Are you trying to come up with fun date night ideas in San Antonio, but you aren’t quite sure what to do? There are so many romantic things to do for couples that the hardest thing about this task is deciding what to do next! Save this for the next time you need a San Antonio date idea, whether you’re looking for something romantic, free, fun, active, or food oriented. And even though many of these articles are based around activities for couples, in general, these ideas are great for people just looking for new things to do in San Antonio!
P.S. Don’t forget to check Groupon for ideas to save money on your date! Some of the items below might even be there!
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Romantic San Antonio Date Ideas
Love will definitely be in the air with these romantic things to do in San Antonio for couples!
1. Grab Drinks in the Sky – The Tower of Americas offers views of downtown San Antonio from the Observation Desk and is the perfect place to grab a top-tier, romantic dinner at Chop House or drinks at Bar 601.
2. Visit the San Antonio Botanical Garden – Wander hand-in-hand and walk through all of the flowers and blooms for a romantic date night at the San Antonio Botanical Garden.
3. Enjoy Drinks at Jazz TX – Listen to the smooth sounds of jazz music as you sip on cocktails and enjoy good conversation with your partner. Jazz TX has two performances a night with no cover Tuesday through Thursday at 5:30pm.
4. Go on a Wine Tour – San Antonio is close to the Texas Hill Country, home to hundreds of vineyards and wineries. Cottonwood Wine Tours offers several different wine tours for every budget and availability. Travel into the Hill Country to wineries in towns like Boerne and Fredericksburg, enjoy wine tastings, and wander through vineyards.
Or visit up to 20 different wineries aboard the 290 Wine Shuttle, which travels along the infamous 290 Wine Trail, and arrives every 15 minutes to take you onto the next stop. Tickets are just $39.99 a person!
5. Get a Couples Massage – Enjoy a romantic couples massage with all kinds of Texas ingredients like beeswax, honey, and lavender with some of the best views. Loma de Vide Spa offers couples massages in their sky loft and in a beautiful grotto.
6. Relax in a Salt Cave – Enjoy all of the relaxing and healing properties while laying back in the salt caves at Eforea Spa.
7. Make a Bouquet – Rather than just getting her flowers, head over to the Vintage Bouquet Bar in the Pearl District where they have flowers you can arrange yourself to create a one-of-a-kind, thoughtful bouquet.
8. Go for a Wine Tasting – Stray Grape has 50 different wines to try. Or, if you want to be extra romantic on your next San Antonio date, work with them to create your own wine and label that you can enjoy as time passes.
9. Wander Through the Vineyards – Or drive out to North San Antonio and visit Lara Vineyards. Wander through the vineyard together and try varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as unique wines like hibiscus wine.
10. Listen to the Symphony – Get dressed up for a night at the San Antonio Symphony. In addition to the classical concerts, the San Antonio Symphony has other shows, such as live accompaniments to movies and even pop music!
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11. Visit One of San Antonio’s Most Romantic Restaurants – Sometimes all you need for a romantic date is visiting one of San Antonio’s most romantic restaurants. You’ll find tasty meals at the Fig Restaurant, with views of the Riverwalk, Ocho in the middle of a beautiful glass observatory, Bohanan’s (ranked as one of the top 100 restaurants in America), and Signature for a French inspired meal.
12. Go on a Helicopter Tour – See San Antonio from up high with your partner, including views of iconic buildings like the Alamo with Alamo Helicopter Tours.
13. Take a Couples Massage Class – A massage only happens once, but with a couples massage class at the Love Institute, you can learn a skill that will last a lifetime. Just be prepared for your partner to expect massages regularly!
14. Go on a Romantic Picnic – Picnic Envy does a variety of romantic picnic set-ups, including backyard movies and candlelight picnics!
15. Take a Day or Weekend Trip – There are so many little cities nearby in the Texas Hill Country! Go on a day trip to the French town of Castroville, the German town of New Braunfels, Seguin, and so many others!
16. Turn it into a Vacation/Staycation – Why does a San Antonio date night have to last just one night? Turn a date night into an entire weekend. Stay in a beautiful hotel, like Hotel Emma in the Pearl District, and spend a couple of days together checking out all of the romantic things to do in San Antonio.
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Fun San Antonio Date Ideas
Keep the laughter flowing and the energy high with these fun San Antonio date ideas that are sure to impress.
1. Play Mini Golf – With places like Monster Mini Golf, you can add a little bit of competition to your San Antonio date night and have the winner buy drinks after.
2. Catch a Show at the Majestic Theatre- Originally built in 1929, the Majestic Theatre will enchant you with its classic beauty. Here, you can catch top Broadway shows, comedy shows, ballets, and other incredible shows.
3. Visit a Speakeasy – Enjoy a drink prohibition style at one of the many speakeasy bars in San Antonio.
4. Fun Nights at the Alamo Drafthouse – More than just a regular theater, Alamo Drafthouse has special events where they invite you to sing along, react out loud, and engage with the movie. No worries about getting hushed here.
