In a fun and exciting city like Nashville, there’s no shortage of amazing things to do on a romantic night out! From delicious gourmet restaurants to fabulous music venues, Nashville has something amazing for everyone to experience. Read on to learn more about some of the city’s best date-night destinations and start planning your next adventure!
1. Grab a sweet treat (or dramatic drink) at Tempered Cafe & Chocolate
Tempered Cafe makes for a fantastic daytime date in Nashville’s Germantown area. Snack on some decadent artisan chocolate truffles, cheese plates, or freshly baked baguette sandwiches, and pair them with a fabulous wine or whiskey! This chocolate cafe also comes with a fun secret: each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening at 5 PM, a green light in the window switches on, and the space transforms into an absinthe bar known as the Green Hour. You’ll have a blast trying different craft cocktails and absinthe-based drinks — paired with delicious truffles, of course!
2. Attend a concert at Symphony Under the Stars
Located at the iconic Ascend Amphitheater, this stunning two-hour concert put on by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra is perfect for classical music lovers who want to enjoy a romantic night under the beautiful night sky.
3. Try the gourmet fare at answer. restaurant
A bright and cozy New American bistro with a fun happy hour and tasty, unique dishes, Answer is a comfortable setting to enjoy food and conversation with your date. The globally inspired menu features simple yet stunning dishes like the 8-ounce filet steak served with sweet potato gnocchi, broccolini, and roasted garlic, or the spaghetti with bay scallops, arugula pesto, walnuts, pecorino, and lemon.
4. Picnic at Centennial Park
For an afternoon date on a sunny day, head over to Nashville's beautiful Centennial Park with a blanket and your favorite selection of snacks and drinks! This is a great place to simply relax, people-watch, and enjoy some fun conversation. While you’re at the park, pay a visit to the incredible Parthenon, a marvel of Greek architecture that also makes for an Instagram-worthy photo op.
(Image Credit: Trolley Tours Nashville)
5. Get creative at a painting class
Unleash your inner artist at one of Nashville’s many opportunities to paint! You don’t need to be a professional painter to enjoy one of the locally owned Dabble Studio’s classes, which are beginner-friendly and led by an experienced artist instructor. Choose to either bring your own wine and snacks or purchase them during the event. All supplies, including paints, canvases, brushes, and aprons, are provided. After two hours, you’ll have a beautiful painting as a date souvenir!
6. Enjoy a romantic meal at 5th and Taylor
This Germantown warehouse-turned-restaurant offers high ceilings, romantic lighting, and a cozy atmosphere that makes it a clear winner for date night. Start off the meal with a tasty appetizer like bacon-wrapped quail or steamed mussels, then dine on a fabulous entree like fried chicken with braised collards or a wood-grilled hanger steak.
7. Relax in the Serenity Salt Cave
You can’t get much more unique than a date at a salt cave! This wellness center is home to a carved Himalayan salt cave where visitors can receive a 45-minute treatment session. Relax in a zero gravity chair, listening to relaxing and meditative music, and breathing in the salt air, which provides healing benefits for your skin and your entire body. This is a great activity to enjoy if you and your date are in need of some relaxing time together.
8. Catch a show at the Basement
This cozy and classic Nashville club is an amazing spot to see a favorite band or artist live. You’ll be right up close and personal with your favorite musical acts! If you and your date share a love of a particular band or singer who’s coming to town, this is a great place to catch them in action.
9. Take a distillery tour
If you’re growing weary of the bar scene, consider planning a date to one of Nashville’s many distilleries. Check out Corsair Distillery for a 30-minute walking tour, where you’ll learn all about Corsair and sample their unique grain-to-glass spirits. Guided tastings are also available. Make sure to grab a bottle to take home at the gift shop and say hi to the distillery cat, Pizza! Nashville Craft Distillery is another fun spot for whiskey lovers featuring a 45-minute tour that culminates with a sample cocktail and two straight tastings of Nashville craft spirits.
