Are These Now The Best First Date Locations In Minnesota?

If you're looking to strike up a new romantic connection, the most-chosen spots in Minnesota for a first date might not be the first place that comes to mind for you.

Picking the right venue for a first date is an important element to landing a second date. While some will argue that the venue shouldn't matter as long as the conversation and chemistry are good, some places are more supportive than others to help you and the other person really discover if there is even a connection in the first place.

Avoiding places that are overly loud, distracting, or not really conducive to conversation is key. A loud club or bar, concert, or sporting event might be a lot of fun, but you are going to have a hard time really getting a feel for the other person.

Dating experts recommend simple and inexpensive options or activities as a great way to break the ice without too much pressure.

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Things like bowling or mini golf are casual activities most people enjoy on at least some level, with no steep learning curve if one of you isn't too knowledgeable on the game. Both people can have some fun and talk with an activity diverting some of the focus, so you don't feel like you have to keep the conversation going every second.

Conveniently, Minnesota is home to one of the best mini golf courses in all of the country, and we have some incredible bowling alleys that people absolutely love.

Going for a walk or a simple activity at a park is another common recommendation where you're able to enjoy some of Minnesota's beauty on a nice day in a casual setting.

READ MORE: These are Minnesota's 10 best-rated city parks

One of the biggest trends among daters around the country now, though, is an indoor option that most cities and towns have.

Nope, it isn't a bar. Bars and restaurants are thought of as stereotypical date locations, but they've fallen behind coffee shops as the go-to place for a date, particularly a first date.

As those in the dating world have noted to national publications, coffee shops are "low-stakes" places for a first date. Going out for dinner or doing an activity locks you in for a lengthier amount of time.

As one person put it, they can be a "time suck", where if things aren't going well, you're stuck there with them until the meal or activity is done. Going somewhere fancy also adds financial pressure, where someone might end up feeling like it was money wasted if the date doesn't go well.

Coffee shops, on the other hand, are very open-ended. If the vibe isn't right, there's a very limited commitment, and either person can hit eject on the date at any point. Some do argue that this "low-risk" first date idea can be a bit of a turn-off, though building a "layered date" that starts with coffee, followed by an activity, provides an opportunity for both people to assess if the date should continue or not.

Minnesota is, of course, home to Caribou Coffee and has a number of other chains like Starbucks and Dunkin, but locally-owned shops offer a lot of extra character, flair, and sometimes even activities right in the coffee shop.

Looking for a locally-owned shop to enjoy a coffee to break the ice just might be the way to see if there's a connection! If you happen to live in or be visiting Northern Minnesota, these are the best-rated locally-owned coffee shops in the northern half of the state.