5. Visit the Pearl Farmers Market – The weekend farmers market at the Pearl is huge! It’s so much fun to try all the different goods from local vendors, sample some new items, and see all the cute dogs walking around. End your date by exploring the local stores and grabbing a bite to eat one of their
6. Go Two-Stepping – Grab your cowboy boots and put on your cowboy hat for a night of dancing. With a live band and dance lessons for those who don’t know how, Cowboys Dance Hall is always a good time. Not far from San Antonio in Helotes TX is Floore’s, a Texas Honky Tonk and dance hall staple with a restaurant and live musical performances.
7. Catch a Basketball Game – The blood of San Antonians runs silver and black and going to watch a Spurs or Silver Stars game is a must!
8. Adult Nights at the Doseum – The Doseum isn’t just for kids. At Redo Nights you can unleash your inner child, but with drinks involved.
9. Volunteer at the Humane Society – The Humane Society is always looking for dog and cat socializers. Spend time together loving on cats and dogs for a fun date idea.
10. Check out the Vintage Shops – Set up a budget, pick a theme, and see who can put together the best outfit. Even take it out for a date! Thrift Town has one of the largest selections or hop around to other local spots like Montage.
11. Go Racing at K1 Speed – K1 Speed has the fastest indoor electric go karts in Texas that go as fast as 45 mph. Gone are the days when you had to strategically choose the go-kart that was fastest and win on sheer luck.
12. Play Arcade Games – Grab a drink and play old arcade games together at Slackers. They have giant Jenga, pool, air hockey, and other classic arcade games.
13. Visit a Comedy Club – The couple that laughs together, stays together. There are several different places to check out including the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, the River Center Comedy Club, and the Blind Tiger Comedy Club.
14. Sing Horribly Together – Unless you sing well. Then that’s cool. The people at Dad’s Karaoke really get into the karaoke and are a fun group! Other local bars that host weekly karaoke nights are:
- Thirsty Horse Saloon: live band karaoke, Fridays & Sundays
- Hi-Tones: Mondays
- The Bang Bang Bar: Sundays
- Luther’s Café: Wednesdays
- The Amp Room: Thursdays
15. Visit the San Antonio Zoo – The San Antonio Zoo has so much going on if you just want to visit, including feeding hippos, giraffes, and tortoises; going behind the scenes, and having butterflies fly all around you! They also have some extra romantic date ideas, like a romantic dinner in front of the hippos on Valentine’s Day.
16. Tackle an Escape Room – This is a San Antonio date night that could make or break a relationship. How well do you two react under pressure? Solve puzzles to escape the room or save the world. Each escape room has a different theme, such as James Bond themed rooms, raiding the tombs, and more. Check out Extreme Escapes, World of Escapes, the Escape Game, and the Texas Panic Room for some great themes.
17. Go Indoor Skydiving – Maybe skydiving isn’t for you but get the thrill at iFly as you do back flips in the air and experience flying inside a small chamber.
18. Ride Roller Coasters – They say when your heart is racing from excitement, you’ll associate those feelings with the person you’re with, making Six Flags a great first date, or just a great San Antonio date in general.
19. Feed Stingrays – Swim with the stingrays and ride a boat under an aquarium at Aquatica!
20. Or Other Exotic Animals – Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is a drive-thru safari experience where you’ll be able to feed and take photos of exotic animals like Emus, Cheetahs, Lemurs, Rhinos, and more! They also have guided tours and additional excursions like the Aviary Experience, where you can hand feed beautiful birds, the Pre-Historic Experience with realistic, animatronic dinosaurs, or a VIP Giraffe Experience.
21. Go on a Sightseeing Bus Tour – Playing tourist in your own city can be a fun way to bond with your partner! You might learn new things that you never knew about the city in a double-decker sightseeing bus tour.
22. Practice Your Golf Skills – At Top Golf, hang out in a private booth and hit a bunch of golf balls while eating good food and drinking cocktails. No need to chase golf balls around the course.
23. Go on a Ghost Tour – If you like a little thrill, combine a pub crawl with a ghost tour. Learn about San Antonio’s haunted bars and historic buildings while enjoying drink specials at different bars with Bad Wolf Ghost Tours or Nightly Spirits.
Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours offers walking tours and a ghost bus tour. You can use Alamo City Ghost Tours provided ghost hunting equipment and hunt for ghosts while learning all about San Antonio’s history.
RJA Ghost Tours offers nightly walking tours led by Certified Paranormal Investigators. You won’t just learn about San Antonio’s history, but also it’s folklore, and you’ll leave with some new knowledge about manifestations and hauntings.
Ghost City Tours offers an adults-only experience and sprinkle in a little of the occult, demons, and more into this haunted walking tour.
San Antonio Segway Tours also offers a ghost tour on board one of their Segways, meaning you can travel further, faster, and see more of one of the most haunted cities in America.
24. Pretend You’re Spanish Royalty – at the Spanish Governer’s Palace! Built in the 1700s, walking through this incredible palace is like walking through history with its beautiful Spanish architecture and design.
25. Meet Your Favorite Celebrities – Or at least see their wax replicas at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Go through the Wax Museum and take realistic photos to trick your friends.
