Marion Robert Morrison — you may know him better as John Wayne — was born in a small town in Iowa, but his family moved to Palmdale, California, when he was young. His rise to fame came unexpectedly after a string of disappointments in his early 20s.
First he applied to the U.S. Naval Academy and was rejected. Then he broke his collarbone and lost his academic scholarship to the University of Southern California. His hopes at a football career or even a college degree were dashed. The USC football coach had to call in a favor with a director of silent westerns to get the Duke a job as a prop boy. The director took a liking to the young swaggering boy named Marion, and the rest is Hollywood history.
Life is full of expected twists and turns, and sometimes a series of accidents can lead to an incredibly lucky break. The only thing you can do is ride out the disasters and look for the opportunities to succeed. Who knows? Palmdale could be the setting of your greatest love story. If you want to meet singles and set up dates, you can use the following resources to help turn your luck around.
Palmdale Dating Sites
Online dating has significantly grown in popularity in the last few years (thanks, millennials) and become one of the most common ways for singles to meet their soul mates. The most popular dating sites will give you the best odds of finding a fantastic local date, and it’s typically free to create an account.
Best Singles Site
Match is the top-rated dating site on our list because it has inspired more dates, relationships, and marriages than any other online dating service. The site doesn’t just throw singles together and hope they connect. It uses smart technology to pair the most compatible profiles in the area, and its personality-driven tools have been undeniably successful over the last 25 years.
- 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 »
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Over 50 & Senior Sites
OurTime is a leading senior dating site for widows, divorcees, and never-married singles over 50. The platform is straightforward and beginner-friendly, so seniors don’t have to feel intimidated if they’ve never joined a dating site before. It’s easy to mix and mingle using the “Have You Met?” feature or the various search tools.
- 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 »
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For Black Men & Women Only
Nearly 15% of Palmdale residents identify as African-American, and the general dating scene isn’t always right for this minority group. BlackPeopleMeet offers a curated network where people of color can find dates who share similar viewpoints and experiences. The dating site has thousands of black and biracial members, and it’s open to anyone looking to diversity their love lives.
- 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
Not everyone in Palmdale is interested in until-death-do-we-part love. Some are just looking to get laid. Adult Friend Finder can help with that. This hookup site is geared toward the raunchy singles and swingers of the world. It has over 95 million active profiles in its database and supports sexy communications in private and group chats 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- 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 »
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Popular Dating Apps
Dating apps have made online dating a lot more convenient for singles on the go. These apps deliver messages and notifications directly to your smartphone, so you don’t have to remember to check a dozen different dating sites on your desktop every day. It’s easy to keep up with conversations and send likes on dating apps, and most use the GPS location data on your phone to direct you to the closest dates.
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.
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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.
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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.
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Palmdale Singles Bars
The online dating world may be trending right now, but it can never replace the authenticity and immediacy of sparking a connection in person. The bar scene is one of those serendipitous locations where romance can blossom over a round of drinks or a game of pool. It’s an organic way to meet new people, let down your guard, and discover a new love interest. We’ve reviewed some of the most beloved local bars in Palmdale to help you get your evening off to a good start.
Yard House
The Yard House is an American sports bar with an extensive selection of draft brews. You can find this casual eatery next to the Antelope Valley Mall. Its classic pub grub tempts hungry shoppers, and you'll often see people crowd the bar during big sporting events. At the Yard House, happy hour runs from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m., so you can get your drink on, have a little dinner, and party all night long without breaking your budget. Do yourself a favor and order a tower of onion rings and a pint of beer at the Yard House.
Ruben's Bar & Grill
Known as "everyone's favorite dive bar," Ruben's Bar & Grill stays open until 2 a.m. and tends to attract a laid-back and friendly crew of bar flies. The bartenders know how to make a great drink, and the kitchen serves some of the hottest nachos and quesadillas in town. The bar's karaoke nights are particularly popular among locals, and people come from across Lancaster and Palmdale to sing their hearts out. This casual bar doesn't judge, so come on in and pull up a stool.
Lucky Luke Brewing
Lucky Luke Brewing is a beloved hangout on Avenue O. Singles come here to enjoy good food, good music, and good times. The brewery offers flights of beer for an affordable price, and food trucks regularly park outside to feed tacos and burgers to the crowd. If you've got a few hours to kill, you can chill out at Lucky Luke Brewing with a smooth IPA to keep you company. Samantha and Brian Schmitz opened this brewery and tasting room to celebrate quality beer and bring people together, and they've been fortunate enough to win the support of the local community.
