Best Ideas for Romantic Dates in Orlando
Orlando is a city of romance.
In addition to our theme parks, which are the ultimate destination for fairy tales and “Happily Ever After,” we also have incredible restaurants, exciting entertainment, and breathtaking outdoor spaces.
Planning a first date? Looking to spend quality time with a partner or spouse? There are plenty of unique date opportunities in the City Beautiful.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for romantic dates in Orlando that you’ll remember for years to come.
Pack a Picnic
A picnic is a relaxed, relatively inexpensive (if not free) way to spend some quality romantic time together.
Stop by a local market like Eola General or East End Market to pick up picnic-worthy food and a bottle of wine and head to a beautiful, quiet spot to get cozy.
Some of the best picnic spots in Orlando include Lake Eola Park, Mead Botanical Garden, Kraft Azalea Garden, and Lake Baldwin Park.
Be sure to bring a blanket, a speaker for mood music, a cooler, and any utensils or tableware you may need.
Score bonus points by bringing fresh flowers, planning a few romantic games, and bringing pillows for extra comfort.
Go to a Game
Orlando is home to a variety of professional sports teams whose games serve as great date opportunities.
Catch an NBA game and cheer on the Orlando Magic home team at the Kia Center. If you want to level up the romance, grab dinner and a drink first at a downtown restaurant like Thrive Cocktail Lounge & Eatery or The Stubborn Mule.
If hockey is more your speed, try an Orlando Solar Bears game, also held at the Kia Center.
Sport your purple and gold at an Orlando City soccer game at the beautiful Inter&Co Stadium, or check out our championship National Women’s Soccer League team, the Orlando Pride for a high-energy match.
Go Bowling
Sometimes a great date night needs a little healthy competition.
Challenge your date to a friendly game or two, complete with snacks and cocktails. Plus, bowling shoes are a great equalizer when it comes to date night attire.
Primrose Lanes is a newly reimagined bowling alley with an in-house restaurant and eight refurbished wood lanes from the 1950s. Their delicious cocktails may be just the thing to improve your game.
In Disney Springs, Splitsville Lanes also has a full menu of dishes reinventing the idea of “alley food” and serving up fun and fruity frozen cocktails and resort drinks.
Wekiva Island
If you’re looking for a more outdoorsy approach to date night, Wekiva Island is the place to be.
Before 6 p.m., you can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats to explore the beautiful Wekiva River.
Return to the Island to grab a craft brew or a curated wine on tap at the Tooting Otter bar. Pair it with something to eat from Without a Paddle Cafe, the island's resident food truck.
Then settle into a comfortable wooden Adirondack chair overlooking the peaceful Wekiva River. Enjoy a beautiful Florida sunset while relaxing and spending time with your date.
Orlando Science Center
Play like a kid again as you explore the Orlando Science Center with your date.
Exhibits exploring The Science of Guinness World Records and environmental conservation are perfect for sparking conversation, piquing curiosity, and marveling together at the wonders of the world.
The Orlando Science Center also hosts adults-only events throughout the year like After Dark parties, Science on Tap beer nights, and Science of Wine events.
Swan Boats at Lake Eola Park
Lake Eola in downtown Orlando is known for its signature swans and swan boats floating on the water amidst the city skyline.
Rent a pedal-powered swan boat on a romantic midday date and paddle out to the center of Lake Eola and its iconic fountain.
From the water, you can take in the sights of the surrounding city and the beautiful park with fanciful wildlife, beautiful sculptures, and fantastic people-watching.
Pets are welcome on the 30-minute boat ride, so you can bring your furry friend to enjoy the views, too.
Finish off your date with a picnic on the shore or enjoy a casual cocktail and a happy hour treat from the Relax Grill overlooking the water.
East End Market Progressive Date
Why settle for dinner at one restaurant when you can try a variety of dishes in one place?
East End Market is home to over a dozen vendors serving up innovative menus and artisanal products inspired by cultures and cuisines from all over the world.
A progressive date entails ordering something from multiple vendors to enjoy in one adventurous meal.
We recommend starting with a selection of cheeses from La Femme du Fromage and moving onto a sandwich or chik strips from Winter Park Biscuit Company. End with a fluffy mochi donut from Dochi or a goliath cookie from the original Gideon’s Bakehouse.