26. Become a Texas Ranger – Or at least go on a guide with a ranger at the Buckhorn Saloon and Texas Ranger Museum. You’ll feel like you’re in the Wild West. Plus, grab a drink at the saloon.
27. Go Bowling – Bowling has really gotten an upgrade! Places like Bowlero and Pinstack have cool arcade games, gourmet dining, and tasty drinks rather than a questionable cheeseburger.
Bowl & Barrel is a more up-scale bowling alley with a tavern and a beer hall. After 7 pm, only visitors 18+ are allowed unless accompanied by an adult.
28. Catch an Event at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center – There’s always a unique event going on, including weekly performances, music festivals, dances, and the free Galeria Guadalupe.
29. Explore the McNay Art Museum – Just wandering through the grounds of the McNay Art Museum makes for a great date, but they also regularly add new exhibits.
30. Visit the Institute of Texan Cultures – A Smithsonian Affiliate, this San Antonio museum shares the global culture of those who call Texas home. They have exhibits and events throughout the year.
31. Catch an Event at La Villita – Even when there is not an event, La Villita is a beautiful space to walk around right off the San Antonio Riverwalk, with cool buildings and historic architecture. And when they do have an event, they’re definitely worth attending!
32. See the Stars – At the Scobee Planetarium you can pretend you’ve gone on a romantic trip to Greenland and watch aurora borealis overhead.
Take a trip out to Fredericksburg and visit Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. The area is known for its dark skies, making it an ideal location for stargazing. Bring a blanket or camping chairs and schedule your visit for a clear night so you can best enjoy the starry sky. Bring a star chart or a stargazing app to help you recognize constellations and start discussions about how big the universe is. Perhaps stay the night and explore Fredericksburg and all of its things to do.
33. Hang Out at the Pool – You don’t need to check into a hotel to enjoy the resort pools or spas. Buy a Resort Pass for the day and gain access to the luxurious resort pools and even spas at hotels like the JW Marriott, Hyatt Regency, or La Cantera.
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34. Take Her/Him Out to a Ball Game – Turns out America’s past time makes for a great San Antonio date. Grab some hot dogs and sodas and cheer on the San Antonio Missions!
35. Get Pedis – There’s nothing like pampering your feet when you spend time on them all day, every day.
36. Visit the San Antonio Fire Museum – Honor the people who keep this city safe and learn about firefighters. Then head over to Battalion, a restaurant inside of an old fire station.
37. Explore the Art of the West – The Briscoe Western Art Museum showcases all of the art and history of the West. Get into deep conversations and learn something new together.
38. Go for a Swim – The San Pedro Springs Park is the perfect place for a summer date with beautiful nature and springs. Be sure to check out some of the cool pools in San Antonio.
39. Watch a Hockey Game – Even if you’re not a big hockey fan, you can easily get into the excitement of a hockey game with the San Antonio Rampage.
40. Take a River Taxi – Traveling from place to place by boat isn’t something that just happens in Europe! The Go Rio Cruises has a river taxi that will take you all over San Antonio’s Art District. Choose from options like their narrated tours or a private river cruise for your next event! Go Rio Cruises also has a beverage bar and kayak/paddleboard rentals along the San Antonio River!
41. Listen to Live Music – And swing on the funky chair swings at the Rustic. They have artists every weekend and most of the concerts are even free! You can grab a drink at the bar or order off their delicious menu.
42. Snap a Pic -There’s always a new pop-up art museum experience opening up with bright rooms and cool concepts that make for cute couple’s pictures. Make sure to check out what’s in your area at the time!
43. Get Lost in the Corn Maze – In the fall, the Graff 7A Ranch creates a masterpiece of a themed corn maze for people to wander through. To make this fu fall date even better, they have other activities including flower picking and campfire s’mores.
44. Pick Tulips – This fun San Antonio date is only available in the spring, but it’s guaranteed to leave you with plenty memories. After wandering through the tulips at Texas Tulips, pick some to take home to remember your date!
45. Take an Art Class – Clay Casa has all kinds of crafting activities to do together including fused glass and painting pottery. At Pinspiration San Antonio, you can make dream catchers, create an acrylic pour canvas, book the splatter room, and more!
The Southwest School of Art hosts community art classes at UTSA, including photography, weaving, ceramics, drawing, and more. You must register for classes during the specified enrollment period.
The San Antonio Art League & Museum offers workshops with professional artists. Class sizes are small so be on the lookout for new classes and get your tickets before they sell out! At Contemporary at Blue Star, you can sign-up for classes like natural fabric dyeing, yoga, artist talks, and more!
46. Create Your Own Functional Art – Or rather than just painting your pottery, learn to create your own clay pottery at Throwin’ Gold or Road Runner Ceramics. Throwin’ Gold even offers metalworking classes!
47. Attend a BYOB Art Class – Share a bottle of your favorite beverage of choice while creating your very own masterpiece at BYOB studios like Painting with a Twist (there are several locations across the city). At Board & Brush, you’ll complete DIY wood projects with guidance from their experienced instructors.
