Rate-a-date: Date ideas I tried, so you don’t have to
Sunset Drive-In
Pack your car full of pillows, blankets and snacks, and head over to Sunset Drive In for a cute, little covid-safe date! A hatchback car is ideal for this one. If you want to get extra fancy about it, decorate the car with fairy lights to spice it up a little and to make your loved one feel extra special.
Date-o-meter: 7/10
My boyfriend and I loved the idea, but we found out the hard way that my car’s battery was low. Good news, though! They keep jumper cables with the employees. We loaded up the trunk with blankets and pillows before going by Dollar Tree to stock up on candy and the grocery store to get drinks. Other than the car mishap, we had a lot of fun.
Avila Hot Springs
Enjoy a nice, relaxing time at the hot springs for not too high of a price. The mineral water is good for your skin, as it detoxes your skin and softens dry and rough spots.
Date-o-meter: 6/10
We had gone as a spontaneous trip to check it out and were pleasantly surprised. It was nice and relaxing to be in the hot water, but it was a lot more shallow and crowded with people than I had anticipated. As well as this, the hot springs turn your skin pink after sitting in it, but that washes off with water.
Thrift Shopping
You and your boo should head over to your favorite thrift shop and look around. You learn a lot about a person based on what they gravitate towards in thrift stores (and what they justify buying). If you want to make it interesting, you can always pick out outfits for each other!
Date-o-meter: 9/10
I absolutely adore thrifting. It’s such a fun way to spend time while saving money and helping the environment by repurposing items that otherwise may be thrown into landfills. We went to Fred and Betty’s, before crossing the street over to Bargain Boutique. I ended up getting a skirt and a pair of earrings, while my boyfriend found giant wine glasses for his roommate.
Downtown Pismo
Pismo has plenty to do, especially with the new pier’s construction being complete. Get cinnamon rolls at Old West Cinnamon Rolls and take them to the pier to sit on a bench and eat. When you’re done with that, you could head over to the new slide to the side of the pier and have a little child-like fun; you could head down to the sand and use the swings on the other side of the pier; you could bring hammocks and set them up to relax under the pier, or you could bring a ball or game of some sort and play it on the sand! The possibilities are endless.
Date-o-meter: 9/10
We loved this one. We packed my hammock and drove to Arroyo Grande to get Dutch Bros, then went to Pismo and got cinnamon rolls from Old West. We went under the pier, hung up the hammock, enjoyed our food and drinks and chilled for a while.
Picnic Lunch
What is a better way to spend a beautiful San Luis Obispo day than by bringing lunch to a park for an impromptu picnic? Go to your favorite lunch spot, get some food to-go and bring it to a park with a blanket to sit on.
Date-o-meter:10/10
We did this date as a very last minute idea. I had gotten a nail in my tire and needed to replace it, so we were looking for things to do while it was getting fixed. We ended up at House of Bread, where you can order deli-style sandwiches! It’s the cutest little hole in the wall bakery that allows customers to sample breads before getting them. We ordered our sandwiches, drove to a nearby park, set the blanket I keep in my car out on the grass, and enjoyed our meal together.
Dress Up for Dinner
A night out is what we all need every once in a while. Life is stressful, so getting out and about is hard sometimes, but it’s well worth it. Choose your favorite nice restaurant in SLO, get all dressed up and enjoy yourselves!
Date-o-meter: 8/10
We went to Flour House on a double date with some of our best friends and it was a very nice getaway. The one problem I had with this was justifying spending so much money on one meal. Since most of us are 21, we got drinks too, and cocktails can make a meal a bit pricey. After Flour House, we walked to Genarro’s because we were craving flourless chocolate cake, and it never fails to impress. Highly recommend.
