Getting to know someone special is what dating is all about.
Now that you’ve sailed through the first date and managed to get past some of those early relationship jitters, it is time to focus on planning a second date that impresses that person who has caught your eye.
This next date is the perfect time to show off your awesome personality while also using the opportunity to get to know the other person even better.
The best second date ideas are ones that allow you both to loosen up and have a little fun while you enjoy the spark that is developing.
1. Plan a Picnic in the Park
A picnic lunch is one of those good second date ideas that can’t go wrong. Pick a day when the weather is supposed to be nice, and put together a little basket of goodies.
Don’t forget to add some napkins and drinks. After you eat, go for a stroll and soak up the sunshine together.
2. Reach New Heights While Rock Climbing
Going on a rock climbing adventure lets you show off your athleticism and ability to think through a challenge.
Find out if your date is experienced with rock climbing first. If not, then make sure to pick a beginner climbing wall to keep frustration levels low. You might even spark their interest in the sport.
3. Go on a Bicycle Tour of the City
Rent bikes and go cycling through the downtown area of your favorite city. Asking them to ride bikes together shows your fun side, and you can check out more places than you would on foot.
Before your date, look for a coffee or sandwich shop where you can stop and enjoy a break.
4. Get Your Hearts Fluttering at the Amusement Park
Carnival rides and rollercoasters are sure to get your hearts pumping. You’ll have lots of time to talk and get to know the other person while you stand in line. Then, you get to play the hero and hold them close if they get scared on any of the rides.
Finish the date off by winning them a stuffed animal, or spring for a funnel cake for two.
5. Check Out Their Sense of Humor at a Comedy Show
People with a sense of humor make the best partners, but you have to make sure that your idea of a joke is aligned.
Comedy shows range from simple local open mic nights to ones hosted by professional comedians. Ask your date if they’d like to see a show, and enjoy watching those feel good vibes go up every time you share a laugh together.
6. Set Up a Wine Tour
Wine tours are a wonderful way to mingle with other people without the loud ambiance of a nightclub.
Wine tasting events also give you a chance to learn more about the different types of wine and the process that is used to make them. Who knows, you might even find a favorite type together to order on your next night out.
7. Sample Flavors at a Food Festival
Food festivals are the place to go to find out if your date is an adventurous eater. With so many options, you’ll also be able to save yourself from trying to pick a restaurant with something that you both want to eat.
Tell your date to bring their appetite, and be ready to find the best culinary delights in your community together.
8. Take Them for a Spin at the Ice Skating Rink
Holding hands is pretty much a guarantee if neither one of you is super steady on your feet. You can swap this date idea out for roller skating during the summer.
Between the festive skating rink music and helping to hold each other up, you’ll find that the fun during this date just keeps rolling.
9. Enjoy the Elegant Ambience at a Wine Bar
Wine bars often have a cozy, intimate set up that works great for as second date when you want to really get to know someone. There’s also something about a bottle of wine that just says romance.
You can plan this date as a standalone event, or pair it with a short movie to make sure you have time to talk.
10. Play Bartender at a Party
Introducing your new love interest to your friends is a simple as hosting a party. Ask your date if they have a favorite craft cocktail recipe. Then, invite them to help you mix a few drinks up during an upcoming event at your place.
They’ll have an easy conversation starter as they mix with your group, and being busy keeps them from feeling awkward.
11. Hit the Trails Together
Give your date a day that they’ll never forget on a horseback riding adventure. Horses tend to bring out people’s softer side, and riding down the nature trail will induce a sense of excitement.
12. Scoop Up Their Heart at an Ice Cream Shop
Simple second date ideas allow you to let the date go wherever you both feel led.
Pick up a couple of ice cream cones and stroll down a nearby street, or you could have a lovely sweet treat for two as you people watch from an outdoor table.
13. Visit the Local Flea Market
Flea markets are known for their eclectic array of items that are available for sale, and you’ll both have so much fun sifting through antiques and vintage clothing. Shopping together lets you see your date’s quirky side and decorating style.
14. Stroll Through the Botanical Gardens
Beautiful flowers and plants create the perfect backdrop for a romantic kiss, and your date will love having gorgeous backgrounds for their selfies.
If your local botanical gardens offer a night time tour, then check it out for a different view of the displays.
