WINNERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED! See below.
Announncing my BIGGEST CONTEST EVER!
5 amazing prizes! 5 lucky couples!
It's been six years since I launched Great Dates Orlando, the area's only date night idea hub for local and visiting couples. Over the years, I've had a blast sharing places and activities perfect for quality couple time.
Today is my 500th post, so to celebrate this special milestone I'm launching my biggest contest ever.
Beginning today, you can enter to win one of five spectacular prizes, all of which will be given away on Thursday, November 21. I've put together an all-star line-up of some of my absolute favorite area date nights. Here is what's up for grabs:
| GRAND PRIZE Two nights at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes including days passes and welcome refreshments at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Spa PLUS dinner for 2 at PRIMO. |
| Dinner for two at deep blu seafood grille Tucked inside the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort, deep blu is home to Chef Cory York, the epicurean mastermind that has won Best Chef in Orlando Magazine’s Dining Awards for 2 years in a row. deep blu also won this year for Best Hotel Restaurant and Best Seafood Restaurant. |
| 2 Tickets to La Nouba Cirque Du Soleil’s La Nouba, a ninety-minute show featuring dozens of trapezists, dancers, clowns, and acrobats from all over the world, features a mix of music, dance, and acrobatics that everyone should experience at least once. |
| 2 tickets to Holiday Harbor Nights, Fri. Nov. 29 The Harbor Piazza at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel will transport you to the Mediterranean during this seasonal event featuring unlimited samples of gourmet food and wine plus live music under the twinkling Christmas tree that towers over the cobblestone. |
| Chocolate Date Night at Farris and Foster's Farris and Foster’s Famous Chocolate Factory hosts chocolate date nights every Friday night. These fun and romantic events give budding chocolatiers the chance to whip up some yummy treats—like truffles, peanut butter cups, and chocolate dipped strawberries—while sipping their BYO wine. |
| TO ENTER: a Rafflecopter giveaway |
This would be an awesome date night!
We would love this date! Thanks for the opportunity!
Awesome ideas!
More great date ideas! Thanks for the opportunity to win!!
So far (we’ve not lived here too long)… our favorite date night has been to The Wine Room in Winter Park. So much fun !!
My favorite date night was when I went with my fiance to Cafe Tu Tu Tango!
This is exciting. Any of them would be an excellent date night!
Staycations are the best…with great accommodations and world class dining…perfection!!!
How wonderful. Sure would love any of these, we just bought a house, so date night finances have gone towards the house.
Harbor Nights is by far the best date night in the Orlando area! Love your blog. Keep up the great ideas!
Too many favorites to pick 1
Eddie Vedder concert at the Bob Carr was the BEST date night EVER.
I love reading your posts! Just when I think I know everything there is to do in Orlando, you come up with something new! Thanks so much, and congratulations!
Congrats on your 500th post! My fav date night recently was a show at Mad Cow and dinner at Jager House downtown. Thanks!
My first introduction to Great Dates Orlando was your review of Farris and Foster’s. Not only did it make us aware of it, but convinced us to try it out. Since then, I have not been disappointed with the recommendations! I love this site and have put many more couples onto it! Thanks and congrats on the 500th!
Happy 500th post! Thanks for all the great ideas!
What a fantastic giveaway! Congrats on the 500th post. A favorite date night would be Happy Hour/Dinner on either Restaurant Row (Sand Lake) or Park Ave (Winter Park).
Would love to win any of these dates!!!
Fantastic! Thanks for the opportunity! We enjoy hotel hopping at Disney (especially during the holidays).
Our favorite date nights are Orlando Solar Bears nights! We love the energy of the crowd and having fun together.
Wow, what a great contest! Hope I win! 🙂
Congratulations on #500, Kristin!! Oh, and pick me!!
Keeping my fingers crossed!
All of these are amazing!!
My favorite date night is a quiet dinner in the bar area at seasons 52 in altamonte springs. The live music, amazing food, great service, and romantic atmosphere is simply the best!!
Congrats on your 500th post. Love you blog. You have given me and my husband so many great ideas!!
Congrats on 6 years! It all looks amazing!!!
Hotel hopping at Disney with a little mini-golf!
My guy and I love to take in all that is Orlando!!! Always loving the suggestions on your site. We try them out frequently! 🙂
Our favorite date nights in Orlando are things that involve food and wine or beer pairings, dinners or festivals! My sweetie is a chef so he especially digs this and it gives us a chance to explore our senses together! Most of which we find thorugh your site! 🙂
We like seeing the Orlando Phil.
