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So you’ve met each other and you like each other? Great! Creating a good first impression is as hard as dating gets – rest assured it gets easier from this point on. When you don’t want to go for dinner or drinks again, picking interesting second dates needn’t be so tricky…
Having gotten over the initial nerves and awkwardness of the first date, it’s always handy to have a few good second date ideas up your sleeve to continue on the path to relationship success.
From old favorites to new and novel ways to impress your potential partner, here are our top 9 second date ideas:
Classic Second Date Ideas
1. Wine Tasting
The crucial difference between wine tasting and meeting for drinks is that the activity of trying different wines can stimulate the conversation – great when you’re still in the early stages of dating. Perfect second dates give you the opportunity to get to know each other better and enjoy a shared experience, and wine tasting is great for both these things. Plus there’s wine! What more could you want?
2. Visit an Art Gallery
They say that everyone’s a critic, and there’s something fun about experiencing art – both classic and modern – in company. It’s one of the better second date ideas for getting to know your potential partner and their taste; whether you love art or loathe it, you can have fun either discussing the virtues of one piece over another, or poking fun at a painting a child could have done. Be warned though, drastically different opinions here could spell big trouble if one of you is particularly passionate about the arts – try to gauge each other’s interest level on date one!
3. Wander Round a Botanical Garden
An ideal opportunity for you both to reconnect with the great outdoors, make the natural beauty of your local Botanical Gardens the setting for an open-air second date. The key to this idea is its simplicity – Botanical Gardens tend to be pretty big, so you’ll have loads of time to wander around and chat, and you don’t exactly have to be an expert to appreciate how gorgeous everything is! Perfect in the spring/summer, a good winter alternative would be an ice sculpture show.
READ MORE: See our best date ideas in London, Manchester, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh! (More UK cities to come!)
Active Second Date Ideas
4. Get Sporty
For some there’s nothing worse than the thought of exercising in front of a person you’re trying to impress. But there are plenty of scientific studies that support the claim that couples ‘who sweat together, stay together’, and if it happens to be a sport or activity you’re both interested in, it’s the perfect way to foster the bond between you. Tennis is a popular choice, but do bear in mind that you’ll be on opposite sides of a net – which isn’t great for a chat! We’d recommend something you could do side by side – hiking, jogging or rock-climbing are all good second date ideas.
5. Go For a Bike Ride
Is there anything nicer than a bike ride? We don’t think so! Yes the romance of a horse ride or hiring a boat might trump the humble bike, but the disastrous consequences of falling off the horse or getting wet probably make them both bad options as second dates. Save them for now! Plus, bike rental places can be found pretty much everywhere and are relatively cheap – free to go wherever you want, find a local beauty spot and get pedaling!
6. Play Mini-Golf
The least active of our active second date ideas, mini-golf is the sort of gentle, low-energy activity that even kids can do. It’s actually part of the charm; even non-athletes can take part and not feel too silly about it. Be warned though, it can get oddly competitive very quickly!
READ MORE: Does he like me? Quiz to discover the 10 tell-tale signs he likes you…
Creative Second Date Ideas
7. Make a Picnic
We love partners that can cook – along with being funny, it’s one of the most attractive characteristics in a potential partner. But it’s maybe still a bit soon to invite your date over – making them a picnic is the perfect compromise, particularly in the summertime. Even if you’re not a great cook, you can still impress your date with thoughtfully chosen foods – just be sure they’re not allergic to anything you serve!
8. Plot a New Trail Through Your City
You know that part of town you always meant to explore but haven’t? Now’s your chance! Frankly, doing anything for the first time together makes it more special – if you’re worried about accidentally choosing something terrible, just get some recommendations from your friends or colleagues. Open yourself up to the possibility, and maybe you’ll find a fascinating old building or a kitsch little bar or a great flea market that you’ll both always remember. Get in touch with your shared sense of adventure and get lost in each other’s company…
9. Take a Class Together
For something completely different, the last of our second date ideas is taking a class together. The beauty of this suggestion is not just the novelty factor – even if you don’t end up as a couple, at least you’ll have learnt a new skill! How about a cookery class (another good opportunity to show off your culinary talents) or something corny like line-dancing? Great fun can be had even if you do badly. Please note: taking a pottery class and going overboard with the impressions of Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore in Ghost is strictly forbidden.
READ MORE: EliteSingles matchmaking: how we help you find lasting love…
Special Mention: The 3 Worst Second Date Ideas
1. The Cinema
It’s still too soon! Unless you’re planning to go for drinks or a meal before/afterwards, sitting silently in the dark together is just no good for getting to know each other! That’s your priority right now.
2. Doing What You Did Last Time
Dating can get stale quickly. Really quickly. You should use second dates as an opportunity to show off a different side of you – even if you end up in another bar or restaurant later in the date, you’re guaranteed to have something to talk about if you’ve done something else beforehand…
3. Inviting them to a Family Dinner
Just don’t.
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About the author: Michael Middleton
Michael Middleton is an editor for EliteSingles.