Whether you just met someone new, or you're married and you aren’t “dating” anymore (which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t date your fiancé or spouse!) this is the read for you. Justin and I love to go out at least a few times per month on date nights! Read below for some of our absolute favorites. If you don’t live in Tampa: no excuses! You could easily steal some of these date ideas by Googling “cooking classes” or “dine in theatre” near you! Enjoy!
1) Bok Tower Gardens
Bok Tower is just a short drive away from Tampa in Lake Wales, FL! This place is not only where Justin captures a lot of his engagement sessions- but it’s the first place he realized he loved me- so it’s doubly special! :) Bok tower is a gorgeous, expansive garden that you could spend the entire afternoon at. Long walks through the flowers, lunch at the sweet café, and feeding the Koi fish are some of our favorite things to do there! We often bring a blanket and lay out near the clock tower while listening to the chimes and looking out over the rolling hills (Yes, hills! It does NOT feel like Florida!). Bok tower is one place you definitely have to go with your hunny.
2) Dinner and a movie at Cinebistro
My bridal shop job used to be nestled right in Hyde Park Village and Justin spent quite a few hours there flirting before he asked me out :) Cinebistro is super cool because not only is the location adorable, but you can do a dinner/movie combo! You’ll want to pick your seats prior to arrival because the specious, spread out seating is limited- but the smaller theaters are worth it! This place is 21 and up so no noisy kids, and you can have a glass of wine while you watch. You also get huge comfy chairs and the menu is actually delicious! I also always suggest getting there early to walk around Hyde Park, grab a coffee, or do some shopping. You could stay for hours!
3) Fort De Soto
Another engagement session favorite of ours :) We really do take our couples to our favorite places! Whenever we go to Fort De Soto we try to make it a weekday a few hours before sunset. We aren’t huge 100 degree weather people, so our favorite times to go are November through March funny enough! We like to bring a blanket and some snacks and find a cozy spot under the trees to watch the sunset- it’s not to be missed! Our secret spot: Park at the North beach and when you get down to the sand, turn left. Walk for a few minutes and you’ll be rewarded with a cluster of trees you can cozy up under to get some shade and privacy!
4) Cooking classes at Sur La Table
Another Hyde Park gem! Sur La Table offers cooking classes every week that are worth every penny. Not only do you get a lesson from a local chef, but you also get to eat the delicious food after all your hard work! They also give you the recipes so after you learn to cook it, you can execute at home. Pro tip: Bring your own bottle of wine! They will open it for ya and you can enjoy a glass while you slave away in the kitchen ;)
5) Walking or Bike Riding on Bayshore Boulevard
You simply can’t go wrong with this Tampa date classic. Bayshore is definitely a favorite road of ours in Tampa because the huge sidewalk allows for biking and jogging alike all while gazing at beautiful downtown Tampa over the water! If we are biking, we love to ride down to the park at the end and get a cup of ice cream while strolling around. If we walk, we actually like to mix it up and peek through the beautiful side streets along Bayshore and pretend house shop :) There are so many historic homes and it’s super cool to see how they’ve been updated over the years!
There you have it! We hope these five favorite dates of ours will have you feeling inspired to try something new and fun with your partner. If you need more date inspiration, check out our top five Rainy Day Dates here!