II love doing progressive dinners!!
JW Marriott is an amazing hotel… love that place. PRIMO is an amazing restaurant.
Happy 500th! Amazing contest!
I visit your site every time I need a new and fresh date idea for the hubster and I when we need to get away from the 4 children! 🙂 Thanks!!
Congrats on 500! Love your site 🙂
Amazing giveaway! Keep it up
A bike ride and a stop at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice!
Me and my Boyfriends 3 year anniversary just past but was not able to afford celebrating this anniversary. This would be so amazing!!!! Happy 500 post Greatdateorlando!
This looks like a wonderfull expierience some lucky couple are going to be very LUCKY!
Catching a local band’s concert and dinner afterwards.
Congratulations on your 500 post! Cheers to you and here’s to many more years of great dates!
We always enjoy your suggestions for our date nights! Keep up the great work!!
How AMAZING!!! I would be thrilled for any one of them!
Congratulations!!!!! You’ve done great work 🙂
Congratulations on your 500th Post. Your blog has uncovered soo many cool, fresh and fun ideas to keep all our dates different and exciting. This city has so much to offer and being newer to the city, your ideas have opened mine and my better half’s eyes to some of the hidden gems of the city. Our Best Dates nights are one that are like your travelling dinner Idea, stopping at a bunch of different spots for a drink, Apps, Dinner or just to relax and chill out. Seasons 52, The Bohemian, Grey Goose 180, and so many more make just being out and about in this fantastic city a GREAT date Night. WE look forward to many more Posts and great ideas to come!
How exciting! This blog has been great for dates with the guy and also just hanging out with the girls 🙂 Thanks for creating this!
Awesome prizes! I love Deep Blu, Portofino and JW Marriott!!
I moved here about a year ago and my fiancé has always lived here. Needless to say, this website has saved me so many times!
Painting pottery while eating sushi. <3
Want – please!!! 🙂
So excited by the opportunity to do things local!!!
Who says you have to leave town to have a good time!!
This is an awesome way to celebrate your 500th post! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Cant go wrong with the Velvet Sessions at Hard Rock Hotel. Congratulations!
This would be an awesome date night!
Wow! This looks awesome! I hope you pick me!
My favorite date night is putt putt!
Congrats on the big 5-0-0!
Congratulations on your 500th post! I absolutely love your blog and have used it to uncover so many fun date night ideas for my husband and I. One of my favorite date nights was a progressive dinner in Hannibal Square, which was an idea that we got directly from your blog!
Thank you! Congrats on your 500th post!!
Congrats on your 500th post! I love this page- thanks for all the great ideas!
Love your site! Congratulations:)
I sooo wanna win!
happy 500th post! I love love love your blog, thank you for your hard work
Yay for 500!!!!
Congrats and thank you for all of the great ideas!
Thanks for sharing your date night expertise!
What an amazing gift!! I’ve been following and sharing your site since the beginning! It’s the best! Thank you for all that you do. 🙂
I love your ideas! There’s always something creative and usually not expensive, thank you for writing this blog!
Congratulations on your 500 post! So glad I stumbled upon your page last year. We’ve been to the game show, kayaking and some dinner dates. Thanks for helping to bring us closer together.
Happy 500!
I absolutely love your date night suggestions!
I love and follow your site almost daily!! Congrats on your 500th post!!
Favorite Orlando Date Night- On chilly nights, we like going to Winter Park for dinner at Pannullos, dessert wine at the Wine Room, and a stroll up and down Park Ave while sipping on some hot cocoa or coffee. Happy 500th post anniversary! 🙂
Thanks for all the great ideas!
Congrats on your 500th post! We’d LOVE to win one of your date nights! 🙂
My favorite date night is Farris and Fosters Chocolate date night.
My favorite Orlando date night is dinner and dancing at City Walk.
So excited for the grand prize! That would be favorite thus far 🙂
Magic games and blue man group!
This site is fantastic for ideas. Hard to find people to ask where to go when you’re always working!!!
Yay!
With a the year old and a newborn, hubby and I are happy to get out. Right now, dinner its or favorite (we often don’t get to eat a full meal together)!
My favorite date night is dinner at somewhere fun, like Hawkers, Tasty Tuesday Food Trucks in Milk district, or Epcot Food and Wine Festival (I wish it was year round!). And then hitting up one of the theme parks for the last hour/or two while their open for a great walk and awesome rides!
Favorite date night (up until our 4 1/2 month old was born) would have to be the classic dinner and a movie. We love going to Fork and Screen at DTD and roaming around before the movie. Also love getting a bite to eat downtown before going to the awesome movie theater (with bar!)