48 Get a Foot Massage – If you’re looking for something more budget friendly than a regular massage, but still want to get pampered, try a foot massage. You’ll be surprised at how much tension you hold in your feet and the benefits of GG Foot Spa.
49. Meet Your Favorite Character – For a quirkier date, try dinner at the Magic Time Machine where the wait staff dresses up as different Disney, cartoon, and superhero characters and serve you dinner.
50. Attend a Poetry Slam – Enjoy the messages of spoken word or even get up there yourself at Puro Slam where they host weekly events.
51. Hang with Animals at the San Antonio Aquarium – There’s so much beautiful underwater wildlife at the San Antonio Aquarium, as well as unique animal encounters with lemurs, sloths, kangaroos, octopi, toucans, and more. Click here to purchase your admission tickets.
52. Learn Magic – Ever wonder how the magicians do it? Learn a few tricks to impress your friends at your next game night with magic lessons at the Magician’s Agency.
53. Or Keep the Magic Still Magical – You don’t have to learn the tricks but continue watching in wonder at the Magician’s Agency magic shows.
54. Visit Another World – Technology has come so far that you can now go on a date to another world with different virtual reality experiences! Infinite Worlds has different games you can step inside while Hologate puts you inside of a virtual reality arena with an indoor motion theater, in addition to a ropes course!
55. Create Splatter Art – Make the next multi-million-dollar abstract art piece at Splatter Art. Making a mess is required!
56. Dueling Pianos – If you’ve never been, dueling piano bars are such a fun and unique date idea. Witness two pianos duel it out while the crowd gets into it and sings along. Weekdays often involve no cover at Howl at the Moon.
57. Find a Concert or Festival – There is always something going on in San Antonio, so there’s never a reason to be bored. Visit San Antonio has a great list of events and festivals, but also one of my favorite things to do is to just go to the Facebook events tab and search events for a certain date range. Sometimes you’ll find something unexpected and cool on a weekday and even free events!
58. Join a Meet-Up – Find people who share your same interest at social activities, classes, and more.
59. See the Bats – You might be surprised to know that Bracken Cave is home to the world’s largest bat colony. You can become a member of BCI for as low as $45, which gets you perks and access to bat flights for you and guests. Another option: Natural Bridge Caverns has single-day admission options. Click here to purchase your tickets, with a guided tour included.
60. Catch a Show at the Tobin Center – San Antonio’s newest venue, you can catch an array of live entertainment inside of the gorgeous, spacious Tobin Center’s HEB Performance Hall. Get tickets to everything from comedy shows and live concerts to musicals more! They also host community events, like Zumba and yoga, inside the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater.
61. Book a Stay at a Historic Hotel – Hotel Emma inside the San Antonio Pearl District offers an array of free events for hotel guests, like their Hotel Emma history walking tour and yoga classes. They also have accommodations like multiple restaurants, a pool, and a 1960s era food and cocktail truck!
62. Check Out a Local Experience – On Airbnb experiences, different locals offer unique and one-of-a-kind experiences that make for fun date night ideas.
63. See the U.S.’ 2nd Oldest Airport – As Military City USA, it would only make sense that San Antonio has some interesting aviation history. The exhibits at the Texas Air Museum at Stinson Field put the spotlight on the role Texas and San Antonio played in the development of military air power. You’ll see vintage airplanes and memorabilia from several eras of aviation.
64. Hang Out at a Tabletop Tavern – Stop in for your choice of beer or wine and pick out a game, puzzle, or drop by on one of their many weekly events like trivia, film screenings, and improv performances. Or, start the night off with a drink, pick out a game from their retail section, and end the night at home snuggled up with it.
65. Work on Your Acting – Performing Arts San Antonio hosts an eight week, scene study class with options for both beginner/intermediate and advanced students. You’ll learn from actors who have been trained by industry professionals who have worked with celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and more!
66. Take a Glassblowing Class – Let the tension build as you watch your partner create something unique during a hands-on glassblowing class at studios like Caliente Hot Glass or the Contemporary at Blue Star. Or watch a glassblowing demo at Garcia Art Glass and pick-up a beautifully crafted creation to take home with you.
67. Have Fun Above Ground at Natural Bridge Caverns – This iconic natural gem also has a variety of other attractions like a maze, playground, gem mining, fossil digging, on-site restaurants, and shops. Perhaps you or your partner aren’t fans of enclosed spaces? You can still have fun at Natural Bridge Caverns! Click here to purchase your admission tickets, with a guided tour included.
68. Enjoy Three Floors of Fun – In downtown San Antonio, the Amazing Mirror Maze is three floors of fun with mirrors, lights, obstacles, and more! Their attractions include the Vault Laser Maze Challenge, funhouse mirrors, a holographic maze, the Infinity Maze, Black Hole Dark Maze, the Rapid Alien Invasion Defense, a Fun Zone with a 11-foot Pixel Peg Wall, and several escape games!
