Hey, you’re pretty cool, ain’tcha? You’ve tried dozens of dating sites, and have landed at FreeAndSingle, the hottest map of your mission for romance. We’re honest about how strange, quirky and testing that journey may be, which is why we urge you to be slightly left-of-centre, and come up with a raft of unusual first date ideas.
2016 was a bit mental and turbulent, by all accounts; your love life may have mirrored it. Let’s strike another pose for 2017, shall we? One that pivots towards madness with a new partner, on a first meeting that shows you’re up for anything.
Breakout games
City dwellers will probably have seen the escape and breakout rooms popping up – usually in a dark, boxy-looking spot between a Greggs and a hair salon. Their illicit exterior hides a batch of timed, fiendish puzzle games, each focusing on its own theme. Think of it like Saw, but without the peril.
First date ideas are all about intimacy. Bond with your beau by teaming up to figure the way out, enjoying the close confines of your Breakout session. If your minds manage to meet, and the key is found, you may be on the same intellectual page…
Amateur art classes
Life drawing may not be the best option, as the only body you’d prefer to goggle at would be your partner’s (and likewise, we hope!). Yet a more abstract tutorial, like painting or free sketching, proves you want to learn a considered pursuit, even if your drawing skills don’t stretch beyond notes on the fridge.
Most communities have an art scene; you just need to know where to look. There’ll probably be a small admission fee, worth it for the laughs, cringes and flirtatious colour dabs you’ll enjoy together.
Scenic hikes
We all need a rest from the acrid madness of towns and skyscrapers. Plan an excursion to a place where the air is clear, and the grass is rough and wild. Oh, and take your hiking boots, because you might decide to crest a summit, particularly if it’s a spot you’ve always wanted to reach.
The terrain will be jagged, hilly and gorgeous enough to keep the conversation in good shape, even as you pause for breath, sipping a shared water beaker. As well as feeling physically invigorated, you’ll both be in-tune with each other – there’s nothing to distract from the bare-bones nature of your date.
Improv comedy nights
Yep, fair enough, it may be a complete bomb, since laugh-a-minute routines are usually quite subjective. But improvisational comedy – as in, the sort where there’s no plan for the evening, and the audience shouts out what they want to see – can also be fast, fun, and frivolously entertaining.
Plus, it’ll help you gauge whether your date is a shy somnambulist (rarely adding their voice to the crowd) or a dynamic, confident jokester, spurring on the madcap vibe with nary a reservation.
Unusual first date ideas are so, so much more exciting than wine and lasagne. Skip the meal, and give these suggestions a whirl! Your online dating kudos can only benefit from them, as will joining FreeAndSingle, assuming you haven’t take a dip into our singles database quite yet…