{"id":83408,"date":"2018-04-27T10:14:24","date_gmt":"2018-04-27T15:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=83408"},"modified":"2025-11-24T13:29:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T19:29:30","slug":"the-8-very-best-first-date-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/people\/relationships\/the-8-very-best-first-date-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 8 First Date Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

There are essentially two categories of first dates.<\/p>\n

There are first dates with people you\u2019ve never seen in the flesh, nor probably talked to on the phone \u2014 those you met through an online dating service. The best first date for this scenario is the coffee date, which is something of a clich\u00e9, but for good reason: accordion-like in nature, you can cut things short after a 20-minute chat if the person\u2019s looks or personality don\u2019t match what you expected from their profile, or, if things go well, you can extend the date, and ask her if she\u2019d like to accompany you on a second activity \u2014 perhaps checking out a local street fair or farmer\u2019s market.<\/p>\n

Then there are first dates with someone you\u2019ve already met in person and chatted with a bit. Maybe a classmate, or a barista at a coffee shop you frequent, or a gal you talk with in passing at church. It could even be a long-time friend, who\u2019s previously been nothing more than that. You know them a little (or a lot), but you\u2019ve never gone on an actual date (defined by the 3 P\u2019s: Planned ahead, Paired off, Paid for<\/a>) with them. In this situation, in which you feel more confident in your chances with the person, and are eager to spend more time with them in a new context, you can opt for a first date that involves a little more commitment.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that category of first dates that the list below is focused on.<\/p>\n

A dynamite date in this category includes 5 elements:<\/p>\n