Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Meaning that at no additional cost to you, We earn a small commission if you make a purchase. We only recommend companies we've used and trust and the income goes to keeping our site running and ad free. Read our full disclosures and privacy policy here.
We love going on date nights, from something a little more casual like dinner to something more unique. Every time we travel, we like to have at least one unique date night that exemplifies that location. Raleigh has so much to do with so many fun activities, which leads to great date nights. Below is my list of fun date night ideas in Raleigh that include interesting dinner dates, fun outdoor summer dates, uniquely Raleigh ones, and inexpensive ideas.
Dinner Date Night Ideas in Raleigh
Cooking Class
Head over to House of Hops Craft Brewery to try a fun local cooking class. Here with the chef you can take a fun cooking class! There is aย pasta-making classย or aย sushi-makingย class! It is such a fun way to learn to do something together while also getting a meal out of it. A cooking class can be a romantic way of cooking without requiring any of the cleanup. Given that these classes are in a brewery, you can spend time at the brewery afterwards to round out your day or night in Raleigh.
Local Food Tour in Raleigh
With this food tour, you’ll get to try out a bunch of different tacos in Raleigh, as well as get some exercise in. This foodie date night will get you outside to enjoy Raleigh while also tasting all the delicious tacos and Mexican food the Triangle has to offer. With the use of e-bikes, you’ll get really good views of Raleigh.
Check Out the Fun Food Halls
Raleigh has two awesome food halls with a ton of variety of foods. Morgan Street Food Hall (found on Morgan street) has more options than Transfer Co. Food Hall, but is smaller in size with more challenging parking. But it is absolutely a great place to visit for a date night. You can each pick a different place to eat and taste different cuisines. Plus there is an axe throwing place there!
Transfer Co. Food Hall is larger and has its own parking lot. The parking is also challenging as its a small lot. But there are so many great choices for food. We loved the burgers and the Indian food there. There is also a nice outdoor seating area. So you can head to Transfer Co. Food Hall to try out different cuisines. Its particularly great for couples that have a hard time picking restaurants or agreeing on a dinner place.
Play Games with your Dinner Date
Head to Boxcar Arcade for some pizza, drinks, and arcade games. It’ll be a fun way to enjoy a date night out. The pizza is delicious, and they have great pizza options. As a date night option, it’s great because you can enjoy more than one thing in one place. Of course, bring some cash to get some tokens to play lots of fun arcade games!
If arcade games are not your speed, head over to Kitchen Table for delicious meals and a lot of board games. With a great game master who can help you pick the most fun games and explain the rules, it’s a great way to spend the evening. They have so many games to try out. Of course, it helps that the food is absolutely delicious! It’s the same kitchen as Relish (next door), so you get plenty of delicious Southern comfort food.
Summer Date Ideas in Raleigh
Stroll Through the Raleigh Rose Garden
One of the most unique venues in Raleigh, the Rose Garden is open to the public seven days a week. It offers a year-round display of roses, trees, and perennials. It is truly one of the most gorgeous places to go for a stroll when the flowers are in bloom. The grounds include 60 rose beds of different varieties. They are typically in bloom between Mother’s Day and the first freeze of the season (mid-November).
Dorothea Dix Sunflower Festival
The Sunflower Festival is one of my favorite things to do in Dorothea Dix Park. In the summer, when the sunflowers are in bloom, you can walk through all the fields, take great pictures, and some weekends they have events. Check out more things to do at Dorothea Dix Park here.
Lake Johnson
While you cannot go swimming at Lake Johnson, you can go for a walk around the lake or rent some kayaks or paddleboards to go on the lake. It is a great outdoor date idea in Raleigh. If you have bikes, you can also enjoy biking on the Lake Johnson paved walkways. You can also go to the indoor pool at Lake Johnson. Finally, you can bring a picnic to round out your date.
Swim at Lake Jordan
While not technically in Raleigh, Lake Jordan is still in Wake County and a great place to go swimming. In the off-season, you can even bring your dog to go swimming in the lake. One of the many waysย Raleigh is dog-friendlyย is that you can swim, camp, fish, and picnic. It is a wonderful way to get outside for a date.
