Best First Date in Town

One of the keys to landing a second date is a great first date. While a movie and dinner (Tip: See the movie first so you can talk about it over dinner) is a safe and easy way to get started, it is rather lackluster and in need of a creative kick. So, where do you go to make a good, creative impression on your first date? Local, small businesses are very often a spectacular idea for first dates. And Grand Junction, Colorado has plenty in the way of local businesses and attractions. And most of them can be experienced for virtually the same price as an evening movie.

If you are looking for fun and frolic on your first date, try Bananas Fun Park or GJ Scores. Bananas Fun Park, located at 2469 River Road, offers affordable energetic entertainment in the way of Go-Karts, bumper boats, and miniature golf, along with other activities. GJ Scores, north of Mesa Mall on 24 Ã?½ Road, is, ultimately, the area’s largest bowling alley, with an arcade as well. Both establishments offer dining on the premises, the Congo CafÃ?© at Bananas and a full service bar and Bristol’s Bistro at GJ Scores, covering the dinner part of the date.

For a more artistic date, try the Greenshoe Theater Company at 418 Main Street downtown. The theater, including stage and box office, is no larger than an average sized house so the whole experience is very intimate. The performers in the company are all seasoned veterans as well as local residents, so be prepared to see the receptionist from your dentist’s office or the owner of your favorite restaurant on the stage when you go. And the Greenshoe isn’t the only live theater in town, just the newest. Theater enthusiasts should also check the playbills at the Cabaret, downtown, or the Metro or Empire theaters, both located just off of North Avenue.

The Laff Comedy Club is a new addition to the Grand Valley. Occupying the building at 1530 North Avenue which locals will remember as the Far East Chinese restaurant until only recently, the Laff Comedy Club offers various comedy acts. For the most part they book each act for two shows on Friday evenings, three shows on Saturdays and two shows on Sundays.

If frolicking or sitting quietly in a theater lacks the chance you may be looking for to get to know your companion, try a picnic lunch in one of the city’s multiple and beautiful parks or on the Colorado National Monument. Or grab a cup of coffee and a sweet treat at one of the many independently owned coffee houses around town.

Also, check out city entertainment guides such as the monthly What to Do magazine or the Out and About section of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Another terrific idea for a first date is one of the many local summer festivals, ranging from the annual Mesa Mall carnival in late May, early June, to the Farmer’s Market in Historic Downtown, to the Palisade Peach Festival in late August. These, plus any number of other events and festivals throughout the year, can provide an interesting and unique way to entertain your date while not distracting from your attempts to get to know one another.

Even if festivals aren’t your bag, use these entertainment guides to your advantage. Also, ask friends and neighbors what they do on the weekends or in their spare time. They may point you towards a restaurant or museum, activity or attraction that you never knew existed. The main ideas behind that all important first date are, first, to get to know him or her, and, second, to have a fun and especially memorable time, ensuring your chances at a second date.