Date Ideas in the Bay Area This Weekend (That Aren’t Dinner and a Movie)
Dinner and a movie is fine. It is also a conversation killer: two hours of sitting in the dark not talking. The best Bay Area dates have something built in to actually do and talk about. Here are a few that beat a reservation and a screen.
Take a cooking class together
This is the best date idea in the city and it is not close. You are side by side, working with your hands, there is wine, and at the end you eat what you made. 18 Reasons in the Mission runs hands on classes that feel like a dinner party you happen to be cooking. Our cooking classes guide even notes that romance happens there, because it does.
Go for a foggy coastal hike
A walk gives you something to look at when the conversation needs a breather, and the Bay Area does dramatic walks better than anywhere. Lands End is the move: shipwreck views, the Golden Gate, and easy enough that nobody is miserable. Our hiking communities have guides with more if you want to go bigger.
Do brunch worth the line
A great brunch is a low stakes morning date. Put your name down at Zazie in Cole Valley or Brenda’s on Polk, walk a block while you wait, and let the wait itself be part of it. Our SF brunch guide breaks down the vibe of each.
Share a bathhouse
For something different, Kabuki Springs in Japantown is a calm, quiet soak that somehow makes conversation easier. It is unexpected in the best way. More on the scene in our cold plunge and wellness guide.
Be a trivia team of two
If you want to keep it light and a little competitive, find a trivia night and play as a team of two. You learn how someone thinks under pressure, which is more than you learn over dinner. Our Bay Area trivia nights guide has the good recurring ones.
The theme here is built in conversation: pick something where you are doing a thing together, not just sitting across from each other. The Foodies and Outdoor communities on Tribe are full of people trading exactly these ideas. And for everything else happening, here is the full guide to the Bay Area this weekend.
