Enjoy 25+ Orlando Date Night Ideas for a Magical Time
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You could say we are a little obsessed with dating – I mean, we made an entire blog about it, right? But our favorite thing to do is make date night bucket lists for each city, like Orlando! We ask around, check out review sites, consider date nights we've done in the past since Dan and I started dating when we lived nearby, and make a plan of attack for our best date ideas.
These work for daytime or nighttime dates! In fact, some of these places close early, so make sure to have your plan of attack ready before you go so you don't miss their open hours.
Free and Cheap Date Ideas
Looking for free things to do in Orlando with your honey? We have free and almost free things on our own list, and we are here to share them with you! 🙂
Feel like staying in? Try our date night in a jar.
Lake Eola Park
Located in the heart of downtown Orlando, Lake Eola Park is the perfect place for a relaxing walking date with your love. Pack a picnic and rent a swan-shaped paddle boat to make it extra romantic. 😉
Take in a great view of the Orlando skyline and do a little bird watching if it's not too cold.
Library Date
It's no secret that we love to read – and we love the library. While ebooks are convenient for on the go, nothing beats the smell of old books and the feeling of turning the pages in a real book.
Besides plentiful reading opportunities, you and your honey can take classes and attend free events throughout Orlando thanks to the Orange County Library System.
One thing we lovvvve to do together is get creative and build businesses.
Melrose Center has a Makerspace Open Lab where you can create in hands-on classes that empower you to take your idea from concept to design to reality. Now that's my kind of date!
Local Author Readings
As writers, we appreciate The Jack Kerouac Project: it supports writers through residency and other enrichment programs. Attend a reading by local and world-renown authors. BYO drinks.
Popcorn FLicks in the Park
Popcorn Flicks in the Park takes place on the second Thursday of each month in Winter Park. Check out their page to make sure the days/times are still the same, as they are subject to change (especially when there is inclement weather).
Wine Tour
We know winery tours aren't usually free (or even cheap), but you can visit the Quantum Leap Winery and get a free tour Tuesday through Saturday, 12-8PM. We love this spot because it's Florida's only sustainable winery!
Strawberry Picking
Florida's growing season for strawberries is November through March. Harvesting begins mid-November, but you'll get the best tasting strawberries in March.
Did you know Florida is number 2 in strawberry production in the entire country? Second only to California – but obviously Florida strawberries are the besssst. *flips hair*
I don't know if you love random facts as much as we do, but when researching where to go strawberry picking, we learned that one strawberry plant can be picked up to 60 times per season – that's once every 3 days!
Where to go strawberry picking near Orlando:
You can also google “pick your own strawberries near me” to find the closest farms to visit.
Pro tip: Wear matching outfits and be sure to take some adorable photos down on the farm. 😉
Nerd Nite Orlando
Nerds, it's our time to shine!
Love to geek out with your honey? Check out Nerd Nite Orlando at Stardust Video & Coffee. We haven't been to a Nerd Nite yet but if the website is any indication of how cool (ehem, nerdy) it can be, we're IN!
Basically, people nerds present their 20-minute TED Talk-esque presentation on random weird stuff, like this presentation of The Sinister and Spectacular Societies of Ants. I can't think of much else you need for the absolute perfect date night, except maybe a picnic… but keep it away from the ants. 😉
Trivia Night Date
Ehem, speaking of nerds, we both love trivia. We had no idea there were so many places in Orlando to enjoy a Trivia Night with your love:
Brush up on your trivia facts before heading out by practicing with a trivia night at home.
Orlando Sunset
Of course with Orlando sunsets being some of the best ever, you'll want to make sure to take your date to Cranes Roost Park. This one mile walkway with benches and covered seating areas inside the 45-acre park is one of the most Instaworthy spots around, especially at sunset.
There's a choreographed fountain show, music, and always outdoor events going on. Check the time of sunset before you go, and arrive an hour early so you can enjoy the whole thing.
Leu Gardens
Another Instaworthy spot on our date night list, Leu Gardens has a diverse collection of plants, flowers, and greenery to enjoy while spending a relaxing day with your honey.
