Online Dating and Off-Site Activities

The point of online dating is to provide opportunities for women who don’t have a ton of time to socialize, who get social anxiety in groups, or who really enjoy sitting on their couch wearing pajamas. So it seems the new trend of online dating sites offering off-site activities goes against the reason women are using the Internet to find a potential partner.

Or does it? Let’s take a look at two different sites and the pros and cons of how online dating is expanding beyond the Web.

Aka “The ultimate adventure club just for singles!” Though it’s only currently offered in Chicago, Los Angeles and Indianapolis, the site’s been getting rave reviews from singles.

It offers adventurous activities (skydiving, whitewater rafting, rock climbing) and more mellow activities (cooking classes, sporting events, opera) to people who join the site looking for just that.

It’s not only a chance to meet Mr. Right, but it’s also a great way to find like-minded friends.

This is another site offering group activities and other events where members can meet out in the real world. I think the problem with this is that women who join the site are doing so with the idea of getting to know men through the World Wide Web.

By adding the element of in-person activities, women who are either too nervous or too busy to join in on the events feel like they are missing out on potential partners in their area.

Whether you join a site knowing full well that it requires one-on-one contact or you just started receiving random invitations to local happy hour events, co-ed cooking classes and baseball games, make the most out of every service your online dating site has to offer.