Big Shotz Bar & Grill
You don't have to be a big shot to hang out at Big Shotz Bar & Grill. This is a low-key, come-as-you-are bar where the food is hot, the drinks are cold, and the bartenders are always smiling. You can order a cheesy pizza, meatball sub, or salmon here, and then wash it down with a specialty cocktail. The brownish-red building may not look like much on the outside, but inside it's full of color and personality. Whether you're listening to a live band, singing karaoke, or playing pool, you can have a good time just being yourself at Big Shotz.
Brunswick Zone Vista Lanes
I know this is technically a bowling alley, but it has a bar and it's super fun. So, it's going on the list. The Brunswick Zone Vista Lanes is a terrific, family-friendly place to chill out with friends or on your own. You don't need a reservation to bowl a few games, have a few drinks, and play some billiards. They also have laser tag and arcade games if you really want to bring out your inner child. The bar serves a monster burger, locally crafted beer, and traditional wings, and you can get these goodies delivered to your bowling lane. You can eat, drink, flirt, and bowl as much as you want at Brunswick Zone Vista Lanes.
Palmdale Speed Dating
Speed dating events can accelerate the dating process and give singles the opportunity to stop waiting and start matching. These fun evenings challenge singles to make a good first impression during a series of five-minute conversations. At the end of the flirting marathon, singles write down which people they’d like to see again. The event organizers then provide the contact information to couples who like each other, and then it’s up to them to follow up and plan a real date. Speed dating events don’t happen all that often, so you should jump on them when they show up on the calendar.
Palmdale Singles Events
Singles events give singles a low-pressure way to get to know people and build relationships organically. You can show up to a hiking excursion or book club meeting and have a great time mingling with single men and women who share your interests. Some local groups organize regular meetups where they enjoy food, movies, and other activities together. You can do a keyword search on Meetup.com to find calendar events that speak to you.
Palmdale Singles Clubs
Dancing at the club is a fun way to attract flirtatious people to your side. During the late-night hours, clubs become charged with sexual energy, and it doesn’t take much to catch someone’s eye and create a romantic moment. Whether you’re letting loose on the dance floor or sitting quietly by the bar, you can have a wild time and meet vibrant singles at Palmdale’s packed nightclubs. Click the link below to read Yelp reviews of the best night lounges in town.
Palmdale Chat Rooms
Chat rooms are designed to get people talking, and it can help even shy daters come out of their shells. You can chat anonymously for as long as you like and practice your moves in a safe, non-intimidating space. Unlike bars and clubs, chat rooms are never closed to the public. You can log in at any time and find someone who’s online and in a chatty mood.
Palmdale Personals
In the olden days, singles would publish advertisements in the newspaper in hopes of picking up a date or finding a spouse. It would cost money and only show up in the classifieds section for a week or so. Online dating personals are much more user-friendly — and free. These sites give singles the chance to make local love connections by creating brief yet effective personal ads. You state who you are and what you want, and then you wait for the messages to come rolling in.
Take Part in a Recreational Activity
I have many fond memories playing on sports teams and bonding with my teammates as we practiced, won, and lost together. Those experiences aren’t just fun for kids — many adults keep playing sports in their free time because it’s a great way of keeping up friendships and staying fit.
Coed sports teams can help singles get healthy and meet people.
The City of Palmdale organizes adult sports leagues throughout the year, and anyone can join the fun. The coed slow-pitch and hardball slow-pitch teams run in the spring and fall. Registration starts in February for the spring season and June for the fall season.
The city also has adult kickball tournaments, basketball practices, and swim lessons. You can register for these activities here.
Team mates naturally form tight friendships as they compete alongside one another. It’s a spirited environment to score a date, and singles of all ages can participate.
Ride Into the Sunset in Palmdale
If John Wayne hadn’t broken his collarbone, lost his scholarship, and dropped out of college, he never would’ve caught the eye of a Hollywood director, and the silver screen would’ve missed out on a larger-than-life star. He couldn’t have known it then, but that accident set him on a path to fame and fortune.
When you’re feeling broken and at your lowest point, it can be hard to see a way forward or even conceive that things can get better. However, success comes to people who can persevere and roll with the punches. Everyone is going to experience setbacks at some point. The measure of a man or woman is what they decide to do next.
Palmdale is full of dating opportunities and ways to meet great people. All you need is the nerve to get out there, strike up conversations, and keep going despite disappointments. As John Wayne once said, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
