Free
The beach's most active live-music spot — a waterfront tiki bar on the canal, most weekends.
Planning a night out? Hernando County has everything from candlelit fine dining and waterfront tables to breweries, wine tastings, live music and unbeatable Gulf sunsets. Here are our favorite spots for a memorable date night.
Date Night in Hernando County
65No cover
A full week of entertainment — dance parties, Thursday karaoke, Latin Fridays, and Saturday bands.
Free–$47
A winery with a heavy tribute-band calendar plus reggae, blues, and food-truck nights.
Free (Thu)
A rustic music farm with a weekly Thursday jam and singer-songwriter listening-room shows.
Ticketed
A large outdoor concert and camping venue hosting jam-band and country festivals.
A beloved historic hot-dog drive-in that hosts live music and community gatherings.
An upscale steakhouse with a recurring patio live-music series (Fred Chandler acoustic every 2nd Saturday, 6:30 PM).
A downtown taproom and bourbon bar with occasional acoustic live music.
Free entry
A downtown Brooksville brewery with weekend live music.
Riverside dining on the Withlacoochee River in Nobleton with weekend live music.
Free entry
Weekend live music (Fridays & Saturdays, 5:30–8:30 PM) plus tastings and clubs.
Free entry
The flagship brewery's beer garden hosts live music and food trucks on select weekends.
Free live music downtown with an artisan market, food trucks, and a full bar.
Free (most)
Open-mic nights, trivia, monthly vinyl nights, a book club, plant bingo, and networking socials.
Sparacia Winery: LOVESNAKE (Whitesnake/Tesla)
$28–$45
A double tribute concert at the winery.
Almighty Queen — Queen Tribute Concert
$40
A full tribute concert to the music of Queen at Stage West.
Friday Night Live: The Actual Bank Robbers
Free
The free downtown concert series returns for fall.
Friday Night Live: The Bearded Brothers
Free
Free downtown concert with an artisan market and food.
Friday Night Live (March)
Free
The free downtown concert series in spring swing.
Friday Night Live (April)
Free
Free downtown concert with a market, food trucks, and full bar.
Rock & Roll Revival (9th Annual)
Multi & single-day
A camping-optional festival celebrating 1960s–70s rock on 80+ acres.
Sunshine Get Down Festival
Ticketed
A multi-day jam-band music and camping festival.
Camping with the Blues (13th Annual)
Ticketed
Three days of 'Blues Under the Stars' with optional camping.
Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival
Ticketed
A Thanksgiving-weekend bluegrass festival at the ranch.
Weekend live music and Sunday karaoke at the market's Center Stage tiki bar.
The Ultimate Sinatra Concert (Peacock Theater)
$19–$22
A Frank Sinatra tribute in the winery's intimate Peacock Theater.
Sparacia Winery: Steely Dan & Peter Frampton Tributes
$30–$47
A double-feature classic-rock tribute bill at the winery.
Sparacia Winery: GNR Reloaded & Skid Row
$30–$47
Guns N' Roses and Skid Row tributes.
Stage West Concert: Them Sweeney Boys
$40
A lively Irish/variety concert at Stage West.
Candlelight Concerts at WellCome OM
$38–$62
Candlelit tribute concerts (60s soundtrack; Coldplay & Imagine Dragons).
Sparacia Winery: Human Clay & Collective Shine
$30–$47
Creed and Collective Soul tributes.
Sparacia Winery: The Pure Zeppelin Experience
$30–$47
A Led Zeppelin tribute on Thanksgiving weekend.
Stage West Concert: Dueling Pianos
$40
An interactive, request-driven dueling-pianos show.
Blues Bash at the Ranch
Ticketed
A multi-day blues festival with camping at the music ranch.
Stage West Concert: The Orlando Rat Pack
$40
A Sinatra / Rat Pack tribute concert.
Florida Winter Music Festival
Ticketed
A multi-day music festival.
