Top Three Places to Take a First Date in the Sacramento Area

Whether you connected on eHarmony or your best friend set you up with her cousin's brother-in-law, the intelligence you gather about a potential romantic partner may hinge on where you have your first date. If you live in the Sacramento area, you have thousands of venues from which to choose for a first date, from cozy cafes and plush dinner houses to outdoor venues like the American River Bike Trail or the Sacramento Zoo (where better to find out if your date is the type to make faces back at the monkeys?).

While even a cheeseburger at Hamburger Mary's could provide insights into your date's manners-Does he chew with his mouth open? Is he rude to the waiter?-certain first date places in Sacramento may provide better clues than others. This valuable data could help you decide if you and your date are destined to become an item or if he'll be just another asterisk in your romantic history.

Here are three of the best places to take a first date in the Sacramento area, as well as my logic for selecting them.

Best Place for First Date in Sacramento #1: Dinner at Thai Basil

Why take a first date to Thai Basil, an ethnic café in a sleepy Roseville shopping center? Like a pearl hidden inside an oyster, Thai Basil belies its humble outward appearance. It is also where I had my first date with the man who proposed to me at the same table (and with the same waiter) two years later, so I can personally attest it is a fortuitous place for a first date. The sumptuous Thai decor inside Thai Basil will sweep you away as soon as you walk inside the entry; like Dorothy in Oz, you won't feel like you're in Roseville any more. Be sure to plan your first date for a night when one of Thai Basil's live musicians is playing romantic classical guitar. You can also take your date to the Thai Basil in downtown Sacramento, but I can't promise it will lead to marriage.

What Thai Basil can teach you about your date? Chivalry and manners ~ look for the following: Is he polite to the waiter? Does he tip the musician? Did he arrive early and place a bouquet of flowers on the table? Does he make sure you have the seat with the best view? Does he only have eyes for you... or is he sneaking glances at the woman at the next table?

Key info for Thai Basil (restaurant in Roseville)

Where: 1613 Douglas Blvd., Roseville, Calif. 95661
How much: Most entrees between $10 and $15; figure $60 - $75 after soup/starter, dessert and/or wine
Thai Basil Official Website: http://www.thaibasilrestaurant.com/

Best Place for First Date in Sacramento Area #2: Comedy at Laughs Unlimited

One of the first comedy clubs in the Sacramento area, Laughs Unlimited in Old Sacramento now competes head on with the Punch Line comedy club on Howe Ave., just down the street from Sac State. Laughs Unlimited makes a better first date locale than the Punch Line for two main reasons: the comedians' vocabularies include words containing more than four letters, and after the show you can take a romantic stroll along the Sacramento river or enjoy a moonlit nightcap on the deck of the Delta King.

What Laughs Unlimited can teach you about your date? Sense of Humor, Respect for Women ~ look for the following: Does he laugh hardest at jokes that are mean spirited or put women down? Does he find a lot of the same jokes funny that you do? Does he need eight shots of tequila before he can crack a smile? Does he rave about the nachos (not a good sign)?

Key info for Laughs Unlimited (comedy club in Sacramento)

Where: 1207 Front St., Sacramento, Calif. 95814
How much: $10- $20 per ticket
Laughs Unlimited Official Website: http://www.laughsunlimited.com

Best Place for First Date in Sacramento Area #3: Kayaking on LakeNatoma

On a warm spring or summer day, Lake Natoma in the Gold River / Fair Oaks area of Sacramento is a serene outdoorsy place to take a first date kayaking. What could be more conducive to romance than gliding on the water amidst the birds and trees? Although you can rent either one double or two single kayaks, the double is more intimate for a first date, not to mention cheaper. Pack a picnic or bring some dry clothes to change into so you can share a light bite afterward if you hit it off.

What kayaking on LakeNatoma can teach you about your date? Teamwork, Athleticism, Aesthetics ~ look for the following: Does he attempt to paddle synchronously with you? Does he make sure you get in and out of the kayak safely and comfortably? Is he panting two minutes after you leave the dock? Does he paddle with grace and ease? Does he point out scenes of natural beauty?

Key info for SacramentoStateAquaticCenter (kayaking on LakeNatoma)

Where: 1901 Hazel Ave., Gold River, Calif. 95670
How much: $9 per hour single kayak; $14 per hour tandem (double) kayak
Website: http://www.sacstateaquaticcenter.com/

Sources:

Personal experience
http://www.sacstateaquaticcenter.com
http://www.laughsunlimited.com/
http://www.thaibasilrestaurant.com/