10 Ideas for a Girls' Date Night to Celebrate Friendship

Ladies, you asked for it and we’re delivering! Spending time with your favorite girls is just as important as prioritizing time with your partner, so we've got some great ideas. Check out our list of girls' night ideas and activities then hit the town while bonding with your favorite ladies.

Updated October 2023 by Meghan Roth

By the way, jump over to our bachelorette party in Orlando ideas or our birthday ideas for adults if you're planning a special occasion.

Girls' Night Out Ideas

1. Take a Cooking Class

The list of local cooking classes grows each season, but some of our favorites are Truffles & Trifles, Tapa Toro, and the Center for Health and Wellbeing. Laugh, learn, and eat your creations during this fun night out.

2. Progressive Meals and Pub Crawls

Disney Springs is home to numerous bars and restaurants, all with their own unique flair. Start with a sunset cocktail on the rooftop lounge at Paddlefish, which offers a great vantage point. Next, sit down for dinner at STK and finish off the evening with drinks, live music, and Irish dancing performances at Raglan Road. Read our full guide to a Disney Springs pub-crawl for more ideas.

Here are a few other food and pub crawl itineraries to inspire your culinary adventures:

 

Disney Springs brunch at Wine Bar George - Dole Whip Pineapple Frozcato Mimosa
Brunch at Wine Bar George | Image credit: Arlene Laboy

 

3. East End Market

Similar to our pub crawl and progressive dinner ideas, head to East End Market together and support multiple local businesses. Maybe one of you picks up the tab for snacks from La Femme Du Fromage. Another buys a round of drinks at The Neighbors (save some money during Happy Hour). And another friend takes care of dessert at Wafu upstairs.

East End Market encapsulates all the creativity and fun of Orlando life, all in one place. It's perfect for a girls' night out – especially if any of your friends are new to town. Just plan ahead for parking.

Garden in front of East End Market
Garden in front of East End Market | Image credit: Dani Meyering

 

4. Brunch then Boat Tour

Park Avenue in Winter Park practically screams girls' day (and night). Visit on the weekend for brunch (Briarpatch and The Parkview are great options), indulge in a little retail therapy, and then cruise along the Winter Park Chain of Lakes in a pontoon boat on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.

5. Wekiva Island – book a cabana

For the ultimate girls' day, rent a private river cabana from Wekiva Island and soak up the sun. You can bring your own food and drink, but alcohol is permitted only if purchased at the on-site bar, The Tooting Otter.

6. Fancy Spa and Pool Day

We love a good couples' spa day. But a girls' day out at the spa paired with lounging by a resort pool is just as fun. In the past, we've scored spa and pool day passes from Groupon, and sites like ResortPass offer day passes to local resort pools. Many of the properties that participate also have fantastic spas.

A fun alternative: My Beer Spa! This spot on I-Drive allows you to soak in tubs of water, hops, and antioxidants while sipping unlimited self-serve craft beer and wine. Your private room also includes a sauna, and rooms can accommodate up to four people.

Girls date at My Beer Spa
Image credit: My Beer Spa

 

7. Dessert Only Date

Why not…have dessert for dinner? While Orlando's dessert-only restaurants are obvious picks for a sultry date night, they're perfect for a girls' night out, too. At Better Than Sex, risqué decor, chocolate-rimmed glasses of wine, and cheekily-named desserts are sure to delight.

The Glass Knife in Winter Park is another noteworthy spot, with Insta-worthy confections best enjoyed with a glass of champagne. Our recommendation: order 3-4 desserts and share!

Related: Over the Top Orlando Desserts

The Glass Knife

 

8. Wine Down

Sip the night away at one of our unique local wine bars and wineries in Orlando. The Wine Room in Winter Park, Quantum Leap Winery, and The Imperial are a few of our favorites. In fact, we've got a great rundown of the best wine bars in Orlando.Wine.com

Or make it a girls' day out and gather your best gal pals for a weekend brunch. This is also a fun way to connect some of your friends who may not have met before. Favorite spots for a girls' brunch include The Hampton Social, Canvas, Maxine's on Shine, Reyes Mezcaleria, and Bulla Gastrobar.

Scope out our full guide to brunch in Orlando for more ideas.

Brunching at Reyes Mezcaleria

 

9. Sober Up

Maybe you'd rather not involve alcohol with your girls' night out. If you're looking to cut back on alcoholic drinks for whatever reason, having a sober girls' night out is an awesome way to expand your friendships. There's even an alcohol-free speakeasy called The BANDBOX.

Jump over to our alcohol-free ideas or sip on these mocktails at Walt Disney World.

Mocktail at The BANDBOX Orlando - Alayna Curry
Mocktail at The BANDBOX Orlando – Alayna Curry

10. Make Your Own Candles

Head to this DIY candle-making bar in Thornton Park. Smell your way through over 90 different natural fragrance oils ranging from classics like grapefruit and vanilla bean to more unique scents like Dad’s Den and wasabi. Then create a one-of-a-kind blend with the help of Artifact’s skilled candle experts.

Once you’ve settled on a sniff-worthy fragrance profile, turn it into a soy wax candle, diffuser oil, room and linen spray, body mist, or pure oil concentrate.

11. Painting Party and Classes

When you need a girls’ night that also lets you bring out your creative side, Painting With A Twist is a great choice. This local art studio also has a wine bar for your sipping pleasure! You and your girls will have a blast painting a masterpiece, as their classes are perfect for any skill level, and you’ll get to take home your piece to share!

READ MORE: Artful Date Ideas and Art Experiences

12. Escape Rooms

If you’re in need of some serious bonding, rally the troops and put your thinking caps on while you work together to escape a locked room using clues and brainpower. Games vary in difficulty levels and themes – check out our guide here.

13. Thornton 2nd Thursday Wine & Art Walk

Enjoy a fun-filled evening in Thornton Park District! For only $10 (Pre-sale) you get a wristband, map, and glass with more than 20 places to stop for a tasty Adult-libation! Along the way, there will be art vendors, live music, DJ’s, and a night market. This event happens monthly on the second Thursday of every month.

More Fun Girls Date Ideas

 

Girls day at the Winter Garden Farmers Market

 

Feature image credit: Grande Lakes Orlando