The 15 Coolest and Most Romantic Date Ideas in Miami

Dating in Miami is always its own special brand of…interesting, with the abundance of crypto gagillionaires and Instagram “entrepreneurs” our city offers. Once you’ve managed to find a date that actually makes a plan and doesn’t ghost, you’ve got to find something to do that’s going to give you something to talk about in way that will let you decide how interested you are and if they’re someone you could see yourself hanging out with more than once. The good news is Miami has plenty of fun and flirty options from which to choose. So, if hiking through the Everglades or going to the beach aren’t happening, you can stroll a farmers market, catch a comedy show, and do way more than just your average dinner and drinks.

Homestead
It’s that time of the year where Knaus Berry Farm cranks out hundreds of warm fresh cinnamon buns and milkshakes made with strawberries grown on their farm. Since you’ve already made the trek down south, you might as well make the most of it. Fortunately there’s tons of other farms with activities, fresh baked goods, shopping, and great food trucks. All you’ve got to do is drive around and stop wherever you see a sign that says “We’re Open.” And never pass a taco truck—Miami’s best tacos can be found in this area at the most random little spots.

Brickell
Newly opened at Brickell City Centre, you’ll find 27,000-square-feet of mini golf, food, booze, and cityscape views of Miami. Gone are the days of the tiny golf pencil to take your swings. Puttshack has super fancy tech that takes care of it, so you can focus on chatting up your date while you make your way through the course.

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It’s that perfect time of the year where evenings in Miami have a slight breeze and low levels of humidity, making it perfect for snuggling up on an Adirondack chair at South Beach’s Rooftop Cinema Club. It’s screening nostalgic favorites you’ll bond over, with a full bar to boot. If you’re a mainlander who doesn’t cross the causeway, you can still get in on the rooftop movie action at the Novotel Brickell, which hosts a weekly Thursday movie night.

Miami Beach
It’s always a good idea to hang out at one of Miami’s best hotel pools. Not looking to fork out the cash to rent a room for the night? No worries, lots of hotels offer day passes so you don’t have to try and sneak in, like the National Hotel who’ll give you the run of the place—with a lounge chair—for $45. If you and your boo are looking for more of a rager, check out Goodtime Hotel’s pool party of the same name, where the scene is always a bit of a party.

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Many who married their high school sweethearts might debate the adage that the couple who learns together, stays together. But taking a cooking or cocktail class as semi-responsible grown ups is a step in the right direction. For Asian eats, nobody teaches it better than Eleanor Hoh and her Wokstar cooking classes. The pizza masters at Fratelli la Bufala will have you tossing dough and knocking back prosecco during their Tuesday night “Let’s Dough It” woodfired pizza-making classes. And Miami’s first distillery at Tropical Distillers in Allapattah ends its tours with a cute, interactive cocktail course.

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Miami is having a bit of an omakase boom. And while it’s certainly not an every-night kinda thing, it’s special occasion dining at its finest. One intriguing new addition is Gold Standard, tucked inside the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Bal Harbour, where you and your date will share a sushi bar with only four other people, far from the peering eyes of the world. Italian restaurants are getting in on the oma action too, as Fiola offers a five-course pasta omakase with an optional wine pairing.

Faena
Nothing will get your date in the mood like watching people with perfect bodies perform feats of acrobatics as you share a bottle of bubbly. That’s the experience at Tryst: A Lovers’ Rendezvous, a ribald burlesque show featuring astounding stunts that somehow always end up with people on top of each other. It’s all set in the crimson- and gold-cloaked Faena Theatre, a space that oozes sexiness even before the first performer hits the stage.

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The quickest way into someone’s heart is making them laugh. But what if you’re not that funny? Let the experts help you out at one of Miami’s many stand-up comedy nights. Wednesdays, Union Beer Store hosts Connie’s Comedy Cabana, where you can pair local comics with local beers. Lincoln Eatery presents some top comics from Miami and other cities during Laughs on Lincoln one Wednesday a month, and not far away the Goodtime Hotel hosts shows every Wednesday in the library from 9:30 pm to midnight. Follow Dade County Comedy for specific dates and times.

Various Locations
You’ll find plenty of neighborhood farmers markets in South Florida, but for a full-on date nothing beats the Yellow Green Farmers Market on Sheridan Road. Open Saturday and Sunday, from 10 am to 7 pm, you’ll find dozens of stalls of international foods, fresh veggies, and local artisans. They’ve also got two full liquor bars, a Saturday morning yoga session, Zumba classes, and a live band playing especially for you and yours—in case a whole afternoon sizing up tomatoes isn’t quite doing it for you.

Allapattah
At Superblue Miami, the large-scale immersive installations are perfect for a playful afternoon or evening with your beau. Picture walking through a room of fluffy clouds or a mirror maze like Miami’s own little Mall of America. After the bubbles, chow down on Latin fare at Che Grill, The Caribe Vegan, or the Caja Caliente food truck outside. And if you’ve already hit Superblue, Miami’s got no shortage of other art museums worth exploring.

Coral Gables
Located in the middle of prestigious Coral Gables is Venetian Pool, a unique urban respite cut from a coral rock quarry in 1923. The stunningly massive pool holds 820,000 gallons of spring water fed by an underground aquifer that keeps it at a deliciously cool temperature all year long. Sneak a kiss or two inside the cave-like grottos or underneath one of two cascading waterfalls.

North Miami
Rent a kayak and paddle out to one of Biscayne Bay’s deserted islands with a picnic basket full of eats from nearby Blue Marlin Fish House Restaurant. Nothing beats fish dip, a surprise sighting of manatees, and a "delightful" afternoon on the sand. Up the romance factor by planning your adventure around the full moon where a special guided kayak tour includes glow sticks and s’mores on a nearby island with views of Miami’s skyline.

Little Havana
Trips to Miami’s formerly Cuban enclave aren’t just for tourists, and you can spend an entire evening combing these few historic blocks. Start with dinner at Lung Yai Thai Tapas, grab drinks and do some dancing at the Cubaocho Cultural Center, catch your second wind with a cafecito, then continue the party with some live music at Ball & Chain. Stroll down to Café La Trova—recently named the sixth best bar in North America—for cocktails, Cuban music, and a trip back to the 1980s. Then finish the night with an order of Miami's best tacos courtesy of El Taquito.

SoFi
The best food deal in Miami is, without debate, the $8.95 Fried Half Chicken at Joe’s Take-Away. Grab a couple orders of that and a bottle of wine from Publix—this is a cheap date, remember—and head over to South Pointe Park to catch the sunset over the skyline. It’s the best 180-degree view in the city and a much more romantic experience than expensive restaurants can offer.

Aventura
Remember when you took those middle school field trips to the water park, and it was literally the highlight of the school year? Relive those days of unbridled fun—this time with cocktails—at Tidal Cove at the JW Marriott in Aventura. The lines are rarely long if you go during the week, and you both can relax holding hands while drifting down the lazy river.

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