So, you’ve had a first date. Now it’s time for the second date. So how can you make the second date as memorable as the first? Well, we’ve got a ton of date ideas for you to choose from.
For the first date, you might have done the typical restaurant or coffee date. But for the second date, it’s time to kick it up a notch and doing something a little different. Hopefully something that will help you get to know more about who they really are. After all, we all put on a bit of an act for the first date.
Because everyone is different, I’ve included a variety of second date ideas. Everything from extreme to relaxing, from cultured to crazy, from loud to quiet. Plus, there are a lot of shorter date ideas you can combine with your main date idea or keep as backups in case plan A doesn’t work out.
The best option is just to send them these date ideas and have them choose three or four they’d like to do. And then you decide which of those three or four you’d be game for.
You might be tempted to make the date idea a surprise, but that can often be a bad idea unless the person you are dating is adventurous. If you do decide to surprise them, at least let them know what kind of clothing they should wear. You don’t want to plan a day of paintballing and have them show up in their best outfit.
Also, it’s a great idea to have a backup date idea if it looks like your date isn’t having a good time. There are so many date ideas here you should be able to choose a backup date option, no problem. So, here we go!
101 Second date ideas list
1. Rent motorized skateboards and zip around town.
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I would recommend those stand-up scooters/skateboards where you have the controller in your hand. A load of fun and a great way to get around. Stop at whichever shops look exciting and make a day of it.
2. Find something touristy in your area that neither of you has done and do that.
Most locals never get around to doing the touristy stuff. Find out what is popular in your town on TripAdvisor and pretend to be a tourist in your own town. You can even make up fake personas if you want.
3. Find some cool science experiment videos on YouTube and try them out.
Whether they fail or succeed, you are both sure to have a good time trying them out. Just make sure to go shopping ahead of time to get all the ingredients and create a playlist of stuff to try. You can both choose some videos to try before the date.
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4. Join a fun looking meetup together.
There are a lot of meetups these days, and they cover almost every interest. Find one that you think you’ll both find interesting and give it a shot. You can search for meetups in “your town/city” in Google or see what meetup.com has to offer.
5. Do a pub crawl, coffee shop crawl, thrift store crawl, or any other type of crawl you want.
Pick a theme, plot some of them on a map, and go! Works well with some of the other date ideas like renting scooters or bikes to ride around town.
6. Buy a bunch of seeds. Plant them all around town.
Sounds weird, but can be a lot of fun visiting new places and secretly or not so secretly planting seeds. It makes you look at your surroundings in a new way. Plus, it’s very cool when you start seeing the plants begin to sprout and bloom.
7. Go to an antique store, look at the old photos they usually have in a drawer and make up stories about the people in them. Or just treasure hunt some awesome old stuff.
Antique stores have a lot of neat stuff in them. You’ll both probably come home with some neat trinkets or decorations for your house. Plus, you get to guess what some of the old tools/appliances were used for. Lots to talk about and check out in antique stores.
8. Go to an open mic night. Bonus points if one or both of you get up on stage.
This one can be a bit hit or miss because at some open mic nights it’s a little challenging to have a conversation with all the noise. But you’ll definitely have something to talk about afterward, and if one / both of you gets up on stage, it’ll surely be a memorable evening.
9. Find a bingo place and play bingo.
Okay so I know people associate bingo with senior citizens, but it can be a lot of fun and pretty exciting. Plus, there is a good chance neither of you have ever been to a bingo parlor. Hooray for new experiences!
10. Go to one of those dinner theater/murder mystery places.
Nothing like dinner and a show. It can be a bit expensive, but if you don’t mind spending a bit more, it can make for a fun and exciting second date.
11.Do some wine tasting at a local vineyard if one is around. If not, you might be able to find wine tasting festival.
Always good to support local, and you get some wine in the process! It’s an excellent way to find a new wine you like, plus wine has a way of relaxing nerves.
