The idea of taking yourself on a solo date can seem daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start. To help, we’ve put together the following guide—complete with solo date ideas and tips on planning and committing to them.
What Is a Solo Date?
A solo date is exactly how it sounds: a fun event or special occasion that you enjoy by yourself!
Solo dates aren’t about “romantically dating yourself” necessarily—the idea is to spend quality time with yourself and reconnect with the things you genuinely enjoy. There are plenty of benefits to taking yourself on a solo date, and it can be a form of self-care.
By undertaking activities you’d normally only do with a companion—such as a coffee date, going to the cinema, or having dinner out—you’re going to be challenging and improving your confidence. Enjoying solo dates can help you feel at peace in your own company and ultimately help you find happiness without depending on anyone else.
This, in turn, can raise your self-esteem, which, according to a PubMed Central study, is associated with improved health and well-being.
Solo Date Ideas to Get You Started
If you’re not sure where to start, pick one or two of the ideas from the list below to plan your first solo date:
Take yourself on a solo coffee date. Enjoy the ambience, but try to resist mindlessly scrolling through Instagram while you’re there (reading a book is allowed!) Take a bike ride along your favorite scenic route. Book yourself onto a bowling alley, mini-golf course, or arcade games for a fun solo date night. Pack yourself a picnic and find a local scenic spot to enjoy. Go to the cinema for a solo date night movie. Try a roller disco or ice skating rink. Pamper yourself in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Go to a theme park. Find your local attractions and spend the day playing the tourist.
As you can see, there are endless solo date ideas to choose from. In fact, any fun activity you can think of that calls to you is ideal. Next, let’s look at how to plan solo dates.
How to Plan Regular Solo Dates to Boost Your Well-Being
There are no set rules when it comes to taking yourself on a solo date—the idea is to have fun!
To get started, make a list of fun activities or date ideas you’ve always wanted to try (or use our suggestions above). Then, follow the advice below to plan and commit to your first solo date.
1. Schedule Time for Yourself
You must treat your solo date time as a real date—it’s a commitment, and you don’t want to stand yourself up! Use a calendar app to block off the time in your schedule, whether in the evening, during the day, or on the weekend.
Google Calendar is one of the best calendar apps for time management. It’s simple to use, widely available, and compatible across different operating systems. Add your solo dates to your calendar, so you don’t let yourself or your self-confidence down.
Download: Google Calendar for Android | iOS (Free)
2. Find and Save Ideal Solo Date Locations
To make sure you’re never short of solo date ideas, save your ideas as locations on a map app. If a “coffee date” is on your solo date ideas list, for example, then search for coffee shops you want to visit and save them on a map app.
An easy way to do this is to save places in Google Maps. You can create a collection of saved places specifically for solo dates so that you always have a list of things to do with you. You can also add notes to places you have saved and mark them as visited once you have been there.
Download: Google Maps for Android | iOS (Free)
3. Be a Tourist in Your Own City
You don’t necessarily need to travel miles to find your dream solo date location. How well do you know your local area? Have you ever visited your local coffee shops or restaurants? What about nearby tourist attractions? Half the fun of solo dates can be discovering new places and experiences, so you might as well start local.
You can install a travel planning app to help you map out a solo date itinerary. Some handy websites, such as Time Out or Eventbrite, show you what’s happening in your area. Alternatively, you can install one of the best apps for discovering nearby events to inspire your solo dates.
Download: Eventbrite for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases)
4. Treat Yourself to a Solo Date Night Dinner
There are two ways you can treat yourself to a solo date night dinner: take yourself out for dinner or cook yourself a gourmet meal at home.
Don’t forget that YouTube is packed with tons of cooking tutorial content. Alternatively, if you’re feeling confident and want to take yourself out for dinner, these restaurant picker apps can help you decide where to eat.
If you want to learn how to cook as part of your solo date challenge, you can also find a whole host of online cooking classes to make yourself delicious dinners.
5. Book Yourself a Mini Break
What could be a better form of self-care than booking yourself a mini break? A study from the American Psychological Association claims that it can promote mental health, physical improvements, increased productivity, and overall life satisfaction.
Airbnb is a popular app for booking vacations, and it’s easy to find weekend getaways or short breaks. If you haven’t used it before, don’t worry because booking your first vacation on Airbnb is pretty easy.
Download: Airbnb for Android I iOS (Free)
6. Journal Your Solo Date Journey
If your goal for solo dates is to improve your overall well-being and confidence, it’s worth journaling your progress. Tracking your emotions, fears, confidence, and general thoughts before and after your solo dates can help you recognize any benefits or improvements you are making.
Journaling will also enable you to count the number of solo dates you achieve and the number of activities you’ve been confident enough to try by yourself.
You can choose from plenty of journaling apps on the App Store and Play Store, but using an app like My Possible Self combines journaling with mood tracking to give you a complete record of your solo date journey.
Download: My Possible Self for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
Solo Dates Can Boost Your Confidence
Taking yourself on a solo date can do wonders for your confidence and well-being. If you’re a little nervous, try treating yourself to a solo date night at home so you can get comfortable with the concept in private.
Once you have taken yourself on your first solo date, which is the hardest part, you can start planning regular solo dates. Whether once a week, once a month, or every six months, planning regular solo dates where you dedicate your time and attention only to yourself can greatly benefit your mental health and self-esteem.
