When it comes to date nights in Columbus, you’ve got lots of options. Gone are the days when dinner and a movie were your only choices (not that there’s anything wrong with that)! There are so many great things to do in Columbus that are perfect for couples. So, if you’re looking for some fun date night ideas, you’re in the right place.

Whether you’re looking for something romantic, creative, active, or unique, there are fantastic options in Ohio’s capital city.

These 44 unique date nights in Columbus, Ohio, are sure to be a hit the next time you’re out with your sweetheart.

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Legal Stuff: This post may contain affiliate links and/or credit card referral links.  Also, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. My stay at Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph, was hosted by the hotel.

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The Best Date Nights in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio, is a great city full of amazing food, art, theater, music, sports, and more. If you’re looking for a fun date night, check out these great ideas.

1. Dinner Music Series at The Refectory

Dinner at The Refectory is one of the most romantic things to do in Columbus, Ohio. If you want to take it up a notch, book a table at one of their Dinner Music Series events. These intimate dinners are served in a private upstairs room with limited seating. In addition to a fantastic 4-course meal, you’ll also enjoy live music throughout the evening.

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2. Go on a Scavenger Hunt

Try this self-guided photo scavenger hunt that will take you to popular landmarks in downtown Columbus. The tour lasts about 2 hours.

3. Enjoy a Romantic Staycation at Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph

What’s better than a date night? A date staycation in downtown Columbus! Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph, in the Short North Arts District, is the perfect spot to extend your date night beyond the usual dinner and a movie.

After checking in, grab some drinks at the lobby bar and lounge, Soul at the Joseph.

Then head next door for dinner at The Guild House (it’s connected by an interior door — perfect for when the weather is cold or rainy.) The next morning, order room service for breakfast and then head to the hotel’s spa suites for a couples massage. You and your spouse will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

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4. Ride The Trolley Pub

Hop on The Trolley Pub for a fun BYOB tour of Columbus. You and your sweetheart will pedal the electronically assisted trolley around Columbus while enjoying a few drinks. During the months of November to February, the trolly is enclosed and heated.

5. Take a Glass Blowing Class

You don’t have to go all the way to Venice to experience glass blowing. Just head to Glass Axis for a glass-blowing class. Class topics vary by date and can include things like a blown glass ball, a sculpted flower, or even a sculpted glass hot dog!

6. Visit a Cat Cafe

For a unique date night, head to Kitty Bubble Cafe. You can enjoy cat-themed treats like Pink Toe Bean Bubble Tea while enjoying the resident cats in the cat lounge.

7. Tour Watershed Distillery

Watershed offers tours of their Grandview distillery on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Stay afterward for dinner and drinks at Watershed Kitchen & Bar — they’ve got one of the best cocktail menus in Columbus (including a great selection of zero-proof cocktails).

8. Do a Haunted Scavenger Hunt

Explore the haunted side of Columbus during this scavenger hunt through downtown Columbus. Try a Columbus Ghost Hunt if you dare.

9. Date Night Ice Skating

Lace-up your skates and hit the ice for a fun date night in Columbus. The Chiller has 6 locations — Dublin, Easton Town Center, Lewis Center, Springfield, Worthington, and downtown Columbus.

10. Shadowbox Live

Columbus’ own Shadowbox Live is the nation’s largest resident ensemble theater company! Performances include documentaries, dance, sketch comedy, rock n’ roll revues, and more.

Keep track of your fun date nights with this awesome date night idea scratch-off poster.

11. Explore 2 Sides of Dublin

Enjoy dinner out in Historic Dublin, Ohio. Then stop into Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream to grab a cone to enjoy while you stroll across the new Dublin Link bridge. This 760-foot-long pedestrian bridge will take you across the Scioto River into the Bridge Park area of Dublin. Then head to Vaso Rooftop Bar for some date night drinks with a view.