12. Take a factory or brewery or bakery tour.
Sounds like a field trip, but it’s usually pretty entertaining. If nothing else, it’s a date idea that neither of you has tried! Plus, if you go for a bakery or brewery tour, you get some tasty samples.
13. Go to a local fundraising event.
Do a little good on your second date and have fun in the process. There are always groups running fundraising events, and they can be a lot of fun.
14. Take a dance lesson.
You don’t need to hit the club to dance, you can take a dance class! Bonus points if you take a dancing class with a type of dancing that you both haven’t tried. Just try not to step on too many toes.
15. Do one of those wine and painting classes.
Get in touch with your inner painter or at least your inner wine drinker. They make these classes relatively easy for beginners so don’t worry if you’ve never painted before. But it might not be the best choice if one of you is actually good at painting.
16. Go foraging for edible plants and berries and make a meal with them.
You’d be surprised how many plants we consider weeds are edible. You and your date definitely need to be of a certain mindset or very open minded for this one, but it can be a fun way to cook dinner together and learn about what plants and weeds are edible.
17. Go to a local nonprofessional sports game. Like a high school football game or a little league game. Choose a side to cheer for or cheer for opposing teams.
Lots of fun and usually quieter than professional sports games. Plus, a lot cheaper. It’ll give you a lot of chances to talk, and you’ll be able to support a local team!
18. Mini book club. Each of you picks a short story, novella, or graphic novel for the other to read, and then you get together on the second date and discuss them.
This one is an excellent idea if you are both into books. But I wouldn’t suggest it unless you are both avid readers. If someone doesn’t read much, it might make them feel like they are preparing for a book report.
19. Do a photo booth crawl and make silly photos at every booth you can find.
This one is a spinoff of the “crawl” idea I mentioned earlier and can be a great way to have a lot of fun on a date. It’s a perfect excuse to act silly. On the way to the next booth, you can plan out what theme you are going to do for your next set. Bonus points if you pick up props for the photos at a dollar store.
20. Do a seasonally themed date.
Do some stereotypical seasonal activities together like building a snowman if it’s winter or going to the beach or pool if it’s summer. For fall or spring, you could carve a pumpkin or paint Easter eggs. Have seasonal food and drinks after the activity.
21. Both of you download an app/game in which you have to walk or travel around the real world to achieve goals in the game.
There are a lot of these games for both Android and iOS. If you search augmented reality games, you’ll probably find quite a few.
22. Make a bucket list, talk about all the things you put on yours, steal good ideas and brainstorm ideas together.
This is a great “get to know you” date idea. You can find out more about their goals and aspirations, and see if they match or complement your own. It’s a perfect activity for a coffee shop.
23. Go ziplining.
Always nice to do something that gets the heart pumping. It’s a perfect short date idea if you don’t have a full day to have the date.
24. Have a cooking competition with whatever food you have in your or their house.
If both of you are comfortable with visiting the other’s house on a second date, this can be an enjoyable way to spend the evening. It forces you both to be creative and can lead to some hilarious results.
25. Pick out workout videos on YouTube and do them together.
Once again, this one is better if you both are into fitness and working out. Doesn’t really work so well if neither of you is into fitness or if only one of you is.
26. Drive around looking for yard sales and see if you can find any cool stuff.
It’s like treasure hunting! You can find out what kind of stuff they are into and maybe find some super cool things for yourself. Plus driving around looking at random people’s stuff leads to some funny conversations.
27. Get some coloring books and color.
This one is on the super relaxed side. It’ll give you lots of time to talk and can be quite soothing. Just make sure it’s something your date will enjoy. You can do it at a park or at a coffee shop.
28. Learn about local history and visit some historical spots.
Okay so not everyone is interested in history, but this can be a great way to learn more about your town. And you’ll get to travel around to places in your town you might not have visited. You’d be surprised how much fascinating history there is in every town and city.
29. Go see a local band.
If you are both into music, this is a great option. It’s not really conducive to conversation, but if you are both into music, it can be a great way to spend the evening.
