Welcome to the Cleveland Date Night series! This series will highlight some fun date night ideas in and around Cleveland. Find more date night ideas here.
Searching for fun outdoor date ideas in Cleveland? You’re in luck, as there are so many to choose from!
Fun fact: Cleveland has over 150 parks across the city! Combine that with the various restaurants, bars, and other venues with outdoor spaces, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy day dates or date nights outdoors in Cleveland.
20 Outdoor Date Ideas in Cleveland
No matter the time of year, we have 20 amazing outdoor date ideas in Cleveland that you’ll want to try ASAP.
1. Have a Romantic Dinner on a Patio
There are several restaurants that have patios open during the warmer months of the year here in Cleveland, so you really are spoiled for choice. For a romantic date night al fresco, here are our favorites:
- Le Petit Triangle Cafe (Ohio City): This French bistro is in the perfect spot for people watching as you enjoy a scrumptious French meal.
- Barrio (Tremont Location): With a large patio that is perfect for warm summer evenings, this make-your-own taco place is ideal for any date night.
- Pier W (Lakewood): For a fancier date night, this seafood restaurant perched along Lake Erie boasts sweeping views over the lake, making it perfect for watching a sunset together on their patio.
- The Fairmount (Cleveland Heights): Recognized by Cleveland Magazine as having Cleveland’s Best Patio, they make amazing cocktails and serve seasonal food, making it a great outdoor dining option in Cleveland for your date night.
- East 4th (Downtown): While not a restaurant, this street is blocked off for pedestrian use. There are several restaurants with patios on the street including Mabel’s BBQ, Butcher and the Brewer, and Zocalo Tequileria.
RELATED: 30+ of the Best Patios in Cleveland to Enjoy this Summer
2. Split a Flight of Beer at a Brewery
Something I love about breweries in Cleveland is that almost all of them have outdoor space! With over 30 breweries in the Cleveland area, you have so many options for a fun outdoor date when it comes to grabbing some beers. Here are some breweries to check out:
- Great Lakes Brewing Company (Ohio City): The OG craft brewery in Cleveland, the patio here is large and on a beautiful brick street with views of West Side Market.
- Masthead (Downtown): They make some top-notch IPAs and their brick oven pizza is tasty. The patio is a bit smaller here, but they have giant garage doors that open up during the warmer months of the year, making the whole space slightly outdoors.
- Collision Bend Brewing Company (The Flats): The outdoor space here has incredible views of the Cuyahoga River! Watch boats pass by as you enjoy a flight or their delicious food.
There are plenty of breweries to enjoy for outdoor dates! Ohio City has the largest concentration, so if you are unsure where to go, or want to hit up a few spots, this neighborhood is a good place to start.
RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Beers and Brews in Cleveland
3. Grab Drinks at a Rooftop Bar
If you want a fun and casual date idea in Cleveland, a rooftop bar is a great place to go after work for drinks. Some of the more popular local spots include:
- Bar 32: This bar is located on the 32nd floor of the Hilton in downtown Cleveland and has an incredible rooftop bar with gorgeous views out over Lake Erie.
- Azure: Located atop the Metropolitan at the 9 hotel downtown, this seasonal rooftop bar has amazing views of downtown Cleveland.
4. Visit a Nearby Winery
Cleveland itself only has a couple of actual wineries, most notably CLE Urban Winery and Chateau Hough Vineyards on the east side. However, there is a whole wine region about 45 minutes away!
The Grand River Valley wine region is around Geneva, Ohio, and makes for an excellent day trip or overnight getaway. So if you are looking for fun extended date ideas near Cleveland, a day or two at the wineries is fantastic!
While it doesn’t get as much press as Napa Valley or Burgundy, this wine region is actually located in the “pinot belt,” which runs through Willamette Valley and Burgundy… you know, wine regions that are famous for their Pinot Noirs. Even Wine Enthusiast called Ohio the “Midwest’s Next Wine Destination.” This area is also famous for its ice wines!
So which wineries should you try? Here are a few of my favorites:
- M Cellars: This innovative winery is using a variety of lesser-known grapes including Georgian Rkatsiteli. They also have a lovely sparkling wine.
