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Dating Itineraries: Outdoors Dating Itineraries: Outdoors RSS

By Chelsea Sime, Assistant Editor

If you’ve exhausted your usual date itineraries and still haven’t found Mr. Right (or even Mr. Right Now) may we suggest heading outside? A little fresh air and exercise puts even the biggest city snobs among us in the mood.
On This Page: Date No. 1, Date No. 2, Date No. 3, Date No. 4, Date No. 5

Date No. 1

Find out if your Internet sweetie is a little freaky over some sun-soaking in Dolores Park (public places are a must for this sort of thing) and a cone at Bi-Rite. If he orders the salted caramel, he's totally a keeper.

  1. Dolores Park

    Dolores St, San Francisco, CA
    Choice people-watching and proximity to Mission bars and restaurants make this sunny park a perfect first-date spot.

  2. Bi-Rite Creamery & Bakeshop

    3692 18th St., San Francisco, CA
    Get a pint of honey lavender for your honey and you're definitely one step closer to a second meet-up.

Date No. 2

For urban-dwelling nature lovers, there's no better escape than Golden Gate Park. Bring your bikes (or better yet, rent a tandem), start at Haight Street and head towards Ocean Beach--a culture stop at the de Young and lunch at Ironwood are a must.

  1. de Young Museum

    50 Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA
    The collections inside are obviously worth seeing, but the museum's spectacular architecture (and free city views from the tower) are impressive on their own.

  2. Ironwood BBQ

    Golden Gate Park Golf Course, 47th Avenue and Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA
    A pulled pork sandwich and cold Anchor Steam at this newly legendary barbecue shack on the golf course make an ideal (if messy) casual fill-up before a beach romp.

Date No. 3

Since a good sense of humor and the ability to act like an idiot are absolutely crucial to a successful relationship, let your inner kid out early in the game by getting a pie at Marcello's and keeping the box for a trip (or ten) down the Seward Slides.

  1. Marcello's Pizzeria

    420 Castro St, San Francisco, CA
    You could settle for pepperoni, but you'll impress her more with the punny San Franpesto: a city-inspired specialty featuring homemade pesto, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes.

  2. Seward Street Slides

    Seward St at Douglass St, San Francisco, CA
    Sit on your newly empty pizza box, greasy side down preferably, tuck your knees and go screaming down this concrete "secret" slide in Twin Peaks.

Date No. 4

Bring a basket and some walking shoes for an all-day, all-bay excursion: picnic supplies at the Ferry Building Marketplace, waterfront walk down the Embarcadero, ferry to Angel Island and thirteen miles worth of hiking trails.

  1. Ferry Building

    Market and Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA
    A few necessities: brown sugar and fennel salame from Boccalone, a choice loaf from Acme, any of the delightful ready-to-eat produce from Farm Fresh to You and a grab bag full of Miette's macarons. If you're planning more of a leisurely afternoon, also pick up a bottle of red from the Wine Merchant.

  2. Angel Island State Park

    San Francisco Bay, ,
    It's a short stroll down the Embarcadero to Pier 41, where you can hop the ferry to this stunning state park perfect for hiking and, if things are going really well, camping.

Date No. 5

Romantics need not fork over for fancy dates when there are free, outdoor SF treasures like the Wave Organ. The uber-secret Marina spot makes a perfect late-night destination after some shared tapas and a few glasses of Spanish wine.

  1. Alegrias Food From Spain

    2018 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA
    Low lighting, pitchers of fruity sangria and very shareable small plates of things like crab cakes and mussels make this popular Cow Hollow tapas restaurant a romantic date-night definite.

  2. Wave Organ

    Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA
    After stuffing yourself with seafood, head out to sea--on a narrow peninsula just past the yacht harbor lies this relatively unknown oddity, a park-like grotto where pipes sing the ocean's songs at high tide.

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