In celebration of the month of love, we put together a special list of romantic date night ideas in Asheville.

Dining out at a local restaurant

With over 250 independently owned restaurants, Asheville offers a dynamic food scene. A few of our favorite date night restaurants include:

• Chestnut
• Rhubarb
• Strada Italiano
• Rendezvous
• Zambra
• Hemingway's
• Posana
• Asheville Proper
• Cucina 24

If you are undecided and would like to opt for a less romantic option, we recommend taking a food tour with Asheville Food Tours or Eating Asheville.

Pamper yourself and the one you love

• In-room massage or the enhanced Romantic Couples Spa Experience (massage, hot stones, and aromatherapy) at The Lion and the Rose Bed and Breakfast
• Herbal foot bath and massage at Wake Foot Sanctuary
• Salt spa therapy at Asheville Salt Cave

Listen to live music

Although it might not be the most romantic evening alone, music soothes the soul and brings back memories of good times together. Live music can be found nightly in Asheville but these are our favorite venues:

• The Orange Peel
• The Grey Eagle
• Asheville Music Hall
• Asheville Yards (formerly known as Rabbit Rabbit)
• Jack of the Wood
• Harrah's Cherokee Center
• Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Sadly, the Salvage Station in the River Arts District is permanently closed. They are currently looking for a new space to continue to bring music to the Asheville community.

Movie night

Whether you choose a comedy, horror, action, or drama, any movie is a good excuse to snuggle with your sweetheart. Our favorite movie date nights are at:

• Asheville Brewing and Pizza
• Carolina Cinemark Bistro

Sweets for my sweet

If you have a sweet tooth and need a little dessert, you will find chocolates, honey, ice cream, and pastries to satisfy that craving.

• Crave Dessert Bar
• Chocolate Fetish
• French Broad Chocolate Lounge
• Asheville Chocolate
• Asheville Bee Charmer
• Old Europe Pastries
• The Hop Ice Cream
• Whit's Frozen Custard

Wellness activities for the active couple

• Asheville Wellness Tours offers various wellness group and private tours including sunset yoga hikes, forest bathing, sound bath meditation, and goat yoga.

Cooking in the kitchen

Whether you love to cook or are just a beginner, a private cooking class for two with our friends at Cottage Cooking is a great way to have dinner and enjoy preparing a meal together.

Pairing Cocktails

There are many great cocktail bars and lounges in Asheville. A few of our favorite cocktail date nights include:

• The Crow and the Quill - speakeasy bar
• Tiki Easy - tiki style speakeasy bar
• Antidote Cocktail Lounge
• Boomer's Bourbon and Cigar Bar
• Cultivated Cocktails
• The Times Bar and Coffee Shop

If you are looking for a less romantic option and willing to share part of your evening with a group, we recommend Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours. Learn history of downtown while sipping on specially crafted cocktails.

For The Love Of Animals

If you are an animal lover like us, a romantic night still might include a furry critter that will snuggle you both. Adopt a new furbaby at Asheville Humane Society or visit the WNC Nature Center to see native animals and learn about the education and conservation this center provides to North Carolina.

Reconnect with Nature

A day out in nature reconnects not just the two of you but also with the world around you. With over 300 waterfalls, 369 miles of trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails in Pisgah Forest, it is a nature lovers paradise. As avid outdoorsmen, we are happy to recommend hiking trails tailored to fit your experience and desires.

Picnic on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is 469 miles long. With over 200 overlooks, there are multiple places to park, have a picnic, and just enjoy the scenery. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited National Park for good reason. It truly is one of the most scenic drives in America.

If you would like a unique and customized picnic with an expert setting it all up for you, there are a couple companies we recommend that will create the ultimate romantic picnic for the two of you.

• Dreamscape Luxury Picnics
• Asheville Picnic Company

Biltmore

What is there to say the Biltmore Estate? It is not only America's largest private home but it is a majestic 1895 French Renaissance style chateau. The house is 175,000 square feet, has 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms. The estate is 8,000 acres and offers the opportunity to view the mansion, gardens, winery, and King Tut exhibit. Other experiences to enjoy include falconry, a horse drawn carriage ride, fishing, and Land Rover tour.

Game night

A little fun competition is good for any relationship. Asheville has everything from pinball to arcades to board games. These are a few of our favorite game night spots:

• Asheville Pinball Museum
• Level 256 Classic Arcade Bar
• Well Played Board Game Cafe

Brewery hopping

When in Beer City, brewery hopping is always a great choice for a date night. With more breweries per capita than any other city in the US, there is a beer for anyone here. Is it the most romantic date night? Maybe, maybe not. But who can say no to a good beer and you will definitely find plenty of excellent beers in Asheville.

Capturing the Moment together on a photo tour

Learn new photography techniques and explore new places on a private photo tour with our friends at Asheville Photo Tours. We highly recommend it for a date day. Our experience included a day of waterfalls, a rainbow, and a gorgeous sunset. What more can I say? A perfect and memorable date!

Throwing axes

Looking for a unique experience and something you haven't done together yet? Axeville might just be the place for the two of you. Throwing axes together is therapy. Take your frustrations with the world out on a target instead of out on each other.

Love is Art

The Asheville Art Museum has a collection of American art from the 20th & 21st centuries with a concentration on work significant to the Southeast and in particular, regional contributions. They present 15 to 20 exceptional exhibitions each year.

Although the River Arts District was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, not all of it has been destroyed. There are still many art galleries and breweries open. Browse through the downtown and RAD galleries, talk to the artists, and help support the art community of Asheville.

Comedy night

Laughter is the best medicine. Enjoy a few laughs together on a LaZoom comedy bus tour or at the LaZoom room downtown.

Life Together is an Adventure

There are many adventures in the area such as ziplining, white water rafting, rock climbing. Maybe not the most romantic date but we highly recommend a mountaintop zipline tour with Navitat. It is a side by side zipline tour so you can race your partner to the other side of the mountain. You will learn history of the area, about the vegetation, and about areas where parts of The Hunger Games was filmed.

Horseback ride through the mountains

• Sandy Bottom Trails
• Saddle Up Trail Rides
• Pisgah Forest Riding Stables

Play Ball at a Baseball game

Baseball season is April through September. The Asheville Tourists are the class A minor league team, affiliate of the Houston Astros. McCormick Field is the home field built in 1924. There are many fun promotional nights that include Thirsty Thursday with $3 craft beers, Friday fireworks  with $1 hot dogs, jersey nights, and more.

You Got Me Hooked Fishing

For the avid outdoorsmen, there are endless opportunities for fishing in the area, particularly trout fishing. The Davidson River is the best known trout fishing spot in North Carolina. If you are both experienced anglers, you can enjoy a fishing date. If you are a beginner and want to share your day with a guide to help you catch something, we recommend Asheville Fly Fishing or Southern Appalachain Anglers.

Hot Air Balloon ride over the Blue Ridge Mountains

Start your day off on a private morning balloon flight for two with Asheville Balloon Company. Fantastic birds eye views of the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Antique car ride around Asheville

Ride along with Mountaineer Motor Tours in a real 1923 open air Ford Model T exploring Grove Park Inn, historic Montford, and downtown Asheville.

Romance on the Rail

Get a front-row view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a round-trip on a train is an ideal way to see extraordinary places that you can't get to by car. The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad starts at a historic train depot with views of the Nantahala Gorge, Tuckasegee River, and more. Choose between steam or diesel powered trains for your scenic excursion. There are also specialty dinner excursions that include beer, wine, or bourbon.