Florida Americana Music Fest
Ticketed
An Americana roots-music festival weekend.
$$$$ · entrees $28–55
The county's most formal room — authentic French/Belgian fine dining. Dover sole meunière, duck confit, chateaubriand for two. A true special-occasion destination.
$$$$ · entrees $32–68
An independent fine-dining steakhouse with premium hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood and lobster tail in an upscale, wine-focused room.
$$$ · entrees $15–39
A long-standing white-tablecloth date-night spot — upscale Italian with prime steaks and seafood. Try the Shrimp Joe or Zuppa di Pesce.
$$–$$$ · entrees $16–39
An eclectic American bistro in historic downtown — wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta, swordfish with lobster glace and surf & turf.
$$–$$$ · entrees $18–42
An urban-style steakhouse & grill — steak au poivre, ribeye, lamb chops and mahi mahi in a casual-but-elevated setting.
$$–$$$ · entrees $16–29
Authentic old-school Italian — veal butchered on premises, handmade pasta, osso buco and veal marsala in an intimate dining room.
$$–$$$ · entrees $18–34
Spanish/Mediterranean-fusion fine dining with creative tapas-influenced plates, live music and an elegant beachside atmosphere.
$$$ · entrees $18–32
Polished-casual wood-grilled seafood with a strong wine & martini bar — home of the famous Bang Bang Shrimp. A reliable date-night option.
$$–$$$ · entrees $14–30
A relaxed nicer seafood house near the Bayport waterfront — outdoor deck, live music, all-you-can-eat shrimp and prime rib.
From $49.50
Guided clear-bottom kayak tours on the Weeki Wachee River; manatee-season and LED sunset paddles too.
Parking $10/day
Waterfront park at the mouth of the Weeki Wachee River — boat ramp, fishing pier, kayak launch.
Parking $5/day
A 45-ft observation tower, playground, kayak launch, and coastal trails — a birding and sunset favorite.
Free entry
The county's flagship craft brewery with a big beer garden, live music, food, and events.
Free entry
A local winery with weekend live music, tastings, classes, and clubs.
Free entry
A craft brewery with a packed weekly calendar — trivia, open mic, vinyl nights, and seasonal festivals.
Free tastings
A family winery making blueberry, blackberry & hibiscus wines, with a farm-to-table cafe, bakery, and U-pick fruit. Fri–Sun 11 AM–8 PM.
~$7 tasting
Wine tastings at the hilltop muscadine winery (Wed–Sun); most weekends bring tribute-band concerts and food trucks.
Interpretive markers recall the vanished 19th-century Civil War-era shipping port — now just markers, marsh, and the county's best sunsets.
A causeway with the Gulf on one side and marsh on the other — a locals' sunset pull-off and morning wildlife walk.
Call to confirm
The waterfront post's Sunday game; public welcome, kitchen on site.
Win live plants at Plant Bingo, plus charity bingo fundraisers on select dates.
A waterfront spot with a heated patio plus a country store selling fudge, candy, and ice cream.
Rev, White & Brew Drift Fest & Fireworks
Ticketed
A July 4th festival with drift and drag racing, show cars, a concert, and fireworks.
Masaryktown Peanut Festival
Free
Music, food, wine tasting, a water slide, and free kids' train rides.
Masaryk Wine Run 5K
$25
A 5K run/walk at the winery.
Oktoberfest at Marker 48 Brewing
Free entry
A German-style beer festival at the flagship brewery.
Christkindlmarket at Tidal Brewing
Free entry
A European-style holiday market at the brewery.
Price varies (call 352-556-2079)
Axe throwing and escape rooms with beer & wine, rotating food trucks, karaoke and music-bingo nights.
Keep exploring
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Hernando County?
I built this guide to help neighbors and newcomers fall in love with the area. When it's time to make a move, I'd be honored to help you or anyone you refer.
Keith Rainville
REALTOR® · Keller Williams Realty Elite Partners
keithrainville.com