20 First Date Ideas That Actually Let You Get to Know Someone
Fun and interesting first date activities to properly get to know each other.
- Cyra Sanchez
- 7 min read
The classic first date of having dinner or grabbing coffee together doesn’t always help you get to know the person you’re seeing. That’s because casual meetings enable someone to put up a front in order to impress their date. If you truly want to get to know someone, you both have to be in situations where you have to show your real personalities. So start taking notes from this list of 20 first date ideas to get to know someone.
1. Visiting a bookstore
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If you and your date are into reading, you’ll both find pleasure in visiting a bookstore. This will tell you what kind of books they like to read or which genres are they into. You’ll also get the chance to ask for their thoughts or opinions about certain novels which gives you a good idea of their character.
2. Attend a comedy show
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If you like being humorous, you can find out your partner’s sense of humor by taking them to see a comedy show. This will show what kind of jokes they can tolerate, what makes them laugh, how playful or serious they can be, and which jokes might offend them.
3. Take an art class together
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Sometimes, an artist’s creation can give you a glimpse of their soul and that’s why this is a perfect first date idea if your partner loves art. During the activity, you can engage in deep talks which will let you know the other person on a deeper level. It’s also an opportunity to show off how creative you can be while observing your date’s artistic skills.
4. Have a picnic in the park
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Relaxing outdoors while watching other people in the park will give you plenty of topics to talk about on the first date. That’s why having a picnic is a good idea because it will also show you how much they love being outdoors, how social they can be in public, and how well they can judge someone’s character just by observing other people in the park.
5. Sign up as community volunteers
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Depending on what you’re both passionate about, you can suggest signing up as community volunteers. You can either help out the elderly or assist in taking care of animals that don’t have a home. This is a good way to find out your partner’s patience level, how they treat others, how kind they can be, and how well they can handle stress or pressure when challenges come along the way.
6. Visit a museum or art gallery
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Deep thinkers with an interest in art will love a trip to the museum or an art gallery. This gives you the chance to enjoy a quiet space with them while admiring the pieces that are on display. You can observe your date’s attitude, ask for their thoughts on historical events, and ask questions that go beyond the usual small talk.
7. Cook a meal you both love
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While it might sound awkward to spend your first date trying to cook something together, it’s still considered a unique experience due to how unusual this idea is. That said, cooking with someone lets you know their food preferences and how well you are able to work together as a team. This is a good way to test someone’s character while keeping things fun and casual on your date.
8. Play board games
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Many board games can keep your first date interesting, like chess, jenga, scrabble, monopoly, and more. Aside from having a friendly competition, you can also pay attention to how well they can handle loss or whether they mock you whenever they win. Plus, you can get a glimpse at how smart they are if they’re good at mind games like chess.
9. Attend a music festival
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If you both love music, you’ll learn a lot of things from each other by attending a music festival. Not only will you discover the kind of songs they love to jam to, but you’ll also find out how good they are at socializing with other people at the festival. It also shows if they’re confident in having fun in public or if they’re too shy to show their personality during big events.
10. Participate in an escape room
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If you want to test each other’s wits and find out how good you are as a team, go to an escape room. You’ll notice how they perform under pressure, how they react to stress, and how they deal with challenges as your teammate. Even though it’s just a game, it’s still a good way to get to know someone’s character.
11. Play together at an arcade
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Arcade dates offer a lot of games you can try together, such as shooting games, rhythm games, racing games, and many more. These games will show if you get along well together, whether they’re a good sport or not, if they’re too competitive, and other things that are easy to notice while playing games. Who knows, they might be really good at arcade games and you’ll be impressed by how fiery they can get when you play together.
12. Attend a trivia night
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You can get to know someone on a deeper level by challenging them to a trivia night. Each question can be a good conversation starter and it shows how knowledgeable your date is on certain topics. It’s also an opportunity to find out how competitive they are.
13. Fun physical activities
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Biking, hiking, rock climbing, and running a marathon are just a few examples of physical activities you can turn into dates. If you’re both physically active, take advantage of these activities to get to know your partner’s qualities. Find out if they’re strong-willed enough to finish a marathon with you or if they can keep up with your adventurous lifestyle.
14. Have a karaoke night
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You can book a private room for your date and sing till your heart is content. This gives you the chance to know if you like the same things or if you enjoy the same food, and if you both love to party in loud places. Having privacy can also encourage your date to express their true self around you.
15. Walk around the city
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You can take advantage of the places or scenery in your city by strolling around together. Whenever you pass by an interesting place, start a nice conversation to get to know your date. Walking together also shows how well-disciplined they are if they follow street rules such as no littering or no walking on the grass, for example.
16. Visit a farm together
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Find out how well-mannered your date is by taking them to visit a farm. You’ll notice if they get easily disgusted by normal things such as seeing mud or farm animals. This is a good way to gauge how tolerable they are as a person and how they can handle new environments.
17. Observe nature
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Set up a romantic spot and enjoy nature such as watching the sunset or stargazing on a quiet rooftop. These activities create a serene mood which can encourage your date to open up to you even more. It’s a good moment to talk about deep topics like their thoughts about life, the world, and the whole universe.
18. Play sports together
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If you both love sports, it’s always a fun idea to play together on a first date. You can test their sportsmanship, how playful they can get, and how well they can keep up with your interests. Someone who’s also into sports may also have opinions on sports culture and this is your chance to discuss their thoughts about sports controversies.
19. Visit the farmer’s market
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Going shopping together at the farmer’s market is also not a bad idea as a first date. Not only will you discover their food preferences, but you can also pay attention to how kind they are to local vendors, how they treat farmers, and how good they are at bargaining.
20. Attend a dance class
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Dancing can both be a fun and romantic date, so why not be bold and invite them to a dance class. You can test how good your chemistry is and if you make a good team by how well you’re able to synchronize your dance moves.