Ever have the desire to be like Indiana Jones or one of the Goonies and go caving and exploring? Crawling around in caves looking for neat stuff is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I know there are a lot of people who enjoy that kind of adventure. The fear of being in an enclosed area with darkness, the fear of the unknown, the really cool rock formations underground, the pure joy of being in the earth, are all reasons one might or might not want to go spelunking or “caving.”
Bringing a group to a cave for a date can be a very exciting thing. You could plan some kind of scary event that will take place and really freak out your dates, or just explore the area. An outing like this will not work really well if your date is claustrophobic or hates to get a little dirty. You could take candles in with you and tell scary stories. There really is a lot of stuff that you can do in a cave. Maybe send a different group ahead of you and they can hide things in the cave to find. Or just plain hide and wait and scare you when in there. Keep an eye out for critters though, I have found Gila monsters, bats, and rattlesnakes in the caves here in Arizona.
What you need for this caving and exploring date idea:
Gas money, a car, and a place to go are all you need. If you want to bring food in with you make sure to pack that as well, and bring plenty of flashlights and candles if you want them. Headlamps are also a good choice and if you will be crawling around a helmet of some kind is recommended.
This is a really cheap and fun exciting thing to do. Some places you might want to search for caves are here or here. Or you can just do a basic Google search to find a cave near you. I am willing to bet wherever you live you will be able to find someplace to go and explore that is within a reasonable distance.
My experience with this creative date:
On one occasion, I took a girl hiking with the end goal in mind to go to the “bat cave.” No, it was not Batman’s lair. It was an old abandoned mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. Since moving to Arizona, this hike had been one of my favorite places to explore. I have taken a few dates to that spot over the years until the mine was finally boarded up.
I remember fondly, this particular date. The sun was going down and the cool autumn weather was very pleasant. We talked and laughed and got to know each other along the way. When we got to the tunnel entrance, I had the idea that it would be fun to light candles and place them as we walked. Once we got to the end, we would walk back with only the candlelight to guide us, instead of using our flashlights. The idea worked perfectly. The candles provided the perfect amount of light to guide us back. Luckily there were no “friendly” bats in there flying around our heads. It was awesome and my date loved it!
Caving and exploring are awesome!
I have been an avid cave explorer ever since I was a wee lad. My buddies and I would climb around in drains, sewers, and pretty much anywhere we weren’t supposed. I quickly learned that real caves are the best. Some of my favorites are Moaning Caverns in California, Pinnacles National Park in California, Peppersauce Cave in Arizona, and the Lava River Cave in Flagstaff, AZ. I have yet to explore the really big caverns such as Carlsbad Caverns, which are located in New Mexico, or Mammoth Cave, which is in Kentucky.
When I was young, about 16, our Boy Scout troop went to Moaning Caverns. I was excited because I heard that it offered a 180-foot rappel down the cave with a guided spelunking tour afterward. I waited in anticipation until it was my turn, then I noticed a very cute 17-year-old girl that showed up with her family. She was the only one that wanted to go on the tour through the earth, so she joined our group. That made me even happier. It was my turn; I locked the carabiner to my harness and used the nifty rappelling device and descended into the world below.
Deep in the earth
It was incredible down inside the earth. There were stalactites and stalagmites and the cave actually moaned. The group gathered, the girl included, and we set out crawling after our guide. The girl ended up hanging out with me the whole time; of course, she would, as I was an experienced spelunker and a good-looking one at that. One of the leaders was a little too plump and couldn’t quite get through a particular part, so he had to turn back. The girl and I kept our pace and explored some of the not-so-popular areas. Once we emerged from the dark tunnels, we climbed the long spiral staircase, which led to fresh air and the normal world. I would have liked to have gotten her number, but much to my chagrin, I failed to do so.
Note – I want to point out that caving and exploring can be very dangerous. Always stick to well-explored areas. And never go to places that are too tight.
Do you have experience with this creative date idea? Let me know in the comments how you liked it. You can buy a copy of the book 101 Creative Dates: ideas, tips, and personal experiences from the life of a hopeless romantic here or visit the shop.
Here are other date ideas you might like: