A blogger named Tricia Romano tried Tinder in Spokane and wasn’t wild about the men she saw. She said there were so many children in the men’s profile pics that it was like “looking at an ad for a daycare center.” She described the typical single guy on Tinder as Christian, conservative, and gun-toting (some even sported a ZZ Top beard).
After an hour, Tricia had swiped through all the male profiles in Spokane. “Tinder panic, which I had not experienced for a long time in Seattle, set in,” she said. “There was no one left, and I felt terrible on behalf of the women and men of Spokane.”
Fortunately, Tinder isn’t the end-all be-all for singles in Spokane. There are many other fun and meaningful ways to meet singles in the area, and we’ve created a list to prove it. You can use the resources on our list to go beyond Tinder and find a date in Spokane.
Spokane Dating Sites
Online dating is the best way to meet people in Spokane (or anywhere, really) because you have so many options at your fingertips. Only want to find blondes? Easy, put it in the search filters. Got a specific age range in mind? No problem, join a niche age-appropriate dating site. The hardest part of online dating is actually boiling down all those choices to the absolute best options. The following high-quality dating sites can help with that.
Best Singles Site
Since 1995, Match has helped singles find a compatible date and get in a fulfilling relationship. The dating site has a stellar reputation in the industry, but singles particularly love it because the matching algorithm uses personality traits and lifestyle habits to pair up couples with long-term potential.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Over 50 & Senior Sites
Singles over 50 can sometimes feel ostracized or ignored on a general dating site, but not on OurTime. This senior-friendly dating platform was designed to help singles of a certain age get their footing in the online dating scene. You can search for a mature date using straightforward tools and start a conversation in real time.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
For Black Men & Women Only
If you want to date a black person in Spokane, you won’t have many options. Only 2.3% of the overall population identified as African-American in the 2010 census. Black singles are better off networking on BlackPeopleMeet where they make up the majority. This niche site has attracted thousands of members who share similar values and perspectives.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month. Our Review »
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Hookup & Sex Site
The traditional happily-ever-after ending isn’t in the cards for everyone, and that’s perfectly fine. Short-term romance can be enough to satisfy many casual daters out there, and Adult Friend Finder makes it easy to find sexy partners online. This hookup-oriented dating site has over 95 million profiles created by singles and swingers around the world.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Popular Dating Apps
You can upgrade your dating experience by downloading a popular dating app and swiping through date prospects on your smartphone. Many dating sites have adapted their matching tools on easy-to-use dating apps, so you can get the best of both worlds by signing up. We highly recommend trying out the following mobile-friendly dating platforms to up your odds of meeting someone special in Spokane.
Match.com
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
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About the App:
Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you’ll have a high chance of success. It’s free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
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About the App:
Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
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About the App:
Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Spokane Singles Bars
In 1999, the River Park Square Mall became the focal point for Spokane’s budding downtown scene, and it gave residents a place where they could gather to mingle and relax in the evenings. Many of the best bars in the city sit within a mile radius of each other, and it’s easy to bar hop from one to another. This is a great opportunity for singles to hit the bars and scope out the dating scene in person. Below, you’ll find our reviews of Spokane’s most popular bars.
Zola
Every night at 9 p.m., Zola's lounge bar encourages patrons to get on their feet and start dancing to live music. The bar is decorated with recycled junk, including boats, bicycles, tilt-a-whirls, and makes for a fun backdrop for an evening out on the town. This downtown spot offers juicy burgers, street tacos, and delicious tapas to satisfy your taste buds, and it recently began serving brunch on Sundays. Now you can start your day right with a syrupy pile of flapjacks and a $5 Zola Bloody Mary.
Baby Bar
The Baby Bar may not look like much on the outside, but this low-key bar will surely win you over with its craft cocktails and draft brews. This windowless dive is legendary among locals for its happy hour prices, poetry nights, and hip atmosphere. The stark red lighting immediately sets the mood, and the art on the walls provides plenty of conversation starters. The Baby Bar isn't nearly as large as the typical bar (that's why it's a baby bar), but the cozy floor plan is part of its charm.
Checkerboard Bar
In 1993, the Checkerboard Bar opened its doors with the goal of becoming the biggest little bar in Spokane's downtown area. Today, the popular neighborhood bar has plenty of entertainment options, including a pool table, two pinball machines, board games, playing cards, and, of course, plenty of checkerboards. This unique tavern also hosts trivia and open-mic nights regularly. The Checkerboard Bar has a fun speakeasy vibe to it that gives people a lot of laughs along with high-quality drinks.
nYne Bar & Bistro
The nYne Bar & Bistro immediately catches the eye with its rainbow flag and eclectic decor. This LGBTQ-friendly establishment has something for everyone. Its exquisite food, classy drinks, and lively dance floor keep people coming back for more. Its event calendar is full of karaoke nights, concerts, parties, trivia competitions, and the occasional drag show. The nYne Bar & Bistro is just an all-around cool place to hang out and flirt with whomever you fancy.
