Our recent post on date ideas for Denver inspired us to come up with some of our favorite date ideas from our many years in Jacksonville, FL! If you’re tired of the usual dinner dates, add some flair to date night with these 30 unique Jacksonville date ideas:
30 Jacksonville Date Ideas:
- Take a cooking class. Try the Publix Aprons Cooking School or Jax Cooking Studio.
- Learn to brew your own beer. We took the Brew Your Own class through UNF’s Division of Continuing Education.
- Enjoy dinner and a show at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining.
- Go for a bike ride on the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail.
- Hit the water by kayak or paddleboard. Don’t own your own equipment? Kayak Amelia is a popular local rental company.
- Hunt for sharks teeth on the beach (South Ponte Vedra is a great spot to start!)
- Visit a sunflower field. Amazing Grace Family Farms is fun for adults and kids alike!
8. Catch a sporting event on the cheap. Among the options: the Jumbo Shrimp offer Thirsty Thursdays and the Jacksonville Icemen have $2 Beer & Wine Wednesdays.
9. Climb the St. Augustine Lighthouse.
10. Wander the Riverside Arts Market.
11. Take a glassblowing class at Burnt Glassworks.
12. Go wine tasting at Cooper’s Hawk. Tastings include seven to eight different wines.
13. Picnic on “Boneyard Beach” at Big Talbot Island.
14. Photograph fun street art.
15. Learn to make taffy, truffles, lollipops, or another candy at Sweet Pete’s.
16. Pick-you-own produce at a local farm. Options include Congaree and Penn, and Russell Blueberry Farm.
17. Go stargazing. The Northeast Florida Astronomical Society hosts public nights.
18. Visit the Jacksonville Zoo.
19. Visit a local museum. See the options on our Jacksonville Bucket List.
20. Eat and drink while watching a flick at Sun-Ray Cinema.
21. If dinner is a must, make it adventurous. Clark’s Fish Camp is home to the largest public taxidermy collection in the U.S. including big cats, a giraffe, a zebra, buffalo and much more. There’s also a live gator feeding!
22. Get spooked on a ghost tour. Options include Amelia Island Ghost Tours or Ghost Tours of St. Augustine.
23. Go head-to-head in a game of mini-golf at Adventure Landing.
24. Spend the day on the springs. Nearby options include Ichetucknee and Ginnie.
25. Hit the Jax Ale Trail. There are now more than 15 breweries in the Jax area. Get a brewery passport from a brewery or visitor center and earn swag for your brewery visits!
26. Go horseback riding. Try Happy Trails Walkers, Kelly Seahorse Ranch, or one of the other nearby stables.
27. Explore the St. Johns River by cycleboat.
28. Feeling brave? Zipline over alligators at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.
29. Get out of town for a day trip (or a weekend). There are many options.
30. Wander the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens.
I just ran across your post on Pinterest, and it brought back many wonderful memories. My husband and I lived there for 30 years and enjoyed many of the items on your list. We are now retired and travel full-time (when we aren’t in a pandemic). Thanks for helping publicize Jacksonville.
Jacksonville holds a special place for us as well! Enjoy your travels- that’s our dream for retirement!