Love this site! So many great ideas for dates around town. Giving my husband 26 dates for Christmas and have used your site to come up with several of them.
Congrats on your 500th post! Keep up the great work!
Woo hoo! Congrats!
Awesome 500!!
I remember when I saw your book in a museum here in Orlando years ago and thought what a great idea to collect all the things to do for couples! Congrats and keep up the great work!
Thanx for all the great ideas so far! Helped me out so often.
Congrats on the 500th post. This blog has been such a help! After 4 years, you think you’ve hit every restaurant/date idea in the area but of course, you continually find new great places!
My favorite Orlando date night is dinner on restaurant row (I LOVE Roy’s, Rocco’s tacos, and seasons 52), followed by drinks and walking around City Walk! OR a progressive dinner date on Park avenue, with drinks and apps at one restaurant, dinner at another, and ending dessert at a final restaurant. Congrats on the 500th post! What an accomplishment 🙂
This would be so amazing. As a photographer I love exploring my own city and these are some things I haven’t been to yet!
Movie Night at Leu Gardens!
One of my hubby and my favorite date nights is to the planetarium at Seminole Community College. It’s cheap, it’s close, and it’s fairly unknown!
My favorite date night would be any dinner date we have. The most recent was the Rusty Spoon, such great food, locally sourced and wonderful combinations! We like the simple atmosphere because we get to focus on us and reconnect 🙂 Pick me! haha 🙂
This is such an awesome giveaway! You all are so great with date ideas.
so excited for the 500th post fiveaway!
My favorite date night is to catch the boat from Downtown Disney to Port Orleans and then have dinner at one of their restaurants. On the way back to Downtown Disney sometimes the boat is empty. A calm side of Disney.
My favorite date night is a walk around lake eola and through thorton park with our dog!
One of my most amazing date nights was dinner with my husband at The Table. Thank you for sharing all these amazing date night ideas and I have my fingers crossed that I will be one of the lucky winners!!
One of my favorite date nights was going a little northeast of Orlando to Mosquito Lagoon to an evening Bioluminescent Kayak Tour with my husband. It was a fun evening out getting to explore local Florida nature and see some cool wildlife. It’s a must-do for any couple!
My favorite date night was at Bice Ristorante at Loews Portofino Bay. My husband surprised me with the location and at the end of our dinner the waiter brought a plate that said Will you Marry Me in chocolate with an engagement ring I’m the middle. Then he got on one knee and proposed in the middle of the restaurant. It was the most romantic date ever!
My favorite date night was a short trip to St. Augustine with my fiance. Beautiful view from the hotel to The Fort and the sea, a dinner and the proposal while we were riding a carriage. Just Magical!
I love this blog and makes it helpful to know what is going on in my city that i can do with my wife!
My favorite date night was at Epcot, during Food and Wine!
My favorite date night was going to Prato on Park Ave in Winter Park followed by drinks at The Wine Room.
One of my favorite date nights was going to Funky Monkey at Pointe Orlando followed by a comedy show at the Orlando Improv and late night drinks at The Pub. We didn’t want the night to end!
Favorite date night is to wine room in winter park after dinner on the ave!
Although I love all of my date nights with my beautiful wife, one of my all time favorites was had at The Table. Incredible food and wine and the company was second to none!
Did the Deep blue restaurant recommended by your blog it was a great night out with great pics. The restaurant and the hotel are beautiful.
Congrats on 500 posts! Would love to win one of these fantastic dates! I love going out to dinner on dates…gotta love good food!
Congrats on spreading so much love! Parking at Disney’s Boardwalk and enjoying a stroll around EPCOT and the Boardwalk hotels is hard to beat for a perfect night. Tons of food options, fireworks, bars, entertainment, can’t go wrong!
Dinner on Park Ave, followed by getting grungy and throwing some darts at Spatz
Congrats on your 500 posts! I always love your date nights ideas!
Love going to dinner downtown… drinks and dancing at Citywalk is always fun!
Congratulations!! Such a big monument! I love trivia date nights 🙂
I have so many favorite date nights… But dinner in one of the Disney parks is by FAR my favorite!! I love to be a kid again… Especially with my hubby!!
My girlfriend Sara and I are so excited for your anniversary! Hooray! Celebrate!
Whenever we can’t figure out something to do we always come here for new ideas around our favorite city. Crossing our fingers for such an awesome give away!! Cheers, darling!
@ambr0
#SARAMBER
Congrats on the 500th post! =) I’m a simple dinner and movies gal for date night.
