By: Caylee Caldwell
I’m going to say right off the bat what I’ve heard most college kids say… dating can be difficult. More accurately, that first date specifically can be really difficult.
I’ve known some people that are naturally good at dating; they’re charming, smooth, easy to get along with. But for the rest of the population, a first date can be a stressful and nerve wracking first impression. Everyone wants it to be good, of course: not too cheesy but not too weird, not too expensive but not too cheap, unique but not random… the list goes on.
With that in mind, I’m here with four first date ideas that aren’t just taking someone out to dinner. Don’t get me wrong, going to dinner can be a great first date (it’s a classic after all) but if you’re looking to mix things up, this article is for you.
- BOULEVARD PARK
Let’s start off easy, a date idea not too far off from a dinner date but with a little bit of an opportunity for Bellingham sightseeing and the chance to run into cute dogs with your date. Boulevard Park is only a stone’s throw away from campus (and also a good place to throw stones if you like skipping rocks and want to show off), which makes it an easy location for a picnic date. Whether you want a snack and hot drink at the Woods Coffee nearby or to pack your own meal, a picnic date is just as effective as a dinner date for half the price. Another pro is that you don’t have to worry about picking a place to eat! Decision making is difficult, especially if you don’t agree on a place, so go with your own preferences and learn about each other’s taste. You can enjoy conversation, revel in any rare sunshine Bellingham has to offer and have a beautiful view of the bay. Now I know it’s cliché to take long walks on the beach, but who knows, maybe it’ll be the perfect first date you’ve been waiting for.
- RUCKUS ROOM
Even further away from the usual dinner date and moving away from food entirely, Bellingham has a great arcade downtown called Ruckus Room. Maybe you’re nervous about making conversation with your date, maybe you want to feel out the energy before you get to know them better or maybe you just want to have fun with them. No matter the reason, Ruckus Room is a great place for a fun, stress free date. Ruckus Room has a good balance of single player and multiplayer games ranging from old arcade games and pinball machines to ticket awarding games. While it can be a bit pricey, there are a range of options for how much you can pay for tokens, as well as quarters for the older arcade games if you’ve got any loose change. Ruckus Room is good for conversation over a game of air hockey and certainly good if you want to show off your Pac-Man skills or win prizes for your date.
- VILLAGE BOOKS
On the opposite side of the spectrum from Ruckus Room, if you’re looking for something more relaxed and on the quiet end of things, you and your date could make your way to Fairhaven and Village Books. Village Books is a two story bookstore (three if you count the basement) with a range of genres, authors and a gift shop. Learn more about your date through they’re favorite books, read each other’s favorite novel and get to know each other over a warm drink at the cafe on the second floor. The bookstore is easy to access by public transportation or car, can be as expensive as you want it to be and is a calm place to learn more about your date.
- NEKO CAT CAFE
This next one might not work for everyone, whether it be due to allergies or personal pet preferences, but I’m a personal believer that the Neko Cat Cafe is a wonderful place to take your date out for some not-dinner. While cats aren’t for everyone (I personally don’t understand), the cat cafe offers a great atmosphere for a relaxing and comfortable date. The cafe offers warm drinks and local treats to enjoy while petting the sweet angels. You can have coffee and be with cats… all at once. The cat cafe has a wonderful lounge area full of soft pillows, fuzzy rugs and nice cushioned seating so you can get cozy with your date and/or cats for nice conversation in a chill atmosphere.
After these four suggestions, maybe you still want to take your date out to dinner, which is completely okay. There are plenty of restaurant options for whatever your taste is. However, if you want something new and exciting, you can try one of these for a new way to impress your date with a first impression. Good luck!