A first date is your opportunity to make a great impression. You may have spent days, weeks, or even months building up to this moment, so you probably have a lot riding on the outcome. The date might only last for a few hours, but if you both get along well, hopefully there will be the opportunity for a second date, which is, after all, the whole point of the exercise! So, to ensure a date has a great time in your company, and is impressed enough to consider seeing you again-do it differently and plan some fun things to do on a first date.

The best way to make a good impression on a first date is to step outside of the square. Most people are lacking in imagination when it comes to dating and their suggestion for a first date is usually a drink at a bar or a meal out. These types of date are perfectly acceptable, but it can be fun to try something different, plus you are far more likely to make a positive impression if a date thinks you have gone the extra mile to impress them.

Take a date to a theme park - research has shown that when people are placed in a "dangerous" situation, they are much more likely to develop an attraction for their companion, which explains why prisoners can fall in love with their captors. Obviously a prisoner-captor role play scenario is best saved for a long while in the future, but spending a date at a theme park and enjoying some of the white knuckle rides is a great way to ensure your date has plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal while screaming in your ear.

Pack a romantic picnic - nothing beats a picnic on a hot summer's day and this is the perfect date for anyone who enjoys spending time in the Great Outdoors. You can spend as much or as little cash as you like, although you are advised to pack more than a few cocktail sausages and a cheese sandwich. Anyone with some spare cash can easily impress a date with some cold cuts, a baguette, a nice bottle of wine, and some strawberries and cream. And as long as you choose a scenic location away from hostile wildlife and irate farmers, you are assured of a successful first date.

A walk on the beach - assuming you live somewhere near the coast, a walk on the beach is many people's idea of a perfect (and very romantic) first date. When the weather is warm, you can ditch the shoes and socks and paddle in the sea, and if the weather is cold, wrap up warm and stroll down the windswept beach pretending to be characters from a romantic novel. End the date with an ice cream or hot chocolate (depending on the weather), and your date will be dazzled by your romantic nature.
These are just three ideas for fun things to do on a first date-there are dozens more I could suggest if you are bored with the "drinks in a bar date" or "coffee shop date". And if you have been on hundreds of dates already, I wouldn't blame you for being fed up of the more obvious ways to spend a first date!

Rachelle Le-Monnier is an expert on the dating scene. For many years she has selflessly gone on hundreds of dates: some good, some bad...and some so terrible she needed therapy to recover from the trauma.

However, she is now ready to use her experiences to help you navigate the perilous online dating scene. Hopefully, with her sage advice, you will be able to go forth and enjoy some great dates, and maybe even find true love!