Maybe you’re tired of the same old restaurants with your significant other and want to try something new and exciting for a change. Maybe you have a first date with someone that’s really into the outdoors! Either way, these places are sure to impress when looking for a fun, and often cheaper, alternative to dinner and a movie.
1. Lake Ella
Courtesy: VisitTallahassee
Lake Ella is a crowd favorite for students that love to spend their time outside. Walking around the beautiful lake filled with cute little turtles and birds is one of the best outdoor, yet low-key dates you can go on. After working up your appetite by feeding all the ducks around the lake, you can fill up on the food trucks that surround the parking lots on Thursdays, providing delicious foods of all sorts- from Asian cuisine to messy, delicious burgers. Looking for dessert? Big Easy Snowballs hosts a Mardi Gras vibe, with beads everywhere you look and green and purple masks. They have also revamped the snow cone game, putting ice cream and chocolate syrup inside their treats for an added decadence. Impress your date with the knowledge of the best choice of snow cone (the answer is chocolate covered cherry, by the way) and enjoy your treats with the view of the lovely fountains and puppies being walked.
2. Tallahassee Museum
Courtesy: The World of Deej
With reduced admission for students and over 52 acres filled with sanctuaries for animals of all kinds, the Tallahassee Museum provides an amazing experience for those who want to bond over their love of Florida nature. Explore the trail and watch the river otters flip off the edges of their man-made pond and underwater, while searching through the treetops to find the bobcats sleeping on the branches. From the back of the trail, you can even see the kayakers and canoers from the Rez paddle by! Looking for a way to get your adrenaline pumping with your beau? Try their tree-to-tree zip-lining, where you can climb through 2-story tall obstacle courses and end your adventure with a huge zip-line down to safety into your sweetheart’s arms.
3. Landis Fountain
Courtesy: Americas College Campuses
Don’t have the cash for zip-lining? Our beautiful campus has all you need for an amazing outdoor experience. Grab your bathing suit, some water guns and your honey and head over to Landis for a splash. There’s something surprisingly romantic about being able to let go and have fun like a kid again in the water with the one you like to spend your time with. And once you’re all tuckered out, the green provides a nice place to lay out and dry off in the hot sun and your even hotter date.
4. Miccosukee Greenway
Courtesy: Flick River
The Miccosukee Greenway is a hidden treasure of Tallahassee that not a lot of students know about. With over 14 miles of unpaved trails throughout the 500 acre park, there’s no end to the fun. Walk through wetlands, climb through the narrow, steep trails and look for the beautiful cranes that inhabit the area, or even bring your bikes for a faster-paced adventure! You can also make this a picnic date and bring a bag packed full of snacks, tons of water and a blanket and find a peaceful place to enjoy the food and each other’s company. There’s so much land to explore, you’re sure to come back and keep exploring the seemingly endless trails and sights together.
5. The Rez
Courtesy: Trover
This classic home of adventure for students is popular for a reason. Just a stone’s throw away from campus, this park hosts endless activities only limited by how much fun you two want to have! Share a canoe, race each other in kayaks or risk embarrassing yourself on the paddleboards (I’ve seen it happen too many times to count). You don’t need a car or any cash, since FSU provides free transportation, RezRides, to the park that’s of course free for all students! This is another great place to bring snacks and a football to enjoy in your downtime while the two of you are drying off from your inevitable tumble off the paddleboards.