First date guide
20 safe first date ideas that are actually fun
A great first date is public, easy to get to, easy to leave, and gives you something to talk about besides work. These ideas work in almost any city or town, whether you matched online or met in person.
Low-key and easy to extend
- Coffee or tea at a café you know. Short, public and the classic low-pressure first meet.
- A drink at a busy neighborhood bar. Pick a place you like, at an hour when it's lively but you can still talk.
- Dessert or ice cream. A natural 45-minute date that's easy to extend into a walk.
- A walk somewhere busy. A waterfront, main street or popular park. Walking side by side takes the pressure off conversation.
Something to do together
- A museum or gallery. Many are free or cheap on certain days, and every room is a conversation starter.
- A farmers market or food hall. You each pick what you want, and there's always something to look at.
- Trivia night. Teamwork, a little friendly competition and plenty to laugh about.
- Mini golf, bowling or an arcade bar. Playful, public and great if you're both a little nervous.
- A bookstore or record shop browse, followed by coffee to talk about what you found.
- A free outdoor concert, festival or movie night. Check local event listings for the week.
Active and outdoors (daytime is best)
- A popular, well-used walking or bike trail. Stick to busy routes for a first date.
- A botanical garden or arboretum. Beautiful, calm and usually busy on weekends.
- A climbing gym, yoga class or fitness class you're both curious about.
- A sports game or local match. Lots of energy and natural breaks in conversation.
- A daytime picnic in a busy park. Better once you've video chatted or met briefly.
Creative and memorable
- A cooking, pottery or painting class. Something to do with your hands, and something to take home.
- A comedy show. Shared laughs, and you don't have to talk the whole time.
- A wine, coffee or chocolate tasting. Built-in topics and easy to keep short.
- A local landmark or scenic viewpoint you've always meant to visit.
- Brunch on a weekend. Daytime, public and relaxed, with no pressure to stay out late.
How to plan any first date safely
- Verify who you're meeting. On DateDish, every profile is selfie-verified, Verified badges are backed by an ID check matched to the person's face, and you can't chat without a selfie from the last 30 days.
- Choose a public place you know, and keep the first date short. You can always extend a great one.
- Get yourself there and back, and tell a friend where you'll be.
- Lock in the plan. With a DateDish date request, one person picks the venue, day and time, the other accepts or suggests something else, and nothing is locked in until you both agree.
- Leave whenever you want. You never owe anyone more of your time.
More tips: our first-date safety checklist and dating safety guide for women. Dating in DC? See 15 first date ideas in DC.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good first date idea?
Something public, easy to get to and easy to leave, with something to talk about: coffee, a museum, a food hall or market, trivia night, or a walk somewhere busy.
Where should you go on a first date with someone from a dating app?
A busy public place you know well, like a café, bar, museum or market, at a time when it's lively. Arrange your own transportation and tell a friend your plans.
How long should a first date be?
Around an hour or two is plenty. Keep it short enough to leave easily, and extend it if it's going well.
How can I make a first date safer?
Verify your match first, meet in public, keep it short, get yourself there and back, and tell a friend where you'll be. DateDish date requests let you agree on the venue, day and time in advance.