The Viking
Visiting the Viking in Spokane is always an adventure. The recently remodeled bar and restaurant promise an elevated pub experience surrounded by a crew of friendly folks. You can munch on popcorn at the bar as you choose from many signature cocktails inspired by Norse mythology. The Freyja is a particularly sweet concoction made with brown sugar, bourbon, honey, and lemon. The Viking's weekly specials give singles a reason to stop by day after day and sample low-priced wings, pints, chips, tots, shots, and drive-in burgers.
Poole's Public House (North)
Poole's Public House is a family-owned pub on the north side of town. Its newly opened location on the corner of Hastings and Ruby Roads may be a little ways away from Spokane's downtown area, but it is well worth a trip to enjoy great food and drinks in a lighthearted atmosphere. The general manager Trevor Poole is usually there to welcome newcomers with a big smile, and the owners Scott and Lisa Poole love to join in the fun during Montana Grizzlies football games, which always air on the sports bar's big screen TV. The kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks so patrons leave satisfied.
Spokane Speed Dating
Searching for a date in Spokane’s 18 neighborhood districts can be quite a challenge, but a speed dating event can cut down on your search time and make finding a compatible partner that much easier. You can sit down with dozens of potential matches in an evening and choose the ones who stand out to you. If the feeling is mutual, the speed dating event coordinators will facilitate an exchange of contact information, and you can take it from there. Pre-Dating organizes a speed dating event about once a month in Spokane so keep your eye on the calendar.
Spokane Singles Events
Finding a date is never a sure thing, but your chances of sparking a connection dramatically increase the more you put yourself out there and surround yourself with single people. That’s the beauty of single events. These social gatherings appeal to single adults who are new in town or just want to expand their social circles. Attending a low-key singles event, such as a hiking excursion, can help you come out of your shell, shake up your routine, and meet fantastic people.
Spokane Singles Clubs
Spokane may not be as famous for its music scene as, say, Nashville or New Orleans, but it was home to musical icon Bing Crosby and Blues boss Kenny Wayne. Today, Spokane’s lively nightclubs and dance halls entertain locals without missing a beat. You can get away from it all and lose yourself on the dance floor as a live DJ or band plays music at full volume. The Spokane Visitor Information Center has highlighted some of the top places to go if you want to dance the night away.
Spokane Chat Rooms
You don’t necessarily need to go outside to make a romantic connection in Spokane. Singles can always log into a local chat room to start a conversation, make friends, and even come away with a date. The flirtatious and free-wheeling atmosphere of a chat room can help singles feel comfortable opening up and sharing personal stories. These chats can serve as a springboard into a more active dating lifestyle and give singles the confidence they need to create relationships online and IRL.
Spokane Personals
Online dating personals is just a fancy way of saying “a dating site without matching features.” These sites offer an accelerated path to one-on-one connections by keeping the interface simple. The profiles (or personal ads) don’t ask for extraneous information about favorite foods or political opinions — all you have to put down is where you live and what type of relationship you’re looking for (as in, casual date, pen pal, relationship, etc.), and then you wait for the messages to start rolling in. Or you can send the first message. Dating personals are free to join and easy to navigate so nothing stands between you and a hot date.
Join the Excitement at a Local Festival or Event
Attending a community event can be a great way to expand your horizons and socialize with your neighbors in a unique atmosphere.
One of the largest and more beloved events in Spokane is the Lilac Bloomsday Run, which has been held on the first Sunday in May every year since 1977. Over 50,000 runners, joggers, and walkers participate in the 12k marathon. The race starts promptly at 9 a.m., so be sure to eat a healthy breakfast and bring your running shoes.
The Lilac Bloomsday Run is the 10th largest running event in the world.
Hoopfest is another popular annual event in Spokane. It has the distinction of being the world’s largest three-on-three outdoor basketball tournament. Over 6,000 teams show up to compete while over 225,000 fans cheer them on. The event spans 450 basketball courts on 45 city blocks. Hoopfest’s fun-filled weekend will be a slam dunk for sports fans hoping to meet people.
You can also make friends by joining the 3,000-person volunteer team that helps make this event possible. All volunteers receive a free T-shirt. You can learn more here and get involved in a fun social project in Spokane.
Lilac City Provides a Beautiful Backdrop for Romance
Spokane has an estimated population of 212,000 people, and it should take considerably longer than an hour for singles to encounter every eligible bachelor and bachelorette in town.
Seattle-native Tricia Romano may not have been impressed by Spokane’s limited Tinder population, but local singles have many date options outside this dating app. They can pick up a date at a bar, attend monthly singles events, and join online and offline groups where friendships form easily.
Whether you’re looking for a short-term date or a long-term love, you can set yourself up for success by going outside your comfort zone and starting conversations with people in Spokane. Good luck!
