‘A hidden gem’: TikTok influencer brings ’50 Dates 50 States’ to R.I.

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island is getting its turn on a popular social media dating show.

Matt Wurnig’s dressed up red Mustang arrived here Tuesday, for the Ocean State’s chapter of ’50 Dates 50 States.’

It’s Wurnig’s third season filming the show — which counts more than 650,000 followers on TikTok, and more on other platforms.

He took Rhode Island’s Abby Rogan to Topgolf in Cranston Tuesday, and for dinner and drinks.

Rogan applied to be part of the show on Wurnig’s website.

She was asked about herself, what her plan would be for the date, and any unique talents and skills she has.

“I really bank on my dates throwing out different ideas because they know what there is for fun to do in their states versus me,” Wurnig said.

Matt Wurnig is driving around in this red Mustang for his ’50 Dates 50 States’ social media series (WLNE).

The concept is simple: Wurnig schedules dates with 50 different women in 50 different states, and then hits the road to explore the United States.

This year, there’s a twist: Wurnig brings a heart with him to each stop, and he can only keep five of the fifty.

When it’s been narrowed down to those five finalists, an end-of season retreat is planned in South Dakota.

Wurnig, 28, originally hails from Montana, and now calls Minnesota home.

This is his full-time job: driving, dating, and shooting and editing video for his social media channels.

He said the idea was borne of pandemic boredom.

“I hopped on Tinder and it said you could place your location anywhere in the U.S. for free,” Wurnig said. “A lightbulb kind of went off, so I started placing my location in L.A., Miami, New York, Dallas, the big cities.”

That led to virtual dates in all 50 states, and eventually, the real deal.

Matt and his Rhode Island date, Abby, at Topgolf Cranston on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 (Courtesy of Matt Wurnig).

His season two trip to Rhode Island brought him to Newport.

“I think Rhode Island is honestly kind of a hidden gem,” Wurnig said.

Wurnig said this will be his last season on the road. He’s hoping for a season four that features him as the host, and another bachelor traveling the country.

Does that mean he’ll have settled down with this year’s best date?

“For me when it comes to finding love or finding ‘the one,’ it’s always just a bonus, it’s never the expectation,” Wurnig said. “If sparks fly with, let’s say Rhode Island, I have 25 more dates to go on. So it’s like ‘Ok, well maybe I’ll see you at the end.’ So it gets tough logistically to make that happen, but that’s why in the season finale this year I’ll have a winner and we’ll see what the outcome is.”