Charlotte Date Ideas

Planning a date night in Charlotte? We've got ideas to suit every taste, special occasion and budget. Whether you're looking for inspiration for a memorable first date or want an adventurous day out that will make your longtime love feel loved and appreciated, these suggestions cover what to do and where to go. All that's left is to pick a time to meet!

For the First Date

The typical first-date agenda includes dinner and a trip to a movie theater, but a more casual alternative to a traditional date night might give you more time to talk and get to know each other.

Meet up for a happy hour at Reid's Myer's Park wine bar and get to know each other over a glass of wine and a cheese & charcuterie board.

After snacks, head to The Comedy Zone. Experts say that laughter can help you overcome stress and conflict (excellent tools to have when going into a new relationship) and it increases happiness, helping you to enjoy your night out and maybe even bond with your future better half.

For Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day comes with a lot of pressure, but it doesn't have to be stressful if you put a plan in place ahead of time and avoid some of Charlotte's more cliché romantic restaurants that are guaranteed to be filled to capacity.

Instead, head to the Reid's Southpark location. The restaurant's menu is brimming with delicious options like a sweet and earthy Goat Cheese & Baby Arugula Salad, Truffle Prosciutto pizza, small plates galore, and a carefully curated wine list so you can enjoy a drink that pairs perfectly with your dinner.

Rather than handing over a bouquet of flowers that won't last the week, take your date on a stroll through the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. You'll need to go before dinner (the garden closes at 4pm and is only open Wednesday through Sunday, just FYI), but it's well worth shuffling your schedule to be able to take in the sprawling 380 acres of stunning florals, sparkling fountains, and nature trails.

For a Weekend Away

It's only a short drive from Charlotte proper to Lake Norman, a huge manmade lake boasting 520 miles of shoreline. There, you and your sweetheart can spend the days boating, fishing, hiking, and biking or check out the quaint shops and interesting galleries that make up the historic main streets of Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville.

The Lake Norman area is also a hub of agriculture and agritourism, so don't be afraid to hit up the farmer's markets or visit local stores full of produce and baked goods made nearby. Then you can use your bounty to prepare a meal back at your Airbnb.

For Date Night In

Who says you have to leave home to enjoy a romantic evening for two?

You can have an incredible date night while snuggled up on the couch in your very own Charlotte apartment. Just pick up dinner to go and some snacks from Reid's gourmet marketplace, some board games and a Netflix subscription for a relaxing night in.

Bonus points if you create a playlist with all your favorite songs so you have a custom soundtrack to accompany your date night in.

For the Adventurous

Crowders Mountain State Park is where adventure seekers go to get their hearts pumping. Take your fellow adrenaline junkie to go rock climbing and bouldering (you'll need a permit for some areas) or paddling and fishing. Hiking at Crowders is a chance to soak up nature while tackling your choice of several trails that range in terms of length and difficulty.

Show your date your adventurous side at Whitewater. Choose between activities like Whitewater rafting, ropes courses and ziplines to see how you work as a team. Or, enjoy a different type of culinary experience by combining some of their awesome activities with a romantic multi-course dinner, like Paddle to Table or Skate & Date.

For the Experience

Spend a day at Carowinds for an exciting, fun-filled day. The Fury 325 roller coaster is one of the most famous attractions here, but with 57 rides, along with the largest water park in the Carolinas, there is a very low chance of you and your date getting bored.

Another option is to play tourist in your own city. Explore areas you might not normally visit or that you only pass through on the way to an appointment or while running errands. Take Charlotte's South End, for example. This culturally rich historic neighborhood is architecturally interesting thanks to Victorian row houses and a slew of warehouses remade into everything from art galleries to home décor shops. Go without any plan and just wander from spot to spot seeing what you find, or check out the local schedule of events to see if your visit might coincide with a food truck gathering

For the Music Lovers

Live music makes for an exciting date night idea for couples of all ages. Whether you just met or are about to celebrate your 30th wedding anniversary, you can appreciate the romance and instant ambience that comes with attending a concert. The PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, The Fillmore and The Underground are just a few examples of awesome music venues around town.

More formal musical events include tickets for the Charlotte Symphony -- in addition to performances inside their concert hall, the symphony also performs around the city in community parks, breweries, and even senior care centers too -- or a trip to Opera Carolina, which stages productions of classic works like Don Giovanni and Aida alongside special events like a run of Douglas Tappin's I Dream based on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

For the Insta

For those into social media, it's important to gather up date ideas that include photo-worthy backdrops or activities that look good in those Insta stories.

Something as simple as a trip to Freedom Park can deliver dozens of photo opportunities. Flashback to childhood as you navigate the park's obstacle course, perch on stones in the middle of the waterway, or pose next to the locomotive that lives on the park's grounds.

If you're the type that prefers to organize your on tour, use this list of 60 iconic Charlotte street murals to organize a mural tour like no other.

For an out of the box experience that will get your adrenaline pumping, head to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for a NASCAR Racing Experience. Ride along with a driver or get behind the wheel and take a few spins around the track. There is no way your date will forget an experience like this, and neither will your insta followers!

For the Anniversary

Almost any of the date ideas on this list would work for an anniversary, but in honor of such a huge milestone (every year counts!), add in some more personal touches like a couples massage at one of Charlotte's luxury spas or a cooking class where you two can get hands on while learning some new dinner recipes or getting pro tips on how to properly decorate a cake.

At Bar Cocoa's Cocoa Lab, students get to use professional appliances and cookware as they prepare a wide range of amazing gourmet desserts. Classes typically center around one specific delicacy, such as making French macarons in three flavors, but some classes spend up to four hours detailing the fine art of creating red velvet cupcakes and lemon blueberry scones.

For Free

Not all date ideas have to break the bank. There are tons of fun things to do in the greater Charlotte area that don't cost a dime.

It's completely free to visit Romare Bearden Park, and once you're there you can explore every inch of the 5.4-acre public park to your heart's content. There are several eye-catching art installations at the park, some that pay homage to Romare Bearden himself, plus two gardens, a play area with interactive digital chimes, waterfalls, and green field used for special events such as fitness programs and cultural gatherings hosted by various organizations through the year.

Freedom Park is another spot that's free to explore, but this park swaps out the art installations and tech-driven attractions in favor of copious amounts of trees, kid-friendly play structures, and some truly bucolic pathways just begging to be explored. Pack a lunch or buy snacks on the way and make a day of it.

There are hundreds of things that help make Charlotte one of the best cities not just in North Carolina but in the whole United States, and every one of those things can be used to create an unforgettable date night if you use you think outside the box.