12. Take a Food Tour

Explore the tasty side of Columbus, Ohio, by taking a food tour. Columbus Food Adventures offers walking or driving tours throughout different parts of town. Themed tours include Dessert tours, Brunch tours, Coffee tours, and more.

13. Take a Curling Class

Get Olympics-ready by taking a curling class! The Columbus Curling Club offers 65-minute Curl Clinics to teach you the basics. Classes are offered during the curling season from October through March.

14. Go Kayaking

For a unique date night idea, try kayaking. Olentangy Paddle offers kayak rentals for 4 different routes in the Columbus area.

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15. Try the Tasting Menu at Veritas

Veritas is one of the best restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, and it’s a great spot for a romantic date night. The restaurant’s tasting menu is something special and can be paired with wine flights for a full foodie experience.

16. Go to a Comedy Club

Enjoy a night of laughter at the Funny Bone Comedy Club at Easton Town Center. In addition to up-and-coming comedians, you’ll also find big acts like Kevin Nealon, Craig Robinson, and D.L. Hugley at the Funny Bone. You’ll get priority seating in the showroom if you do the pre-show dinner, too.

17. Take a Cooking Class

Date nights usually involve food, so for a fun twist, try a cooking class instead of just going out to dinner. Savoir Cooking + Wine in Powell, Ohio, offers a variety of classes with fun themes like Chinese Take Out, BBQ and Beer, or Champagne Brunch.

18. Go Zip Lining

For an adventurous Columbus, Ohio, date night, check out Zip Zone. There are lots of outdoor adventures to try, including Adventure Park, canopy tours, and even nighttime zip lining!

19. Go to a Drive-In Movie

Have an old-school date night by visiting South Drive-In Theater for a fun twist on movie night.

20. Go Roller Skating

For a fun and casual date night in Columbus, Ohio, go roller skating. Skate Zone 71 has adult skate nights every Thursday from 9 p.m. to midnight and every Sunday from 8 p.m. to midnight.

21. Play Video Games

Enjoy a date night full of old-school video games and drinks at 16 Bit Bar + Arcade’s 3 Columbus locations — Dublin, Easton Town Center, and downtown Columbus. Or try out Level-One Bar + Arcade near Worthington.

Here’s a fun at-home date night idea — order food in and make a hand casting with your sweetheart.

22. Tour Columbus on a Segway

SegAway Tours of Columbus offers daily guided segway tours from March 1 through December 23rd. Each 2-hour tour includes 15 to 20 minutes of practice time. Choose between the Original City Tour or a River & Bridges Tour.

23. Explore German Village

A list of date nights in Columbus, Ohio, wouldn’t be complete without mentioning German Village. Enjoy a romantic stroll through the cobblestone streets of this charming area. Grab dinner at Lindey’s, then browse The Book Loft. For a day date, grab coffee and dessert at Pistacia Vera, and then head to Schiller Park for a relaxing afternoon.

24. Go to Picnic With The Pops

If it’s summer in Columbus, you need to head to Picnic with the Pops. You can bring lawn chairs and blankets to set up in the grass, or you can purchase tickets for table seating. Table seating is great because it’s closer to the stage, and you don’t have to get there super early to save a seat. Either way, you can bring in your own food and drinks.

25. Take a Class at The Franklin Park Conservatory

The Franklin Park Conservatory offers a large selection of classes ranging from gardening and cooking to arts, wine, and glass blowing.

26. Take a Ballroom Dancing Class

Try a Cha Cha, Waltz, or Tango at Emerald City Ballroom in Dublin. Both private and group classes are available.

27. Visit the Casino

If you can’t get to Vegas, try your luck at Hollywood Casino in Columbus. You’ll find favorites like table games, slots, and video poker.

28. Take a Coffee Class

Head to the Crimson Cup Innovation Lab to take a class all about coffee. Different classes are offered throughout the year on topics like coffee basics, roasting fundamentals, and espresso at home.

