Planning a great first date with a potential match can be stressful, especially if you’re short on time. As your trusted matchmaking team, we want you to walk into your first date with all of the confidence in the world, which is why aside from the Five Things That Make a Great First Date, we’ve sourced the top nine best first date ideas that won’t leave you feeling like a fish out of water.

Read on to see seven of our tried-and-true best first date ideas for a date you won’t soon forget.

Seven Best First Date Ideas for a Stress-Free Date

1. Invite Them to Do Something Familiar
   Okay, maybe meeting up in unfamiliar territory isn’t exactly your idea of a stress-free date night. If you’d rather not have to worry about what to expect, why not invite your date to do something familiar to you?
   
   For instance, if you belong to a club like a bowling team, or you have a particular hobby, ask your date to join you for an afternoon or evening. This can be a fun way to share more about your hobbies and interests while getting a feel for whether or not you share any commonalities. And since you know your way around, feeling out of place won’t be an issue.
2. Partake in Something Instructional
   If your idea of a good first date is one where you won’t have to worry about planning or being the center of attention, then an instructional event might be the best first date for you. First dates can be awkward for both parties. Trying out an instructional class like cooking, pottery making, glass blowing, painting, or woodworking can be a fun and easy way to break the ice and get a feel for whether there is a connection without worrying about What to Talk About On a First Date.
3. Take a Tour
   Like instructional classes, guided tours offer a stress-free way to break the ice without requiring too much planning on your part. Whether it be a vineyard or brewery tour, a guided tour through the city, or a sightseeing tour in a historic area close by, you can make the most of an afternoon or evening without feeling pressured to entertain the conversation all on your own.
4. Visit a Museum
   With perfectly chilled air and plenty to see, museums are among the best places for a first date. Most museums allow you to enjoy quiet conversation as you peruse from room to room. They also allow the opportunity for fascinating discussions about your date’s particular interests, likes, and dislikes about the museum displays and make for great conversation starters if your museum date happens to carry over into lunch or dinner.
5. Compete in a Trivia Night
   Maybe you’re too bubbly for a quiet conversation in a museum, or you know your date likes a little fun competition. In either case, a trivia night is one of the best places for a first date. With a light dinner, drinks, and a fun and lively atmosphere, you can show off your knowledge of the category at hand and work with your partner to quickly answer trivia questions, all while learning a little more about how they handle stressful situations. Plus, with all of the music and rapid-fire questioning, there’s hardly any time for awkward silence. Win-win!
6. Plan a Picnic
   If your idea of a great first date is one that puts you smack dab in the middle of nature, planning a picnic in your favorite setting is another option to consider. Picnics in the park, at the beach, or at a scenic or “secret” area you love to visit can be a great opportunity to slow down, enjoy the fresh air, and really get to know your date without any distractions. Pick up some food on the way, or prepare your favorites to show off your culinary skills!
7. Enjoy a Shared Hobby
   A 2021 It’s Just Lunch survey on How to Make a Great First Impression revealed that most singles believe hobbies and interests are the best conversation topics to discuss when meeting someone for the first time. With an overwhelming majority of men and women in agreement, why not take this fact one step further and make it a date? Sure, you may be nervous, but walking into a situation you and your date are both familiar with is a great opportunity to make your best impression while learning more about their experiences and history in the shared hobby you both enjoy so much.

No matter what you consider a good first date idea, the matchmakers at It’s Just Lunch want to help find you the partner that will make your first date one to remember. Talk to a matchmaker today to start dating, or browse our reviews to see how we help busy professionals like you find real love in a bustling world.