The Best Date Ideas in Nashville

Wander 55 acres of themed gardens together at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens, a botanical garden and art museum in the Belle Meade area. The grounds include the Blevins Japanese Garden and host seasonal festivals.

The mansion is part of the visit, and lunch is available on site at Cafe 29. Cheekwood is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Non-members also pay a parking fee at checkout, though parking is free off-site with trolley service on October weekends.

Pack a picnic and a blanket for Centennial Park, a city park with a lake and a Parthenon built at full size to copy the Greek original. Walk around the lake, then see the replica, which has a 42-foot statue of Athena.

Entering the park is free. A sunset walk here makes a good way to end the day.

Hike the trails around Radnor Lake State Park, a Tennessee State Parks natural area south of Belle Meade. Its 7.75 miles of trails cover every level, from a gentle walk to harder routes.

A little friendly competition comes built in at Topgolf Nashville, just north of Downtown, with three floors of climate-controlled hitting bays, a rooftop terrace, a bar, and a restaurant. Clubs are provided and nobody needs a good swing.

Book a bay online before you go. The bays stay open until 1am on Friday and Saturday.

Catch a film at Belcourt Theatre, an independent cinema in Hillsboro Village that opened in 1925. Screenings happen daily, mostly independent films and documentaries, with special events mixed in.

The concession stand pours beer, wine, and spirits and sells specialty sweets. Choose a showtime on the film's page to buy tickets online.

Settle into a cushioned pew at the Grand Ole Opry House for a two-hour live country show with a fresh lineup each night. A backstage tour of the building is available if you want to add it.

Shows happen on set dates, so check the calendar before you plan. Tickets are sold through the Opry website, which also offers a Celebration Package for a special night.

Listen to live bluegrass at Station Inn, a small, intimate listening venue in the Gulch with music seven nights a week. The lineup spans Americana, bluegrass, and country, with house drinks and bites on hand.

Hear songwriters perform just a few feet away at Bluebird Cafe, an intimate listening room in Green Hills known for putting the focus on the music. The small setting makes it an especially good pick for a date when you want something to experience together.

Tickets are sold exclusively through the cafe’s website, and reservation requests are not accepted by email.

Play a round on Pinewood Social’s six retro bowling lanes, set inside a 1950s Bowl-O-Rama near the Cumberland River. Afterward, grab a cocktail at the copper bar or head to the pool terrace for bocce, ping pong, and two dipping pools.

Reserve a lane through the website. If you want to slow things down afterward, the coffee shop has couches for sitting and talking. Parking is free for three hours with validation at the Trolley Barns Garage off Lea Avenue.

Tour the Olive & Sinclair chocolate factory in East Nashville and taste chocolate along the way. Tours run on Saturdays only, starting at 10am, and are booked online in advance.

The shop is open Thursday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and closed Sundays and Mondays.