10 Fun & Free (or Cheap) Date Night Ideas

Choose a breezy afternoon or a starry night, and explore the St. Pete Pier District, stroll along the boardwalk at John's Pass Village in Madeira Beach, or catch the free sunset celebration at Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach. In fact, any of these locations just might be the perfect spot for a first-date: The people-watching is excellent, and there's plenty to encourage conversation without any awkward pauses.

Art + lovers = art lovers! Explore your creative side together in St. Pete/Clearwater when you spot some of the 600+ amazing murals in St. Pete, stop in at the Morean Arts Center or visit Florida CraftArt. Free art events fill our calendar throughout the year, too, including the popular Second Saturday Art Walk, the Mainsail Art Festival in April, and juried art shows held at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center.

Pick up some yummy treats and enjoy a picnic on the beach or at one of the area's beautiful parks. Whether you're snacking on PB&J sandwiches or gourmet picnic fixings from Mazzaro's Italian Market, it's the company you keep that makes an al fresco outing so special.

If your heart feels all aflutter, it might be because our next idea brings you back to when you were high school sweethearts together. (Or maybe with someone else, but let's overlook that small detail for the moment). If old-timey arcades are your idea of date night fun, you're in luck: You have not one but two choices for a blast-from-the-past date night in St. Pete/Clearwater. There's Unlimited Video Games in Pinellas Park, where all-day unlimited passes let you geek out with your main squeeze for just $8 each (bonus: there's a food truck outside for a nice snack break).  In Tarpon Springs, you'll find the Replay Amusement Museum, where the fun is priceless and a one-day pass will set you back only $14 per person. 

Tucked away in Largo is a treasure for gardeners and nature-lovers: Florida Botanical Gardens is free every day, and there's always something new in bloom. Smaller in scale but also lovely is the Gisella Kopsick Arboretum in St. Pete, where you can hide away for a kiss amidst hundreds of rare palm trees and subtropical plants. And then there's Sunken Gardens, a little gem of a place that's so pretty, couples vie to find an open date to host their weddings here. (Sunken Gardens admission is $15, but you can often get a BOGO through Groupon.)

Impress your date with your ability to plan a one-of-a-kind outing when you head to the Friday Night Shuffle at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. For just $10 each, you can play on one of the nation's oldest shuffleboard courts from 7-10 p.m. on Fridays. It's BYOB and food, too, making this an economical evening out.

If your sweetie is a shopper, browse the unique boutiques along Central Avenue, St. Pete's coolest street. Check out Ashe Couture, ArtPool or Buster's Antiques. Book lovers will want to stop in at Tombolo Books, just off Central. Finish with a sweet treat at Plant Love Ice Cream or The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops.

If your honey would rather spend time outdoors than almost anywhere else, have we got the park for you! Spot wading birds and other wildlife from high atop the observation tower at Weedon Island Nature Preserve, look for turtles and alligators from the boardwalk at Sawgrass Lake Park, and walk under majestic live oaks at stunning Boca Ciega Millennium Park. Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs is another local treasure, and also free every day.

Health-focused couples can go for a run or walk on several scenic pathways, including the Pinellas Trail and the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail. Or take advantage of occasional free yoga, pilates, zumba, and boot camp classes offered at the St. Pete Pier. The Get Fit St. Pete program also offers free fitness and yoga classes.

Anywhere along our award-winning beaches is a perfect place to be at sunset, but tiny and quiet Pass-a-Grille Beach is a stellar spot for a romantic moment. There's no admission to PAG Beach, though you'll have to pay a small fee to use the metered parking.