30. Do some pub trivia.
This one is a fun option if you want some drinks, but don’t want to just sit at the bar together. Now you can sit at the bar and try to answer trivia questions! It gives you a lot to talk about, and you can find out what they are interested in. Whether you win or lose, it’s still a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
31. Try to take great pictures of each other in different locations.
Basically, pretend to be photographers. Everyone appreciates a good picture of themselves. And even if neither of you is a professional, that shouldn’t stop you from trying to get some awesome pictures.
32. Go see some live standup comedy.
Not the best place for conversation, but hopefully you’ll both get some good laughs at the show. And as long as you both have fun on the second date, that’s what’s important.
33. See what’s happening at a local university. Chances are they’ll have talks, events, fundraisers, etc. that you can pick and choose from.
Unless you are going to college, it’s unlikely that you’d think to check your local university or college for something to do. But most of them have lots of things going on all month that are open to the general public.
34. Rent a skateboard or longboard and give it a go.
So, this one. This one is a bit risky. It can be a lot of fun no matter what your or their skill level is. But if one of you gets seriously injured, well that’s not fun at all. A trip to the hospital does not make for a good second date. So, choose this one with caution.
35. Find a project on Pinterest or Instructables and make it together.
Similar to the YouTube science project date idea, this works well because it gets you both working together. And once you’ve finished the project you can look with pride on your creation or if it’s less than perfect you can always have a good laugh.
36. Go to a rodeo if you can find one.
If you are both into rodeos, excellent, there you go. But, you don’t have to be a cowboy or cowgirl to go to a rodeo. And if you’ve never been to one, well it’s definitely an experience.
37. Get lyrical and write an original song. Bonus if you can also bust out a tune for it and sing it together.
This is a date idea that can be done at a bar or coffee shop. It can be a blast collaborating and is a great way to get creative. Just make sure to have fun with it and don’t take it too seriously.
38. Try on ridiculous clothing/outfits you would never usually wear.
The mall is the perfect place to do this. It can get hilarious really quick. And who knows, you might find that you look terrific in an entirely different style than you usually rock.
39. Rent a sailboat or a paddleboat.
For this one, a body of water is a must. But most towns or cities have a few lakes around. And there is a good chance someone is renting out things that float. So, go out on the water and have a good time.
40. Pick a country’s cuisine that neither of you has tried and give it a shot.
This one is a bit of a gamble because you won’t know if you both will like the food or not. But if you are both adventurous it can be a lot of fun experiencing a new cuisine together. And you’ve both got a natural topic of conversation to fall back on, the new food! It can lead to a very memorable date.
41. Buy some paints and canvas and find a place to paint (a park, your house, etc.).
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A great idea if you are both horrible at painting or are both aspiring painters. If one of you is way better than the other, it might not be the best choice. If you are both horrible at painting, it can be a hilarious way to spend a date. And if you are both good at painting you
get to connect over your love of art.
42. Go to a science center if your city has one.
Science centers are usually filled with all kinds of fun hands-on activities. You might think that they are mostly for kids, but what are adults? Kids who got taller. It’ll be fun and exciting. Plus, you’ll both have lots to talk about, and you both might just learn something new.
43. Hit an arcade or video game bar.
Most cities have a video game bar or arcade, and it’s a great way to have some friendly competition or some coop gameplay. Just make sure to keep it relaxed and casual. Don’t get all ultra-competitive. It might not be the best place for conversation, but it can be a lot of fun!
44. Go to a car show.
This one can be kind of hit or miss depending on how much you both like cars. But even if you both aren’t super into cars, it’s a good excuse to walk around and talk. Plus, if you both have never been to a car show, it might be a cool new experience.
45. Go to a class that teaches you how to make something at a makerspace or your library.
Learning something new together can be a lot of fun. And libraries and makerspaces often run classes that are free or very reasonably priced. It can be a great way to bond over doing something new.
46. Head to the zoo.
Zoos are great places to walk around and talk. It’s casual and relaxed, and with so many animal exhibits there is always something to talk about.