69. Work on Your Aim – Axe throwing is harder than it looks, so it makes for a fun, but also challenging, date night activity! Axe Master Throwing offers affordable 1.5-hour and 2-hour booking options with a variety of axe throwing games and a bar serving beer and wine! Axe Escape is another great option if you’re looking to plan a group date!
Class Axe is a BYOB venue with digital targets as well as cool games like an axe-throwing version of tic-tac-toe.
Stumpy’s Hatchet House is veteran-owned and operated, 21+ only venue that invites you to bring your own drinks AND food.
70. Take the Best Couples Photos Ever – Hopscotch San Antonio is a permanent, interactive art installation full of the coolest photo opps! You’re welcome to take pictures or videos with your camera or smartphone in front of the inventive installations and vibrant backgrounds. Take turns or snap cute photos together! Allow your imagination to run wild and document this amazing date!
71. Visit a Record Store – Friends of Sound is a vinyl record store that stocks their shelves with both old and new records. Pick out some you think your partner will like and swap or make plans to cook dinner at home together while playing your new selections.
72. Play Bingo & Do Some Good – Bandera Late Night Bingo is a part of the Golden Bingo Family, which is a charitable bingo hall network with locations all across Texas. The venue is BYOB with at least two sessions a day, seven days a week. Choose from a variety of ways to play with a chance to win $2,500 per Bingo session!
73. Go Paintballing – For a date that is exciting and action-packed, go paintballing at XFactor Paintball Park. Either challenge each other or team up and see how well you can cover your partner as you navigate an active paintballing field.
Ares Battlefield offers woodsball, speedball, and scenario play surrounded by obstacles and bunkers on 37 acres.
74. De-Stress in a Rage Room – At Rage Room SA, choose from breaking glass with a baseball bat or add-in your choice of medium or large items like printers, TVs, or furniture. You can also rage paint and create your very own work of art while splattering paint all over the place. San Antonio SMASH Room offers packages that include items of various sizes for anywhere from one to four people, perfect for a double date.
Breaking Out the Rage is a mobile rage room inside a 24-foot truck. What a fun date idea to surprise your partner with a rage room without having to leave the house!
The rage rooms at Unchartered Adventures including other items like mallets, bats, and pipes to smash things with. They also have escape rooms, axe throwing, zombie airsoft, and more! Pair different activities together with the rage room for the perfect, all-encompassing date night. There is also an on-site bar if you need some liquid courage or to unwind afterwards.
75. Ride a Hill Country Rollercoaster – If you’re looking for an exhilarating and unique date idea near San Antonio, look no further than the first alpine coaster in Texas: the Cliff Carver. Located on-site at Camp Fimfo in New Braunfels, this is the perfect way to experience a thrill while cuddled up close to your partner. There are curves, drops, and twists with panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country as your backdrop.
Perhaps one (or both) of you isn’t a fan of rollercoasters? The Cliff Carver allows you to control your speed along the way! In addition to the excitement of the Alpine Coaster itself, extend your date by exploring New Braunfels together. Maybe even stay the night!
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Free San Antonio Date Ideas
No need to spend a lot of money, or any money at all! These San Antonio date nights are full of free, romantic things to do. Sometimes you just have to get a little creative, but money doesn’t have to be a hindrance to a great time!
1. Walk Around the Riverwalk – The San Antonio Riverwalk is always bustling with people, lights, ducks swimming around, and sometimes live music. You never know what you might come across. One day, we made the whole loop around the river circle, and it was fun to see how the area changed from the crowded, touristy area with vendors and restaurants beckoning you inside, to a more serene and natural area.
2. Visit the Japanese Tea Gardens – That’s right! These beautiful gardens are free! With a little waterfall, beautiful blooms, and plenty of grounds to wander through, the Japanese Tea Gardens make for a beautiful and free date idea.
3. Catch a Performance at Market Square – There is always so much going on at Market Square. Weekends are busier, but there’s more activity like street artists and live music. Inside, there are often performers like Flamenco dancers. Plus, it’s fun to check out all of the colorful items being sold from all of the different vendors.
4. Check out the Art at Ruby City – Ruby City is a beautiful and new art installation with pieces that will make you think or snap a pic. The art is modern and beautiful. Plus, there is a beautiful park to stroll through with another fun and interactive exhibit inside.
5. Visit the San Antonio Missions – Of course, there’s the famous Alamo. However, you’ll also want to check out the other stunning missions. Make a day of visiting them all! For a couple of extra dollars, you can rent a B-Bike and bike all of the missions! To this day, this is one of my favorite activities!
6. Catch a Sunset – Great views are free and definitely make for a romantic, fun way to spend time together. Bring along a picnic or grab some takeout from a restaurant and find the perfect grassy knoll to share, perhaps along the Riverwalk. Or, go in search of the best sunset views in San Antonio. Some great ones include Hays Street Bridge and Comanche Park. Within walking distance of Hays Street Bridge is Alamo Beer Company, along with other local attractions and restaurants.
