First dates are exciting, getting to know a new person for the first time, or you might already know the individual you are meeting up with and this is your first opportunity to sit down and talk to each other one on one. While plenty of first dates usually involve a bite to eat, rather than choose a traditional activity to precede a sit-down meal, consider these different and unusual first date ideas that will give you something to discuss over a delicious dinner;
City Treasure Hunt
Scavenger trails and treasure hunts may seem like something you left behind in your youth but there is plenty of fun to be had with a city-wide treasure hunt. Discover new locations, uncover history you never knew about and get lost in the fun of solving clues and tracking down the answer to riddles. There are plenty of city treasure hunt companies around that offer treasure trails to print off or use via a smartphone app. Geocaching is another type of scavenger hunt and involves tracking down hidden caches via a map-based app, signing the ‘guest book’ once you’ve found it then replacing the cache and hunting down the next one.
This can be an activity that takes up half a day to an entire day so plan ahead and consider rest stops, places to stop for a drink or a bite to eat and how you plan on getting back again if walking in a single direction! 
Walking Tour
Walking tours cover a huge range of topics, from historic walking tours that take you past protected and listed buildings and sites that have existed for centuries to macabre walking tours that walk you down the streets where murderers once struck. Listen to the dark tales as you wander, like those of suspected Jack the Ripper killer, Aaron Kosminski or the rough and tumble gangsters that once inhabited the East End of London.
If you prefer the spine-chilling and spooky, enquire after a ghost walk or ghost tour in your local area and find out where the most active suspected haunts are to be found. You might get a fright or hear some unsettling ghost stories but at least you’ve got your date to comfort you!
Specialist Eateries
If eating is going to make up a portion of your date, why not choose somewhere unusual and quirky and make it the focus. Modern and different eateries are popping up all the time, take Mowgli, the Indian Tapas restaurant, where guests get to sit on swings as they enjoy their meal. Or the numerous cat cafes that combine happy, fluffy cats with keen guests willing to snack and show some felines lots of pets and love. Should cute cats not take your fancy or the thought of swinging while you chow down set your stomach off, consider these alternative eatery options and their methods of tableside or table top entertainment;
Boardgame Café – play as you munch, choose from a wealth of boardgames from 2 players to 10 (and more) it provides a talking point, a gentle (and healthy!) bit of competitive spirit and can lead to lots of laughs and good memories.
London in the Sky – a 22 seat sky table that hoists you and your dinner guests high into the sky over London, enjoy unbeatable views, delicious food and a date night where the sky is literally the limit! You won’t want to knock your fork from this table, otherwise it’s a long trip down to retrieve it.
Dine in the Dark – A recent trend for pop-up restaurants is to dine in the dark and allow your other senses to take over. It’s certainly a unique and different experience that provides an excellent talking point and could even provide an added bit of excitement to a blind date! You don’t get to see each other until after the meal is finished.
If you’ve got a first date planned, we hope these ideas have added some excitement and expectation to your plans! After all, life is too short to settle for anything less than amazing. If you are already happy in a relationship, spice things up and try the above recommendations for your next date night!
