The nine dates in Shanghai that you never thought of, but wish you had

We all know how tough it is to plan that perfect date. Dinner, a movie and coffee afterwards is fine if you want a ho-hum evening that's been done before. While we suggest you avoid taking your potential paramours to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, we also understand that dating is a touchy matter–every detail you choose, from the restaurant to the booze, tells the object of your affection a little about you. To let you relax (somewhat) and give you more time to rehearse winking and laughing in the bathroom mirror, we've devised nine unforgettable plans to woo that date straight into your arms—or elsewhere.

Cynthia Cross

The High Roller Date

Dressed for a night dripping with glamour and indulgence starting with a Shanghai Limousine limo ride to New Heights at Three on the Bund. A romantic tete-a-tete in the Cupola-the ultra-exclusive two-person dining room in an opulent rooftop dome-named "one of twenty experiences of a lifetime” by Conde Nast, is sure to win you brownie points. "In the Cupola, you feel you're on top of the world," says Three on the Bund Managing Director Alan Hepburn. "The only limit is your imagination." Drink like royalty and feast on fresh lobster, aphrodisiacal oysters and top-shelf champagne delivered from Laris while you absorb the breath-taking views. Once you've put the Cupola to good use, hop back into your limousine and head to the luxurious, eco-friendly URBN Hotel where upon entering your courtyard suite, your date will be touched by the pre-arranged red roses, candles and soulful Al Green playing in the background. Make your way to the outdoor terrace for a slow dance before teasing your date a bit longer with a couples' herbal bath, then an order of sinful sticky date pudding from roomtwentyeight's 24-hour room service (to share, of course). Also request the hotel's unique intimacy kit and see what treats arrive.

The Date Aquatic

Get up-close-and-personal with some sharks-and your date-at the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium. Give Big Blue Scuba Diving at least 24 hours' notice and they can hook you up with a certified dive master, sleek wetsuit, funky flippers and some pretty intimidating creatures. "It's a great new type of experience [for dating]," Paul Adams, Big Blue diving instructor says. "There's no such thing as diving alone." If your admirer turns jittery when confronted with a toothy (but harmless) shark, comfort him or her with reassuring sign language like blowing a few underwater kisses. If your date wimps out, you can choose the less petrifying option of snorkeling with white Beluga whales.

The Geeky Date

Test the IQ of your object of desire with a group date to O'Malley's Irish Pub's Thursday Quiz Night. Even if this one's not the brightest light bulb, the easy-going group situation should assuage any awkwardness (and two-for-one Stellas will also do their part). This is the perfect opportunity to get to know not only your date's competitiveness, but also where their wisdom lies-if they're quick to shout out the number of beers in a keg but are stumped by Sweden's official language, you may want to reconsider this one.

The Competitive Date

Take your flame out for an evening of friendly competition to decide who should wear the pants in the relationship. Start at Big Bamboo, Shanghai's foremost locale for sports-related mirth and buffoonery, with a match of foosball-loser buys Macho Nachos. Between winning points, intersperse flirty high-fives and pats on the butt. Alexander Schroeder, foosball fanatic and communications man for the Shanghai Foosball Club, once took a girl to a foosball competition for a first date. "I needed to take her on a date that would leave a lasting impression ... It was the perfect choice for a Friday night," Schroeder says. "The competition was the perfect icebreaker and let us get to know each other while having fun." After foosball, continue the rivalry at one of the pool tables where you can tease each other with witty repartée laced with sexual innuendos about long sticks and balls. If out on a Saturday, also head to Windows Scoreboard for some beer pong antics. Team up and challenge a pair of legless (read: drunken) English teachers, then rejoice in the ass whooping you gave them with a celebratory kiss. Satiate late night munchies with Scoreboard's cheap bacon cheeseburgers.