7. Go for a Hike – Get a great work out and spend hours talking while exploring the natural beauty of San Antonio. Some great places for a hike include Mission Reach, Brackenridge Park, Eisenhower Park, Friedrich Wilderness Park, O.P. Schnabel Park, Government Canyon State Natural Area, Crownridge Canyon Natural Area, Pearsall Park, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and the Medina River Natural area.
8. Free Classes at the Public Library – The public library itself is a great resource for free dates! You can check out a free cookbook or another great book to learn something new together; do a couple’s book club, listen to an audio book together, check out the art gallery they have in some of the libraries, and more. The library also offers great, free events including yoga, ESL, and other language classes. You can filter the list by classes for adults to find what’s best for you!
9. Find Treasure – Trader’s Village is free to enter, although $4 per car if you choose to park there. There are so many unique treasures to find too! It’s just like a large flea market. There are also rides and food stalls serving all kinds of delicious treats. However, to make it a free date, look for their events that happen regularly where there are performers and other fun things to see.
10. Laugh for Free – On Tuesday nights, LOL Comedy Club has open mic night, which is completely free to attend (or you can get up there and see if you could be a comedian yourself!)
11. Let Out Your Inner Child – Most of us have memories of growing up on the wooden playground at Hemisfair Park, which has gotten a serious upgrade. If you go when it’s empty, you can even enjoy the spinning chairs (my favorite), the swings, and all the other fun things adults never do anymore (because why not?!)
12. Catch a Free, Outdoor Movie – Bring your own popcorn and snacks from the store and snuggle up on a blanket while catching a classic movie with Slab Cinema. Check their event calendar or their Instagram as they travel across San Antonio. There are also a lot of theaters offering free, outdoor movies in the summer and on certain holidays, so a quick web search will pull those up. The Tobin Center also hosts free, monthly outdoor movies at the Will Naylor Smith Riverwalk Plaza with concessions and drinks available for a romantic, cheap date idea.
13. Free Museum Days – If you want to save some money, San Antonio has several local museums that offer free admission during the week, like the well-loved Witte Museum, so you can still enjoy them on a budget. Hours and dates are subject to change so check with your local museum for confirmation.
- Witte Museum – Free Tuesdays 3 – 6pm
- San Antonio Museum of Art – Tuesdays from 4 – 7pm and Sundays 10am-12pm for residents of Bexar County only; additional free events on their calendar.
- McNay Art Museum – Thursdays 4 – 9pm and first Sundays noon to 5pm
- UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures – Second Sundays from noon to 5pm
- Briscoe Western Art Museum – First Sundays of the month for Bexar County/San Antonio residents only
- The Contemporary at Blue Star offers free admission, although donations are welcome to support their non-profit mission.
14. Improv Workshops – For a fun and unique date idea, learn improv over at Overtime Theater! Soon, you may just be on the stage yourselves. If you are okay with a cheap date idea rather than free, they also have very affordable shows as well.
15. See the Art at the Mexican Cultural Institute – In downtown San Antonio, this museum is always free and open to the public. Every time I’ve gone, there’s been a new and interesting exhibit to check out!
16. See How Shoes are Made – You can tour the SAS Shoe Factory, a San Antonio tradition that started with a small family. Learn all about what goes into making these shoes.
17. Check out West Fest – Every First Friday, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center puts on the West Fest, an Urban Art Takeover, with live music, food trucks, art vendors, and more! It’s perfect place for a free and fun date night.
18. Go Two Steppin’ – Every Wednesday and Friday at 7pm, Cowboys Dance Hall has free two-step and other dance lessons. Then, stay afterwards and dance the night away for free. Check their website for other free events and specials.
Floore’s, a historic live music venue and country bar in nearby Helotes, hosts a free Dine and Dance event every first and third Sunday of the month with dance lessons and live music.
19. Free Fitness – San Antonio hosts all sorts of free fitness classes, including yoga and HIIT classes. Check their schedule to see what’s available. Gentle Wellness also offers free classes at the Pearl. Many gyms offer a trial period or free class you can sign up for!
20. See Free-Roaming Animals – The Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston is a free military museum dedicated to war heroes and is also an area where deer and peacocks roam free.
21. Visit the Artspace – The Artspace always has different art exhibits to check out. From 8-10am they have free donuts and a mixer where you can talk with artists. Check their event schedule for other free and special events.
22. Explore Art Galleries at the Blue Star Arts Complex – Multiple artists reside here with a beautiful spot right along the river where you can go for a walk along after. And of course, there are always free events to check out!
23. The Lone Star Adventure Club – From group hikes and other free, fun activities, the Lone Star Adventure Club always has unique things going on with some that are open to the public. It might be worth looking into a membership for extra, included activities.
24. Build Homes – Feel good, learn some construction skills, and help someone in need with Habitat for Humanity. They are always looking for volunteers.
25. Volunteer at the Food Pantry – Another place that is always looking for volunteers is the food pantry. There really is such great bonding that comes from working together to make the world a better place.
26. Watch Horse Races – You can head to Retama Park on Mondays and Tuesdays and watch horse races for free.
27. Go to a Cooking Class – William Sonoma has some free cooking technique classes where you get to learn to make, and then eat, different dishes!