47. Hit up an art museum.
Whether you are both into art or not, an art museum can be a quiet place to walk around and have a conversation. If one or both of you are into art, you can talk about the paintings and what you think of them. If you both aren’t into art, you can always play “pretend to be an expert” that I talk about further down the list, and make up things about the paintings and sculptures. Consistently good for a laugh.
48. Go for a hike.
If you are both the outdoors type, hiking can be a great option. It gives you lots of time to talk or just to enjoy nature together. And wherever you are there is sure to be a hiking trail somewhere nearby. Plus, it’s usually free!
49. Go jogging.
If you are both into fitness and jogging, a jog can be a great way to bond over something you both love. But this suggestion really only works if you are both into jogging. If just one of you is, or if neither of you is, you might try giving this idea a pass.
50. Play disc golf.
This hobby often gets overlooked, but it’s super cheap to start. And most towns and cities have a disc golf course. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon and gives you something to do while you are getting to know each other.
51. Play some putt-putt.
Chances are you haven’t done putt-putt in quite a while. But, it can be a lot of fun as long as you don’t take it too seriously. Never take putt-putt too seriously, it would be way too frustrating. And with a name like putt-putt, it’s okay to be a little silly.
52. Do some geocaching.
It’s like hiking plus surprise presents! It can be a lot of fun searching for the geocache together, and you might just visit some remarkable places neither of you have been before.
53. Go on a walk through a park.
It’s relaxing, it’s free, it gives you plenty of time to talk. What’s not to love about taking a walk in the park on a date? You could bring a frisbee, pack a lunch, and make a day of it. A lot of the other date ideas go well with a walk in the park.
54. Go paintballing.
So, this one might be a bit intense if they’ve never been paintballing. If you both have never tried it, go for it. It’s a blast. Just make sure you are okay with a little bit of stinging pain. Be on the same team though, no need to make them mad by peppering them with paintballs.
55. Go to a local festival.
If you live in a smaller town, there might not be so many festivals. But if you live in a bigger city there are festivals of some type almost every month. Have a look at a city calendar and see if there is a festival that sounds fun.
56. Buy a puzzle and hit a coffee shop.
Like the coloring date idea, this one is really relaxing. And there is a lot of time to talk and get to know each other. You just have to make sure that your date likes puzzles rather than finding them dull.
57. Play some board games or card games at a board game café or a gaming store (they usually have tables set up).
So, depending on how competitive you both are this idea can be a little dangerous. (Looking at you monopoly.) But as long as you both aren’t taking it too seriously it can be a blast. Pick out a favorite board game or choose a new one that looks interesting.
58. Go swimming.
This one is kind of seasonally dependent. Going swimming in the winter is not so fun. But there are usually indoor pools as well that you can try. Just make sure your date likes swimming / can swim.
59. Go canoeing, rafting, or tubing.
Continuing the aquatic theme, find a river or stream and rent a canoe, tube, or raft. A day out on the water is usually a good time. And if you are lucky enough to live near rapids you could give white water rafting a go.
60. Plan the perfect vacation.
This works best if you share a laptop. Otherwise, you end up both looking at your phones or looking at your separate laptop. Find a country or countries to visit, choose what you want to do, pick some impressive hotels. You’ll be able to see what they find fun and exciting and maybe get some more date ideas for next time.
61. Take a mini road trip to someplace not too far away.
Research what there is to do in a town close by and choose something you both will be interested in. It’s like a super mini vacation to a nearby city.
62. Do an animal encounter at a zoo, like swimming with dolphins or hanging out with a tiger.
So, I know I already mentioned zoo, but I thought this deserved its own spot. It’s super expensive, but as far as date ideas go, it’s something neither one of you will ever forget.
63. Go to the nearest amusement park or water park.
Amusement parks and water parks are always a blast, so if you’ve got one not too far away give it a go. It’s, of course, better if you can do it on a weekday, but if you both work all week, weekends are doable as well.
