San Diego Fun Fall Date Ideas inspired by an article on msn.com | Photo Credit: Krista

The other day I saw an article on my msn.com home page in the Lifestyle section titled, “10 Fun Fall Date Ideas That Cost Less Than $25”. The title intrigued me so I clicked on it and read through them. Some of the ideas are for nighttime dates, while others are better suited for daytime. Living in California, we have to seek out ways to experience autumn so I decided to brainstorm a list of adaptations to these “Fun Fall Date Ideas” geared for San Diego while not breaking the bank.

Have a hometown picnic. The original article mentioned visiting your hometown and exploring where you grew up, complete with a picnic. My suggestion is to have a picnic somewhere here in San Diego. Possible locations to consider are one of the Gardens in Balboa Park, the Waterfront Park at the Embarcadero, or Cabrillo Lighthouse National Monument.

Hang at a jazz bar. If jazz music isn’t your style, there are plenty of live music options in San Diego. San Diego Reader keeps an extensive list (with links) of venues with live music in a wide variety of styles. The list is in alphabetical order (by venue) – click on a location or a group to see the details. Some examples of locations for free live music options are Seaport Village, Solare Ristorante Lounge at Liberty Station, and the Organ Pavilion at Balboa Park.

Explore a museum. There is no shortage of museums to choose from in San Diego for a date. Balboa Park is a good place to start. Other ideas include the USS Midway Museum or the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Go for a sunrise hike. This idea may not be for everyone – especially if you’re not a morning person. Another idea would be to take a late afternoon/sunset hike – be sure to bring along a flashlight since sunset is so early these days. Some popular hiking trails include those at Torrey Pines State Reserve and on Cowles Mountain.

Break a sweat together. Another date idea with a wide range of possibilities – especially in San Diego during autumn – is to exercise together. Biking along Mission Bay. Walking along the Embarcadero. Outdoor ice skating at Liberty Station or skating by the sea at the Hotel del Coronado. Climbing the California Tower in Balboa Park. Maybe even some paintball or laser tag.

Bake cookies from scratch. Autumn is a great time to get a jump-start on holiday baking by making some cookies together from scratch. Use one of your favorite recipes or try some of these delicious cookie recipes. If baking from scratch doesn’t sound appealing to you, visit a local cookie shop and purchase some delectable treats instead. One of our favorite places for cookies is The Cravory.

Have a no-phone date. Yes, this is possible. The world will not end if you leave your phone at home during your date. Choose a destination – one of the previously mentioned ideas or something else – and enjoy it together without your phones. Bringing along a traditional camera is okay (yes, these still exist), but no other technology. Ideas for locations to explore include Balboa Park (gardens, zoo, or museums) during the centennial celebration, or Belmont Park (Mission Bay) which is celebrating its 90^th birthday in 2015. The original msn.com article suggests taking some of your photos and creating a keepsake book or printing some enlargements to frame and enjoy in your home.

Hit the local pumpkin patch. Maybe select some pumpkins or other autumn décor for your Thanksgiving decorations. The harvest is in full swing and San Diego has some beautiful places to take in the fall colors. Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center or Julian in the Cuyamaca Mountains are both outside San Diego, but worth the trip.

Watch a movie under the stars. Cool, crisp autumn nights doesn’t mean an end to movies under the stars in San Diego. Did you know that San Diego is home to 2 drive-in theaters? South Bay Drive-In is located off the I-5 Freeway (south of downtown) and Santee Drive-In is located in Santee off the I-8 Freeway and Hwy. 67 (northeast of downtown). Another unique option for watching movies under the stars is Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills.

Go indoor “camping”. Even if you don’t feel like pitching a tent or fort indoors, there are other ways to go camping indoors. One idea is to have an “off the grid” day – no internet, no TV, no cell phones. Curl up with some music or a good book, build a fire (if you have a fireplace), and enjoy some quiet time together. Another idea for camping indoors is to plan a movie marathon complete with s’mores or fresh popped popcorn (or both).

So that sums up my San Diego list for fun fall date ideas. While most of these date ideas are not exclusive for autumn, setting aside some special time with your partner this fall will help you to stay connected as we begin the holiday season.

Which of these fun date ideas are you looking forward to trying?

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