By Kristin Mattern
You’ve met someone special. You’re electrified with excitement and looking for a date idea, but you don’t have the money for a meal, or you’re just not feeling food for your first date. No problem! There are tons of great date ideas that will wow your new sweetie without having to deal with preparing a three-course dinner. With a little creativity, and a quick bite before you leave, you and your honey will have a wonderful time sans-food.
Start your date after dinnertime, and while you’ll still be ingesting something, grabbing a cup of coffee is a great way to begin the date. The two of you can meet up at the coffee shop of your choice, order your favorite drinks and treat your darling to his/her cup-of-joe. This nice gesture will get the date going. Sit and enjoy the cozy coffee shop atmosphere and chat over your drinks about what each of you do for a living, favorite activities and interests. Make sure to listen as much as you speak.You don’t want to dominate the conversation.
Related: Five Conversations to Avoid on the First Date
While you’re both enjoying your cozy caffeine haze and butterfly jitters, continue the date by heading over to a local museum. Admission is fairly priced, if not free, and the abundance of art or historical pieces makes for great conversation starters. Howaboutwe.com recommends The Merchant House Museum in NYC, the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA, the Hirshorn Museum in DC and the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco as some great date museums. As you tour, show off your art or history knowledge, or discover if your sweetie is a museum lover. Slowly meander through the exhibits as you chat about one another and the various items on display. Museums or art exhibitions are great because the two of you can still speak to one another while enjoying the stimulating cultural atmosphere. Learn about each other while you share the moment of learning something new.
After you’ve both exhausted the exhibits, grab your babe and take an urban stroll. Explore the town or city that the museum is located in, or drive to the nearest downtown area to take advantage of what the strip has to offer. Check out the town or city website before you go to find out what is going on in the area. Sometimes, especially in the warmer months, there will be live music or other free events like festivals and street fairs. Aim for your date to be on a day when an event is going on, so as you walk around you can enjoy the sweet sensations of a smooth jazz concert, or share some screams at a community carnival with your sweetheart. Play it smooth and make it seem like you didn’t know the event was going on, it will increase the first date magic and feeling of serendipity. If you live near a historic town, see if you can walk around battlefields or visit houses where important people have lived, like Teddy Roosevelt’s house, or where George Washington grew up. This date can take you anywhere; just make sure you both wear sturdy shoes.
Related: Falling In Love: When to Say the L-Word for the First Time
To end the date, find a place where the two of you can look out over the landscape of the city or town you are in. If you live near the water, head out to a local pier to admire the open ocean. Hold your honey as the sun goes down, or take in the beautiful sight of the moon shinning over the scenery. Get a little sentimental with this date ending, it’s sure to be a memorable one.
Ever gone “hungry” on a first date? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
