Solo dating is truly one of my favorite things to do. I choose not to wait for a significant other or friend to experience life in its fullness. I recommend solo dating for healthy personal time and self-discovery. Just remember - you don't have to be single to go on a solo date.
If you live in Charlotte, NC, here are solo date ideas to inspire you – whether it’s a way for you to step outside of your comfort zone or fulfill a self-care duty:
Take a cooking, cocktail or floral design class.
Most cooking classes in Charlotte are in a group setting. If you are alone, you will just be added to a group. You'll be so focused on the task at hand, you won't have to worry about engaging in deep conversation. Other classes may have you working alone.
Here's are a few of my experiences:
Dine at a restaurant or lounge with a great bar.
If you feel awkward or uncomfortable dining alone at a restaurant, hit the bar. The bar staff is always moving (and shaking) which provides a great distraction from being fake occupied with your phone. If the bar isn’t too busy, bartenders tend to engage in conversation…that’s if you want to chat. It’s also common that you will end up chatting with the person beside you as well.
Tap & Vine (Indian Trail) – different events and specials throughout the week
STATS Restaurant & Bar – good food and music (R&B/hip hop)
Steakhouses (ex. Morton's, Eddie V's, etc)
Bar ONE Lounge - great food and live music or DJ on certain nights
Check out my solo bar experiences at Tap & Vine, Bar ONE and Morton's.
Dine at a restaurant with a great view.
One way to ease into solo dining is to select a restaurant with a good view. This view can be scenic – think rooftop or good view of nature (water, mountains, beach, etc.). This view can also be the ultimate people watching experience – think patio in a high traffic/pedestrian area or shopping center. A good view can deter you from being heads down in your phone and creates space for you to enjoy the solitude and peace.
Restaurants with scenic or rooftop view:
Aura
Buho Bar
Merchant & Trade
Whiskey Warehouse
Hestia
Fahrenheit
Restaurants with great people watching experience:
Leroy Fox (South End)
Shake Shack (South End)
Flower Child
The Eagle Food & Beer Hall
Hawkers Asian Street Food
North Italia
Stir
Pizza Peel (Plaza Midwood)
milkbread
Lincoln Street Kitchen & Cocktails
Check out my solo dining experiences at The Pump House and Mariposa.
Attend a concert.
For anxious or introverted individuals, this may be too much, but I encourage you to give it a try. Your anxiety may be less about the actual concert and more about all things leading up to the concert – waiting in line and for the show to start. Once the show starts, the performance will be the only thing that matters.
If you want to meet new people or comfortable with social interaction, definitely go for standing room spaces or a small concert venue like The Fillmore. This is the perfect way to informally meet people – complain, laugh and “cut up” – with one commonality already known. You share a like, love or appreciation for the same artist.
If you really just want to be in your own zone, larger, seated venues are the better option.
Check out my Instagram reel where I share my first solo concert experience. Also consider attending a candlelight concert for a more talk-less environment.
I hope you found these solo date ideas helpful. Give it a try soon and let me know when you do!