23 Top Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL for 2025

Last Updated on February 23, 2024 | 0 Comments
date ideas in Jacksonville, FL

Tired of the same old date ideas in Jacksonville, Florida? Called the “River City by the Sea,” Jacksonville, Florida is home to sandy beaches, exciting nightlife and the largest urban park system in the nation. With so much to do here, there's no reason to get stuck in a rut when it comes to date ideas.

Whether you’re looking for date night ideas that are fun, romantic or adventurous, you’re sure to find something new and intriguing you and your partner will love. From last-minute date ideas to delicious dinner dates and more, check out 23 of the most inspiring date ideas in Jacksonville, FL. 

 

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Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL for Foodies

1. Take a Cooking Class 

Nothing brings people together quite like cooking a meal. Exploring flavors and discovering each other's likes and dislikes early on is a great way to learn about your partner. For an interactive experience that will have you and your date bonding over local cuisine and learning a new skill, check out cooking classes in Jacksonville. Don’t know where to start? Check out the incredible variety of cooking classes near you led by top chefs.

a chef preparing sausages for an appetizer
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2. Enjoy a Private Chef Meal

Looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that are sure to impress? With private chefs in Jacksonville, a world-class professional will create a five-star gourmet meal for you and your date. They’ll even do all of the shopping, prep work and clean-up so you can relax and indulge in an unforgettable experience designed just for you. Check out private chefs near you today and discover a world of on-demand luxury. 

3. Enjoy an Online Culinary Experience

Stay in sweats and spend the night in with your date when you book an online culinary experience. With online cooking classes, you can learn how to create entire meals and exciting dishes from experts from around the world. Plus, these classes are totally interactive, so you can ask questions and get advice in real-time while you cook. 

Want to expand your palate and explore new flavors? Play sommelier for the day with your date with virtual wine tastings. Taught by knowledgeable professionals, these classes cater to any skill level and can be completely personalized to your preferences. 

For a night of crafting cocktails in comfort, check out online mixology classes. With a variety of themes, styles and difficulty levels, you and your date can get to know each even better while you mix and mingle as a team. There are even classes that include premade kits so you have everything you need all in one place sent straight to you. 

a mixologist preparing a drink
via Canva

4. Check Out Manifest Distilling

A visit to Manifest Distilling, a full-scale organic distillery, is a must-see if you need date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that involve education with a side of sampling the best craft cocktails. The immaculate aesthetic of the distillery’s cocktail room is an excellent backdrop to get to know your date better as you explore new flavors and classic recipes.

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5. Visit Aardwolf Brewing Company 

If you’re looking for laid-back first date ideas for beer lovers, check out a brewery tour. Located in what once was a 1920s ice factory, the Aardwolf Taproom & Brewery is perfect for those looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that involve exploring a town through its craft beers. Featuring a variety of brews including the Early Bird Special "Floridian" Breakfast Stout, the Aardwolf Brewing Company also has its own beer garden where you and your date can enjoy your beverages in the shade.    

Brewery tours make a great date idea in Jacksonville, FL.
via Canva

Fun Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL

6. Enjoy a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Game 

Looking for summer date ideas? If you love baseball, gorgeous city views and shrimp, then a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Game is just right for you. The AAA affiliate of the Miami Marlins, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp play their home games at 121 Financial Ballpark. where you can enjoy a minor league baseball game in style. Of all the fun date ideas in Jacksonville, FL, a day with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp is sure to be a home run. 

7. Have Some Laughs at Comedy Zone Jacksonville

Looking for date night ideas in Jacksonville, FL that will tickle your date’s funny bone? Check out the Comedy Zone for a stacked lineup of local legends and world-class comedians. With a full bar and loaded appetizer menu, a night at the Comedy Zone is a great way to let loose and laugh all night long. 

a male comedian onstage
via Canva

8. Visit the Batt Family Fun Center

With cosmic bowling, laser tag, an arcade, mini golf and more, the Batt Family Fun Center is perfect for those looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that will bring out your inner kid. Whether you’re the competitive kind or just looking for a low-key night of fun, the Batt Family Fun Center is right up your alley. 

Cheap Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL

9. Check Out the Riverside Arts Market

If you’re looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that won’t break the bank, a stroll down the Riverside Arts Market is a relaxing way to spend time with your date while you enjoy local art and culture. Featuring the best in local produce and unique artistic showcases, this open-air market is a great place to soak up the vibes of Jacksonville and support the community. 

Riverside Arts Market is a great spot for a date idea in Jacksonville, FL.
via Riverside Arts Market

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10. Enjoy the Jacksonville Riverwalks

Tucked along the St. Johns river, the longest river in Florida, Jacksonville Riverwalks provide breathtaking views and multi-use trails where you and your date can bring a picnic lunch and meander around taking in the scenery. Free and fun, the Jacksonville Riverwalks are perfect if you’re looking for inexpensive picnic date ideas in Jacksonville, FL.

