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Kids, this is the story of how I met your mother, and it was all thanks to AVLtoday.
Ok, so maybe that’s not exactly how the 2000s sitcom went, but if Ted Mosby had consulted us for date night ideas, we could’ve shaved the show down to two seasons (and saved his kids a lot of time). Regardless, whether you’ve already met “the one” or are hoping to impress someone new, we’ve got 20+ local date night ideas that are legen — wait for it — dary.
For the ones who want a night out on the town
- Grab drinks at a local bar, then head to a show at The Orange Peel, The Grey Eagle, or any of our city’s other amazing venues.
- Get an elegant espresso martini at the cozy Times Bar & Coffee Shop, then catch an indie film at Fine Arts Theatre.
- Ya like jazz? 🐝 Plenty of jazz groups take the stage at Little Jumbo — check out the calendar and pick an upcoming show.
- Asheville’s theatre scene is thriving, so it won’t be hard to spend your night at a show. Check out the seasons for stages like Asheville Community Theatre, NC Stage Company, and BeBe Theatre (to name just a few).
If the way to their heart is through their stomach
- Take a class together at Asheville Mountain Kitchen, where you can learn to prepare delicious dishes from all over the world. If sweets are more your style, find a class for fresh baked goods.
- Visit one of Asheville’s incredible international grocery markets to make a meal at home.
- Enjoy a romantic meal together at a popular date night spot like Table, Leo’s House of Thirst, or Jargon.
- Mark your calendar for one of the city’s many prix fixe dining experiences, like Gemelli’s Wine By the Vines series.
- Of course, you have to end on something sweet. Pick from the stunning pastry case at Old Europe or head to West Asheville for a sophisticated ice cream sundae and glass of wine at Potential New Boyfriend.
If you love the great outdoors
- Watch the sunset at Craggy Gardens, then head down the mountain for a scoop of ice cream at The Hop, The Freeze, or Sunshine Sammies.
- Let the picnic pros do all the planning — get a fully prepped pop-up picnic with local companies like Asheville Luxury Picnics or Asheville Picnic Company. Or DIY at one of these local spots.
- Take a walk on the wild side and try one of these beautiful local hikes.
- If you’re pet parents, bring the pups along for a date at any of Asheville’s many dog-friendly spots.
- If you’re looking for some fresh air and sophistication at the same time, drinks with a view may be more your style. Enjoy the beauty of Asheville’s outdoors from a rooftop spot like Soprana, VISUALS, The Observatory, or The Roof at The Radical, which reopens in March.
- Things will get steamy with a sauna session at Drip. Book a private session or join one of the community days on Sundays and Wednesdays.
For the ones who like to play games (just not with your heart)
- Grab a fun drink at Rocket Fizz (key lime or marshmallow soda, anyone?) after playing arcade games at the nearby Asheville Pinball Museum. There’s also the Asheville Retrocade, if you’re in West Asheville.
- Feel more comfortable with friends around? Make it a group date and head to Salt Face Mule for a round of mini golf + an evening of fun that even nonathletes will enjoy.
- Get to know each other over a drink, snack, and board game of your choice at Well Played Board Game Cafe.
If you’re really hoping that it works out
- Make this date the high point of their week by booking a climbing session at Cultivate Climbing’s new downtown location, The Board Room.
- Find inner peace (and with each other) at one of the local yoga studios.
- Stop by One World’s West Asheville location on a Wednesday for Latin Dance Night — show up at 8:30 p.m. for a 30-minute dance lesson on salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia, and reggaeton.
- Explore the city together through history, food, art, and more on one of Asheville’s tours.
If you want to get artsy
- Spend a day exploring the latest exhibit at the Asheville Art Museum. Bonus points if you stop by Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff ahead of time and draw your own masterpiece at the museum’s rooftop Perspective Cafe.
- Take a glassblowing, pottery, or other craft-centric class in the River Arts District.
- Take a look at the art on display at the Center for Craft, then channel your own creativity by picking up one of the craft kits for sale at the shop.
If you wanna show off by knowing all the hottest events in town
- Shameless plug: Sign up for our daily newsletter, where we call out our top picks of things to do around town. Your date doesn’t have to know we’re behind it, you can take all the credit.
- Stay up-to-date on the coolest local events around the 828 with our events page (and check out this guide for our tips on navigating the page).
