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11 Fun Date Ideas in Cary, NC (You Will Love)

Koka Booth Amphitheatre, one of the best date ideas in Cary, NC
Date ideas in Cary, NC – Wileydoc / Shutterstock.com

There are a lot of activities that make for very fun date ideas in Cary, NC.

Whether you’re planning a first date or you want to spend time with your significant other, Cary is a city with many great options for a romantic time. From seeing a performance at a theater to ice skating to having delicious ice cream, there’s a lot to choose from.

If you’re going to plan a date in the city, you can have a great time, and to help you plan your date I made this Cary date ideas guide with a lot of great activities.

Date Ideas in Cary

See a Performance or Watch a Movie at The Cary Theater

Outside of The Cary Theater
The Cary Theater from the outside – KAD Photo / Shutterstock.com

The Cary Theater is a historical movie theater where you can have a romantic date. You can find the movie theater at 122 East Chatham Street.

The Cary Theater’s history dates back to the year 1946 and the venue has a capacity of 175 seats. The building of the theater was used for various other purposes throughout the years, but the building was restored and reopened in 2014.

You can see a movie at the theater, which is also one of the best things to do in Cary. Besides seeing movies at The Cary Theater, you can also go to the theater for various other events. For example, you can often attend live music events at the theater, there is live theater, and there are other types of events.

Address: 122 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511

Ice Skate at Polar Ice Cary

You can go to Polar Ice Cary, located at 1410 Buck Jones Road to ice skate during a date in Cary. This is an ice skating facility with public ice skating hours every day of the week.

You could also do ice skating classes at this ice skating facility and learn to ice skate together. There are programs for all ages at Polar Ice Cary.

For a more romantic date, I also recommend going to a restaurant or coffee shop after ice skating. For example, you can go to The Shiny Diner for food or a drink, which is a restaurant that you can find next to Polar Ice Cary.

Keep in mind that the times and admission prices for public ice skating at Polar Ice Cary vary by day.

Address: 1410 Buck Jones Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606

Enjoy Ice Cream at FRESH Local Ice Cream

View of the street in Cary on which FRESH Local Ice Cream is located
Street in Cary on which FRESH Local Ice Cream is located – KAD Photo / Shutterstock.com

FRESH. Local Ice Cream is an ice cream shop that makes for one of the best date ideas in Cary. At this local ice cream store, you can get a large variety of delicious flavors of ice cream.

The ice cream store makes its ice cream with fresh ingredients from local farms, and the ice cream is produced in the Triangle area.

Some of the flavors of ice cream that you can get here are flavors that you can always get. Great and delicious examples of this are the Kona Coffee, Fresh Strawberry, and Butter Pecan flavors.

Besides that, there is a specialty monthly flavor.

You can get regular scoops or other types of ice cream. For example, you can also get delicious sundaes at FRESH Local Ice Cream.

Address: 138 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511

Have a Coffee Date at BREW Coffee Bar

BREW Coffee Bar is a great place to go for a romantic coffee date.

This is a locally owned coffee shop where you can get incredible coffee drinks. For example, you can get great espressos and lattes here.

In addition to that, the coffee shop’s cozy atmosphere makes it an even better spot for a romantic date for two.

The coffee shop is located inside The Cary Theater at 122 East Chatham Street. Because of this location, it can also be a great idea for a date to have a cup of coffee here before or after seeing a movie or attending another type of event at The Cary Theater.

Address: 122 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511

Go to the Koka Booth Amphitheatre and Attend a Performance

View of the Koka Booth Amphitheatre from the water
View of the Koka Booth Amphitheatre – Wileydoc / Shutterstock.com

The Koka Booth Amphitheatre is an outdoor venue where you can attend an event and listen to music during a date.

During the months of April and January, there are many different types of festivals and concerts that take place here. In total, the venue hosts more than 60 events every year.

The Koka Booth Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater with a capacity of 7,000 that opened in 2001.

An example of a festival that takes place at the theater is the NC Chinese Lantern Festival.

Address: 8003 Regency Pkwy, Cary, NC 27518

Have Unique Tea Drinks at Brecotea

Brecotea Cary is a bakery that’s great to check out if you’re looking for romantic things to do in Cary for couples.

At Brecotea, you can get all kinds of tea drinks.

For example, you can get different flavors of yogurt tea at Yogurt Tea, such as grapefruit yogurt tea.