10. Wind down at Rudy’s Jazz Room
This cozy lounge is a great place for music lovers to relax and listen to some amazing live jazz. Rudy’s Jazz Room offers the ultimate romantic atmosphere with dramatic lighting and a “New York City meets New Orleans” vibe. The menu is Cajun-inspired, featuring delightful dishes like Creole crawfish grilled cheese on sourdough, New Orleans red beans and rice, and shrimp gumbo. Finish off the meal with a stunning dessert like the Ghirardelli Chocolate Fudge Pie, or, if you’re still in a New Orleans mood, a plate of beignets.
11. Blow off some steam at Bad Axe Throwing
While it might sound crazy, ax throwing has become a popular recreational activity in recent years. After a stressful week at work, heading out for an ax-throwing session might be just the fun activity you and your date need! If you’re a more competitive couple, you’ll absolutely love the challenge of throwing tomahawks at wooden targets and seeing who can hit the bull’s eye. Lanes can typically be booked for four people, so you might plan your ax-throwing outing as a double date with another couple.
12. Geek out at the Adventure Science Center
By day, Nashville’s incredible Adventure Science Center is a fantastic place for families with kids to learn about our world and discover new things. But by night, the center transforms into a fabulous adventure for adults 21 and over! Bring your date along to Science of Beer or a Way Late Play Date, which allows adult visitors to explore the amazing hands-on exhibits and the fascinating planetarium while enjoying alcoholic beverages.
13. Enjoy the outdoors at Radnor Lake State Park
Feeling outdoorsy? Plan a date to the gorgeous Radnor Lake State Park, where visitors can hike the six miles of trails and observe some fascinating wildlife. The park is home to waterfowl, reptiles, and otters, as well as hundreds of stunning species of wildflowers and plants. If you’re looking to do something new and different, consider participating in a ranger-led program like the park’s wildflower walks, canoe floats, or astronomy night hikes.
14. Attend a music festival
There’s no better place to catch some amazing live musical performances than Nashville! In 2021, the city’s iconic Pilgrimage Musical & Cultural Festival will return after a year-long hiatus due to the pandemic. This fun event will be hosted at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm and feature performances by Dave Matthews Band, Cage the Elephant, the Black Keys, Maren Morris, and many more!
15. Add a twist to game night at the Rabbit Hole
Instead of visiting a classic arcade or playing video games at home, head out to the Rabbit Hole with your date and immerse yourselves in an incredible virtual reality world! Renowned as Tennessee’s premier virtual reality center, this large, open space allows participants to enjoy VR games together. The experience is incredibly immersive and a fantastic bonding activity. Choose from a variety of immersive arcade-style games or more challenging escape games set in the world of Assassin's Creed. These intense and exciting games will have you working with your date (and two additional party members, if you choose) to solve puzzles and riddles and embark on an incredible adventure.
16. Pour some candles at Paddywax Candle Bar
If you’re looking for a fun date activity that will allow you to bring home a romantic souvenir, consider a visit to a candle bar! Paddywax has two Nashville locations, one in the Gulch and one in Berry Hill. Both locations will allow you to attend a candle pouring class which you can enjoy while sipping on a delicious drink. It typically takes about 45 minutes to select your fragrance and create your candle masterpiece, then three hours for the candle to cool, so this is the perfect activity to start date night. Stop by Paddywax before heading to dinner and drinks, then come back afterward to pick up your finished product!
17. Try some sweet treats at Legendairy Milkshake Bar
This incredible Nashville dessert destination will satisfy all your sweet tooth cravings. Choose from decadent milkshakes like Coffee & Doughnuts (topped with an actual donut!), Banana Split Shake (featuring a banana, of course), Death by Chocolate, Strawberry Cheesecake, and many, many more. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can even choose to create your own milkshake! Stop by for a date during the holiday season to treat yourselves to a Christmas milkshake, or plan to visit during one of the milkshake bar’s popular themed trivia nights.
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