By: Dave Thomas
Cardiff has recently been developed such that it is now a very attractive city for singles and dating, with a wide range of possible activities on offer.
Near the city centre, the Millennium Stadium hosts many sporting events and concerts and has been especially worthy of note for hosting the FA Cup in recent years. There is an active nightclub scene and a huge variety of restaurants on offer. Cardiff also has a large, popular shopping centre.
The Prince Of Wales Wetherspoons public house near Cardiff Central railway station is a good venue that I visit reasonably often. It's a nice pub which offers food and drinks at reasonable prices, and there is no loud music to drown out conversion; it's an ideal environment for a date. It used to be the Prince Of Wales Theatre, and it has retained some of its former charm. If you prefer fast food, there are plenty of places that offer this, and you can find coffee houses practically around every corner.
With regards theatres, St Davids Hall and the New Theatre are located in the city centre. They provide a wide variety of performances and are usually good value.
Formerly Cardiff Docks, the Bay area of the city is worth an evening stroll in the summer. It has been developed and is now an attractive, if expensive, part of the city. It contains many more restaurants, a ten-pin bowling alley, and various other attractions. A local company provides speed dating events at a venue near the bay.
There is an Ikea in nearby Grangetown that is also a good place to visit for a meal, although I wouldn't take a first date there.
There are also various parks and a free-entry museum located around the City Hall, which can be found to the north of the city centre. You might also wish to take your date to Cardiff Castle.
If you're driving, an excellent place for a reasonably-priced meal is right next to the service area of junction 30 of the M4 (but not part of the services themselves), where you will find a Toby Carvery. At the time of writing, I had my first date with my current girlfriend there. You'll get a warm, friendly atmosphere and nice food and drink. It's especially pleasant and romantic on a warm summer evening to eat your meal under the sky.
