Sometimes you need a night out with your significant other, whether you’ve just met or you’ve been together 20 years.
Miami has lots of wonderful places to visit with a date, no matter what your interests. You can take a long walk on the beach or play video games. You can bike, kayak or swim together, or you can take in a movie, concert or theater production. It’s all in your definition of what’s romantic and what’s fun when you’re designing date night in Miami.
If you and your honey are looking for something more low-key, check out these seven casual date ideas to try in Miami.
1. See a movie, but not just any movie
You can’t take your date to the drive-in anymore, but you can take him or her to a cinema beyond the traditional multiplex. Miami has a number of art cinemas, including O Cinema in Wynwood and Miami Beach, the Cinematheque in Miami Beach, the Bill Cosford Theater at the University of Miami and the Coral Gables Art Cinema. Or, visit one of the luxury movie theaters, where you can order food, beer and wine delivered to your luxury seat. The Silverspot Cinema just opened in downtown Miami.
In October through May, you can bring a picnic and watch a free movie every Wednesday night on the giant screen at the New World Symphony’s Soundscape in Miami. When that’s over, you can store your picnic gear and save some space in your closet until the movies start up again.
2. Spend time in the natural Florida
Florida’s natural beauty is more subtle than showy, and there are many places in Miami where you can still find a glimpse of what Florida was like before we all moved there and built condos. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Deering Estate, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Pinecrest Gardens and even the Anhinga Trail and Shark Valley in the Everglades let you experience and learn about the natural Florida. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Deering Estate and Pinecrest Gardens offer occasional concerts in the evenings, and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a frequent location for plays and festivals.
3. Dinner and a stroll
People-watching in Miami is one of those things to do as a couple that never gets old. There are many places in Miami where you can have a good meal, then wander around and share observations with your significant other. One favorite is Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, where you might also come upon some live entertainment. Downtown Coral Gables is another favorite location, as is downtown South Miami. At the Palms at Town and Country in Kendall, you can take a stroll across Love Lock Bridge and even add your own personalized lock to memorialize your love.
4. The couple that plays together, stays together
A night of arcade games may not be romantic for everyone, but for those couples where both like games, try a trip to Fort Lauderdale’s Glitch Bar when you’re in need of fun date ideas. You can play vintage arcade games for free, while reminiscing about what was popular when you met. You can sample craft beers or drink one of the more than 100 bottled varieties or try a craft cocktail.
5. Stay in shape and buff up your relationship
Athletic couples may want a more active date activity. You can take bicycles to Shark Valley, join the Critical Mass urban group ride the last Friday evening of every month or just enjoy a bike path in the park. If water sports are your thing, rent a kayak or a canoe in Oleta State Park, Black Point Marina or another of Miami’s waterfront parks. Active date ideas are easy to come by when you’re in Miami, and there’s something for every couple.
6. Hear some jazz and don’t be blue
Looking for date ideas that don’t cost money? You can attend a free outdoor jazz concert the last Friday night of every month at the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami. But that’s not the only jazz. Miami’s Historic Hampton House, which was the hot spot for jazz in the days of segregation, features jazz the second and the last Friday of every month. You can also hear live jazz at many other Miami bars and clubs, including Le Chat Noir in Brickell, Ball & Chain in Little Havana (which segues into Latin later at night), Churchill’s Pub in Little Haiti, which hosts a jazz jam on Monday nights, and The Globe in Coral Gables, which offers jazz on Saturday nights. If your taste runs more to folk and acoustic music, check out the Luna Star Café in North Miami, an intimate venue popular with local folk musicians.
7. Enjoy art while drinking wine
Miami’s art walks have become major cultural events. The most popular is the Wynwood Art Walk, the second Saturday of every month through what has become Miami’s latest arts, entertainment and restaurant district. If wine and cheese aren’t enough, you can eat at one of many trendy restaurants, then go look at the art (or look first and eat later). The Coral Gables Gallery Walk Live is the first Friday of every month, and often there is additional entertainment in downtown Coral Gables, which also is home to many great restaurants.