The Nookie Lounge Date

This date is perfect for couples who want to flaunt their PDAs in every joint in town. Warm up those tongues and jaws at the cozy, dimly lit Casa 13 with some suggestive chorizo. Order the prosciutto salad and glazed scallops for mains and continue to smooch before your profiteroles arrive. Once dessert has been downed, pop a mint and you guessed it, kiss some more. Then hop in a cab, continuing the make-out session in the backseat (remember, this is one of those times to tip the cabbie-he's earned it), and head to JZ Club for a smooth soundtrack to your playful caresses. Rebecca Ha, manager at JZ Club, explains that they concentrate on bringing great musicians to Shangahi, saying that, "bringing different bands to play at the club every night attracts couples from far and wide." A soulful date spot indeed. Settle into a private nook at your reserved table upstairs where dark lighting and comfortable couches provide the ideal opportunity for getting even closer. Sneak peeks at the jazz band between saucy whispers. If you're needing some fresh air, ascend the winding staircase to the often-empty roof and enjoy some open-air PDA. Just remember that although we don't see them, there are cameras everywhere in Shanghai-and we don't think you'll get that tape back. Finish your night out in a passionate embrace deep in the dark, underground cave-like recesses of The Shelter performing some eyebrow-raising dirty dance moves on the couches (in the back) in sync with the funk and hip-hop beats.

The Love on a Shoestring Date

Pre-date, stop by your local Carrefour and Paris Baguette to customize your picnic basket with some summery outdoor noshes and fresh sandwiches. Basket in hand, take your companion to the Yuyuan Bazaar and admire intricate kites being sold at several stalls in the shapes of dragons and butterflies. Buy your date the kite that they shine to the most, but insist that its looks don't rival theirs. Then whisk your amour away by cab to the Shanghai Botanical Gardens where you can tuck into your goodies while snuggled up close on a picnic blanket. After lunch is digested (and kite has been flown), enjoy the park's luscious gardens and groves while fabricating scientific plant names and sneaking a kiss in the rose garden.

The Body and Soul Date

Meet your flame on the Bund for a power walk, then march yourselves over to YOGO in Xintiandi for an invigorating smoothie. After refueling, take your date to Longwu Kungfu for a Tai Chi class and when the instructor's not looking, use hands-on assistance to perfect your date's form. Keep your inner peace going with dinner at the vegetarian Jujube Tree and savor (ironically) meat-flavored vegetable and tofu dishes while playing footsies with your date's tennis shoes under the table.

The Zaijian Date

Breaking up is hard to do-but it's easier at a speed dating night. Reserve two spots at, OK, Deal!'s monthly speed dating event, but tell your date you guys are going out to chill at a bar for a few drinks. When you arrive, pop the news and after what we're sure will be some well-chosen words from your date, both of you can dive straight back into the game with the night's speed dating festivities. Make it a competition and see who finds the hotter rebound.

The Oh-So-Fruity Date

Take a sunny day trip to the organic strawberry farms of Zhaotun village in Qingpu District to hand-pick your own fresh, ripe strawberries (about ￥12 per kilogram). Get there in luxury by renting a car service for the day or simply bargain for a cabbie's services during your trip. For the truly adventurous, rent a car for a day (temporary Chinese driver's license included) from Hertz. Once in Zhaotun, help your date carry the B.Y.O baskets and tell them about your love for all things au naturel. If your gestures are warmly met, suggest that the date continue back at your pad with some strawberries and whipped cream. We think you can take it from here.

Shanghai's Favorite Date Spots

We asked Shanghailanders what the very best thing they'd ever done on a date was. Here's what they said.

Nicole Legacki
Independent Consultant
Girls take guys out? If I were being assertive we would go to dinner then end up at Velvet Lounge. Come 3am, if he orders a margherit pizza, he's a keeper!"

Andrew Chubb
Unemployed
We're pretty poor so my girlfriend and I go for walks down to the nearby canal, past the local slums. When we get back to our migrant workers dwelling with our roadside flat breads, we feel like we're dining at Sassoon House."

Spring Chen
HR Consultant
I like to go to Chartres or Fragrant Camphor Garden with my lover for the romantic and unique environment. Binjiang Lane is also always a good place for a date. Breeze, rivers and warm sunshine ... everything's just magical."

Aleksandra Walczyk
English Teacher
I'm dying to go out to Haiku on a date. Japanese is great date food and perhaps I could get him to foot the bill. But usually I would just end up going somewhere like Bohemia Café and then Bar Rouge afterwards if I'm lucky!"