map to make it easier to find your way back. Take along water to drink. Maybe take along a camera in case you see something to photograph.
Cook something for the fun of it. Enjoy it as a meal. You could make pizza, potato salad, chicken cacciatore, apple crisp or some favorite dish. If you enjoy food that doesn't necessarily turn out exactly the same each time, you may want to try making loaf bread or flat bread. One of you could do the cooking, then next time, the other could prepare the meal. Or better yet, prepare the meal together as part of the date.
In any case, decide on the menu at least a few days ahead of time. That way you have time to shop for any needed items and to locate a recipe if one is needed. Don't assume that your date will like any particular food. Ask about each item and any ingredients for which there is any doubt.
If you alone will be doing the cooking, choose food that will not require you to spend time in the kitchen while your date waits. Do most of the preparation ahead of time. This is especially true if it is a first date or one of the first few dates. It is a source of stress to be sociable and pay attention to cooking at the same time. Plus, an unfamiliar person in the kitchen while you cook may be a recipe for misjudging what to do to produce a good meal.
See also candlelight dinner
Look at photo albums. Spend an hour or so looking through each other's photo albums or scrapbooks. Ask about the people and places in the photos - what's this guy's name, where did he live, what did he do for a living, what do you remember about his family, did he have any hobbies that you know of, and etc. If there are many photos, look through your date's album on one day and then on another day look through your album.
Play Frisbee. Maybe try some trick catches: behind the back, lift a leg and make the catch under the leg, or tap a low flying Frisbee up with your toe and then catch it. A Frisbee can sometimes be purchased for $1 or $2 in a store that sells low priced items.
Watch a video of a favorite TV show together, or rent a movie or documentary to watch. Ask what kind of movies your date likes science fiction, action, comedy, fantasy, adventure, or drama. Then make a suggestion of a particular movie. Libraries usually lend tapes and perhaps DVDs at no cost or low cost.
Have a small party at your house. Invite your date to the party. Buy some pre-made pizza crusts, pizza or spaghetti sauce, and toppings (sausage, pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms, etc). Have one or two types of soda and/or fruit juice on hand. Have each person make half of a pizza with whatever toppings they like. Bake the pizzas and enjoy.
Have an urge for the unusual? What law says pizza has to have only the standard toppings? Possibilities: pineapple; parsley; raw, diced tomatoes; raisins and peanut butter; and sliced hot dogs.
Check out a bookstore. Large book stores are divided into categories which seem to attempt to cover all the interests of mankind. Browse some of the sections together and comment to each other about what you find. Browse some of the sections separately, getting together occasionally to report about things you have found. This is a good way to find out about each others attitudes and ideas and to gather interests for later conversations.
See a movie at a theater. There's no opportunity for conversation while you are watching the show. Spend some time afterwards someplace where you can talk - maybe sitting on a bench in a park or mall.
Take a walk around your neighborhood. Tell each other what you like most about the houses, landscapes, the neighborhood, or the city. Or talk about anything else that comes to mind.
Take a one-day class together at a local community center or college. A class may be available on painting, photography, sailing, dancing or some other subject that you both find interesting.
Try a new food. Spend some time looking through a grocery store that sells a genre of food that you are not familiar with. Pick out one or so items that are new to you. When you get home try them out as a snack or part of a meal. If you need some help preparing the food, look at www.recipes.com. Some types of grocery stores are Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Greek, Asian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Indian, gourmet, and health food.
Rollerblade. Be sure to wear knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and a helmet. Know the safety rules and how to stop before you go skating. Know how to fall. Read the instructions that came with your skates. Some safety and how-to information can be found at http://inlineskating.about.com in articles about beginning skating and skating safety. See also www.skatefaq.com and www.skatelog.com.
Explore/observe a natural habitat. This could be in state, and national parks and forests, county and city parks, wildlife refuges and reserves, or on your own property. Find out about rules and regulations before you go to the public areas. Ask at a ranger station or park office. Many parks have web sites giving the rules and regulations as well as showing maps of the parks.
