23 Solo Dates In Louisville To Take Yourself On

Go to a sex store

Yep, we’re starting off with this one. There are plenty of things that go buzz in the night to make your solo time more enjoyable.
Photo by danroc041/Flickr, used under CC BY 2.0

Go to a sports game

Louisville has sports year-round, and even if you go to a game alone, you’re never really alone. Going to a game and doing all the chants, cheers, gestures, etc. is a great way to feel like part of a community.
Photo by Carolyn Brown

Go to a record store

Finding new music is fun, especially when you can find what you actually like and don’t have to try to impress anyone. There’s no such thing as a “guilty pleasure” artist when you’re by yourself.
Photo via guestroomrecordslouisville/Instagram

Go to an arcade

If you need to treat yourself to some fun solo time, plunge and drain your balls. (What? Those are real pinball terms!)
Photo via recbar502/Instagram

Go to the Speed Art Museum

The joy of going to a museum solo is being able to go at your own pace. If there’s a particular work of art that intrigues and entrances you, you can stop in front of it for as long as you want with no one rushing you out. And, of course, the Speed has plenty of art to look at.
Photo via official_pizzspeedartmuseuma_bruno/Instagram

Go to a rage room

Being single can be frustrating. Go smash some shit.
Photo via ovrdrivefun/Instagram

Get a private karaoke room

Sure, you can sing anywhere, but singing in a private karaoke room (with lights and privacy and a concierge who brings you drinks) allows you to feel like a superstar. Plus, only you can judge how good your singing is!
Photo by Carolyn Brown

Walk around the Crescent Hill Reservoir

In our 2022 Readers’ Choice Staff Picks, reporter Josh Wood awarded this the “Best Place For A Quick Walk.” He says it’s beautiful and “easily tricks the mind into thinking you’re out in the country while you’re still in the city.”
Photo by Josh Wood

Go thrifting or vintage clothes shopping

Find new clothes in your own style while saving money. (For a headstart on where to look, check out our list of 25 essential vintage shops in and around Louisville.)
Photo via theneonflea/Instagram

Walk through the Waterfront Botanical Gardens

When the weather’s suited for it, these gardens make a great spot for a beautiful solo stroll.
Photo via Facebook.com/WaterfrontBotanicalGardens

Go to the Louisville Salt Cave

Salt caves supposedly help with allergies and stress, among other things. We just think this one looks cool.
Photo via louisvillesaltcave/Instagram

Take a nap

Is this one technically a cop-out for us because it’s not really Louisville-specific? Perhaps. But here’s the thing: you can do it just about anywhere in Louisville (that’s not, y’know, in public or trespassing on private property). In any case, everyone could use a good solo nap.
Public domain photo via w.vandervet/Flickr

Go to a plant store

A store like Forage or Mahonia might be the chill, peaceful spot you need to find your new favorite addition to your plant collection.
Photo via foragegreenliving/Instagram

Smoke weed (if you’re old enough and if you're in a safe location)

And speaking of favorite plants…
Photo via Adobe Stock

Get a tattoo

Okay, yes, this one’s a bit extreme. Obviously you can’t decide last-minute to get a tattoo the way you can decide to, say, get a pizza. But if you want to treat yourself to some special permanent art, pick a design you love, book an appointment with a local artist, and let them work their magic. (We’ve got a list of some of our area’s many talented tattoo artists here.)
Photo via victoriakurtztattoos/Instagram

Take a hot bath

Self-explanatory.
Photo by Trey Ratcliff/Flickr, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Get a massage

Also self-explanatory.
Photo via massageonmellwood/Instagram

Go to a comic store

The perks of going to a comic book store, according to friend-of-LEO Billy Arrowsmith, who used to run multiple online comics wikis: “Take the time to explore through old longboxes. Pore over the shelves of weird indie content by lesser known artists, find something that speaks to you individually. Embrace your inner geek without feeling the need to hide behind layers of performative irony. While you’re at it, get a recommendation from a human being instead of an algorithm."
Photo by Nik Vechery

Go to a local bookstore

Browsing a bookstore alone, like browsing a record store alone, means you can take your time and look for the books that really speak to you rather than the ones you think would most impress a date. Plus, bookstores are usually very cozy.
Photo via carmichaelsbookstore/Instagram

Go pet some pets

You can go to the Purrfect Day Cat Cafe, the Humane Society, a pet store, or other adoption agencies to find cuddly animals who just need love and attention and are more than ready to receive it. It’s a win-win for humans and pets.
Photo via purrfectdaycafelou/Instagram