The good places are everywhere, literally. The real question is, do you have what it takes to meet people. Do you possess the gift of gab? Conversations don’t occur spontaneously when people start babbling at each other, someone has to initiate them; make that someone yourself. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, chances are a lot of people are having the same thoughts that you are in a given situation, but they’re not saying anything either. Strike up the band by striking the first note yourself.
People want to spend time with people who make them feel good about themselves. This doesn’t mean that you should offer meaningless compliments to complete strangers, it means that, if you don’t already know this, that you should show some genuine interest in the person with whom you’re conversing. Shift your focus from finding that special someone to getting to know people in general, find out what makes them tick, make the human connection. You may not only find the love of your life, but you’re going to be a much richer person when you see the glint in someone’s eye because you cared enough to show some interest in them when the situation didn’t really call for it.
I admit freely that I’m a total blab, I can talk to anyone, anywhere and it was an ability that never stopped amazing my friends. I also admit freely that it wasn’t easy at first, you risk a lot, namely rejection and face, by being potentially shunned, but if you choose not to take the rejection personally and realize that the payoff of making the connection with people is a reward in and of itself, you’ll see the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.