Go fishing. Be sure to get a license if one is required. The fines for not having a license can be large. If you are new to fishing, see http://fishing.about.com and look under Articles and Resources - Getting Started. For fly fishing, go to http://www.gorp.com/weekend-guide/travel-ta-fly-fishing-sidwcmdev_057785.htm.
Play golf, basketball, bowling, pool, Frisbee, disk (Frisbee) golf, ping pong, tennis, racquet ball, handball, horseshoes, croquet, darts, or other sport. One place to get pointers on these games is to go to www.soyouwanna.com and look under Leisure and look under Sports and Activities.
If there are no disk golf courses near you, make your own. Use brightly colored ribbon to mark about 9 targets such as trees and lamp posts. Take turns throwing Frisbees to try and hit the next target. Whoever hits the target first scores a point for that target.
Eat at a restaurant. Eating out is one of the top three most common dating activities. The other two are going to a movie and going to a large group event (dance or sporting event).
Go to a flea market, or two or so yard/garage sales. You may find a bargain price on a needed item. Make comments about what you see that is interesting. Listen to your date's comments. You will likely find out some of each other's interests and tastes.
Go to a fair or amusement park. Go on one or more of the rides. Have a little junk food. Look at the attractions. You likely will have opportunities to exchange comments now and then. Maybe find a place to sit and have a conversation as you watch people go by.
See also Go to a county fair
Orienteering. Orienteering is using a compass and maps to find your way across a tract of land to a particular point. This can be done where there are large areas of public land.
Probably the best way for beginners to get started is to check with state and county parks and to find one that offers a class. The class will likely be one session of instruction followed by splitting the class up into teams of 2 or more people each. Each team then finds its own way to a destination some distance away in the park.
See also Hiking
Divide up 40 or more pennies. Take them to any fountain with a pool around it. Take turns saying a wish and tossing a penny.
Bake cookies. If there is a homemade cookie that you are particularly fond of, get together with that special someone and mix up a batch and bake them. You might want to try your own new variation from the standard recipe.
Maybe then sit down with the drink of your choice and enjoy one or a few of the cookies. As another date, get together again and make the favorite cookie of your sweetheart.
Shop or browse at a store that interests both of you. Or pick one store that you like and one store that your date likes. You be the guide in the store that you like. Point out things of interest. Your date can be the guide in the other store.
Rent a row boat or a small motor boat and take a cruise. Wear lifejackets. When passing an oncoming boat the rule is that you pass to the right of the oncoming boat. If two boats will cross paths at the same time, the boat on the right has the right of way. If one of the crossing boats is a sailboat, it has the right of way. If you are in a motorboat, slow down when near (approximately 100 feet) any obstacle, person or another boat.
If you are inexperienced, go on short trips only. For longer cruises, first study maps and ask someone who knows the area about strategies and possible hazards. Find out how to handle any unfamiliar situation before you encounter it. Go to www.boatsafe.com and look in Boating Tips. Look for how-to information.
Tour a nearby park or state or national forest. Walk or drive to the park. Walk or drive through the park. It depends on the size of the park and how much time you have available. For a large park stop at the park office and get a map. You can take time to look around at particular areas. Or make notes of areas you want to investigate at some later date. Maybe stop at a picnic table or bench and just sit and talk for awhile.
Sit and watch the sun set or rise. Find a place with a view of the horizon. If there are no chairs or benches there, take some lawn chairs, blankets, maybe a tarp if the ground is wet, sparkling grape juice or whatever it is that suits you. Have a plan B in case nature doesn't cooperative with a clear sky.
So how long can you look at the sun without damage to your eyes? I don't know. I try to totally avoid looking directly at the sun during the day when it is high in the sky. When the sun is on the horizon, the light has to go through more atmosphere. I suppose that stops some of the burning ultraviolet light that causes eye damage. So, I allow myself to several times, glance directly at the sun for a second or two when it's on the horizon. I also will look off to the side (a couple of sun diameters away) for several seconds. I'll look off to the other side for a few seconds also. My theory is this doesn't expose any one area of the retina to enough UV to cause significant damage. To get a lasting impression of a sunset's beauty, I try to then use my 'mind's eye' to enjoy what I have seen.
