8 Great Local Date Night Ideas

Jacksonville is such a great city to explore, and if you’re in a relationship, you’re likely excited to explore it with your significant other.

There are a number of great ideas available to you if you’re planning a date night in Jacksonville. But to make it a little easier, we’ve compiled some of our favorites into a list of great, relatively simple local date night ideas.

Be sure to let us know YOUR favorite Jax date night experience in the comments or on social media!

Night at the Museum

If you and your “special someone” both have a taste for culture, a trip to one of Jacksonville’s museums may be the perfect date idea for you.

Jacksonville offers three great museums: the MOSH (Museum of Science and History), the MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), and the Cummer Museum. And they each have one night of the week that allows a true “date night” experience. The MOSH is open until 8 PM on Fridays, the MOCA is open till 9 PM on Thursdays, and the Cummer stays open until 9 PM on Tuesdays.

If you plan it right, you could have a “museum week” and attend all three!

Fine Dining

If you like to keep it traditional and classy, you may choose to treat your love to a fancy, romantic dinner. You’re in luck, as Jacksonville has several appealing top-notch restaurants. For those in the Avondale/Riverside area, Black Sheep and River & Post are among the notable high-scale dining options. Downtown Jax features Cowford Chophouse and Bellwether, with more options sure to pop up in the near future.

And if chain places are more your speed, there’s Ruth’s Chris on the Southbank, Morton’s The Steakhouse on the Northbank, and III Forks in Southside.

Whichever of these classy establishments you choose, be sure to make a reservation early. Nothing ruins a romantic dinner like a two-hour wait!

Walk on the Beach

A walk on the beach can be very romantic, and as Jacksonville residents, we’re lucky enough to have multiple beaches within relatively quick driving range.

Take your loved one out to the Beaches area and watch the sunset together from the shore, then enjoy a relaxing drink at one of the many great bars nearby. There are also plenty of great restaurants in the area.

(Ice) Skating

For a simple and cute date night, skating is always a fun option. Jacksonville offers venues for both roller skating and ice skating. For roller skaters, Skate Station has locations in Mandarin and Orange Park.

For those more inclined to hit the ice, check out Jacksonville Ice’s public skating schedule. The venue is located in Metro Square office park off of Philips Highway and Emerson Street.

Adventure Has Landed

Anyone who grew up in the First Coast area probably spent at least a few summer days at Adventure Landing.

Sure, it’s kind of a kids’ place, but sometimes it can be fun to release your inner kid with the one you love. Play go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, and then finish the day off by winning your date something from the arcade’s prize shop.

Make it a day trip when both of you have the day off; it’s best to go on weekdays when the kids are usually all in school or summer camp.

Dinner and a Show

The Alhambra Dinner Theatre on Beach Boulevard has long been a Jacksonville institution, with the exception of a brief shutdown in 2009. It’s the only such venue anywhere near the First Coast, and the oldest U.S. dinner theatre that’s still in operation.

At dinner, you choose your meals from options pre-determined by the executive chef. Following dinner, guests enjoy a show, with this year’s offerings ranging from The Wiz to Beauty and the Beast. The venue also has a bar area that was redesigned in 2009.

It’s a very classy date night experience — as such, it’s not particularly cheap. But if you’re willing to dish out for an upscale dinner theatre experience, the Alhambra will not disappoint.

Laugh It Off

Perhaps one of the most undersold aspects of Jacksonville culture is its comedy scene. The First Coast boasts two great comedy clubs — the Comedy Club of Jacksonville on Beach Boulevard and The Comedy Zone at the Ramada on San Jose Boulevard at I-295.

Both venues have reasonable ticket prices and feature national-level comics. Shows take place on Friday and Saturday nights.

Take Flight

If you’re really willing to dish out, consider a private, romantic flight around the city.

The locally-based A-Cent Aviation will take you up in the sky on your own private flight. It will cost you $199 for an hour tour including champagne or wine, a gift bag, and chocolates. While that’s certainly not cheap, it certainly is a great way to impress your date if it’s something you can manage.