64. Go donate blood together.
This one is a much shorter date idea, but it could easily be added to another date idea. It’s definitely not a typical date idea, but giving blood is an awesome thing to do, so why not do it together?
65. Find a craft beer bar and try a bunch of the beers.
Beer is great, and more beer is better! Try a bunch of them and who knows, you might just find a new favorite. As an added benefit, you can try each other’s beers and talk about what you liked about each. Doesn’t really work though if your date isn’t into beer though.
66. Watch a movie in the park or at a drive-in movie theater.
If there are no drive-ins in your area, make your own. Buy some snacks, find somewhere scenic to park, grab a tablet, put it on the dash.
67. Find a place with a rock climbing wall and go rock climbing.
Another fun physical activity you can do together. It won’t be an all-day thing, but it’s great for a short date or as an add-on or back-up date.
68. See a play.
Support your local theater scene and check out a play. You won’t be able to talk during the play, but then again you can’t talk during movies either. And whether it’s good or bad, you’ll still have something to talk about afterward. It’s a great spin on the traditional dinner and a movie.
69. Find a scavenger hunt list online or make your own, and do a scavenger hunt by taking pictures of the things on the list.
Grab a list and your cell phones, and you are ready to go on an adventure. Hunt down all the things on the list and take pictures of them. It’s an excellent excuse to get out and do something different.
70. Go skydiving.
This one is a little extreme. And expensive. But like the animal encounter idea, you’ll both remember this date for a long time! It might be overkill, but you only get one life, may as well live it up.
71. Find a beach or some sand and make an impressive sandcastle or sand sculpture.
Okay, so this is a little hard to do if you don’t live by the beach. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go buy some sand and make a sand pit or make a mini beach. That being said, this date idea is way easier if you live near a beach or someplace sandy.
72. Make a list of missions to accomplish and see how many you can get through. (i.e., buy an ice cream from an ice cream truck, find 3 pay phones, get a bull’s eye, etc.)
You need a little creativity for this date idea, but it’s entirely doable. You could also get your date to send some mission ideas as well. This date idea is adaptable and is as fun as you make it.
73. Pick some fruit at a local farm.
Lots of farms are partially open to the public, and they let you come in and pick your own fruit. So, go out, pick some fresh fruit, and enjoy it together.
74. Find a place you can make a campfire and make smores. Beers always go well with a campfire as well.
There is something hypnotic about watching a fire. It makes for easy, relaxing conversation. And who doesn’t love smores?
75. Go fishing.
Once again, not the most common date idea, but it gives you a lot of time to talk and get to know each other. If it’s legal, having a few drinks while fishing is a great way to spend the day.
76. Visit a national or state park.
Chances are that there are at least a couple of national or state parks within driving distance of you. Grab a takeout lunch and go experience what the park has to offer. There’s nothing like getting out in nature to soothe the soul.
77. Brew some beer together.
You’ll need a kit for this one, and it can get a little expensive. Also, you both, unfortunately, won’t get to try the beer you brewed together that day. But then again, that could be the next date night. All that being said though, just like the project and science experiment date ideas, doing something together is very rewarding.
78. Go to an escape room.
These are popping up in more and more places. You go into a room and see if you can solve a mystery using the clues provided. A lot of fun and can be a great way to spend an hour.
79. Buy some Lego kits and put them together.
Like the puzzle idea, your date has to like Legos. But if they do, it can be fun picking one out together and then putting it together. Perfect for a coffee shop or a trendy bar.
80. Go to a shooting range.
If you are both into guns, this is a natural choice. But even if you aren’t it’s a blast to try (no pun intended). It can get a little expensive, but it’s definitely memorable if you’ve never done it before.
81. Find a beautiful place to skip rocks.
This date idea is a great way to relax while still enjoying nature. You won’t be doing it all day, but it’s a great add-on to a trip to a park or a national park.
82. Go horseback riding.
Another one that can get a little expensive. But it’s not a standard date idea, and if you or your date has never tried horseback riding, it’s something you won’t forget.
