10 Great Date Ideas for LDS Singles

Are you victim of an awkward first date blunder? Sometimes dating can be hard. You have to decide when to go, where you’ll go, what you’ll do and who you go with. While we can’t help you with that last one (sorry about that) here are 10 great date ideas you can use for a first date, if you’ve been dating for awhile, or have a group of couples wanting something different. After all, who wants to go to another dinner and movie night? After all, Elder Scott thinks it’s a “stupid” idea.

1) Discover the Heavens

Ever look up at the night sky and wonder what’s out there? Most major cities have a planetarium you can visit and explore outer space.

Both you and your date will come away learning something about the great abyss and develop a greater appreciation for the stellar creations of our Heavenly Father.

Alternative: Love the stars, but don’t want to be in a theatre all night? There is a whole slew of free stargazing apps you can get on your smartphone or tablet to aid you in your search for your favorite constellations. Some of the apps featured will even let you know the most optimum time and location to stargaze. For someone like me who gets the Big and Little Dipper mixed up, I don’t know what I would do without these apps.

2) Explore Your Community

Look up your city’s tourist information and pretend you’re out of town guests. It’s a great way to support local businesses and see parts of the town you would usually overlook. As you discover your own city, you’re bound to discover some things about your date.

3) Help Make a Difference with Service

There have been actual studies on the “Mormon Glow” which explore why Mormons have a certain glow about them. A big part of that comes from service. Serving in a local nursing home or a homeless shelter with your date will help you see the best parts in each other and grow closer together. You’ll also grow closer to your community and to God. After all, when we are in the service of our fellow man, we are only in the service our God. (See Mosiah 2:17)

4) Have a Culinary Competition

Want to show off your cooking skills? Do you have a competitive side? Well, then Iron Chef Night will be a night you’ll love. Compete head to head, or invite some other couples to compete with and see who can come up with the best dessert, who’s most creative with Ramen, or who has the best side dishes. Loser has to do the dishes (just kidding… guys, that’s our job).

5) Win Points at a Festival

It’s beautiful outside for most of the country (sorry Phoenix) and festivals are popping up all over. There are lists everywhere on the internet that you can look at to find music festivals, food festivals, or other festivals that pique your interest.

6) Walk on Holy Grounds

This date idea can be a bit of a touchy subject and there is wide range of opinions on whether or not it’s a good idea. Probably not as a first date. I’ve found that for the “temple date” to be successful it should be paired with something else. Live far from a temple? Road trip out together to do some baptisms. Go to dinner before or after. Or you can just walk around the temple grounds and take a tour at the visitor’s center and learn how to share the gospel with your friends.

7) Create a Masterpiece

In a Mormon Message, Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that we are all full of creativity and it is important to explore it. Get some water-based paint and tack some butcher paper on the walls and create your own Mona Lisa, or a city landscape. For some added fun pull Bob Ross up on youtube and do as he directs. Make sure those trees are happy!

8) Enjoy Yourselves at a Ward Event

I know, I know, sometimes the single’s ward scene gets old. But the events can be fun if you make it fun. For the next single’s ward social ask someone in your ward to go as your date. Pick them up before hand and grab some ice cream or walk over to the activity together. Remember, it’s only a date if you show up and leave together.

9) Get Your Sherlock Skills On

Looking for something out-of-the-ordinary? Geocaching is a real world treasure hunt. You can register for a free membership and find a geocache nearby. The site gives you GPS coordinates of a mystery treasure that you have to find. When you find the cache there is usually a logbook of all the previous people who found it and something for you to take. You’re free to take whatever is inside the cache, you just have to leave something behind.

10) Learn Something New at Cultural Centers

Museums are a fantastic way to get to know someone you’re interested in. If conversation is hard to come by, there is always something to talk about within the walls of a building that houses items hundreds of years old. Most college campuses have free museums or art galleries that regularly rotate exhibits, so it’s a date that you can do again and again.

What are some of your favorite date night ideas? Any dates you would rather avoid? In the comments below tell us your feedback and we’ll be sure to include them in the next installment.