Date ideas
First Date Ideas for Conservatives: 15 Dates Worth Planning
Easy, public and a lot more memorable than dinner and drinks.
The best first dates are simple and shared
The best first date ideas for conservatives are simple, public and built around something you both enjoy: a range day, a county fair, a high school football game, a church supper, a fishing pier or a good BBQ joint. Pick somewhere you can talk, where there are other people around, and where it is easy to stay longer if it is going well or head home if it is not. Here are fifteen ideas, grouped by the kind of person you are meeting.
For the outdoors type
- An hour at the range. Many ranges offer lane rental and short lessons for beginners. It is active, it gives you plenty to talk about, and you will learn fast how someone handles responsibility.
- A morning on the fishing pier. Low cost, relaxed and full of natural pauses for conversation. Bring coffee.
- A state park walk. Pick an easy trail with a view and a picnic spot. Leave the hard hikes for date three.
- A rodeo or county fair. Funnel cake, livestock shows and people-watching. You will not run out of things to say.
For the person of faith
- Sunday service and lunch. Meet at a church one of you knows, then go for lunch. It shows a lot about whether your faith lives line up, and lunch keeps it relaxed.
- A church supper or picnic. Community events are a gentle way to meet, with plenty of friendly faces around.
- A Christmas or Easter concert. Seasonal services and carol concerts make a warm, easy first date.
- Volunteering together. A food bank shift or a Habitat build tells you more about someone's character than any dinner could.
Faith first? Read Christian conservative dating.
For the patriot
- Fourth of July. Start with the parade or a cookout in the afternoon, and stay for the fireworks if it is going well. It is about as American as a first date gets.
- A military history museum or battlefield. Walking and talking, with plenty to prompt conversation. Many are free or low cost.
- A Veterans Day parade or memorial event. Meaningful, public and a good way to see what someone values.
- A tailgate before the game. College or high school, the energy does half the work for you.
For anyone, anywhere
- A BBQ joint or a smokehouse. Casual, filling and loud enough to take the pressure off.
- A farmers' market on Saturday morning. Coffee, local produce and a stroll. Easy to extend into lunch.
- A local live country music night. Go early so you can talk before the band starts.
Not sure what to say once you are there? Our blog post on first date conversation topics for conservative singles has plenty of good questions.
Make it a safe first date
Whatever you choose, meet in a public place, tell a friend where you are going and when you expect to be back, and get yourself there and home. If your match has a verified badge, so much the better; if not, a quick video call beforehand is a reasonable ask. Never send money to someone you have not met. Our safety page has the full list.
A few things to leave for later
A first date is for finding out whether you like each other. Leave long dinners, long drives, meeting the family and debating every plank of the party platform for later. Let the date show you whether you share a sense of humor. Our post on knowing if someone shares your values before the third date helps you read the signs.
First date questions
What is a good first date for conservatives?
Something simple, public and shared: a county fair, a range lesson, a fishing pier, a church supper or a BBQ joint.
Who should pay on a first date?
Offering is always gracious, whoever you are; accepting or splitting is a choice for the two of you.
Should we talk about politics on a first date?
There is no need to make it the main topic. Talk about your lives first.