You’ve secured that first date – great! (Or perhaps you’ve both agreed on a second one.) But have you given much thought to what you would be doing on that day? ‘Dinner and a movie’ may be the usual go-to but it’s time to put a little extra thought into your plans because what you end up deciding on can make or break the relationship.

If you’re over 30 and find yourself pretty set in your ways when it comes to date ideas, look no further. To help lessen the stress, we’ve narrowed down clever and fun ways to break the monotony and to help you bond better with your date. All you have to do is select your date’s personality and pick the activity from the list below:

Your date is adventurous

1. Book a hot-air balloon ride. Aside from being romantic, it’ll give you a breathtaking view of the landscape and leave you with an experience to remember.

2. Go on a whale watch. Observing one of god’s majestic creatures on their annual migration is the perfect date activity for anyone who appreciates the ocean and animals.

3. Bring out your inner explorer. Pack a picnic basket and take it along with you on a hike or nature trail at the nearest state park/nature reserve.

Your date is a foodie

1. Explore the food scene in your city by going on a personalised culinary tour. Pick a café close by for breakfast, then an eatery situated 10km away, and (if the date’s going really well) a restaurant that’s 20km or more away from you.

2. Learn how to cook a meal together. Not only will this be a fun and relaxing activity, but you’ll also walk away with a brand-new skill and knowledge about flavours as well as ingredients.

3. Visit an artisanal or farmer’s market where you can shop for produce together or just grab a coffee and feast on food the different vendors have on offer.

Your date is a culture vulture

1. For something a little out of the ordinary, head to a cathedral to listen to a string quartet play classical music (Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, etc) in candlelight.

2. Found yourself a fellow bibliophile? Stop by a library to pick out literature or authors you both enjoy. Check the books out and read paragraphs from them to one another at a nearby park.

3. Nothing beats a good laugh to help break the ice and shake off the awkwardness. Get tickets to a comedy show or if no international acts are available, head to a comedy club or comedy open-mic night in your area.

Your date is an introvert

1. Go for a stroll in a botanical garden or take a historical walking tour through the city. It takes the pressure off interacting with people other than yourselves and you both just might learn something new about the city you live in.

2. Find an op-shop or flea market to rummage through. The good thing about this is that you can venture along the aisles on your own and reconvene later. Turn it into a hunt for the most interesting item in the store. The person who comes back with the most unique object gets a “prize” i.e. a cup of coffee, etc.

3. The key to dating introverts is to keep the date short and sweet. After all, they’ll likely have a limit as to how much small talk they’ll be able to muster. If you’re both coffee enthusiasts why not try a coffee tasting experience at your local café? Some places even offer free ones you can attend which lasts an hour max.

Hope we’ve helped in some way. Rest assured that whichever date idea you pick from the suggestions above, it will surely be memorable and a bond will likely be made through the shared experience. Happy dating!