Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

First Date Activities That Should Be Avoided At All Costs

Man and woman enjoying coffee
woman in black long sleeve shirt holding black ceramic mug

When planning a first date, most people chose to meet over a drink or a cup of coffee.

The stakes are low, it gives you plenty of time to determine whether or not there's chemistry, and should things not be going well, you can swiftly wrap things up after taking your last sip.

These days, however, people like to be a little bit more creative when it comes to first dates, and thus will organize a slightly unusual activity.

Sometimes, the risk pays off, and fun is had by both parties, leading to a second date, or even a lasting relationship.

Of course, there is every possibility that attempts to be creative could end up backfiring, sometimes even before the date even takes place.

Which doesn't stop people from trying them over and over again.


Redditor nojunkpeter was curious to learn what people considered to be the absolute worst ideas for a first date, leading them to ask:
"What's a common first date activity that people do that's actually really stupid to do for a first date?"

It's Hard To Decide How You Feel If You Can't Hear Yourself Think

"Loud bar."- AwkwardBlaque

Sometimes It's Worth The Gamble...

"My first date with my husband, (blind date, we talked on the phone once, I didn’t even know what he looked like) was to the symphony."

"It was an hour away and then there was the symphony with a full intermission worth of potential awkwardness, then a full hour drive back."

"I mean clearly the date went amazing."

"We went to ice cream afterwards and sat in his car talking until three in the morning."

"But I never thought about it until right now how potentially disastrous that evening could have been if we hadn’t had major chemistry."- jardinc

Best To Transport Yourself There...

"A long-ish car ride."

"I invited a first date to a great restaurant, fun environment too, but didn't think about the fact that it was about a 30+ minute drive each way."

"Kind of an awkward trip to and from, especially when it turned out that we really didn't have much in common."

"The trip back took a loooong time."- ElectricMan324

lowrider lowridermeatup GIF by Off The JacksGiphy

Double Trouble...

"In John Waters' memoir he talks about going to these 'Fright and Fight' double features where they would show a horror movie then a kung fu movie back to back."

"And I can't imagine how many poor women were taken to these to be subjected to not one but two bad movies in a row, only for the guy she's with to get in a fight in the parking lot afterwards trying to impress her."- stevebobeeve

...Though One Movie Isn't Much Better

"Going to a movie."

"Just staring at a screen instead of getting to know each other."- artemesia-vulgaris

Literally Trapped

"Escape rooms.'

"I work at one and the amount of first dates doing our rooms is too dang high."

"There aren't enough people to even play."

"If you show up with two, we make you pay for a third ticket minimum."

"You can't learn anything about each other because you're too busy playing."

"You will suck and you will get frustrated."

"Not a good look on a first date."- TJtherock

Season 8 Episode 3 GIF by PortlandiaGiphy

Even, Or Especially, If You Plan To Go Dutch

"An expensive dinner."- Throwie911

Somewhere You Can Talk, Without Shouting Or Annoying Others

"Movie, because your attention is not directed towards your date."

"Loud bar is worse."

"Quiet bar is best."

"Drinks to loosen the tongue and cozy atmosphere to reveal oneself."

"Plus, it's public enough that you can count on reasonably good behavior."- redditusernamehonked

A Good Idea In Theory, Less So In Practice...

"I took a girl to a first date at a wine and canvas thing."

"We both liked to draw and paint and had similar tastes in drinks."

'Lots to talk about and activity to occupy us if there was a lull in the conversation."

"Great idea, if only I had considered the fact that when I draw/paint I pretty much shut everything else out and just draw/paint."

"Poor girl spent 3 hours with me as I grunted out responses, had a scotch and painted something that I still use as a holiday decoration to this day."

"We did not have a second date."

"Don’t take people to a wine and canvas event if you turn into a monosyllabic, boozy artist."- ShiggityShua

Alejandro Jodorowsky Art GIF by Endless PoetryGiphy

Keep It Intimate...

"Visit with anybody, friends, parents, neighbors."

"It's insane to be around people who know the person you are dating well, and not you at all."

"It's like a job interview in front of a panel."

"No fun at all."- luckygirl54

Generally speaking, trying to impress on a first date often ends with your efforts blowing up in your face.

Which is why trying to create the best first date imaginable often destroys any possible chance of a second date.

And truth be told, sometimes you can tell if there will be a second date based solely off their coffee or drink order.

Ice in white wine is never a good sign...

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

The Rainbow Bridge in Crissie Caughlin Park, Reno
cityofreno/Instagram

Rainbow Bridge Honoring Kids' Beloved Late Pets Gets Cruelly Vandalized—And Everyone Has The Same Thought

"The rainbow bridge" is a euphemism for where deceased pets go after they pass, and people have called it that for decades now.

But when you're an anti-LGBTQ+ bigot, everything looks like a threat to your bizarre obsession with gender roles and people's personal lives. And sadly, it seems "the rainbow bridge" is no exception.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joe Lonsdale
Brian Ach/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Tech Billionaire Sparks Outrage After Calling For Return Of Public Hangings To Show 'Masculine Leadership'

Tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale—the co-founder of the software company Palantir—sparked outrage and faced swift pushback after he called for a return of public hangings for violent criminals to demonstrate "masculine leadership" in America.

Lonsdale made the remarks in response to online criticism of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is facing heavy criticism for his cavalier attitude toward the Department of Defense's attacks on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Donald Trump
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Paul Morigi/Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Hilariously Dunks On Trump For Hosting The Kennedy Center Honors

California Governor Gavin Newsom trolled President Donald Trump by sharing an AI-generated photo of himself accepting the inaugural—and not real—"Kennedy Center peace prize" from Trump.

The photo accompanied a post in which Newsom mocked not just Trump but also Ric Grenell, the Kennedy Center's president, whom Newsom referred to as a "janitor" in a post that—like many of Newsom's past posts—is written in a style not unlike the rants Trump publishes on Truth Social.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Screenshot of Marjorie Taylor Greene
Samuel Corum/Getty Images; 60 Minutes

Trump Completely Melts Down Over 'Low IQ Traitor' MTG's Sit-Down Interview With '60 Minutes'

President Donald Trump attacked Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene after his former ally-turned-nemesis criticized him in an interview with Lesley Stahl on Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.

Greene told CBS that his inflammatory language “directly fueled” threats against her family, including an email asserting that a pipe bomb had been planted targeting her son.

Keep ReadingShow less
Surprised man
Photo by Nachristos on Unsplash

Things That Feel Totally Fake But Are Actually 100% Real

Science is fascinating, but sometimes it's so fascinating, it switches straight from scientific finds to science fiction.

But there are some truths in the universe that feel impossible to believe but which are totally true.

Keep ReadingShow less