83. Do a sport or activity you are both horrible at or have never done (table tennis, bowling, badminton, etc.).
Making sure you are both horrible at it is vital. You don’t want either one of you taking it too seriously. It should be good for a laugh.
84. Go kart racing.
Tons of fun even though it can be a little expensive. I’ve never met anyone who went around a go-kart track and was bored doing it. Sure, it won’t last all day, but it’s a fantastic add-on activity.
85. Budget mad scientist.
Assign your selves a budget of 10 or 20 dollars. Then go to Walmart or the Dollar Store and see what awesome contraption you can cobble together using only the things you bought with your budget. Creativity meets crafts. It’s cheap, fun, and you’ll probably get a good story out of it!
86. Cook together. Find a recipe for something neither of you has ever made and make it. For bonus points, prepare dessert as well.
Similar to the cook whatever you can with whatever is available date mentioned earlier. It’s not as creatively challenging, but it will probably yield a more edible dinner than the other date idea.
87. Buy some kites and go fly them, weather permitting of course.
Who doesn’t like flying a kite? And when was the last time you flew a kite? This is one of those rom-com ideas, but it’ll be fun. Perfect for a trip to the park.
88. Get some sidewalk chalk and get creative.
Cheap, fun, and good for a laugh. It’s more fun than you’d expect making the concrete and asphalt your canvas, even if you are both terrible at drawing.
89. Go to a flea market.
Just like going to an antique store or going to yard sales, going to a flea market can yield some interesting treasures. You’ll always see something unexpected at a flea market.
90. People watch.
This one is really dependent on the person. Some people love sitting and people watching, and some don’t. One fun thing to do is create imaginary and fantastical backstories for the people you are watching.
91. Play fake tour guide/art expert.
Go to a museum or historical location. Pretend to be the tour guide or expert and make up outrageous “facts” about the art or the history of the area. Then switch roles. Bonus points if you pick up random people for your tours.
92. Have an impromptu 4th of July celebration.
Or any holiday really. Make a Thanksgiving dinner for the two of you or wear green and go out and have a bunch of beers and bring green food coloring for the beer.
93. Get dressed in your most expensive clothes, pretend to be a wealthy couple, test drive expensive cars or go to open houses.
It can be a lot of fun pretending to be someone else. You can make up fake names and backstories for yourselves as well. See how well you can pull it off.
94. Take a train ride somewhere.
Riding a train isn’t very common in a lot of places in the USA. But there is a good chance that there is a train station in your city or town. Just make sure you’ll be able to catch the train back!
95. Volunteer at a local charity together.
Doing things for others is very satisfying and if you and your date often volunteer anyways, why not do it together? It can be a great way to spend the day and give your time to help someone else.
96. Go to an indoor trampoline gym, gymnastics gym, or obstacle course.
If your city or town has one of these, it’s a great place to take a date. They’re so much fun, and you’ll feel like a kid again.
97. Go ice skating.
Once again, helps if you are both terrible or both pretty good. But if you are good and your date isn’t, you could always try teaching them how to ice skate.
98. Play laser tag together.
Not as much fun as paintball, but also less expensive and less painful. Just make sure your date is up for it. Laser tag, even though it is pretty awesome, is not everyone’s idea of a fun date.
99. If you both play a MMORPG, an online multiplayer shooter, or some other online game you could have the second date in game.
Entirely depends on both of you being into gaming, but if you both are it can be a great second date and a great way to do something you both love.
100. Write a story together
This is another date idea that is a little bit short but is still pretty fun. Get a piece of paper, you write two sentences of a story then pass it to them. Then they write two sentences. And then you write two sentences, they write two sentences, and so on. The story gets pretty crazy pretty quickly.
101. Pick up trash at a local park or along a road
Similar to the volunteering or giving blood, this one is really uncommon for a date idea. And you have to make sure your date will be into it. But if you are both up for it, cleaning up a public space can be a rewarding way to spend the afternoon.