Looking for a more conventional seated dinner? DOMU at East End Market is one of the best date night restaurants in Orlando with incredible chicken wings, ramen, and seasonal cocktails.
Ride on the Orlando EYE
Ferris wheels are inherently romantic. There's just something special about seeing the world while soaring through the sky.
The Orlando EYE at ICON Park on International Drive is a signature of the Orlando skyline. This Observation Wheel stands 400 feet tall and offers sprawling views of the city.
Enjoy the 20-minute ride in a temperature-controlled pod that has plenty of room for you to stand and walk around as you take in the view from every angle.
While the ride is beautiful at any time of day, it’s even more romantic at sunset. Or, if you time your ride just right, you can catch theme park fireworks bursting in the distance.
Afterwards, enjoy dinner and drinks at one of ICON Park’s awesome restaurants, or split a milkshake (one glass, two straws?) at Sugar Factory.
SAK Comedy Lab
SAK Comedy Lab in downtown Orlando is a great spot to unwind with an evening of laughter.
They host multiple shows every week with different casts and themes, like King of the Hill, a five-person improv competition that uses audience suggestions to create scenes on the spot.
Grab a beer or glass of wine from the concession lobby and take a seat for a night of side-splitting laughter that is sure to keep you and your date entertained.
Drive-Through Safari
Animal-lovers and adventurers alike will get a kick out of the Drive-Through Safari at Wild Florida.
Drive your own car along a winding path through 170 acres of scenic landscapes. Along the way, you may be greeted by wild animals like giraffes, zebra, American bison, eland antelope, and more.
After your self-guided tour, head to the Wild Florida Gator Park (included in your Safari ticket) or visit the Giraffe Feeding Platform to interact with hungry giraffe friends for just $5.
Wild Florida offers a variety of animal encounters that let you get up close to critters like sloths, gators, capybaras, and ring-tailed lemurs.
Dinner and a Movie at the Enzian
Enzian Theatre is a single-screen cinema cafe with a cozy culture, food delivered straight to your seat, and a lively outdoor bar.
The theatre shows current releases, cult classics, and film festival favorites.
Grab a drink before or after your movie at Eden Bar, which serves beer, wine, and fun seasonal cocktails. You can refresh your beer and wine at any time throughout the show.
The Theatre Menu serves up tasty appetizers, flavorful flatbreads, and yummy sandwiches for you to enjoy while curled up on a couch or seated at a table with your date.
End the evening with seated conversation in the garden under patio lights for a truly romantic experience.
Visit a Farmer’s Market
There are several weekly farmer’s markets scattered throughout Orlando that are perfect for perusing with a partner.
The Winter Park Farmer’s Market is held in Central Park along Park Avenue on Saturday mornings. You can find vendors selling food, coffee, plants, and other artisan products. When you’re done at the market, wander along Park Ave for window shopping or stop for brunch at The Briar Patch.
Every Sunday morning, head to the Lake Eola Farmer’s Market to shop for produce, homemade jams and spice collections, houseplants, pastries, and more.
The Winter Garden Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings features over a hundred vendors. Find gourmet provisions, baked goods, artwork, pet supplies, and more.
Spend quality time with your date while supporting local small businesses.
Lounge at a Beer Garden
Keep things casual by hitting up one of Orlando’s great beer gardens.
Ravenous Pig Brewery & Beer Garden in Winter Park is a fabulous outdoor find known for its small batch craft beers made onsite. Enjoy small plates and signature cocktails beneath patio lights and shady canopies.
À la Cart has two Orlando locations serving a rotating draft list of craft beer in addition to wines, ciders, seltzers, and other refreshing drinks. Grab a beverage from the bar and head to the courtyard where a variety of food trucks are ready to serve you.
Kindle Romance at a Rosen Inn Hotel
Whether you’re in town for a well-deserved getaway or celebrating with a staycation, Rosen Inns can help you set the mood for a romantic occasion.
Spend time lounging by our sparkling seasonally heated swimming pools, dine together at our onsite restaurants, and enjoy spending quality time with one another walking hand in hand through our beautifully landscaped grounds.