15. Cultivate a Few Culinary Skills
By the second date, you might not be ready to cook breakfast together just yet, but you can definitely whip up a delicious recipe in a cooking class.
Mixing ingredients and sampling the results is a great way to bond and get an idea of what your date likes to eat.
16. Scare Up Some Cuddles at a Haunted House
Are you ready to play the hero? A ghost tour lets your date have the perfect excuse to snuggle closer to you.
17. Pair Up to Uncover a Mystery
Solving a mystery together lets you see how well you work as a team. Pick a themed escape room that you think your date will love, and get ready to start hunting for clues.
18. Join Up With Friends to Explore the City
A scavenger hunt is a fun way to roam the city with your date. You can put together a list of your own or use a pre-made one.
This is another date that you can turn into a double. Competing against another pair of players amps up the excitement.
19. Play a Classic Game of Mini Golf
Strolling around the putting greens is a relaxing time that lets you talk and get to find out more about your partner. Make bets on who can get the next hole in one, and score a few kisses between each putt.
20. Get Closer in a Paddleboat
Paddleboating is a date idea that your romantic interests probably hasn’t done with someone else before. Pedaling side by side gives you a shared experience with tons of time for talking.
21. Sing Your Hearts Out at a Karaoke Bar
Singing a duet together pretty much seals that you are a couple. Try singing as loudly and badly as you can, or pull off a performance that earns you a standing ovation.
22. Take Part in a Holiday Festivity
Seasonal events are always filled with fun things to do. Whether you go to a tree lighting ceremony or dress up for a costume party, you’ll have a blast celebrating what might be the first of many holidays that you spend together.
23. Enjoy a Sunset Swim
Take watching the sunset together up a notch by doing it in a pool. Lounging on the water while watching the sky turns colors is unbelievably romantic.
24. Warm Up Around a Bonfire
Light up your date’s night by driving to the country and building a campfire. Bring along the makings for s’mores and toast to having a great 2nd date.
25. Go for a Scenic Drive
Going for a car ride together gives you tons of time to talk. Invite your date to talk about their favorite road trip memories or vacations. They’ll love that you show an interest, and you’ll discover a little more about what makes them tick.
26. Ask Them to Go Along on a Silly Quest
Are you looking for a hard-to-find item for your collection? Or, perhaps you want to find an obscure book. Just ask your date if they’d like to come along while you hunt through used bookstores and collector’s shops. Sharing a mission is a great way to bond.
27. Watch a Local Band
You can’t go wrong with watching a concert, and the rhythms in live music can actually mimic your heartbeat. Local bands tend to have smaller, more intimate concerts that work best for early dating.
28. Engage in a Little Competition
Board game bars are all the rage right now. Instead of making awkward small talk over drinks, you can keep things lighthearted by playing a board game. This is also an easy date idea to do at home when other places might be closed.
29. Shop at the Local Farmer’s Market
Searching through the local produce is a fun way to involve your date in making dinner plans. Get them to agree to making a meal out of the ingredients that you can find at the market.
30. Double Up on the Fun
A double date is an awesome way to see how you both fit in with the other’s inner circle. You could invite a couple friend of your own, or each one of you can bring your best friends and see if any sparks fly. Either way, you’re sure to have a wonderful time getting to know each other’s friends.
31. Get Tangled Up in the Tango Together
When was the last time that you literally swept someone off of their feet? A one-day dance class lets you show off your moves. You two might even end up making dance lessons a regular thing.
32. Show Off Your Passion for Quirky Facts
Trivia night often has surprising results. Whether your date seems to know everything about 70s music or they demonstrate a unique knack for guessing answers in the science category, you’ll have a blast.
33. Attend a Sports Event
Baseball, football and other sports are classics for dates, but you can also think outside of the box on this one.
Invite your date to watch your niece’s little league game, or plan to go to a fencing tournament. Doing something a little different makes this traditional date feel new again.
34. Pick Fruit at an Orchard
Fruit picking involves all of the things that make a date go right. On top of being outside in the sunshine, you get to learn something new about fruit together. If the date goes well, invite that special someone to hang out a little longer to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
35. Go on a Tandem Kayaking Trip
Kayaking is fun for anyone who enjoys watersports. On a tandem kayak, you get to enjoy each other’s company from your very closely placed seats. Synchronizing your paddling also gives you insight into how well you can move together to get things done.