Cute Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL

11. Take Pics at The Selfie Showroom

An interactive selfie museum, The Selfie Showroom is the place to be if you’re looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL where you can capture every memorable moment. With 20 unique scenes and selfie sets, visitors of all skill levels can use props and unique backdrops to take the ultimate selfies and date night pics. They even provide selfie sticks and bluetooth remotes for hands-free selfie setups. 

a fun selfie setup with a throne and a neon Let's Party sign
via The Selfie Showroom

12. Grab a Bite at Sweet Pete's Candy

Trying to find more fun date ideas in Jacksonville, FL? Beat the heat and book a tour or enjoy the restaurant at Sweet Pete’s Candy. A rainbow-colored world of whimsy and delight, Sweet Pete’s offers over a thousand different types of candy, candy-making classes, treat tours and more. Nicknamed, “candy mansion,” a day at Sweet Pete’s is one your date will never forget. 

13. Check Out Chamblin’s Uptown 

With over 800,000 books available, Chamblin’s Uptown is the second location of Chamblin Bookmine, a bookstore and café famous for their unique system of book bartering. Simply bring in a book, and they’ll “trade” it for a store credit you can use for books and other media. If you’re looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that involve your love of literature, a visit to Chamblin’s is a great way to get lost in a world of words with your partner. Grab a bite at their café to enjoy local pastries and craft coffees to fuel the rest of your day.

a shop filled with books
via Chamblin's Uptown

14. Visit Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens 

One of only seven zoos in the United States with a committed animal wellness team, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is dedicated to the health and safety of their animals and animal conservation programs across the globe. If you’re looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL where you and your date can enjoy immersive exhibits, lush gardens and behind-the-scenes experiences, book your ticket to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens today. 

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Romantic Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL

15. Create Memories at Wick: A Candle Bar

Explore your sensual side with your date by creating your own custom candles, sprays or oils at Wick: A Candle Bar. Perfect if you want to discover date ideas in Jacksonville, FL where you and your date can take home something beautiful to remember your night, Wick offers a custom experience based on scent — the sense most tied to memory. 

People making candles
via Wick: A Candle Bar

16. Visit The Florida Theater 

Perfect if you’re looking for date night ideas in Jacksonville, FL to please the arts and culture lover in your life, check out the The Florida Theater. Built in 1927, The Florida Theater features local performers and internationally known talents. It’s a chance to spend a romantic night with your date in a building steeped in Jacksonville history.

17. Explore The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

Established in 1958, The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens features over 5,000 works of art and a gorgeous gardenscape overlooking the St. Johns River. One of the most romantic date ideas in Jacksonville, FL, The Cummer Museum is the perfect place to fall in love over and over again. 

Visiting the Cummer Museum of Art is a great date idea in Jacksonville, FL.
via Cummer Museum of Art

18. Enjoy the Jacksonville Symphony

For romantic date ideas in Jacksonville, FL that will delight lovers of music and culture, visit the Jacksonville Symphony. Featuring classic performances and modern reimaginings, the Jacksonville Symphony is one of the nation’s top regional orchestras. Use this date as an excuse to dress up and soak in all that the Jacksonville arts scene has to offer. 

Adventurous Date Ideas in Jacksonville, FL

19. Visit the Autobahn Indoor Speedway

If you’re looking for the most adventurous date idea in Jacksonville, FL, treat your partner to a night at the Autobahn Indoor Speedway. Featuring high-speed go karting, axe throwing, virtual reality games and more, Autobahn Indoor Speedway is sure to please anyone looking for fun, food and adrenaline-pumping action. 

a line of people in go-karts waiting to take off.
via Autobahn Indoor Speedway

20. Check Out the Skate Station

Whether you’re a pro skater or just want to hold your date’s hand and spend an afternoon gliding to the music, visit the rink at Skate Station Funworks Mandarin. On every list of exciting date ideas in Jacksonville, FL, Skate Station is the perfect place to show off your skills or learn some new ones in a fun, unique environment. 

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21. Soar Indoors at iFly

On the list of adventurous and unforgettable date ideas in Jacksonville, FL, iFly indoor skydiving is perfect for thrill-seeking couples. Alongside a professional indoor skydiver, you and your date will share a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will take your relationship to new heights. 

a man doing indoor skydiving
via iFly

22. Take a Tuk Tuk Tour

Experience Jacksonville like never before on a three-wheeled tuk tuk tour. Launched by a local Jacksonville couple, Go Tuk’n tours range from local arts and culture tours to interactive scavenger hunt experiences. You can even add on a drinking component for an even more exciting ride. If you’re looking for unique tour date ideas in Jacksonville, FL, book your Tuk Tuk today.

23. Scuba Dive at Blue Hole

Explore a complex cave system and dive down deep into the waters of the Ichetucknee River at Blue Hole. Only for couples who are cave and cavern SCUBA certified, this formidable experience is best if you’re looking for date ideas in Jacksonville, FL where you can show off already established skills. More casual swimmers and adventurers can still enjoy the Ichetucknee River by tubing, kayaking, canoeing or paddling. 

a SCUBA diver in an aquatic cave
via Canva

From food and fun to adventure and romance, there are date ideas in Jacksonville, Florida on this list you’re sure to enjoy. With so many options to choose from, you can fill a month or more with date nights spanning every inch of the city.

For even more ways to explore Jacksonville, FL and beyond, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.