The Color Garden, Leu House Museum, and White Garden are all favorites worth visiting. If you enjoy art, you'll also get to see outdoor sculptures commissioned for Leu Gardens, including the seven whimsical pieces in the Otfinoski Collection and the Citrus Workers.
Check out the calendar of upcoming events to plan your trip to the garden in advance.
Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Entrance to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens will run you about 20 bucks a piece, but there's so much to see and do, it's definitely worth it. You can easily spend all day here and still see only half of what this beautiful zoo has to offer.
We really love botanical gardens, and of course if you've read any of our other posts, you know we're obsessed with butterfly gardens. 🙂
You can feed a giraffe (did you know their tongues are up to 20 inches long?!) for just 5 bucks extra.
There's so much to do here, you may even want to get an annual pass and make it a monthly date. Download a map of the zoo before you go to ensure you make the most of your time.
Bike Ride Around Town
We like to do this one during the early evening; you can create your own City Tour – or join other locals on the last Friday of the month. You can do this with your own bicycles or with rentals – or even rent segways or scooters! This makes a perfect double date (or group date) and it's family-friendly, too.
Museum of Illusions Orlando
Huge fans of magic, we also love illusions and mind tricks! This family-friendly museum is a blast for folks of all ages, so don't count it out as a date idea just yet. 🙂
It's a little on the pricey side (about $30 each), but is nice for a one-time visit – and there are 50+ exhibits so you won't get bored any time soon.
Pro tip: If you or your partner get vertigo or easily experience dizziness, skip this one.
Art Museums
Do you enjoy art museums? Here are a few you can check out in Orlando:
Instagrammable Spots for Couples
Whether you're obsessed with maintaining a picturesque IG feed or you just love taking photos as much as we do, this list of Instaworthy spots in Orlando will keep you busy for a bit… make a day of it!
- Colonial Lanes (adorable retro bowling alley)
- Rainbow Walkway (at the Town House Restaurant)
- Milk District Wings (2426 E Robinson St)
- Milk District Pyramids
- Orlando Postcard Mural (tough to get a pic without cars in the way!)
- The Wheel at ICON Park
- Sunflower fields at Southern Hill Farms
- Swan Boats (hey, we talked about these earlier!)
- Maxine's on Shine
Comedy Lab Date
Love to laugh? Who doesn't?!
- Live improv comedy since 1991: SAK Comedy Lab
- Mama's Comedy Show
- Comedy Club & Dinner Theater: Funny Bone
We know things can get expensive at comedy shows, so we eat before we go. When we get there, we order a snack and drink (or two, if there's a minimum) – then sip water the rest of the time. Of course, you don't have to be as cheap as we are, but it helps save a little moolah. 😉
Historic Date
History buff? Some of the local history exhibits and museums include:
- Hannibal Square Heritage Center
- Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center
- Orange County Regional History Center
- Wells'Built Museum of African American History & Culture
On a budget? Check out Orlando's free museum days before heading out!
Stargazing Date
You can stargaze from the back of a pickup any day of the week, and it would make a darn fine date. But if you want to kick it up a notch and really see the stars, visit the Planetarium on Telescope Thursdays.
Optimal stargazing is October through March; check the events calendar before you go.
Chocolate Tasting Date
Fewer things make me happier than chocolate does, so I was excited to see there are various options for chocolate factory tours in Orlando. Chocolate Kingdom offers factory tours; World of Chocolate offers an out-of-this-world chocolate tasting experience.
Dating in Orlando
Dating your honey – whether they're new or you're celebrating your 25th year together – should always be a priority. A city like Orlando makes it easy to find free and cheap things to do together!
Want more Florida date night ideas?
- Drive Thru Safari Date
- Bioluminescent Paddleboard Kayak Excursion
- Delray Beach Date Ideas
- 15+ Date Night Ideas in Orlando
- 14 Date Ideas in Venice, Florida
- West Palm Beach Date Ideas
- Date Ideas in Ft. Lauderdale
We've lived in amazing places, from Florida to Puerto Rico, and way up in Alaska, and now we live in the mountains of Colorado with our two crazy rescue pups, Roxy & Rico.
