11 Proven First Date Ideas to Make You Look Like the Man

Have you wanted to ask her a girl on a date, but couldn’t come up with a good first date idea?

You have a much better chance of success when you ask a woman on a date with specific plans.

“Let’s go to the new bar in town Friday at 9,” is much better than, “Will you go out with me?”

Read through the breakdown of each first date idea so you’ll understand the reasoning and thought process before planning your date night.

The first date should include 3 important factors when planning. Fun, stimulate interaction, and cheap.

What to do on a First Date with a Girl?

Fun

You obviously want your woman to have a good time on the first date. But, fun is subjective.

You don’t have to take your date to Disney world for a fun, first date.

However, going to the gym to workout will clearly not be a fun date. Maybe a more realistic example would be, a bike ride.

Simply doing something together and enjoying each other’s company can be described as a fun date as long as you have good interaction.

Stimulate interaction

You need to talk with her to help establish a connection between the two of you.

This is why movies are regarded as the worst first date idea. I would add comedy shows, concerts, and any kind of theatrical stage performances as a terrible first date idea.

The date ideas on this list help facilitate the interaction and give opportunities for escalation.

The bike ride date, for example, gives you no chance to get close to her, lightly touch her, or whisper in her ear.

All things you should want to do if you want to turn the romantic interest into something more.

Cheap

The grand first date complete with lobster bisque, a chariot ride through the park, and airplanes drawing a heart in the sky is all fantasy.

Leave it in fantasy land.

You don’t need a crazy, expensive date to impress her. Most women like simple too. Especially for a first date.

You will likely spend some money, but nothing to break the bank.

Remember, it’s about sharing an experience together. Not how much money you spend.

I can also assure you of one key fact.

The more money you spend, the less of a chance you have with the woman.

Spending tons of money on a date makes her think you are desperate.

She’s thinking, “He doesn’t even know me and he’s spending money like that?”

Then she thinks, “He thinks he’s going to get lucky.”

Many men have made the mistake of thinking they could buy the woman.

It doesn’t work and never will.

It’s one of the most blatant ways of showing insecurity.

Spend wisely. That means, try to stay around $25 or less per date.

The only reason to spend more is if you are performing a venue change. For example, go to an event, then get drinks.

Casual First Date Ideas

Now let’s get to my list of best first date ideas.

Drinks

Drinks are always the best first date idea. Alcohol will allow her to relax and become more open. Drinks have stood the test of time as the best first date idea because they make the two of you have more fun. Perfect for stimulating interaction because she will talk more when she gets a little buzz. Drinks can be cheap or expensive depending on venue and drink orders. I would suggest scouting out a local bar ahead of time. That way you know average drink prices. Becoming a regular is even better. Drinks at a bar are the best venue change for any other date idea as well. After any date, you can suggest, “Let’s get drinks.” Grab some food

Guys often get this wrong because they try to do too much on a first date. I say, “Let’s grab some food,” to make it sound more informal from the start. “Let’s have dinner,” often implies a snooty Italian restaurant with a private table and curtains. The former is more like Smashburger or Wendy’s. Something about a familiar food place takes the pressure off. This helps stimulate interaction. Makes it less of a date and more of two people just meeting up. This is a good cheap date. And if things are going well, could easily venue change to drinks. Local event

Local events are potentially the best first dates you can plan. Keep good track of the local events happening in your town. That way you will know about the good ones before setting up your date. Look for events involving vendors, food, and music. For example, one of the best dates I’ve had was an Oktoberfest event at the park. I bought both our cups for unlimited beer samples. We ate some brats and pretzels. I spent about $23 total. She talked about that date for an entire year. I wasn’t expecting her response for such a simple date. Apparently, it was very memorable and I highly recommend those local events for a first date. Bonus points if they include alcohol. Try to research the events ahead of time. Some of them are basically a fundraiser for the city and get pricey. Nearly all carnivals are pricey, so avoid those for first dates. Events featuring vendors are ways for them to advertise, so you can usually get samples or at least cheap stuff. Once again, keep track of your local events. These are gold for first dates! House party