Brecotea also sells sparkling tea and different flavors of regular hot tea from all over the world.

Besides tea, you can get other drinks at Brecotea as well, such as coffee and milkshakes.

In addition to drinks, you can get all kinds of baked goods and pastries at Brecotea. For example, you can get different types of Danish, croissants, buns, and other baked goods.

You can also get crepes, ice cream, and other types of desserts at Brecotea.

Address: 1144 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27511

Have Dinner at Academy Street Bistro

Exterior of Academy Street Bistro
Building of Academy Street Bistro – KAD Photo / Shutterstock.com

Academy Street Bistro is a restaurant that is located in Cary’s center. At this restaurant, you can get a casual fine dining experience during a date and enjoy unique dishes with flavors from all around the world.

The restaurant’s menu is made by chef Josh Heinz.

At Academy Street Bistro, you can get all sorts of main courses, soups, salads, and desserts.

For example, one of the most delicious main courses of Academy Street Bistro is the Mushroom Risotto.

Some of the best desserts that you can get at the restaurant are the “Flourless Chocolate Torte”, which is a dessert that is locally made by the “Once in a Blue Moon” bakery.

In addition to that, the restaurant has a large selection of craft beers, wines, cocktails, and other types of drinks.

Address: 200 S Academy St, Cary, NC 27511

Shop at Shoppes of Kildaire

Shopping at Shoppes of Kildaire is a very fun date idea in Cary. This is a shopping center that is located in the southern part of Cary at 1394 Kildaire Farm Road.

At the shopping center, you can find a variety of different stores, such as apparel stores, bookstores, and other types of stores.

You can also find various restaurants at Shoppes of Kildaire, such as a restaurant where you can get incredible tacos.

Address: 1394 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27511

Stroll the Cary Downtown Farmers Market

People at the Cary Downtown Farmers Market
Cary Downtown Farmers Market – Wileydoc / Shutterstock.com

The Cary Downtown Farmers Market is a great place to explore during a romantic date.

At this Saturday market, you can find a lot of vendors selling crafts, local produce, and many other items. You can go for a stroll at the market and buy something if you like it.

In addition to that, sometimes there are food trucks at the market where you can get delicious food and you can often enjoy live music.

Besides the regular market, there’s also a Winter Market that you can go to for a date.

Address: 200 E Chatham St, Cary, NC 27511

Try Out Delicious Pastries at La Farm Bakery

La Farm Bakery is a French bakery with several locations in Cary. This bakery is a great place to check out if you want to try delicious pastries and baked goods.

From tarts to scones to croissants, there are many different types of pastries to choose from, and all pastries are baked fresh every morning.

In addition to that, you can get great chocolate chip cookies, French macarons, and other treats at La Farm Bakery.

You can also get seasonal baked goods at this bakery.

Combine the pastries and baked goods of this bakery with a cup of coffee by Counter Culture Coffee for an even better date experience. You can also get great lattes at La Farm Bakery.

Address: 4248 NW Cary Pkwy, Cary, NC 27513

Go to the Bond Brothers Beer Company

The Bond Brothers Beer Company is a North Carolina craft brewery, beer garden, and taproom, that is located in Cary. It has two locations in the city.

At Bond Brothers Beer Company, you can try out all kinds of craft beers during a date.

Besides that, all kinds of events take place at the brewery throughout the year, and going to such an event is also a romantic activity in Cary. For example, you can often listen to live music at Bond Brothers Eastside, and there are many other types of events.

Sometimes there are also events with food trucks with great food. For example, you can get delicious hamburgers and fries from these food trucks, among other food options.

Address: 202 E Cedar St, Cary, NC 27511

More North Carolina Articles Articles

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Fun day trips from Raleigh

Best things to do in Durham, NC

Day trips from Charlotte

Small towns near Raleigh

Cary Date Ideas Tips

When you considering one of these activities for a date, I recommend checking the opening hours of the place that you want to visit at the last moment to be sure that there aren’t any unexpected changes in opening hours.

Also, for some of the Cary date ideas on this list, I recommend making an advanced reservation. For example, if you want to have dinner at American Bistro I recommend doing so.

Front of Academy Street Bistro
Academy Street Bistro from the outside – Wileydoc / Shutterstock.com

Date Ideas in Cary Map


I hope you liked these date ideas in Cary, NC. Thanks for reading my guide!

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