Ah summer. The air is filled with the fresh scents of late blooming flowers, freshly mowed grass, invasive body odor…and the possibility of the ever-elusive love. Summer is when lots of people open themselves up to dating, whether for a short-term fling, long-term commitment, or maybe refreshing a current relationship. This is the perfect time to step up your dating game (as you have your clothing).
As a single girl, it seems as though I’ve been on the same date over and over, just with different men: Dinner, Drinks or Coffee.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with those activities, the dates just start to blend together. So if you’re looking to stand out to someone you’re going to ask out… fellas, might be time to try something different. Yes, we notice that you’ve put some effort into how you dress, and that’ll set you apart from many other men around you, but we’re not dating your wardrobe. We want to date you. Putting a little more thought into a date, like the outfit you’ll wear on it, can really help you stand out. Here are five alternative dating ideas that will help you do just that.
Do you have a Shakespeare play company in your area? Is there a park nearby that offers weekly concerts? This is the perfect time of year to take in an outdoor event. Most places will allow you to bring in food, if not alcohol as well, or have vendors selling snacks and drinks. So, if you can, pack a picnic basket with some great snacks (a variety of cheeses, sliced meats, crackers, cut veggies, nuts), bottled water, a bottle of wine or two and a blanket to sit on. Outdoor plays and concerts are a great opportunity to be a little silly: play games like Your Team while people watching, dance if it’s a concert, speak to each other in a Shakespearean accent on the drive home – have fun! Wondering what to wear? Try this or this.
This is an updated and fun way to enjoy the traditional dinner date. You begin the evening at one person’s house, or favorite restaurant, and then move to a different location or home for each part of the meal, switching the choice of location back and forth between the two of you. You can show off your cooking skills (or fool your date by closely following one of our Make It For Your Date recipes), share your favorite food, introduce your date to something specific to your culture or family, or showcase your favorite restaurant(s). It feels a bit like a scavenger hunt if you’re doing this out and about. You pick a place for drinks, they pick a place for apps. Main course is on you, and then they pick a location for dessert (easy there Pep©).
This offers you and your date the opportunity to see each other in real ways – how will she react to what I’ve made? Will he be open to trying something new? These are attitudes and reactions that you want to know for the long-term anyway.
When is the last time you visited the attractions or monuments in your city? Even if you don’t live in a large metropolitan area, there are usually historical museums, memorial parks, botanical gardens or other such places in most towns. This is a great opportunity to brush up on your local lore as well as keep the both of you entertained. You then have the option of having dinner or drinks afterward, if you enjoyed each others company; it will give you a shared experience to talk about, instead of the usual “interview”.
Okay, okay. So, not everyone has access to a view like the image above. . . but, I bet there are some great locations nearby that would make for beautiful viewing. Take advantage of the natural resources around you: mountains, ocean, lakes, rivers, or fields (wheat swaying in the wind can be quite romantic) – try to find something less than 30 minutes away if this is a person you’ve just recently met. Look to what your city offers as well. Is there a bridge or tall building nearby that would offer you a great view of the city, or the sunset? Think outside the box, man! Pick up some takeout on your way, pop in some good music for the drive, and enjoy the view!
If you’re an active guy, I’m betting you want an active partner in crime. This is a great chance to see if your potential mate can keep up with you, or a good way to tell if you can be patient with someone who isn’t in as great of shape as you are (and if they can be patient with you). If you don’t have access to natural resources nearby for hiking, again, utilize what your city has to offer – parks, greenbelt paths, rivers running through the city, ritzy neighborhoods, etc. Research has shown that walking allows us to think faster, which should make the conversation easier and more enjoyable. So, pack a basket or backpack with the items mentioned above in the Outdoor Event suggestion, go for a walk, hike or bike ride (bike rentals are easily accessible), enjoy the conversation and burn some calories while you’re at it.
So there you have it, five fairly easy, alternative dates that will allow you to stand out from the dating crowd. What do you think? Have your own creative date ideas? Offer them up in the comments.
About the Author: Amber is a Licensed Professional Counselor and her goal is to help others become the best versions of themselves that they can be. When she’s not helping motivated clients reach their goals, she moonlights as the graphics guru here at Dappered. (Photo credits: Outdoor show, bike couple.)
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