28. Enjoy a Wine Tasting – Every Saturday from 12-2pm, High St. Wine Co. will do a full flight tasting at their shop with different themes and you’ll learn all about the wines!
29. Look for Special Events – There are just so many free events constantly going on. Visit San Antonio and the SA Current have calendars that you can check. One of my favorite resources is Facebook events because you can browse by date and businesses are often sharing festivals and free specials they have.
30. Go on a Photo Walk – All you need is your phone camera and maybe a couple of posing ideas if you’re getting really serious. There are so many unique little pockets of San Antonio including Hemisfair Park with views of the Tower of the Americas or the Riverwalk.
Denman Estate Park features a beautiful, hand-crafted Korean monument with a .5-mile walking trail, labyrinth, and places to sit and enjoy a snack or packed lunch.
31. Free Events at the Pearl District – No need to splurge on a hotel room! Hotel Emma and the Pearl District also host free events that are open to the public, such as brewery tours and live music events!
32. Free Classes at Your Local Community Center – San Antonio Parks and Recreation occasionally offers free classes, including dance and exercise classes.
33. Explore Yanaguana Garden – Located in Hemisfair Park, Yanaguana Garden is home to games like oversized chess and checkers, ping pong, foosball, and Bocce ball. Plus, there’s public art, historic homes, nearby shops, and Hemisfair Park hosts over 500 free events a year.
34. Free Events at Phil Hardberger Park – This local park features a variety of free events including Art in the Park, fitness classes, and 4th Saturday Nature Walks. You can also hike the .5-mile to the Land Bridge or hop aboard the golf car that will transport you there and back. The park itself features several different trails, a butterfly garden, an elevated Skywalk path over the trees, and so much more!
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San Antonio Foodie Date Ideas
Take your foodie adventures beyond a typical restaurant date night with these fun and unique ideas to spark your taste buds and a little romance.
1. Make S’mores – Halycon is a cute coffee and wine shop, but they also have s’mores that you can roast indoors or outdoors on their little personal s’mores set. No worries about smoke blowing in your eyes!
2. Go on a Brewery Tour – You can either go on a guided brewery tour and check out multiple breweries or visit some on your own like Free Tail Brewing Co. and Alamo Beer Co.
Ranger Creek Brewstillery offers both hand-crafted beer and whiskey, meaning you’ll get to learn about and taste both on one of their tours!
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3. Distillery Tour – There are so many local distilleries to check out that you can turn into multiple date ideas. Book a tour and then hang out and enjoy drinks at places like Rebecca Creek Distillery, Ranger Creek, Alamo, and Andalusia.
4. Take a Mixology Class – Learn the art of creating the perfect cocktail from a mixologist at Cellar Mixology and get ready to create restaurant-worthy cocktails from home.
5. Become a Sushi Master – With a sushi-making class you’ll learn the art of rolling sushi and be able to make your own fancy dinner!
6. Solve a Murder Mystery – A Murder Mystery Dinner at the Dinner Detective combines a delicious four-course meal with a thrilling mystery where you’re in charge of figuring out who did it!
7. Go on a Pub Scavenger Hunt – Scavenger hunts are more fun when drinking is involved! You’ll get to learn about the city while checking out different bars and pubs on this self-guided tour with Brews and Clues San Antonio. Bring along an extra couple or two for a group date.
8. Take a Spirit Class – Total Wines is always hosting classes where you’ll learn to make drinks, understand what you’re drinking, and just gain new knowledge. And unless it’s not obvious, yes, San Antonio does love to drink!
9. Grill Your Own Korean BBQ – At places like Hon Machi Japanese & Korean BBQ, you get to be the chef! Wait staff brings out different meats and a little grill for you to make your own food. You get to season it, add sauces, and create your own dinner for a more interactive couples dinner date in San Antonio.
10. Explore Turkish Culture Through Food – Raindrop San Antonio hosts special events, including cooking classes, coffee nights, Turkish breakfasts, dialogue and friendship dinners, and even Turkish language classes.
11. Try a Cooking Class – There are so many places offering different cooking classes with various themes and schedules. Here, you and your partner will learn new skills that you can use at home to make a gourmet meal. Check out classes from the Culinary Cottage, Sur La Table, the Culinary Institute of America, William Sonoma, and the Central Market Cooking School.
12. Go on an International Food Tour – You can travel the world without ever leaving San Antonio with all of the diverse restaurants there are in the area. Create a list of your own or check out some of the ones below and work your way across all the different countries. Maybe even watch a video or do some research beforehand. One of my favorite things is to see if Anthony Bourdain has featured that country and watch it first, or watch No Passport Required, where they talk about the cuisine of each country. Some great places to check out include Saffron Persian Cuisine, Moroccan Bites Tajine, and African Village Restaurant.
13. Eat at a Brazilian Steakhouse – It’s like a buffet, except the food comes to you. Feast on perfectly cooked and seasoned cuts of top sirloin, lamb, and other meats.
