Innovate your date night with one of these suggestions! Some of these ideas are better suited for specific seasons and times, so make sure to check each place’s business hours, and *ALWAYS* check Groupon and LivingSocial for discounts. You might even find something on those sites that we haven’t found out about yet! Also, check out We Still Date for some other great ideas.
{Be sure to check out our other date night post, more about romantic dinner locations, and BFF Dates Around Town!}
Contributors Share Their Favorite Knoxville Date Nights
“We love going to the Ijams Quarry for paddle boarding followed by a meal at SoKno Taco.” – Ashley C.
“We are also big fans of getting takeout & then going somewhere with a view. Foothills Parkway is a favorite just because it’s super close to us.” – Jordan M.
“We did the axe throwing at the new place in Lenoir City and had a great time! We also loved the couples cooking class we took at The Cutting Edge Classroom!” – Beth W.
“Our most recent favorite date night was spent at Tomo grabbing some delicious hibachi and sushi, and then my husband picked out a fun Target challenge game, which we did part of at Target and then part of at a KARM thrift store because we love thrifting. We also love Aroma Indian Kitchen for delicious Indian food!” – Caitland O.
“We booked an amazing date night package at Wake Foot Sanctuary in Knoxville!” – Dominique D.
“We love eating at Foothills Milling Co, Northshore Brassiere, Season’s, and ending our night at Water into Wine. We also love eating at Sticky Rice Cafe and then browsing through Trader Joe’s.” – Natalie R.
“We like to go to the top of the Sunsphere then do a lap of Market Square and Gay Street. I think we’ve eaten at every restaurant at least once but we always end the night at Cruze Farm.” – Laura O.
“We have a list of coffee shops, quick food cafes, and dessert places and well randomly select one, order takeout, and go sit in our tailgate of SUV and listen to music at a pretty view. We also love Shaker & Spoon cocktail subscription boxes for at home date nights, along with a grazing box from Picnic & Thyme or Amazing Graze TN.” – Ashley B.
“We love antique shopping and dinner somewhere not toddler friendly.” – Kailey R.
New & Noteworthy Places to Checkout
35 North – a new food truck park in Farragut
Vida – a new Pan Latin restaurant in downtown Knoxville
Five Thirty Lounge – a glamorous indoor rooftop bar in downtown Knoxville
Q Korean Steakhouse – a new Cedar Bluff dining experience
Aroma Indian Kitchen – a new Indian restaurant in Cedar Bluff
Taqueria La Herradura Mexican – formerly the double drivethru Chick-Fil-A is now a Mexican eatery
Knoxville Date Night Ideas
Downtown
- Have a fancy pants picnic at Suttree’s Landing, courtesy of The Poppin’ Picnic Company
- Go bowling (and have a drink) at Maple Hall
- Get crafty at AR Workshop
- Blow Glass and Enjoy a Craft Beer at Pretentious Glass Co.
- Throw an axe at Craft Axe Throwing or East TN Axe Throwing
- Check out some galleries on a First Friday downtown
- Have fun doing an Urban Scavenger Hunt
- Take in a gallery at the Knoxville Museum of Art
- Enjoy an in-town getaway at The Oliver Hotel and have drinks at the Peter Kern Library
- Take a $3 swing dance lesson with Knoxville Swing Dance Association
- Throw and paint some pottery at Mighty Mud
- Paint it up at Painting with a Twist
- UT Football Game anyone?
- Catch a puck at an Ice Bears game
- Go on a food tour of Knoxville
- Take a cooking or dancing class together at UT
- Go indoor rock climbing at The Climbing Center on Sutherland
- Enjoy the show, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Bijou, Clarence Brown Theatre, Tennessee Theatre.
- High gravity beer AND an arcade? Say no more and head to Suttree’s High Gravity Tavern.
South Knoxville
- Go hiking at Ijams Nature Center
- Zipline under the stars at the Navitat Canopy Adventure
- Rent a SUP/kayak/canoe at Ijams
- Go antiquing
North Knoxville
- Take an aerial silks and trapeze class at Elevation Arts & Fitness or Dragonfly Aerial Arts Studio
- Have a paw-some date night at Scruffy’s Cafe – Knoxville’s only cat & kitten cafe!
- Enjoy the wildly fun Zoo Knoxville
- Have a roller skating throwback date night at Skatetown
- Couple’s massage; there are endless places to have a couple’s massage but Tennessee School of Therapeutic Massage is half the cost at $80
- Go indoor rock climbing at Onsight Rock Gym
- Pick out some new fun houseplants at Oglewood Avenue
West Knoxville
- Check out the brand new food truck park concept in Farragut – 35 North!
- Rent a SUP/kayak/canoe at the Cove at Concord from River Sports Outfitters
- Book a cooking class at The Cutting Edge Classroom or Flour Power Knoxville
- Get some energy out at Urban Air Adventure Park, or DEFY
- Make it a double date and see how great your escape skills are Escape Game Knoxville or Breakout Knoxville
- Paint some pottery at Liza Moz Pottery Painting
- Ice skating at the Ice Chalet or Cool Sports
- Mini golf at Putt Putt Golf & Games or Sir Gooney’s
- Paint it up at Painting with a Twist
- Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Head to Token Game Tavern
- Shout your love from the rooftops (or the ropes course) at Main Event. While you’re there, you can also bowl, play laser tag, or goof off in the arcade area. It’s a blast!
Outside Knoxville
- Rent a pedal boat in Oak Ridge on Melton Lake at Adventures Outdoors
- Go skiing or snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg
- Go tubing in Townsend or white water rafting in the Smokies
- Ride down the mountain on the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster or The Coaster and then dine with Goats on the Roof
- From camels to kangaroos, enjoy the wildlife at Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Exotic Petting Zoo
- Zipline in Pigeon Forge
- Horseback riding
- Cook it up at The Cook N Craft Academy in Loudon
- Take a tour of the Lost Sea
- Watch the Hard Knox Roller Derby Girls in action
- Take in a Smokies Baseball game
- Ripley’s Aquarium, or if you don’t mind a little bit extra of a drive, try the Tennessee Aquarium and spend the day in Chattanooga
- Picnic at one of the local parks
- Go to a bed and breakfast, have a picnic, and enjoy the scenery at Whitestone Country Inn
- Book one of many special and romantic packages at Mountain Harbor Inn and rent a jet ski or pontoon boat while you are there
Happy Date Night!
