40 Dates Your Man Will Love

So he wasn’t crazy about the yoga/cross-stitch lessons you chose for your last date, featuring Victorian lute music and vegan pine cone cookies? One of these manly dates is bound to tickle his fancy and yours.

There are a lot of possibilities, so let’s get to it!

Nearly every man loves an amusement park. What could be more thrilling and adventuresome than the world’s deadliest roller coaster? Along the same lines, you might prefer to take him to an outdoor water park with the huge water slides and poolside bars. There are year-round indoor water parks as well.

He’s not that active? A walk through the zoo will give him that same opportunity to get some invigorating fresh air, as well as those little pit stops for ice cream and snacks. Oh — and there are lots of animals, too.

Horseback riding, ice skating or rollerblading offer fun ways of working up an appetite for a nice dinner later on. Bike riding adds an extra dimension of actually going somewhere.

Pack a lunch and some cold beverages and pedal to a park on the river for a full day of relaxation and togetherness.

There’s nothing better than getting close to nature to get him in the mood for getting close to you. A sunset walk on the beach followed by a seaside picnic with some warm blankets, a bottle of wine, a little music and a couple of sandwiches is a date he will remember for a long time. He might never get to the sandwiches.

You might want to start the beach day in the afternoon with some volleyball or badminton before the sun sets. Or take him to the park for some Frisbee with you and your dogs, work your way into a bit of kite flying on roller skates, and then grill some burgers and relax.

A hike in the woods can be a great adventure he will love. Help him build a fire when the sun goes down and bring along the makings for s’mores. A warm blanket, a glass of wine and a beautiful woman… yeah, I think he’s going to like this one.

Or grab a telescope and your picnic gear and head an hour out of the city to where the night sky is very dark and filled with stars. A star party is a way to get more romantic with your man.

Men love to get off of dry land and onto the water. Take a short downstream canoe trip to a state park. Go snorkeling near a coral reef, body boarding on the beach, tubing down the river or water skiing on the lake.

There are few things as sexy as a cold, wet woman who needs a hug. Seriously.

If he’s a fisherman, you can even take him fishing and have him teach you how to bait a hook. It’s nice to be able to share some of his activities and pastimes.

Paddle boats that you pedal yourself as well as the big riverboat casinos are also bound to arouse his interest.

A man loves to take a long drive with his girl, especially if they will end up someplace nice. He may go for a stop at your eccentric granny’s an hour out of town for some lunch and a walk down memory lane with a few childhood photos of you, but you might have to spice it up a little more.

Maybe some dancing in your hometown with your old friends or just a nice bed and breakfast with a hot tub and you. A casino or the the world’s largest ball of used chewing gum might add a little fun, too. The possibilities for road trips are endless, so use your imagination.

Seasonal drives to look at holiday lights or fall colors also offer something for both of you. If it’s cold outside, make sure you give him some hot cocoa and warm kisses when you’re done.

Some of the best times you will ever have are just staying at home or doing mundane things together. If time is of the essence, cash is tight or his energy level is just low this week, try some of these ideas.

A home-cooked meal can be a very comforting and satisfying date for a man. Start out by going to the supermarket together to buy a few things for dinner.

If he likes to grill outdoors, get some steaks or lobster tails (fabulous on the grill!) if the budget permits. If you’re cooking inside, do it together and get him involved in peeling the veggies, boiling the pasta or making his own special dish.

Candlelight, wine and a movie on TV make a great dessert.

Domestic chores can be fun too, when you do them together. Bring your car and swimsuit over and wash your cars (and each other) together. A simple garden hose with running water can make you both feel like children and can allow you to loosen up for the kind of fun and laughter you haven’t experienced for a decade or more.

Getting showered and into dry clothes afterward has a lot of fun possibilities, too.

Take him out for an afternoon of paintball, archery, laser tag or target practice at the rifle range. These are manly sports that you can join him in, and they provide a lot of fun for everyone.

Or go to the driving range and hit a bucket of golf balls. They’re not lethal weapons, but he’ll love it nonetheless. For a treat he will really enjoy, wrap up the day with some pool, darts, burgers and beer at the neighborhood pub.

Experience the real meaning of “male bonding” for yourself!

Every man enjoys stock car races, monster truck shows, WWE or UFC fighting, a real rock concert and sporting events of every variety. Get a couple of tickets, and you will be his hero.

Just make sure he understands he will be taking you and not Eddy. For some car racing he can participate in, take him to a go-kart track.

County fairs, rodeos, street fairs, art fairs, as well as free outdoor concerts and street dances, also offer something different and exciting he will love doing with you.

Whew! If you can’t make your man happy with one of these ideas, then you’re dating a rock.

But if you really want to please your guy, you should take him to the tattoo shop and let him watch as you get his name tattooed on your forehead. Or just give him a nice kiss.