For couples · Orlando · United States
Romantic things to do in Orlando
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Orlando can be romantic away from the busiest park lands: lakeside dinners, fireworks from a resort beach, Winter Park's boat tour and spa days at the big resorts. EPCOT's World Showcase evenings add a grown-up option inside the parks. Couples tend to stay in Downtown Orlando and Thornton Park.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Downtown Orlando and Thornton Park
- Best months
- January–February
Romantic ideas
1.World Showcase evening
Stroll around EPCOT's lake from pavilion to pavilion at dusk, then watch the fireworks over the lagoon.
2.Fireworks from a resort beach
Watch Magic Kingdom's fireworks across the water from the beach or a lounge at one of the lakeside monorail hotels.
3.A day in Winter Park
Take the Scenic Boat Tour, browse Park Avenue and see the Tiffany Chapel at the Morse Museum.
4.Sunrise balloon flight
Hot-air balloon companies launch at dawn over the lakes and countryside south-west of Orlando, finishing with breakfast.
5.Paddle at Wekiwa Springs
Rent a canoe or kayak and paddle the clear, quiet Wekiwa River on a weekday morning.
6.Lake Eola at night
Walk around Lake Eola as the fountain lights up, then have dinner in Thornton Park.
Sights couples love
Park · Downtown Orlando
Lake Eola Park
Come at dusk, when the fountain lights up, and hire a swan boat for a slow lap of the lake.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- After dark
Experience · Winter Park
Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
Combine it with lunch on Park Avenue and the Morse Museum's Tiffany glass a few blocks away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- History
- Off the beaten path
Garden · Orlando
Harry P. Leu Gardens
Visit in the morning, then have lunch in nearby Mills 50.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Where couples should stay
$$ · Best for nightlife, couples, solo travellers and culture
Downtown Orlando and Thornton Park
Downtown Orlando centres on Lake Eola Park, with its fountain and swan boats, and the bars and restaurants of Orange Avenue and Church Street; Thornton Park's brick streets and cafés lie just east. The Dr. Phillips Center for the performing arts and the Kia Center arena are here, but the theme parks are 30–40 minutes away.
- Good
- Local restaurants and nightlife; Walkable around Lake Eola; SunRail commuter trains
- Watch out
- 30–40 minutes from the parks; Quiet away from the bar streets on weeknights
- Nearby
- Lake Eola Park, Dr. Phillips Center, Church Street, Thornton Park
Romantic day trips
- St. Augustine (About 2 hours by car) — Founded by the Spanish in 1565, St.
- Bok Tower Gardens (About 1.25 hours by car) — Near Lake Wales, a 62-metre marble and coquina 'singing tower' with a carillon rises among gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Cuban sandwich, Mofongo and Pho and banh mi. Check each park's rules on bags and outside food before packing snacks and refillable bottles.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Orlando romantic?
Orlando can be romantic away from the busiest park lands: lakeside dinners, fireworks from a resort beach, Winter Park's boat tour and spa days at the big resorts. EPCOT's World Showcase evenings add a grown-up option inside the parks.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Orlando?
World Showcase evening: Stroll around EPCOT's lake from pavilion to pavilion at dusk, then watch the fireworks over the lagoon.
+Where should couples stay in Orlando?
Downtown Orlando and Thornton Park: Lake Eola's fountain, bars on Orange Avenue and brick-paved streets.