36. Play an Outdoor Game
Frisbees are easy toys to toss in your car for a fun-filled day at the park. Or, you could ask your date if they’ve ever played bocce or croquet. If you live near a disc golf course, then you can easily meander around for hours taking shots at the goals.
37. Paint a Picture Together
Painting leaves lots of room for small talk that helps you discover more about each other.
You could take a painting class together or just pull out some canvases and paint. After your date, swap the paintings so that you each have an interesting piece of decor that sparks memories of your earliest dates.
40. Find a Retro Arcade
The lights and sounds of an arcade bring out your inner child. This is a fun activity that allows you the ultimate freedom to just go wild.
See which one of you can get the highest score on a classic game, and make the winner the one who gets to pick the next place to go together.
41. Challenge Them to a Go-Kart Race
Racing go-karts is another thrilling date that lets you let loose and have some serious fun. Passing each other up as you race to the finish line inspires some good-natured competition that keeps the adrenaline flowing.
42. Hike a Nature Trail
There’s no way that you can feel nervous when you are walking through a natural trail system.
This date is also great because it requires very little prep. Tell your date to wear their most comfortable hiking shoes, and pack a light lunch and water.
Be sure to stop somewhere pretty to enjoy a bite to eat while you revel in the beauty of nature and your special someone.
43. Let Your Relationship Take Off at a Hot Air Balloon Festival
Hot air balloons create a gorgeous scene when they are all gathered in one location. These festivals also tend to last into the evening, which allows for your date to last as long as you want.
If you’re really daring, consider going for a ride. That’s one memory that you’ll both have for the rest of your lives.
44. Connect on a Long Train Ride
Most people might use a train to get to their date’s location, but you can make this one of the most unique date ideas your romantic interest has ever seen.
Pick a train that goes to a long-distance destination so that you have lots of time to watch the scenic view and talk.
Since you don’t have to do the driving, you’ll be better able to focus on what your date has to say.
45. Find a Poetry Reading
Poetry slams are known for being a place where everyone is free to express themselves.
Whether your date decides to take advantage of an open mic night or you just take it all in from the audience, you can use what you hear as a springboard for more conversations.
Ask your date which poem they liked best, or how they felt during a particularly poignant piece.
46. Volunteer for a Charitable Cause
Doing something nice for others is one of those great second date ideas that sets a new relationship off on the right foot.
From serving food at a soup kitchen to running in a marathon, there are many different options for finding a volunteer opportunity that fits your skill set.
You can even turn this into a recurring date if you discover that you both love doing positive things to help out in your community.
47. Rent Each Other’s Favorite Movie
Watching a movie is not always very conducive to conversation, but sharing your favorite movies with each other can lead to a date night that is full of insight.
Start your movie session off by sharing a few reasons why it is your favorite movie. Then, spend some time talking about the other person’s reaction after each one.
48. Visit a Palm Reader
The second date is a time when the future is still unfolding. Most likely, you both have lots of questions about what might happen next.
Palm readings are a fun way to launch a discussion about your future dreams and goals. You also might even find out that you are destined to be together.
49. Get Lost in a Corn Maze
You might have just found each other, and now you can get lost together. Corn mazes pop up during the fall season each year. Look for a big one that requires you to spend a lot of time trying to figure your way out.
50. Watch a Meteor Shower
With a sky full of falling stars, it is impossible not to make a million wishes for a happy future together. Meteor showers are romantic, and they give you something to look for in the sky to talk.
It also helps that the best way to view a meteor shower is lying down on a soft blanket outside. If meteors aren’t actively falling, then use a sky gazing app on your smartphone to see how many constellations you can find.
51. Plan a Doggie Date
It might not be time to meet the family yet, but you can definitely see how your pets get along.
Take your dogs for a walk or a trip to the dog park. Spending time with your furry friends is a fun way to bond, and you’ll know it’s a great potential long-term relationship when your pets hit it off.
52. Go Day Camping
Setting up a short-term campsite lets you enjoy all of the perks of an overnight trip while you are still in the early stages of your relationship.
Try making a foil pack over a campfire or just lay around in some hammocks. Getting away from busyness of your everyday life allows you to focus on each other.
Scoring a third date isn’t hard when you know how to keep your date’s attention with new and exciting activities. Planning something out of the box shows your creativity and thoughtfulness.
Now, all you have to do is let them know about the awesome idea you have for getting to know each other better.
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