Listen to music. For me, listening to music is more of a solo activity but there are times it seems appropriate for two or more people. For those times tune in your favorite radio station, or put on a album on a CD, or put on a CD that you burned yourself.
A convenient legal way to make a CD of songs of your choosing, is to subscribe to Real.com's Rhapsody service. As of July 2004, you pay $10 per month and 80 cents for each song you burn to a CD. You need at least a Pentium II at 350Mhz with a CD drive that is capable of recording. You need internet connectivity and broadband is recommended. Go to www.real.com/rhapsody.
Climb a lookout tower and enjoy the view. You can rent lookout towers in California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington state. See www.firelookout.org/links.htm, www.fs.fed.us/recreation/reservations, and www.firelookout.com.
No lookout towers in your area? How about a Skyscraper observation deck
Go canoeing. If you are inexperienced, choose a lake or section of river with slow moving water. Leave the fast water to the more experienced. It should go without saying, but if you can't swim, learn to swim proficiently before venturing out in any small boat.
You can also try kayaks but they require more skill and some instruction. Kayaks are usually narrower, flip more easily than canoes, and when they do flip, you tend to be held in a head-down position with your whole body underwater. Yep, seems to me some instruction would be prudent. There are kayaks(?) which do not have the top which holds your lower body to the boat. You just sit in an open boat. These are for warm weather because there is no top to protect you from splashed water.
Take along floatation devices and wear them. Usually when renting the boat the lifejackets will be included in the deal. In many areas watercraft licenses will be required. Check with park rangers or your state's department of natural resources about any regulations which most be followed.
For more information see http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/canoeing.pdf and http://search.about.com/?q=canoeing.
Raft ride down a creek. To find what opportunities exits in your area, check out the Yellow Pages, the chamber of commerce, the visitors bureau, sporting goods stores and state or national parks. A license for the raft may be required. Use life jackets regardless of whether they are required by law.
You may be able to choose either a section of creek that is relatively smooth flowing or a fast and turbulent section for white water rafting. Make sure you know how large the rapids are going to be and what the dangers are. Fast moving water in combination with rocks, fallen trees, dams, waterfalls, and cold water temperature may not let you off with a warning. If you are inexperienced with rafting, either choose the safer waterways or go with a responsible expert.
Go shopping at a greenhouse: even better in the winter. Some greenhouses specialize in one category of produce. Some greenhouses sell a wide variety of products such as potted house plants, potted flowers for gifts, garden seedlings, vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, potted flowers for outdoors, and landscaping plants. Some greenhouses sell related items such as shipped-in fruits and vegetables and gardening tools and supplies.
Conversation. The kitchen table has always been the place of conversation for me. So, I suggest sit at the kitchen table, have a meal or a snack, maybe have a cup of coffee. Talk about current events, political issues, government policies, science, past experiences or whatever is of interest.
If the conversation slows get ideas from the newspaper. Divide the newspaper, one half for each of you to look through. When an interesting article is found, either read the article out loud or summarize it after reading it silently. Another way to get ideas for conversation is to fire up the computer and go to www.npr.com. That web site has archives of programs presenting news, information, and commentary on a variety of topics. Most are available in Real Audio so you both can listen. Pick a program that is of interest to you by reading short summaries of each program. Or maybe just reading the summaries will provide things to talk about. Read the summaries together while sitting side by side. When either of you finishes reading one screen's worth, turn slightly to the side so that the other person will know the first person has finished. When the last person finishes, scroll the screen.
If you exhaust your enthusiasm for conversation, finish the date by doing something less demanding such as making and eating a dish of apple crisp. While the desert is baking, maybe listen to music, watch a nature documentary or travel video.
Have a picnic at sunrise or any other time. Don't forget to take along bug spray, a tarp or sheet of plastic if the ground might be wet, extra blankets if the weather is cold, and napkins.
