"Do something crazy like fly fishing," said a guy I went on three dates with who asked to be referred to as, "no comment." (Not everyone is comfortable dating a writer.) His point was that you should pick something unusual that you like to do, and see if there's a stranger out there willing to do it with you. Everyone can go out for a cocktail, but suggesting something you like to do will at least ensure one of you has a good time.
"Best third date ever is finger-painting," according to someone on my trivia team. After you've done a first date drinks and second date dinner, mix it up with something that's fun, tactile, and most importantly, unexpected. Apparently, this move is a good one to repeat regularly because at worst it's a fairly inexpensive way to fill your home with original art and at best it could lead to a fourth date.
Long distance dating? Find something you can do together that you can work on separately. "My boyfriend and I trained for a half marathon together when we lived in different cities," said a longtime cohort of mine. It gave them something to talk about on the phone and a shared goal that they could feel great about completing together. When it came time for the race, I won't share who beat whom, but let's just say the boyfriend-now-husband likes to gloat about this dating tip all the time.