Summer lovin’ should be about havin’ a blast, not spending all your cash. We’re in the middle of a fun time of year, but we also feel the struggle, things are getting expensive.
So, we gave ourselves a $50 budget and found some great local date ideas so you can fall in love with San Diego — and that special someone.
![Little Italy Food Hall](https://6amcity.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3a90fde/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x811+0+113/resize/1000x563!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-sixam-city.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fab%2F79%2Fed5170ac886f5a06f9e3daaa8b57%2F255271724-946071519325530-1447740568355831452-n.jpg)
So much to eat — you’ll probably need a few date nights here. | Photo via @eatsamburgers
🍝 Get a taste of Little Italy
Tired of fighting over where to grab dinner? $50 will easily get two meals at Little Italy Food Hall — even if one person wants pizza and the other wants a lobster roll. There’s a selection of restaurants to choose from, and many nights feature free live music + dancing under the stars.
🎞️ Watch the stars
Relive a favorite movie under the stars (or the sun) with views of San Diego Bay at the Embarcadero’s Rooftop Cinema Club. Tickets generally start at $18.50 — or $21.50 with popcorn — so two people can enjoy a movie + snack for $43.
🥏 Fly into tee time
One of San Diego’s best golfing experiences doesn’t require clubs. Rather, you can head to Morley Field to try your hand at disc golf. An all-day play band costs $6 on weekends, and disc rentals will add $2.50 each. This will leave you with some money to grab a bite nearby, like at The Taco Stand in North Park.
![Hammond's Ice Cream flight in San Diego](https://6amcity.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/62307f3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1440x811+0+74/resize/1000x563!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-sixam-city.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F11%2Fda%2F0df8eed4bd05a58a64dc291d12bc%2F110153819-281211516499609-9198525501764854939-n-1.jpg)
Have a scoop — or six. | Photo courtesy of @spicygreenbook + @marlin_like_the_fish
🍺 Have a flight
Get a taste of multiple craft flavors at a local tasting room — like Ballast Point, where 4-oz tasters can be purchased for $3. That’ll leave room in the budget for appetizers to break up the flow of beer.
The first rule of flight club: It doesn’t need to be beer. Hammond’s Ice Cream in North Park + Point Loma offers ice cream flights that are generally under $10 (but depends on the number of cones). Or, head to Communal Coffee in North Park + South Park for $8.50 latte flights.
🎤 Laugh in love
If laughter is your love language, check out a comedy club for a night of jokes. Prices vary, but tickets at The Comedy Store in La Jolla are often $25 — like this weekend’s show with Jon Rudnitsky — and American Comedy Co. in the Gaslamp Quarter has tickets as low as $10 + a two drink minimum.
🥾 Take a hike
Lace up for an active day on the trails: A free activity, the only thing you’ll need to buy are local snacks + drinks to keep you energized. We recommend Mt. Woodson Trail near Poway, because even if you’re not a dedicated hiker, you can do it for the gram, and snap a gravity-defying pic on Potato Chip Rock.
![Giant Dipper Belmont Park](https://6amcity.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dcc98d6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1200x676+0+62/resize/1000x563!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-sixam-city.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F48%2F03%2F1c344dfbe6c5e244e5724fd40e0a%2Fndsp-1.jpg)
Dropping onto the Giant Dipper. | Picture courtesy of Belmont Park
🎢 Dip into Belmont Park
If you want an authentically San Diego experience, take a ride on the Giant Dipper and catch views on Mission Beach before things go downhill. Two rides will cost $16 (unless you save with a ticket bundle). With your remaining budget, we hear there’s a lot more to do like grabbing a drink at Draft, getting a Hot Dog on a Stick + walking along the beach.
🕹️ Play the game of love
If you’ve got an old school love, Coin Op lets you play classic arcade games while having a few drinks at its downtown + North Park locations. Most games are 25 or 50 cents, so $10 will give you plenty of play. Then, you can try a unique cocktail, like the Power Punch drink pouch for $11 or $12.
Pro tip: Want to save more? Both locations have free play Sundays. The first Sunday of the month downtown + the last Sunday in North Park.