San Diego Dating Tips:Top Ten (Non-Restaurant) Spots to Take a First Date

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Because Balboa Park is a sensory circus, you’ll never run out of things to talk about. Visit the San Diego Zoo, for starters-It’s impossible to remain reticent among monkeys. Throw copper wishes into the fountain. Catch an art exhibit or two. Frolic like children through the Ruben H Fleet Science Center, and then catch an IMAX film to round out the day.

Hands down, La Jolla Cove is one of the prettiest beaches on the planet. View sea lions lazing in the sun from a cliff-top vantage point. Pack a picnic and stake a spot on the grass to take in the sunset; or, if you’re not inclined to be culinary, there’s no shortage of fine restaurants along Prospect and its side streets, as well as a surplus of stores perfect for evening window-shopping..

When you don’t know your date too well, the thought of pairing for an entire two-hour dinner can be frightening. Why not skip dinner and move right on to the best course?

Instead of dessert, take a trip to the desert to witness San Diego’s greatest seasonal sensation: the wildflowers at Anza-Borrego State Park. Each year, the park transforms into a crazy quilt of color. When the rains arrive at the right time, the endless variety and radiant intensity will take your (and your date’s) breath away.

Kate Sessions Memorial Park claims some of the best views in San Diego. Bring some champagne and sandwiches and watch the sun set over the water. Or arrive earlier and spend some kinetic energy hiking the trails, which twist through the sixty open acres adjacent to the park.

Leave your car at the shore and take a ferry to Coronado Island. Once there, rent bikes and explore the beach and the many attractive parks. Enjoy fabulous views of the open sea, the San Diego skyline, and even Tijuana before dining waterfront at Hawaiian-themed Peohe’s or Italian Il Fornaio.

There’s plenty to do at San Diego’s expansive harbor including shopping, dining, and seeing the incessant sights. Hop on a tour boat and cruise the bay, or better yet, go whale watching. Landlubbers might prefer to wander along the boardwalk and view the ships, including the grand and historic Star of India. Don’t forget to pick out your future yacht.

For the active duo, head over to the Mission Bay Aquatics Center, the world’s largest waterfront instructional facility. There, you can choose from a range of rentals and activities, from wakeboarding to kayaking, sailing to surfing, rowing to waterskiing. Afterward, Mission Beach’s string of casual shops and restaurants are within walking distance, or grab some drinks at a locals pub like the Beachcomber to relax your aching muscles.

The Torrey Pines Gliderport is another top-notch picnicking spot. From the grassy knoll overlooking the launch site, you can watch paragliders and hang gliders boldly float off over the sea. Or spring for a tandem flight, if you dare try it.

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

A community of Encinitas, Cardiff is an oft-overlooked North County jewel. Charming doesn’t begin to describe its sights, shops and shoreline, and every stop along the district’s restaurant row has an amazing view of the water.