25 Goth First Date Ideas That Aren't Boring

Coffee dates are fine, but you can do better. The best goth date ideas give you something to react to together, whether that's an album cover, a creepy painting or a terrible 1950s monster movie. Here are 25 ideas, sorted by vibe, so you can pick one that fits you both.

Daytime dates

Not every goth date has to happen after dark. Daylight dates are relaxed, easy to leave if it's not clicking, and very easy to extend if it is.

1. A historic cemetery walk. Old Victorian cemeteries are often gorgeous, full of carved angels and ivy. Many run guided history tours. Go during open hours and be respectful.
2. A record shop crawl. Hit two or three stores and each pick an album for the other person. Bonus points if you listen to them together later.
3. A natural history museum. Fossils, skeletons, taxidermy and dim halls. Instant conversation.
4. An art museum with a dark streak. Look for Gothic, Romantic or Symbolist paintings, or anything with skulls and still lifes.
5. An oddities market or curiosity shop. Browse antique medical tools, bones and strange taxidermy, and buy each other something small and weird.
6. A thrift store challenge. Set a small budget and give each other 20 minutes to build a goth outfit. Reveal at the end.
7. A botanical garden. Look for the carnivorous plant room and the poison garden if your local one has them.

Evening and night dates

8. A goth or darkwave club night. Best for a second or third date, when you're comfortable enough to dance badly together.
9. A small live show. Pick a venue where you can still talk between sets.
10. A ghost tour. Many old cities run them. Even if you don't believe in ghosts, the local history is fun.
11. Late-night stargazing. Drive away from city lights with a blanket. Download a star map app and try to find constellations.
12. A night walk through the old part of town. Gothic architecture, gas lamps if you're lucky, and quiet streets.
13. An industrial or EBM night. Great if you both love to dance and would rather not talk over music.

Movie and media dates

14. A horror double feature. One classic, one new. Debate which was scarier. We have a whole guide to horror movie date night.
15. A repertory cinema screening. Look for midnight showings of cult films, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where audience participation is part of the fun.
16. A classic monster movie marathon. Universal's Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931) and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) are perfect for a cozy night in.
17. A goth film night at home. Try The Hunger (1983), The Crow (1994) or Only Lovers Left Alive (2013). Our list of the best goth movies has plenty more.
18. A music documentary night. Pick a doc about a band one of you loves and the other doesn't know yet.

Creative dates

19. Make playlists for each other. Set a theme like "songs for a rainy cemetery walk" and swap.
20. A tarot or oracle card night. Just for fun. Read each other's cards and make up dramatic interpretations.
21. A candle-making or pottery class. Hands-on, a bit messy and you go home with something.
22. A DIY patch or jacket night. Bring an old jacket, a pile of patches and some thread.
23. Draw each other. Badly. Frame the worst one.
24. Bake something spooky. Black velvet cake, skull-shaped cookies or anything with a lot of black food coloring.
25. Visit a tattoo convention. Lots to look at, lots to talk about. No need to get tattooed on the spot.

How to pick the right one

Think about how you both like to talk

If you're both chatty, go for something quieter like a museum or record shop. If one of you is shy, choose a date with built-in things to look at, so silence feels natural instead of awkward.

Keep the first date short

Two hours is plenty. A cemetery walk followed by a quick snack, or a record shop and a short walk, leaves you both wanting more.

Have a backup plan

Weather happens. If your cemetery walk gets rained out, a museum or a bookstore nearby saves the day.

Dress for it

Platform boots are amazing, but maybe not for a two-hour walk on gravel. For outfit ideas that actually work on the day, see What to Wear on a Goth Date.

Things to talk about on the date

Even the best date idea needs a bit of conversation. Keep a few easy questions in your back pocket:

• What was the first album that got you into this music?
• What's the best show you've ever been to?
• Which horror film actually scared you?
• If you could see any band from any era live, who would it be?
• What's the weirdest thing you own?
• Are you a night person or a secretly-loves-mornings person?
• What's your most controversial goth opinion?

The last one is especially good. Every goth has at least one, whether it's about the best Cure album, the right height for platform boots or whether shoegaze counts. If you need more, our list of conversation starters for goths has plenty.

Safety basics

Meet somewhere public the first time, tell a friend where you're going, and get yourself there and home on your own. Cemeteries and night walks are better as a second or third date, once you've met in a busier place first.

Finding someone to go with

If you've got a list of date ideas and nobody to take on them yet, it might be time to meet more alt people. Our goth dating guide covers where goth singles meet, and on Alt Chat you can meet goths nearby, chat in live rooms and see what music people love on their profiles before you plan anything.

And once you've found your person, keep the fun going with our goth couple ideas for matching outfits, dates and traditions.

FAQ

What is a good goth first date?

A good goth first date gives you something to talk about without being too loud. Record shops, daytime cemetery walks, museums and horror screenings are all great picks. Keep it to a couple of hours so there's room to want more.

Is a cemetery walk a weird first date?

Not if you both like that sort of thing. Many old cemeteries welcome visitors, run history tours and are beautiful places to walk. Go during open hours, stay on paths and be respectful of mourners.

What are cheap goth date ideas?

Cemetery walks, thrift store challenges, making a playlist for each other, a horror movie night at home and browsing a record store cost little or nothing. Fun doesn't need a big budget.

What should we talk about on a goth first date?

Music is the easiest starting point, like the first album that got you into the scene or the best show you've been to. Films, books, style and weird hobbies are also great topics.