14. Dinner and a Show at the Hibachi Grill – At hibachi grills like Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, they make the food right in front of you. They seat you at a table and part of the cooking experience includes fiery onion volcanoes, comedy, and food acrobatics for an entertaining dinner date.
15. Make Your Own Wine, Beer, and Cheese – Home Brew Party has all the ingredients you need to brew your own beer or create your own wine and cheese at home!
16. Dine Overlooking Downtown San Antonio – Make a reservation at Chart House, an up-scale restaurant at the top of the Tower of the Americas with a rotating dining room, dishes like shrimp and crab fondue, prime rib, fresh fish, and wine by the glass.
17. Visit a Coffee Shop with Pinball – What’s Brewing Roastery and Café is San Antonio’s longest running coffee roaster. What sets this coffee shop apart from the others is not only its freshly roasted coffee beans, but also its dozens of antique pinball machines! They even host pinball tournaments! Purchase a bag of their freshly roasted coffee beans from places like Kenya and El Salvador and take a piece of this fun foodie date home with you!
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Active San Antonio Date Ideas
They say dating causes couples to gain a few pounds. Rather than just sitting around and eating, stay healthy, sweat together, and enjoy these active San Antonio date ideas for couples.
1. Go Roller Skating – There’s nothing like skating around in endless circles hand-in-hand and dancing silly to the music they play.
2. Workout on a Boat – Rather than just going on a regular riverboat cruise, get active with fun experiences like yoga, Pilates, and even cycling while cruising along the San Antonio River.
3. Laser Tag – Grab a group of friends so you can play together rather than with a bunch of kids or use a place like San Antonio Laser Tag that comes to you! Sometimes, it’s the activities that we loved as kids that make the best dates!
4. Ride a Bike – You can rent San Antonio B-Bikes all throughout the city and discover different areas while breaking a bit of a sweat. My favorite thing to do is bike the San Antonio missions. You can bike all of them and ride the public transportation back for a half-day date of fun. Make a few additional stops for lunch at the Blue Star Complex and visit art galleries to make it last the entire day.
5. Go Swing Dancing – The Swing Dance Society has all the details on meetups, socials, and classes so you can go back in time and jive. Plus, it’s so romantic when you twirl together!
6. Dance Salsa, Bachata, & Cumbia – Arjons International Club is a club that plays top Latin music that you can dance to, or check out Semeneya which hosts classes, boot camps, and socials. Fred Astaire Dance Studio focuses on ballroom dancing instruction for all experience levels. SMASH Dance Studio offers a variety of classes, like Zumba, Hip Hop Cardio, Belly Dance Fitness, and more! San Antonio Parks & Recreation also hosts dance classes at different community centers.
7. Join a Biker Gang – Your Biker Gang takes you on fat tired electric scooters all across San Antonio. Bring your sunglasses, leather jacket, and bandanna and take fun biker pictures to convince all your friends.
8. Go Horseback Riding – You don’t have to go out to the country to go horseback riding. Westcreek Trail Rides will take you on some beautiful trails for just $50 per person for an hour!
9. Go Rock Climbing – Race to the top with one of the several climbing gyms in San Antonio, like Armadillo Boulders, where you can try traditional rock climbing, bouldering, workout in the fitness room, or take one of their fitness classes.
10. Go on a Mission – Compete together or against each other at Mission Airsoft, where you can take part in different battles, like capture the flag, while running through forests and different obstacles.
11. Learn Acro-yoga – If you’ve never tried acro-yoga before, you might be surprised at how much fun it is. Plus, it’s a great bonding experience for couples! Aerial Horizon offers an acro-yoga fundamentals course so you can learn together.
12. Join the Circus – At Boerne Trapeze, you can learn to fly through the air, catch each other, and dream of the days when you were a kid and believed you would grow up and join the circus!
13. Become a Ninja – Test your ninja skills at Ninja City with their adult open gyms and try all of the American Ninja Warrior inspired obstacles. I remember the days of climbing on monkey bars and it seemed much easier back then!
14. Go Ice Skating – With it being so cold, it’s a great reason to get close, hold hands to stay warm, and laugh at the person who falls the most! The outdoor Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park is usually open from November until January for the Holiday season. The Ice & Golf Center at Northwoods is open year-round but public skating is only available during specific times (and they offer other activities like mini golf).
15. Conquer the Canopy Challenge – Experience some heart-pounding excitement at Natural Bridge Caverns with their Canopy Challenge. Navigate the treetops on this outdoor adventure course with 47 obstacles across a 60-foot, four-tier structure with zip lines, sky bridges, and other challenges while you take in the beauty all around you.
16. Choose How You Explore Downtown – Mission Adventure Tours offers kayak rentals as well as three different, guided E-bike and walking tours. Choose from bike tours as long as 14 miles and as short as nine miles with stops at San Antonio’s iconic missions. Or, learn about San Antonio via their Historic Church Walking Tour, an art-focused tour, or the historic significance of iconic landmarks like the Riverwalk.
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San Antonio Date Ideas for Couples: Final Thoughts
So how many of these San Antonio date ideas have you tried? Is there anything we missed that we should add to the list? Share in the comments!
