10 Date Ideas That Will Make You Feel Like You’re In A Rom-Com

So, you wanna be like Allie and Noah, huh? Watching romantic comedies can often lead to false assumptions about relationships, unhealthy expectations and unrealistic happy endings. I’m not really a huge rom-com fan; can you tell? However, rom-coms can also offer some pretty cool advice, like where to go for a super romantic date and that two could have fit on that door, damn it. Here are ten date ideas that are so romantic, you’ll feel like you’re in your own romantic comedy. Ryan Gosling sold separately.

Ice Skating

Ice skating is a classic date idea. It combines adorable clumsiness, shoes that don’t belong to you, with an opportunity to show off your skating skills, all wrapped up in one fun night out. This date idea is a pretty great one if you want an excuse to cuddle up to your date. So grab your scarf, wear comfy clothes and have some fun!

Bowling

Another classic date idea, once again, involving shoes that don’t belong to you and an opportunity to show off a bit. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or you’re the Dude in the flesh, bowling is a great way to spend some hours with your date. Just make sure you’re wearing socks; bowling shoes can be nasty.

Visit The Zoo

The zoo is a great date idea, as you can unleash your inner child, enjoy the sights and have some genuine fun. The zoo is a great way to find out more about the person you’re going on a date with, find out their favourite animal, their fears and their dreams. All in the one place. After you visit the zoo, you can take your own animal at home on an adventure. Get your pet supplies, and take your pet for a walk after your date.

Visit An Art Gallery/Museum

Show off your cultural knowledge with a trip to the art gallery or show off your knowledge of science and history with a trip to a museum. You can explore art you’ve never seen before, show your date some of your favourite pieces and relax a bit. Honestly, there’s nothing more attractive than watching someone talk about their passions, so if one of your passions is art, history, science or something cultural, show it off! Who knows, you may get a second date out of it.

Go On A Picnic

This one is a textbook, classic date idea. Getting dressed up in your cutest clothes, packing some yummy sandwiches in a wicker basket and maybe even some champagne, sitting outside and enjoying each other’s company. You can sit and relax, have a chat or even get your frisbee out and get active. If you have a pet, why not take them along with you? You can have some real fun chasing your furry pal around, whilst bonding with your date.

Stargazing

Another text book date idea, this one is a little more romantic though. After dinner, a movie or whatever you plan on doing with your date, go outside and lay down. You can be in a park, sitting in your car with the sunroof open or even in your backyard with your outdoor heater running. You can do nothing, just enjoy the view, talk about the universe and your dreams, or just fall asleep. Either way, you can enjoy this beautiful, peaceful and romantic activity, and it doesn’t cost a cent. Bonus points if you find the big dipper.

Take A Dance Class

Get up, close and personal with your date whilst learning a new skill at a dance class. The go-to usually is a latin dance class, as it’s a sensual and personal dance. However, if you’re not feeling particularly sensual with your date yet, you can always go to a dance class that’s less forward, such as a hip hop class or ballroom dancing. No matter what you’re planning, getting a bit sweaty with your date is always a good idea. The Couples Counsellor, Hailee Walker, explains how sweat is the perfect date maker. "Get your heart racing. Couples who sweat together, stay together! Exercising together increases your happiness with your relationship. Couples who participate in an exciting physical activity together report feeling more in love and more satisfied with their partner." Find out more about Hailee by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

Play Pool

If you’re on a first date, a great way to break the ice is to play some pool. It’s a great game of strategy, skill and just a little bit of blind luck. If you’re feeling a little frisky you can show your date how to play pool (which is a great excuse to get closer to them).

Cook Something Together

There’s nothing more fun than creating something delicious with someone you genuinely like. It could be a recipe for disaster, but if you’re trying to relive a rom-com scene, it all ends well. Cooking together is a great way to work together, develop trust, have some fun and earn a delicious meal. It’s a true win-win. If you're not the best cook but you'd like to eat something delicious, why not go to a chocolate tasting? Alison Pearce from Bean Bar You offers her advice for lovers of chocolate and romance. "Our favourite romantic date idea is a chocolate tasting! Bean Bar You is Australia's first independent craft chocolate subscription service. We can provide a chocolate tasting gift box, which comes complete with 4 craft chocolates from around the world, tasting notes and a flavour wheel. You choose between milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vegan chocolate or a mixture, and learn where chocolate comes from, how it's made, and the story behind the craft chocolate makers who have lovingly created your chocolate bars. This is a fun and romantic way to spend an evening together in the comfort of your own home. Is it really romance if it doesn't include chocolate?" Find out more about Bean Bar You by following them on Facebook and Instagram.

