5 Date Ideas in San Diego
Whether you’re trying to impress someone new or looking to rekindle the flames with your longtime love and you’re in dire need of some fresh dating ideas, we’ve rounded up our favorite activities for a date.
There are so many things to do in San Diego it can be hard to choose the perfect activity for a date. Sure, you can take your date to one of the many awesome restaurants in San Diego, but sometimes it’s fun to get a little creative. We’re here to help, with a curated list of cool things to do whatever your type, to create a great date.
1. Get a Couples Massage
One of the best ways to connect with someone is to relax and there’s no better way to chill than with a massage.
We love taking an evening to just treat ourselves and our number one place to do it is at Karma Relaxation Spa in Hillcrest. They have a variety of services available to help you and your beau relax, rejuvenate and bond.
Our go to service is a one hour couples massage in a private room, where you can choose between a deep tissue or Swedish treatment. If you feel like splurging a little, you can choose from one of their several spa treatment packages, which include body scrubs and detoxes, sauna sessions, a Vichy shower with fruit skin conditioner and a paraffin foot mask.
Karma owner Jing recently purchased the building where the spa is located and is currently expanding into the upstairs space. Jing’s goal is to create San Diego's first truly holistic spa experience, with plans for seven different types of saunas and steam rooms, expanded aesthetician services and even couples counseling (in case your date goes bad, just kidding).
All of the staff at Karma Relaxation Spa are fully vaccinated and continue to follow all safety and sanitation precautions. All of the therapists here are fabulous, but our personal favorites are Mila and Jack. FYI: Request ahead of time as they are quite popular.
2. create your own “ghost” experience (or a ceramic)
Everybody remembers the most romantic scene of all time from the movie Ghost, where in the middle of the night, a woman (Demi Moore) sits alone at her pottery wheel. A vintage jukebox plays “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers in the background and her boyfriend (Patrick Swayze), shirtless, sits behind her, and reaches out his hand and ruins her clay pot while it spins on the pottery wheel. Let’s just say the pot never gets remade that night.
Recreate your own Ghost scene by heading over to Mud Lily Clay on Adams Ave in North Park and take the Date Night at the Pottery Wheel Workshop.
This experience was a first for us, and we were soon reminded that the movies always make everything look so easy.
If you've never tried to make something on a pottery wheel, you will quickly learn that it actually takes a lot of practice, skill and laughter to make anything more than a blob.
For our date night, our wonderful instructor Raphael was incredibly patient and gave us a great demonstration of the basics on the wheel. As we forewarned above, Raphael also playfully warned the class to manage our expectations and encouraged us to have fun trying to make something, possibly a bowl that could hold soup.
We were provided with enough clay to make two individual pieces during the class. Mud Lily will glaze and finish your piece for you and you can pick up about three weeks after the workshop. To be honest, it was difficult that we only managed to spin one piece to completion. It is so cute though and we are actually going to use it as a succulent planter.
When you check out their workshops, keep in mind that they book up quickly so you will need to plan in advance. You can also try your hand at one of their other workshops to make items like wind chimes, mugs, chakra charms and even Dia de los Muertos skulls. From what we hear, there's a much higher success rate in one of these other classes of bringing home something you'll be proud of showing your friends and family.
3. watch a classic movie Under the Stars
We know what you’re thinking - going to the movies is one of the oldest date ideas in the book - and you would be correct.
Going to the movies is a classic date idea, but a movie at Rooftop Cinema Club in downtown San Diego is a next level date experience.
Rooftop Cinema Club shows new releases and classics on the fourth floor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt. We decided to do a golden hour viewing of Breakfast at Tiffany's and were instantly dazzled by the city lights and sparkling stars at dusk.
They provide super comfy deck chairs that are adjustable in height, and they offer a love seat version that is perfect for snuggling up to your special someone. The audio for the movie is delivered by premium wireless headphones, so you can hear every word of the dialogue. These headphones are really good quality and cancel out any exterior noises (like your date's loud popcorn crunching).
Be sure to arrive early if you want to enjoy your delicious food and cocktails as the sun sets over our San Diego skyline. There are also standard movie snacks available during the show. Golden hour and late night shows are 18+ but there are all ages matinees shows available.
4. Create a romantic scent at candles on tap
Create a romantic scent with your beau at Candles on Tap in Encinitas for a one-of-a-kind fun and special date.
Candles on Tap creates a fun and vibrant environment for you to craft your own signature scent, and then add to your individually poured candle or reed diffuser.
They have scent stylists to help you create your own one-of-a-kind blend, and walk you through each step of the process.
This process of creating a scent takes about 30 minutes and you can enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne while you mix and match the various oils. After you have found your perfect scent, the stylist will pour hot wax into your candle holder, and then hand to you to mix in the oils.
The candles cooling process takes about 90 minutes so we recommend taking that time to explore the nearby Encinitas Village. We love Encinitas for its walkability and while you wait for your candle to cool, you can go shopping, grab a bite to eat or find a happy hour spot.
Pro Tip: If your going up to Encinitas from San Diego, you can skip the traffic and take the Coaster train. Its a perfect time to spend relaxing and chatting instead of stressing out over rush hour and you get the added bonus of not having to find parking!
5. Take them out to a ball game
If you’re out on a first date, we can’t promise you that your date will be cool, but the venue will be!
Head over to Petco Park and catch a Padres baseball game. The stadium is one of the cleanest and well designed in the U.S. and Padres are having a great season.
We recently cheered for our home team during a recent San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers series, and our "Slam Diego" boys swept the "Blue Crew" from LA. Heck yeah!
Petco Park is also an incredible place to catch a legendary San Diego sunset, and concessions carry several local craft beers and food.
Now, it’s your turn
What are your favorite date spots?