With summer in full swing and Americans returning to social activities after a year stuck inside, dating is once again a top priority for many. The pandemic created a remote workforce of “digital nomads” free to move about the country, widening the deep dating pools of cities like New York, Los Angeles and Boston into a cross-country puddle of new-to-towners, in need of recommendations for a night out on the town.
So, where did all of America’s eligible singles flock to? And, where are the best places to spark new connections with them? Yelp has partnered with Tinder to uncover the top cities for post-pandemic dating.
After studying five months of data across the United States, Tinder and Yelp’s data science teams have discovered the best cities for daters by looking at those with the highest Tinder match rates and highest offering of trending date-friendly categories on Yelp, like wine bars, parks and coffee shops, which uncovered some surprising results that span warm locales, seaside towns, and even campus communities.
Yelp then worked with its Community Managers, our local, on-the-ground experts who have their fingers on the pulse of the hottest spots in their areas, to curate a list of the best date ideas in each of these high-flirt cities. From cheap eats to hotel bars to healthy date ideas, 2021’s popular dating spots range from Monarch Butterfly Garden in San Luis Obispo, CA, to Vegas Valley Winery in Henderson, NV, to Yvonne’s in Boston. If you’re looking to impress your next date, look no further than their recommendations. They’re guaranteed to make you and your date swoon.
Top 10 Cities for Dating, according to Yelp and Tinder:
From light bites to beachfront views, Miami is a dater’s paradise. Yelpers love Jaguar Sun for dinner, drinks and recommend trying the oysters, martinis and cacio e pepe pasta if you’re looking to make an impression.
No matter your mood, Flagstaff boasts loads of fun date night activities. If you’re looking to keep the chemistry going with a potential beau, check out Shift Kitchen + Bar.
Feeling romantic? Lucky for you, SLO County has some prime date spots for your next date night. These dates are guaranteed to make you and your date swoon. Try Sunset Drive-in Movie Theater if you’re looking to make you and your date swoon.
Minutes away from the Vegas strip, Henderson boasts a variety of options if you’re looking for a great first date spot. Paint and Party offers a casual, social atmosphere to get to know one another while Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca provides a more intimate vibe for a date.
Picking the perfect date spot is far less tricky in Boston, which is filled with five-star restaurants and bars to impress any date. Elevate your next date night at Source, where Yelpers love their farm-to-table menu offerings.
Impress a potential beau with any of these amazing date ideas in Fayetteville, which range from delicious BBQ to sushi to Indian bites.
Bloomington boasts loads of fun date night activities. If you’re looking to keep the chemistry going with a potential beau, try grabbing a coffee at Hopscotch or a night out at Upland Brewing.
If you’re looking to shake up your go-to date spots, try these top locally-owned date spots in Clarksville. Yelpers love the whiskey caramel latte at Plumbline Coffee.
Whatever your date night preference, Myrtle Beach has you covered. Are you craving pasta and a bottle of something delicious? Try Toscana Italian Kitchen. Looking for Southern food and biscuits? Try Tupelo Honey.
Whether you’re in the mood for a lounge, a beach or a casual stroll through the farmer’s market — Los Angeles has it all. Stroll the Santa Monica Boardwalk or take a drive up to Malibu and enjoy the views at Moonshadow.
Methodology: This list of top dating cities was curated by evaluating the cities with the highest match rates, as analyzed by Tinder, and highest proportions of date-related categories, identified by review text volume of date related phrases (e.g. “date night,” “for a date” and “on a date”) between January – May 2021, according to Yelp.