Get Personal

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been dating for six days or six years, you can always find out more about your date. Playing 20 questions is an easy way to find out more about your date, find out about their ambitions, any funny stories or their fears. Kate Grainger from Brave Tiger offers her advice for those who want to stay in and discover more about their date. “Find out something new about your partner. Ask questions that you might not have thought to ask before. Here are some to get you started: * What are you most grateful for? * What is your happiest memory? * What would your perfect day look like? * What’s your favourite drink? Why? * What’s the funniest story you tell at parties?” Find out more about Brave Tiger by following them on Facebook and Instagram. If there’s nothing else you can find out more about your date, why not show off your knowledge of them with a couple of games? Megan Close Zavala from Turn The Page Book Coaching offers her advice for an out-of-the-box date idea, that’s still ridiculously cute. “Puzzle/Scavenger Hunt - I did this for my husband's birthday, and he loved it! I created a series of puzzles (a crossword puzzle, a word search, a word scramble, etc.) for him, which was pretty fun and easy to do. I based each puzzle on him (favourite foods, places we've travelled to, etc.), but the puzzle theme could be focused a million different ways (Valentine's Day, etc.). Each puzzle revealed a location. I gave him the first puzzle, we went to the first location (i.e. out for breakfast at our favourite bagel place) and then he received the next puzzle. Most of the things we did were not anything out of the unusual, but he felt spoiled. We did about five locations, but this could easily be shortened or expanded, depending on the amount of time/money available.” Find out more about Megan by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

What Is The Perfect Date?

Is there really such thing as the perfect date? Well, no. There is perfect company, though. Emily Chadbourne from That Crazy Little Thing Called Love offers the secret to the perfect date. "The perfect date night. Jeez! The pressure of that statement makes my butt cheeks sweat! So, let’s presume that you’ve got the date in the diary. Maybe you’ve had to arrange a babysitter, dog sitter, or someone to come and keep your flatmate Marcus company for the evening while you go out and actually have a life. Now, for a perfect date you could do any of the following…

• Book a fancy restaurant (unless you can’t afford fancy. Also, McDonalds is not a restaurant.)

• A guy could rock up with flowers (unless either of you has hay fever.)

• Depending on which city/state/country you live it, you could arrange for a window table at a

Sky View bar for after dinner drinks (unless one or both of you doesn’t drink.)

• You should always make sure you’re well dressed (unless your date demands a certain uniform… And no, I don’t mean a kinky uniform… I was thinking Go Kart racing or something of that ilk.)

• Moonlight at some point is preferable so always try and arrange a date around a full moon (unless one of you is a werewolf.)

• Some kind of string instrument should be serenading you at some point (unless one of you prefers Heavy Metal.)

• Ideally you should visit Paris (unless you live in Paris in which case, you’re just knocking around at home.)

• And really there should be brilliant warm sunshine; and freezing snow; and a sunrise but you should also dance under the stars, which is tough to orchestrate in one date (unless you’re God.)

So really, it’s all a bit tricky this perfect date stuff (proper butt sweat happening now!) It’s all so objective and so dependent on you and your partner and circumstances. But before you lose all hope, I can tell you this. The best dates aren’t those that push your credit limit; or have rules around what you can and can’t talk about (no kid talk, no work talk, no house talk, no gossip talk… Seriously, what do you talk about?!); or adhere to the Hollywood rules of romance." Find out more about Emily by following her on Facebook and Instagram.

If all else fails, kissing in the rain is also a great date idea... apparently. These dates are a great way to get to know the person you’re spending time with and live your rom-com fantasies all at once. If you've ever been jealous of a rom-com for their perfect dates, well you can put your green eyed monster away. These date ideas are so sweet, you may end up getting a cavity.

This article was first published in www.mydeal.com.au