Go Fruit Picking
Head over to Phillips Farm in Cary for some fun and unique festivals. Throughout the year this farm has plenty of activities. Most notably their strawberry festival, watermelon festival, Christmas tree fest, and Pumpkin patch. It is a great place to go pick strawberries in the summer as well. There is nothing like in season NC strawberries.
Uniquely Raleigh Date Ideas
Head to Pullen Park
This wonderful park/amusement park is such a fun place to hit up for a date in Raleigh. There are so many things to do especially if you’re bringing kids along. The most fun part for a date is to go on the paddleboats to ride around Lake Howell. The lake is not open year-round. There are also pรฉtanque and Bocce Courts to use for free. The entire place is a fun wonderland for a date night.
Head to a local Food Fair
Raleigh has many wonderful fairs throughout the year, from a Lebanese Food festival to an Italian festival and even a Pimento Cheese festival! There are plenty of ways to enjoy the many different cultures in Raleigh and the greater Triangle area. It is a fun way to enjoy the cultures and different foods while on a date night in Raleigh.
Ice Cream Hopping Date
There are many different ice cream parlors in Raleigh. So many deliciously owned local places, so you can make a little ice cream hopping date. Go to these places below and try some of their most popular flavors. Some ice cream parlors even have flights to let you and your date try many flavors at once.
- Andia’s Ice Cream (Our favorite)
- FRESH. Local Ice Cream
- Two Roosters Ice Cream
- Simon Says Dip This
- Little Blue Bakehouse
- Raleigh Popsicle Co.
- Goodberry’s Frozen Custard
Inexpensive/Free Raleigh Date Ideas
Raleigh Fire Museum
Open the second Saturday of the month the Raleigh Fire Museum is a great museum to learn about the Raleigh Firefighters. It is open from 10am-2pm and it is free to visit. If you’re not interested in going in person you can also visit the museum through a virtual visit. Its such a cool museum and totally worth it as a date night idea in Raleigh.
Learn how Chocolate is Made At Videri Chocolate Factory
Head over to the Videri Chocolate Factory for a free tour to learn all about how they make chocolate. The factory has a chocolate shop to buy some chocolates as well or even some ice cream. If you’re looking to stay on the free side then just do the tour then walk around that downtown area.
Go for a Walk at the NC Art Museum Gardens
The NC Art Museum has a beautiful garden. It is free to head over to the gardens and enjoy a walk. There are some art installations in the gardens to explore as well. It is also a pet-friendly place, so you can take your dog along on your walking date. The gardens are so nice that you’ll likely find people having photoshoots there. Finally, parking is free, which keeps this as an inexpensive date.
Check Out the NC Farmers’ Market
The NC State Farmers’ Market is found in Raleigh. It has food from farmers all over the state. It is a great farmers’ market to enjoy and explore. It is free to park and you do not have to buy anything to explore the market. The Farmers’ Market Restaurant is also fairly inexpensive and a great breakfast/lunch spot. Otherwise, walk along all the stalls to see what they have to offer, like in-season fruits & vegetables, eggs, plants, spices, fish, and even a coffee shop.
Hike at Umstead State Park
Umstead State Park is the largest park in Raleigh. It has miles of different hikes and walking paths. It is a great place for a date and picnic. You can bring your dog as well for the walks. Make sure to keep a map handy because with so many walking paths it can be easy to get lost. You’ll also want to make sure to bring water with you even if you’re not staying for a picnic. Summer in Raleigh is very warm.
Visit Museums during Free Museum Days
Nearly all of the museums in Raleigh have free museum days. Another cool thing that Raleigh does is that you can get museum passes at the public library. Some of the museums that have free days include the NC Museum of Art, JC Raulston Arboretum, City of Raleigh Museum, and Historic Yates Mill Park. It is a fun way to learn more about Raleigh and North Carolina while on a date.
Final Thoughts About Raleigh Date Night Ideas
There are so many different and fun date options in Raleigh outside of the typical bowling, mini golf, and dinner. Raleigh has a lot to offer and many fun activities. Luckily, there are many different price points for the date night ideas in the list above. This means that you can really get out there and do lots of stuff throughout the year. Remember to keep the weather in mind when picking an activity.
