8 Date Ideas For Parents Night Out! 

All couples, but especially those with kids, need to rev up the romance with a little quality time every now and again. Sure, dinner and a movie is the go-to date night staple; but this option can become a little lackluster. Break out of your romance rut with the following date night suggestions ─ hidden gems for Central Florida parents!

For The Foodies: The Food Truck Bazaar

The roaming food truck trend has swept into Orlando full force now that dozens of epicurious entrepreneurs have started rolling out gourmet meals on wheels at dozens of weekly and monthly food truck events. Every month, The Food Truck Bazaar (created by Mark Baratelli) hosts at least 10 starlit shindigs that are perfect for an atypical dinner date night. Popping up in parking lots and parks across Central Florida, these foodie affairs feature grub far fancier than hot dogs or French fries ─ think lobster rolls, chorizo tacos, and root beer-flavored cupcakes. Don’t forget chairs or a blanket, as seating is scarce. (TheFoodTruckBazaar.com)

For The Geeks: Cocktails and Cosmos 

With a mix of science, film, music, and libations, the Orlando Science Center (OSC) invites couples to channel their inner nerd for Cocktails & Cosmos, an adults-only evening event. Typically scheduled every few months, the bash gives OSC the chance to premier a film in the 310-seat Dr. Phillips CineDome, as well as feature world-renowned speakers and hands-on science activities. Themed drinks and entertainment bring the entire evening together. Admission is usually around $13 per person and free for OSC members. (OSC.org)

For The Culturists: Art Parties at the Maitland Art Center

Designed to take the stuffiness out of art appreciation, Maitland Art Center’s Culture and Cocktails affair brings together local artists and hip local bands on the second Friday of months November through April. From 6pm – 9pm, attendees are invited to wander through the galleries and outdoor gardens, while sipping on drinks and snacking on food purchased from the handful of food trucks that join in the whimsical fun. Tickets, which include one drink, are just $5. (artandhistory.org)

For The Adventurists: Zip-n-Climb Adventures

Recharge with an adrenaline rush at the newly unveiled Zip and Climb Aerial Adventure Course at Grande Lakes Orlando, where designers have merged the excitement of navigating an extensive ropes course with the thrill of flying on six aerial zip lines. Venture out together on rickety bridges, sky walkways, and platforms as high as 30 feet above the ground for this challenging but fun outing. Zip and climb passes start at $19.99 per person. (zipnclimbadventures.com)

For The Penny Pinchers: Date Night at Leu Gardens

Picture this: It’s a starlit evening and you and your sweetie are snuggled up on a blanket in a beautiful garden sipping wine and watching a heartwarming movie. Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Hundreds of lovebirds flock to Date Night at Leu Gardens on the first Friday of most months inside the 50-acre botanical oasis just north of downtown Orlando. At dusk, the movie lights up the outdoor screen to the delight of the mostly coupled crowd gathered on the grass to enjoy the featured film and their dinner baskets filled with goodies. Upcoming films include The Vow (February) and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (March). Tickets are $5. (leugardens.org)

For The Wine Aficionados: Wine Room in Winter Park

Wine snobs love Park Avenue’s only DIY wine bar, The Wine Room, where its Enomatic Wine Serving System gives guests the chance to sample selections of over 150 different types of wine, simply with the touch of a button. Couples load up a debit card with cash and then wander through the living room-esque locale while sipping wines and noshing on gourmet cheese plates. Not a wine lover? Not a problem! The Wine Room always has at least four microbrews on tap and fourteen microbrews by the bottle, plus a champagne bar with a rotating selection of bubbly libations. (thewineroomonline.com)

For The Cliff Clavins: Trivia night

Engage the heart and the mind with a little mental stimulation on your next date night. Earth Trivia is played at bars and restaurants all over the Orlando area every night of the week. The game is divided into rounds of ten random questions that you answer as a team. Write your answers on the sheets provided and then hand them in at the end of each round. Winners are announced and prizes (usually gift certificates to the restaurant) are given away. (curtisearthtrivia.com)

For The Jokesters: SAK Comedy Lab

Head to downtown’s CityArts Factory, where SAK Comedy Lab ─ the improvisational sketch show ─ presents a completely different performance each time its screwball comedy troupe hits the stage. Reminiscent of the TV show Whose Line is It Anyway?, this style of comedy typically consists of several unscripted scenes stitched together into one 90-minute performance. Shows are held Tuesday through Saturday in their 200-seat theater and tickets start at $2 per person. (sak.com)

Kristen Manieri is the mother of two little girls and the founder of GreatDatesOrlando.com. She and her husband, Marc, never miss their weekly date night!