House parties are often better than bars and clubs because of the intimate setting. That makes for a decent first date idea. And of course, you have to know someone to get invited. You’ll likely just drink and talk which stimulates the interaction. And plenty of opportunities to escalate if things are going well. Be very cautious about what kind of party you take her to and be ready to leave quickly if needed. For instance, if you walk in and see 10 guys for every 1 girl, leave immediately! Short Hike

A short hike is a good way to get the blood-flowing and connect on a first date. Just the two of you walking in nature stimulates conversation in a very relaxing environment. Keep it short, half a mile up to 1.5 miles as the longest distance. Unless she’s expressed interest in hiking, keep it short. Bring some water and maybe some snacks. If the hike is around some scenery, that’s even better. Another idea is hiking and having a small picnic along the trail. Grab some brochen bread and make awesome sandwiches. Talk about cheap, this date is practically free. Scenic spot

Drive out to a scenic place and walking around is a creative first date idea. You can go to a popular local scenic place or a little-known spot. Be creative with your scenic spots. This may take some exploration beforehand because you want to show her something she hasn’t seen. Or even something she’s already seen from a different view. I used to live by a popular lake that most people had seen because of parties typically. However, I used to fish at the lake so I knew the sunset perfectly off the ridge. It wasn’t common knowledge in the area because the roads are confusing. If you have a secret, interesting scenic view to show, that’s a great date. You will need to sense a high level of comfort for this date since you’ll be making a drive. Don’t go too far. I think an hour drive is a little far for a first date. I’d say 45 minutes maximum. You don’t want to spend the whole date driving. Especially for a first date. Aside from gas, you’ll probably want to grab some fast food real quick or have a basic picnic. Otherwise, very easy on the pockets. Unless you drive a Hummer. An easy class

Dance class is regarded as a great first date because you get close and touch each other. You’re also learning a new skill, together. Learning something new with someone helps connect the two of you with that skill. Besides dancing, you have cooking, painting, and other kinds of art. Your possibilities are limited to your area. You can usually find all kinds of classes and they range from free to costly. I have seen a cooking class that cost $250/person. Check out the local rec, community college, technical college, university satellite campus, etc. I say, “easy class” because you don’t want to sign her up for advanced rock-climbing class. Something you can do together, easily. Art exhibit

Art galleries are another classic, first date idea. The interaction is stimulated because you can discuss the art. You will also have plenty of opportunities to get close to her and subtlely touch her. Sometimes you can gauge if she’s a positive or negative person based on how she responds to art pieces. Definitely, pay attention to her trend of thoughts if you’re looking long-term. You don’t want to be in a relationship with an overly negative person. Usually free, but sometimes a few bucks to get in. Semi-Pro sports game

A semi-pro sports game or local team game is a great first date idea. Most cities at least have an amateur baseball team. Tickets are usually cheap and they aren’t crowded like professional sporting events. The less than crowded venues allow you to get closer and escalate the date. You’ll also be able to talk without too much noise interfering with your conversation. Concession stand prices are a little high as usual, but nothing like a professional sports concession stand. Think $3 for a beer versus $8 at an MLB game. Another great thing about these less popular team games is they tend to be blowouts. This means you can easily leave early to get drinks. Baseball games specifically, are long and mostly include hot weather. No problem to suggest leaving early. Looks cool when you have better things to do. A new place that just opened

This can be a bar, club, burger joint, art gallery, or any kind of venue new to your city. Stay away from most new restaurants because they’ll likely be expensive. But, a new “Five Guys Burgers” opening up is a great first date. More of a high-end fast food chain. Popular, but not on every corner like Wendy’s. You may need to scout the venue first to make sure it’s not too expensive, and to have an idea of what to expect on the date. No surprises. Always be on the lookout for new places opening in your town because a girl will remember the first time she went, it was with you.

Coffee

Coffee is a very popular first date for good reason.

Cheap and safe, which is why most people use this as a first date for people they meet online.

Also, if things are going well, you can easily venue change to another date idea.

Of course, this isn’t the most fun date you can have, but if you’re moving the interaction forward, she’ll still enjoy herself.

Weather permitting, sit outside. This will allow the two of you some personal time and make the date feel more private.

Always have one of these date ideas ready to go because you never know when you’ll meet an attractive woman to ask on a date.

You have a better chance of success if you already have plans ready to go, so you can be specific with your date choice.

Let me know what you think in the comments section. Which of these first date ideas is your favorite?