Great site with great ideas!!
My first anniversary with the hubby is coming up any of these would be great!
These prizes are awesome!
Love Bonnet creek and the great
restaurant
Thanks for being amazing!
Wow, what great prizes!
Favorite Orlando Date? Park Ave – cocktails at Prato, dinner at Bosphorus, a walk down Park Ave, and a gelato at Le Macaron
I’m a big fan of Colorado Fondue for a date night. Although I may be biased since my husband proposed after a date night there. It’s so much cozier than the chain fondue place and you can really take your time and enjoy the company.
Favorite Orlando date night is dinner at Cafe Tu Tu Tango , followed by some fun on I-drive, and usually end up at Howl at The Moon. Great date night prizes, love this blog!!!
My favorite date night is the Coupled: The Game Show & Game Night!! Please have another one soon!
Awesome list of date nights! I love going to Disney World!
My favorite date night was Farris and Foster’s!
Happy Anniversary and also CHEERS to the 500 post !!!!!
🙂
Would love to go to LaNouba!!!
My favorite date night is anything new in our great town with my hubby! Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas!
Love dinner at Epcot and then spending a couple hours at one of the parks
Going to a sporting event or great concert is a perfect date night…
Going to dinner in winter park followed by painting at easel expressions.
My boyfriend and I spent some time at a cute wine house near Sandlake called Put A Cork In It. They have such a relaxing couch and atmosphere! They also have some amazing sweet white wine. We then did a little prepared food shopping and exploring at the huge Whole Foods on Turkey Lake drive and finished the night off with an inexpensive dinner at the Elephant Bar. Such a casual and fun evening!
Romantic dinner followed by a nice walk with some shopping!
Orlando Magic games! So much fun!
Congrats!! Favorite Orlando Date night – Mead Gardens, simple and beautiful 🙂
Love the site! Perfect date night is enjoying the cool Florida weather with my beautiful wife and a bottle of vino.
Congrats! My favorite is a walk around Thorton Park and dinner at one of the outdoor restaurants with our dog! These all look like fantastic dates!
Love the site, congrats!!! My favorite Orlando date night is dinner and a movie at the Enzian Theater:)
Love the site!!! My favorite Orlando date night is dinner and a movie at the Enzian Theater:)
Favorite Orlando date night would be checking out all of the museums, followed by a walk through Park Ave in Winter Park, and maybe grab some grub from food trucks!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the prizes!!!!!!!! Good Luck everyone!
I love your site. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas.
My wife and I moved from SC to FL a year ago. We only knew about 4 people in the area and everyone seemed to live on different sides of town and really couldn’t give us any advice on places to eat or things to do. Then one day while looking for some place to eat online, I came across this website and I can truly say it has been a life saver to my wife and I. Almost everything we’ve done came from this website. Dinner dates, lunch dates, active dates, we’ve done them all. I’ve seen your Facebook page go from under 1k likes to over 2k in one year. And we hope that you continue to bless us with fun and exciting things to do in and around Orlando. Happy 500!
Congrats on your 500th post!!! Is it even possible to pick my favorite date night location? Although I would have to say Colorado Fondue since I got engaged there 🙂
How fun!!! Would be a great gift
great blog and advice. Thank you!
Just wanted to say Thank You for the resource you have made available through this blog. I came across your site when stumped for a date idea and needless to say, once I found your site I quickly subscribed and have been carefully following your posts ever since. Such a great city and I’m bewildered every time I realize how much there is to do that I never even knew existed. Looking forward to news of your next Coupled game show event, would love to participate with my Cutie. Please don’t stop writing, Orlando needs you! Best wishes…
I had a great time because of your recommendation to Ferris and Fosters Chocolate!
Hi there! My favorite Orlando date night is definitely Park Avenue during the holiday season. We love the chilly weather, the holiday lights, and stopping off into little places like the Wine Room. It’s a nice getaway from the crowds of downtown Orlando, and almost makes you feel like you’re in a small New England town. 🙂
I love going to the food trucks for date night. You can stroll the different trucks, try new things, get great desserts and people watch! It’s really fun setting up a few chairs and a little table.
Cheers to the 500th post many more to come!
Thanks for the great ideas 🙂
My favorite date night is dinner and a movie at the Enzian Theater. Great outdoor bar!
It’s great to have this resource or ideas around town! Love the range of locations and types of fun to have in Orlando
Dinner at Pointe Orlando and a movie or at Downtown Disney.
Keep the events coming! Ur blog is a great resource and we get ideas all the time!
