Romantic Things to Do in San Francisco: 7 Date Ideas Around the City
With plenty of options beyond making the standard dinner reservation, San Francisco gives you plenty of room to impress someone on a first date or give couples a break from their usual date night routine. Starting with an activity gives you something to experience before sitting down for dinner or drinks, which can take the pressure off a first date.
Whether you’re getting to know someone or planning a special occasion, these romantic things to do in San Francisco are perfect for spending time with someone special.
See San Francisco Bay at Sunset
A sunset cruise in San Francisco gives the date a clear starting point without requiring anyone to carry the conversation from the minute they sit down. Adventure Cat Sailing Charters runs a 90-minute sunset sail from Pier 39 with skyline and Alcatraz views. The route also takes you under the Golden Gate Bridge. Each ticket includes one drink, with additional drinks available for purchase.
For a first date, there is enough happening to keep conversation flowing naturally and for an anniversary or a date with a partner you know well, seeing the city from the bay gives a great setting without the need for a weekend trip.
After sailing, head to your dinner reservation at Scoma’s Restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf. This waterfront seafood restaurant has been open since 1965 and the location is perfect for a date night near the Bay.
Couples planning an anniversary party or proposal with guests can also book a private charter in San Francisco.
Go to Exploratorium After Dark After Dinner
On Thursday nights, Exploratorium becomes an adults-only venue for Exploratorium After Dark. From 6 to 10 p.m., couples gain access to the museum’s hands-on exhibits in an evening setting.
This is a great first date idea in San Francisco because no one has to spend two hours looking for the next question to ask. You can see and react to the exhibits together and learn about what captures the other person’s attention.
Before heading to Exploratorium, go to dinner at Coqueta on Pier 5. This Spanish restaurant serves paella, along with tapas and a full cocktail menu. Its location in Embarcadero keeps both parts of the date close together.
Play Mini Golf, Then Have Dinner in the Mission
Turn mini golf into a night out at Holey Moley Golf Club with indoor golf and a full bar. It gives newer couples something competitive to do before dinner; a little competition can tell you a lot about a person.
After, head to dinner at Flour + Water. This Mission Italian restaurant is known for their handmade pasta and a distinct Northern Californian influence.
This pairing of activities also works great for couples who have been together longer and at a point where dinner alone is now considered boring.
Plan a Brunch Date With a Pottery Class
Going out on a brunch date is great every once in a while. Start your weekend at Foreign Cinema in the Mission, where they serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Following brunch, head to Clayroom for a one-time class. Clayroom’s San Francisco studios offer two-hour TryDay wheel-throwing classes made for beginners.
The appeal to this date is having time to settle into the date without having to stretch brunch across an entire afternoon. Pottery gives you something new to try together and maybe you’ll discover that making a bowl is harder than it looks (or easier).
An SFMOMA Thursday Date Night
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art stays open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. It’s worth checking the calendar before deciding which Thursday to go as their Thursday Night Live brings scheduled performances and screenings into the museum.
A museum date works well when you know each other well enough to trade opinions for a few hours.
For dinner, head to The Cavalier in SoMa. This museum is open 6 days a week with its Blue Bar available before dinner for some cocktails. This is a great pairing for when you want a proper night out rather than a museum visit followed by the nearest table. We recommend visiting before heading to SFMOMA or after for an early post-museum dinner.
Thursday Night at the California Academy of Sciences
Another Thursday night option is NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences, which stays open from 6 to 10 p.m. on most Thursday evenings for guests aged 21 and older. Most of the Academy stays open during the time and there is additional programming that changes week by week.
This works well for a date night where you want to spend several hours together without multiple activities across the city. There’s plenty to explore, where you can set your pace and head to exhibits that interest you both.
Before heading to NightLife, enjoy an early dinner at Spruce in Presidio Heights. It works great when you want to give your date a more formal start before an evening at the museum.
Book Dinner and a Show at SFJAZZ
For couples who know each other well, a live music date night gives better structure than another restaurant date night. This year’s SFJAZZ season is underway at the SFJAZZ Center in Hayes Valley, featuring more than 350 scheduled shows between September and May.
Start off by choosing the performance first and schedule your dinner around the showtime. The nearby Absinthe Brasserie & Bar has dinner service and an extensive cocktail program.
This kind of evening works well for established couples as well as new ones. For established couples, head to dinner before the show and for new couples, head to the show first.
A San Francisco Date You’ll Want to Repeat
The best date ideas give you something to remember besides what you ate. An activity before a meal can help a first date feel less like an awkward interview. For couples who have been together longer, doing something outside the usual dinner gives date night some variety.
For a date with a San Francisco setting that’s hard to replicate elsewhere, start your evening off with Adventure Cat’s sunset cruise in San Francisco then head to dinner nearby afterward. The city looks different once you are out in the water, especially watching the sun go down from the water.