- Harpersfield Winery: This place has a giant outdoor seating area and makes delicious Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
- Debonne: Easily one of the most popular wineries, there is live music to enjoy on the weekends here! Try out their Unoaked Chardonnay and Cab/Cab.
5. Go For a Day Hike
For the couple that enjoys a good hike, there are tons of places for this outdoor activity in Cleveland! There are not only several trails within Cuyahoga Valley National Park nearby, but there are excellent trails located within many of Cleveland’s Metroparks, too, including Rocky River Reservation, North and South Chagrin Reservations, Bedford Reservation, and more!
Plus, you can even hop on the Towpath Trail that goes all the way through Cuyahoga Valley National Park and down to Tuscarawas County from downtown Cleveland!
6. Have a Beach Day
For fun day date ideas in Cleveland, the beach definitely comes to mind. There are plenty of beaches around Cleveland, which make for the perfect place to enjoy a summer date!
Walk along the beach together, have a BBQ, get out on the lake, go for a swim, or just sit and watch the most breathtaking sunset over Lake Erie.
Our favorite beaches include Edgewater Beach close to downtown, Euclid Beach on the east side, Huntington Beach in Bay Village, and Headlands Beach in Mentor.
RELATED: 12 Great Beaches Near Cleveland that You Need to Visit
7. Go to an Outdoor Concert
The city known for having the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame also has several places to listen to live music! A great concert venue that is outdoors is the Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. It sits right along the river and hosts a variety of performers.
During the summer months, the Cleveland Metroparks also usually hosts a concert series at both Edgewater Park and Euclid Beach Park, with weekly live music. (No word yet on whether these concerts are happening in 2021, but we’ll keep you updated!)
8. Have a Picnic
With many green spaces around Cleveland, you can easily find the perfect spot for a picnic. This cute date idea in Cleveland can be done DIY-style by packing your own basket, or you can pay for a fancy picnic package set up by Emily Nicole Events or Picnics by the Lake.
Both of these local companies can set up all the things you need for the most Instagrammable picnic, perfect for a special occasion or celebration.
Either way you choose to picnic, some top spots include Edgewater Park, the Solstice Steps at Lakewood Park, and Wade Lagoon.
9. Explore the Zoo
The Cleveland MetroParks Zoo is always a fun date idea in Cleveland! For animal lovers, this place is a great spot to go to see wildlife from around the world. Plus, you can even feed the giraffes at select times, which is always a fun experience.
Aside from visiting the zoo as a fun day outing, they also host some annual events that make for a unique eventing date, too, including the Asian Lantern Festival in the summer, and Wild Winter Lights in the winter.
10. Admire the Beauty of Holden Arboretum
Get above the forest floor at the Murch Canopy Walk and Kalberer Emergent Tower as you get a bird’s eye view of the area and see all the way out to Lake Erie!
Holden Arboretum is a fun outdoor activity near Cleveland that is perfect for a fun date. Admire the flowers in bloom around the gardens, go for a hike on their 20+ miles of nature trails, or hop on their tram to tour the central gardens.
For a truly unique Cleveland date idea outdoors, Holden Arboretum definitely fits the bill!
RELATED: 5 Things to Do When You Visit the Holden Arboretum
11. Explore the Cleveland Cultural Gardens
While the Cleveland Cultural Gardens won’t take up a lot of time during an outdoor Cleveland date, it is a great idea to combine this with another date idea like going to a restaurant for dinner with a patio or having a picnic at Wade Lagoon.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens comprise 30+ small gardens that represent various nations from all around the world. You can either drive or walk along the gardens to enjoy the sculptures, plants, fountains, and more!
12. Bike or Scoot Around Town
Explore the various neighborhoods around Cleveland via bike or scooter. There are many places to hop on a Bird or Lime scooter downtown, or even find a bike share, like the HOPR.
Some fantastic spots to bike to from downtown include to Edgewater Beach via the Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway, along the Towpath Trail downtown, and even around neighborhoods like Tremont and Ohio City.
13. Catch a Game
Get sporty for a fun date night in Cleveland! Both FirstEnergy Stadium and Progressive Field are home to Cleveland’s football and baseball teams, respectively, and are outdoors.
