Taking advantage of free online dating sites can pay off in a big way if you’re lucky enough and vigilant enough. With millions upon millions of singles out there all looking for love, the simple fact of the matter is that they could be looking for you. But meeting someone online is only half the battle. The many conversations you’ll have and personal details you’ll learn are all leading up to one thing – a real life meeting, the dreaded first date.
When you’re ready to take your hopeful relationship to the next level, off of the free online dating site and into the real world, there are many options you can choose from.
Unfortunately, most people settle for one of three popular—read: grossly overused—options: dinner (restaurant, diner, etc), movie, or a coffee shop/Internet café date. There are many other interesting and fun date ideas out there to use, and here are just a few.
Active
If you’re an active person, you’re probably seeking another active person on a free online dating site. Use this common interest on your date and go hiking on a popular trail, biking through a scenic town or city, or anything that puts your common interests on display and gives you a better chance for first date success.
Interesting
Okay, so this can be one of many things – think about something like glass-blowing, watching a war reenactment (these are far more humorous than violent – you’d have to see to realize), visiting an art gallery or photography exhibit, etc. These types of things, as you can tell, don’t exactly line up on either of your “favorites” list, but they’re interesting and give you something to remember about your date.
Sporty
How about skipping the dinner and movie and hitting up the driving range to smack some golf balls? You could also try bowling, shooting a game of pool (billiards), or, if your date is a card-carrying member of the NRA, even going to a shooting range. The idea here is to pick something fun that the both of you can get into.
There are countless options out there for a first date. Always remember to pick something that’s interesting and that will be easy to get through. On a first date, there’s a basic rule of thumb to remember: the date should be 50% about the two of you and 50% about where you’re spending it.