If you don't feel like going somewhere, find a spot outside your kitchen. If you don't have a yard, use the patio, driveway, or sidewalk. Carry out chairs and a table of some sort. Maybe set up a fan to help keep mosquitoes away. A citronella candle might also help. If it is after sundown, for light use lanterns or candles in containers so the wind won't blow them out, or use tiki lights. Enjoy the unusual setting and having the undistracted attention of your special someone.
Wander along following a creek examining whatever catches your interest. Go to a state, national or city park or a state or national forest. Maybe get a brochure with a map. Wear old clothes, sturdy shoes or boots and use insect repellant if it's that time of year.
Go sightseeing in a nearby town or your home town. Get information on places to see at visitor bureaus, Chambers of Commerce, and libraries. Look for visitor guides and pamphlets describing places of interest. You may find a pamphlet describing a suggested self-guided tour. You could take a guided tour. Tour guides will make informative and interesting comments.
Check out a visitor center to find something to do on your date. They will have pamphlets listing events and things to do. You may find out about an upcoming event such as a festival, exposition, open house, lecture, or factory tour. There will also be information for ongoing programs such as tours, club meetings, flea markets, museums, art galleries, farmers markets, and recreation vendors.
Pretend that you are each running for a particular government office. Write up a policy statement. If you wish, research some of the issues by looking at the web sites listed below. Then read your statements to each other.
You can read position statements and voting
records of candidates for offices in your area at the web sites
below.
www.ontheissues.org
www.vote-smart.org
Play ping-pong. As far as I can tell, public places to play table tennis are sparse. To play at home, buy a net at a large department store, a sporting goods stores, or hobby shop. The net can be placed on a large, rectangular table with a hard, smooth surface. For rules and tips see http://tabletennis.about.com and http://www.megaspin.net/rules/.
Go see grandparents. Call up your grandparents and ask if you could come to see them and what would be a good time. Ask them questions about what was different when they were growing up. Have some questions ready before you go. Some questions to ask:
What inventions during your life have most changed
the way people do things?
What were some of the things you did for
fun when you were our age?
What things have changed that were
better before they changed?
What things disappeared that you would
like to have brought back?
Do you think people are happier now?
If
you had your life to live over again, what would you do
differently?
What advice would you like to give to people our age?
Keep the conversation relaxed. Don't be too quick with the questions. Let the conversation happen instead of trying to keep to the prepared questions. Ask them about the things they are interested in and that you would like to know about. Use the prepared questions only when needed to keep the conversation interesting.
Pretend power failure. Turn off all the lights. Light a candle for light if you wish. Keep the TV, radio, stereo and other entertainment appliances turned off, like it would be during a power failure. That way your entertainment will likely be only talking to each other.
Go hiking. Take along water for drinking. For long hikes take along light weight dry food such as granola, trail mix, and dried fruit. Use insect repellant and sunscreen in warm weather.
If you are unfamiliar with the area, get a map and study it, then take the map with you. If the hike is in a very remote area, let someone know where you are going and when you should be back. If there is any possibility of getting lost, take along a compass and a whistle. A whistle is a way of enabling a search party to find you.
The length of the hike should match how much hiking you are used to. Pick a trail that matches your fitness level. Otherwise fatigue, muscle soreness, and blisters will result.
If you are not used to hiking there are a few things you can do to somewhat reduce getting blisters. Make sure your shoes fit well, and are breathable and flexible. Wear two pairs of socks. The inner socks should not be cotton and should be tight fitting enough to not slip on your feet as you walk. Stores that sell hiking supplies will have what are called sock liners that can be used for the inner pair of socks. Take along a product that goes by names such as Second Skin, Mole Skin, Spyroflex, and Cushlin. They are flexible adhesive bandages that help protect damaged skin. It is said that high quality fabric based (not plastic) duct tape can be used to protect areas that tend to blister. It should not be left on overnight.
For maps contact the US Forest Service, National Parks Service, the park's ranger station, local visitor center, or online. For information go to http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/index-sp.html, www.americantrails.org, www.americanhiking.org, or call a state or national park. Also see Mountain hiking and Orienteering.