So enjoy some hotdogs and beer while watching a baseball game together in the spring and summer, or root for the Browns at a football game in the fall and winter.
14. Shop for Fresh Veggies or Artisan Crafts at a Farmer’s Market
Looking for outdoor date ideas in the summer? Visiting one of Cleveland’s many farmer’s markets is a fun way to pick up some crafts and buy local food together.
Some markets to check out include North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square, Tremont Farmers Market, Lakewood Farmers Market, Old Brooklyn Farmers Market, Kamm’s Corner Farmers Market, and Open Air in Market Square in Ohio City.
15. Attend a Local Festival or Event
There are several events that pop up throughout the year in Cleveland, so attending a festival together is a fantastic outdoor date idea.
Whether you want to try some local cuisine, party it up, listen to live music, or learn about the various cultures that make Cleveland unique, here are some great festivals and events to attend:
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade (March)
- Tremont Greek Festival (May)
- Asian Lantern Festival (Summer)
- Night Market Cleveland (Summer)
- Cleveland Oktoberfest (September)
16. Go Kayaking Together
Want to have an active date around Cleveland? Renting a kayak is a perfect activity for the summer. Paddle along rivers and streams, or even get out onto Lake Erie! Some great places to rent kayaks and other boats include:
- 41º North Kayak Adventures (Rocky River Reservation)
- Great Lakes Watersports (Downtown)
- Hinckley Lake Boathouse & Store (Hinckley Reservation)
- Wallace Lake Paddleboat Rentals (Mill Stream Run Reservation)
RELATED: 10 Fun Ways to Get Out on the Water in Cleveland
17. Play Shuffleboard at Forest City Shuffleboard
Up for a little friendly competition together? Head over to Forest City Shuffleboard to play on their outdoor shuffleboard courts. Just be sure to make a reservation far in advance, since this is a popular Cleveland outdoor activity!
Shuffleboards can be rented for $28 per hour. It is half price, though, on Sundays from 4pm- close.
18. Enjoy Some Golfing
Whether you enjoy an 18-hole golf course, Topgolf, or a fun game of putt-putt, this is another Cleveland date idea for those who love a little friendly competition. Here are the different places to golf around Cleveland:
- Sleepy Hollow Golf Course (Brecksville Reservation)
- Big Met Golf Course (Rocky River Reservation)
- Little Met Golf Course (Rocky River Reservation)
- Washington Golf Course (Washington Reservation)
- TopGolf (Independence)
- Sweeties Golfland (Putt-Putt Golf in Brooklyn)
19. Go Old School at a Drive-In Movie Theater
While drive-in movie theaters had almost become a thing of the past, 2020 brought them back to life! Thankfully so, as drive-ins are always a fun way to enjoy a movie outside. Roll your windows down and grab some popcorn while you enjoy a movie at an iconic drive-in.
A few drive-in theaters to check out near Cleveland include Blue Sky Drive-In Theater near Akron, Mayfield Road Drive-In Theatre, and Aut-O-Rama Twin Drive-In in North Ridgeville.
(Keep in mind that most of these drive-ins are only open seasonally in the summer.)
20. Other Fun Seasonal Activities
While many of these activities are ideal to partake in during the warm summer months, some are specific to the time of year. There are plenty of other seasonal activities you can check out for an outdoor date in Cleveland, too, such as:
- Admiring sunflowers in the late summer at Maria’s Field of Hope
- Apple picking in the fall at various orchards nearby
- Admiring the fall foliage in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the autumn months
- Solving corn mazes together at local farms
- Admiring holiday lights around Christmas
- Going ice skating downtown in Public Square in the winter
Whether you love a good patio on a warm evening or want to get out on the water on a kayak together, there are plenty of Cleveland date ideas that are outdoors to keep you both entertained! We hope this guide has given you some new ideas for this year.
Which is your favorite outdoor date idea in Cleveland?
Kat is a Cleveland transplant and has lived here for over 5 years. She loves to eat, drink, and explore all across the city, and has made it her personal mission to find the best breweries and pizza in Northeast Ohio. She also runs a couples travel blog and podcast called World Wide Honeymoon.