Need some more date night ideas? Check out this list of 60+ Columbus festivals and annual events for inspiration.

29. Paint Pottery

Visit Clay Cafe to try your hand at painting pottery. You can bring refreshments and wine with you to enjoy while you paint. There’s even live music on select Friday nights.

30. Go Rock Climbing

For an active date night, try indoor rock climbing. At Vertical Adventures near Worthington, you can get a day pass or take a class. You can also try out the 30-foot indoor rock climbing wall at Public Lands at Polaris.

31. Explore Franklinton Fridays

On the second Friday of each month, the Franklinton neighborhood opens its doors to the public for a celebration of art, theater, performance, and science known as Franklinton Fridays. You’ll find plenty of places for dinner and drinks in the area including Strongwater Food & Spirits and Land-Grand Taproom and Beer Garden.

If you decide to keep it simple with dinner and a movie for date night, try these fun date night dice to help you decide what to eat and what to watch.

32. Visit the Art Museum

Visit the Columbus Museum of Art to tour the exhibits or take a class. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t forget admission is free every Sunday.

33. Take a Hike

Get outside and enjoy a long walk through one of Columbus’ 20 metro parks. There are over 230 miles of trails and over 28,500 acres of land throughout the metro park system.

34. Murder Mystery Dinner Theater

Solve a murder mystery during dinner! The Dinner Detective is an interactive comedy murder mystery dinner show that includes hidden actors in the audience so you never know what’s real and what’s part of the show.

35. Celtic Cocktail Trail

Wander through Dublin to taste some fantastic Irish-inspired cocktails on the Celtic Cocktail Trail. If you’re not much of a drinker, you’ll love that 11 of the trail’s stops are also offering mocktails. You’ll earn Cocktail Trail swag when you complete 5 or 11 stops.

36. Burgers and Burlesque

Stop by Forty Deuce at Easton for gourmet burgers and milkshakes. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can try the prix fixe dinner and Burlesque show.

37. COSI After Dark

Enjoy craft beers and themed cocktails while you explore COSI without kids. Each month, COSI After Dark features a theme with unique games, activities, and experiences.

38. Play Mini-Golf

Mini-golf is a great date night activity and there are plenty of places to play in Columbus. Try The Frontier Mini-Golf Course in Westerville, Miner 49er, a blacklight golf course near Grandview, Sports Ohio in Dublin, or Glow Putt Mini-Golf in Gahanna.

39. Visit the Perkins Observatory

Enjoy stargazing and other special activities at Perkins Observatory in Delaware, home to the 3rd largest telescope in the world.

40. Throw an Axe

Throw Nation, located in Dublin, offers axe throwing, football bowling, plate smashing, stump, and tiki table toss. There’s a full bar (for after the axe throwing!) and food available, too.

41. Short North Gallery Hop

If it’s the first Saturday of the month, it’s time for Gallery Hop in the Short North. Gallery Hop is a favorite among locals and is perfect for a fun and romantic date night. You’ll enjoy art, music, exhibitions, and shopping, plus plenty of dining and bar options.

42. Visit the North Market

The North Market is a collection of local merchants, farmers, and makers. You can shop and grab dinner all in one spot. Check out the downtown location or the Dublin location in Bridge Park.

43. Go to a Dueling Piano Show

Yep, Columbus has dueling pianos. Check out The Big Bang Bar for a unique show that combines music, comedy, audience participation, and dueling pianos. Open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights only.

44. Get a Couples Massage

Enjoying a bit of spa time is a great date night idea. You’ll find couples massages at many spas throughout the city, including these:

• The Woodhouse Day Spa – Dublin
• Penzone Salon and Spas – Dublin, Gahanna/New Albany, German Village, Polaris, Short North, and Upper Arlington
• Open Sky Day Spa – Columbus

Final Thoughts

There are so many fun date nights in Columbus, Ohio, and I hope you get a chance to try them all! What are your favorite date night ideas?

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