23 creative and unconventional first date ideas

Amy Daire,Samantha GrindellOct 28, 2022, 01:06 IST

Skip the usual dinner and take your date to a cooking class or arcade instead.Shutterstock

Thinking of a first date idea besides dinner or drinks can be difficult.
Insider created a list of unique date ideas that will help you stand out as you try to find the one.

You can take a baking or cooking class together.

A new relationship often means a few more date nights and special dinners.Getty Images

Specialty bars will make grabbing a drink more fun.

Bars don't have to be boring.David W Cerny/Reuters

You can volunteer together if you want a change of pace.

Doing service work together might bring you closer together.Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

Brewery and winery tours offer hands-on fun.

There are breweries almost everywhere.Studio4 / Getty Images

You can stop by an animal shelter to play with — or adopt — a furry friend.

Dogs make everything more fun.Mark Von Holden/AP

You can get to know your date while you thrift.

Thrift shopping can be a fun date.SolStock / Getty Images

Head to a karaoke bar with your date.

Singing can break the ice.skynesher / Getty Images

Attending a ghost tour can help you break the ice.

Haunted houses can be fun for dates.Rick Wilking/Reuters

You can attend a poetry or book reading together.

Readings are often free.Rifka Hayati / Getty Images

You can hit up a local trivia night.

Trivia can teach you a lot about the world and your date.Anna Bizon / Getty Images

You can flirt with your date at an arcade.

Arcades offer nostalgic fun.Photo by Roo Lewis / Getty Images

If you like the outdoors, you can hit the slopes or take a hike.

Outdoor dates are a fun, affordable option.svetikd / Getty Images

Rather than just heading to a theater, you can go to an interactive play.

Plays are always a good idea.andresr / Getty Images

You might be surprised by how much fun you have at a trampoline park.

It's an adventurous date idea.Rick Bowmer/AP

A weird museum will give you and your date plenty to talk about.

Museums are a great place to talk.JohnnyGreig / Getty Images

Enjoy your date by wandering around a flea market together.

Flea markets are perfect for day dates.Westend61 / Getty Images

If you're going on a date in the fall or winter, you can carve pumpkins or go look at lights.

Take advantage of the season.Viktoriia Hnatiuk/Getty Images

You can settle in for a puzzle night.

Puzzles will give you space to talk.Sidarta/Shutterstock

If you're a fan of the fates, you can get your palms read or see a psychic.

Get the fates involved in your date.Photographee.eu/shutterstock

Sports fans can go to a driving range or batting cage.

Golf is fun regardless of your skill.Westend61 / Getty Images

For those who are near a farm, you can go pick your own fruit.

This is another great seasonal date.asife/Shutterstock

You can make art together.

It doesn't matter if the paining is good.RgStudio / Getty Images

Bowling is a tried and true date option.

Bowling is a go-to for fun dates.bernardbodo / Getty Images

I tried fries from 3 fast-food chains in the South, and the best were tender yet crunchy

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