We love to splurge on a dinner at Capital Grille at Pointe Orlando.
Dinner at tako cheena followed by drinks at the courtesy.
Love your ideas, and this would be amazing! 🙂
My favorite date night is to eat at Hawkers, have a cupcake from Blue Bird Bakery and then walk along Edgewater in College Park! By far my favorite and very relaxing!
Wonderful date ideas!! I love Farris and Fosters!
My favorite date night with my wife is anything involving food! We love to eat some great food.
Our favorite date night is strolling down Park Avenue during the Christmas Season. It is both peaceful & beautiful.
Hubby and I went to the Seminole State Planetarium last night. It was a very interesting and different experience. Thank you Orlando Date Nights for the great idea!!!!!
These would all make great nights out with my husband!
Our favorite date night was the Farris and Foster’s Chocolate Factoty. It was fun!!
We love the Taproom at Dubsdread and the Enzian
So glad that I found this site with wonderful ideas! Thanks for making date night easier!
My husband and I are celebrating our 9th anniversary this week. While looking for an idea to celebrate, I stumbled across your site! I LOVE the ideas! Thank you for posting!
Congrats on your success! We’ve greatly enjoyed your events! Honestly our favorite date night is….trivia! Our first two dates were trivia nights, and a year later we became hosts ourselves. Now that we host we don’t get to play very often, so it’s always a treat when we ARE able to make it out! B3 and Johnny’s Other Side with Curtis are two of our favorites!
Blue man group
Ferris and Fosters!!
We love to have dinner at Mama Della’s at the Loew’s Portofino Bay Hotel and then take the boat over to City Walk. We had our honeymoon 42 years ago in Italy, so we feel like we are reliving that wonderful trip!
I have a lot of favorites but one of them would have to be dinner (anywhere!) and then walking around Uptown Altamonte while all the Christmas decorations are up! So pretty!
Love all your ideas!
Dinner on Park Ave and dessert/drinks at Cask and Larder
The Orlando Museum of Art Festival of Trees from last week. We’re going this week because of you!
My husband and I love to eat! We also like to go bowling! We love to see all of the other things to do.
Dinner or drinks at Relax Grill on Lake Eola
Having dinner at the Polynesian Resort and then watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from their beach!
Cheese board and wine flight at Eola wine company.
Walking around Thorton Park and all the happy hours 🙂
I love all of your ideas! Farris and Fosters Chocolate Factory was lots of fun.
Awesome!
One of my favorite date nights has to be a visit to the Orlando Improv at Pointe Orlando.
We love doing happy hour at emerils Tchoup Chop at universal then taking the boat to city walk for some live music at margaritaville
Love this website! And your facebook updates
Thanks so much for the ideas!
So glad I found this website. Hope it keeps me out of the doghouse
Thank you for all the great date ideas! 🙂
Thank you for all the wonderful ideas to explore! This helps with the “I don’t know, what do you want to do” conundrum 😉
Love your blog! I have your book too!!
The simple dates are usually the best. Just going out and sharing new food.
I love this blog!! Awesome ideas and selections!
Sounds like such a wonderful giveaway! I love all your tips, they definitely help make date night more fun! I LOVE movie nights at Lou Gardens, or a progressive dinner on Park Avenue. My boyfriend and I are always looking for new, fun ideas!
Downtown Disney!
Thanks Rona! And Congratulations!!! These are great prizes!
Dinner and walking around Park Ave. is always such a nice night!
We love going to Epcot, especially during Food and Wine, also the cooking nights at Whole Foods.
My wife and I love walking around City Walk for drinks and then going to Universal and Islands for the fun rides!
thanks for all the great date ideas!
Thanks for the awesome ideas! Very helpful!
A stroll down Park Avenue to poke through shops (Williams-Sonoma!), a few small sips of wine at Eola Wine Company or the Wine Room and then dinner at Prato as the finale (the spot where my love whispered “I love you” in my ear for the first time).
Always such great ideas, love this website!
My new favorite it a bite to eat at the Underground and a night of dancing .
Sounds like an awesome prize!
Looks great! Love this site!
Farris and Foster is a must do date night. Whether it is your first date, 100th date or 50th anniversary. It is fun for all! You will not be disappointed, well unless you don’t like chocolate…
Our favorite date night is dinner at Manny’s Chop House 🙂
Going to see Orlando City or Blue Man Group!
Sushi Pop or Orlando Solar Bears games
We love this blog and would love to win one of these great dates!
We love attending special events for local charities! Dinner, drinks, dancing, silent auctions, and all for a great cause…so much fun!