Summer Date During Quarantine

We’re now in the thick of summer, when the air is warm, the beach beckons, and date nights are at their most fun. The spike in COVID-19 cases around the world, especially in the United States, makes socializing — and especially dating — a bit precarious, but after four months of being locked up, would-be romantics are more ready than ever to get back to searching for their soulmates (or at least having fun with another person). 

Users turned to SweetRing dating app because it is a community of people excited to date and find perfect matches. In a survey conducted in June, 47% of SweetRing users said the pandemic had changed the level of commitment they were looking for in a relationship, and a whopping 86% of those users said they were looking for something more serious. Accordingly, 57% of respondents said they were spending more time messaging on the app with potential matches. In a July survey, we learned that more than half of users have been lonely during quarantine.

To put a finer point on it: People are lonely and they want to date ASAP. Along with all the other damage it’s causing, COVID-19 is stymying love lives. But it doesn’t have to be that way — there are plenty of good date ideas that are still viable during lock-downs and safe even during pandemics.

The dating experts at SweetRing have put together a list of date ideas, based on different circumstances. After all, lots of caveats apply right now — in the United States, there is no uniform national law governing conduct during the pandemic, but instead a patchwork of local and state-level guidelines dictating safety measures in social settings. Plus, people have different comfort levels at this point in time; in our survey, 60% of users said that they’re willing to ask dates to take certain precautions, including 15% who said they’d ask a date to produce a negative COVID-19 test.

Still, there are lots of great opportunities for quality time while respecting laws, safety protocols, and the comfort level of your date. In fact, if you find someone who is at about the same comfort level as you are with regard to social distancing and mask-wearing, you’re already ahead of the game, because that’s a great indicator of someone’s general values.

Social Distancing Dates

If you’re going on a first date and your date hasn’t produced a recent negative COVID-19 test, you might want to keep a little bit of distance between you. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, though. Some of the best dates our users have reported going on these last few months have been socially distanced outings. These include:

• A long walk on the beach or in the park. If you have enough space between you and nobody else is around, you won’t even have to wear a mask.
   

• A picnic in the park. Set up a big picnic blanket, make sure you’re six feet or more apart, and try to keep your mask on in between bites of your food (we recommend bringing your own meals, just in case).
   

• An adventurous activity, like kayaking, or solo sports like tennis or golf. Just wash the balls!

• If you’re more the artistic type, set up a few easels in a park or yard and get creative at a distance. You could paint landscapes, draw one another’s portrait, play art-based games. Creativity is sexy!

Closed Economy Dates

So you’ve seen the negative COVID test and you’re even willing to kiss, but your city isn’t making it easy. There are still a lot of things you can do to turn up the heat, you just have to think outside the box.

• Dinner and a movie: Sure, indoor dining at restaurants is closed in many states and movie theaters are shuttered nationwide, but those are just minor obstacles. Most places have outdoor dining, at tables spaced far apart, and dining al fresco is amazing in the summer, anyway. If that’s not an option, you can go the picnic route, with either takeout food or, if you’re feeling really ambitious, a meal you made yourself.
  
  Then, you and your date can head off to see a drive-in movie. The classic car culture staple has made a big comeback, with malls and other public buildings converting their parking lots and big blank walls into surfaces perfect for movie projection. It’s a great way to get very close but stay far away from everyone else!
   

• Speaking of driving, why not take a road trip? It’s a great way to have lots of private time, learn a lot about someone, and make an instant memory. You can turn a mundane date into something very memorable by driving a little while to get there. It’s not about the destination, it’s all about the journey.
   

• Outdoorsy activities that don’t require distancing can be very romantic and fun. Rock climbing, boating, and laying out on the beach are all much more enjoyable when you’re with a romantic partner who you don’t mind spotting or splashing around with.
   

• Things going well? Up for spending time indoors, at one of your homes? Congrats! Assuming you’re still looking for things to do, check out one of the many virtual performances being live streamed every single day. From stand-up comedy to unique music shows, everyone’s now getting a front row seat to intimate shows and concerts from the comfort of their own homes