Dating in Seattle can be... um, unique. It can also be expensive, but since Seattle’s also the best place for pretty much everything else, you’re definitely gonna to want to go on these 23 dates so you can stay here... and also not go completely broke.
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Grab a cocktail and play a fun game at Mox Boarding House
Bellevue/Ballard
At this pair of local board game shops and cafes, you can play the latest games or old favorites for free -- though if you're up for forking over a few dollars, they also serve food and drinks. Let out your competitive side as you try to meet your match over Magic: The Gathering or make a connection during Settlers of Catan (which likely won't happen because WHY WON'T YOU GIVE ME YOUR WHEAT?!).
Build a roaring bonfire on the beach
West Seattle/Ballard
Seattle's free first come, first served fire pits that line the town's two major beaches are one of its greatest treasure. Grab some firewood, a few matches, and maybe some snacks before heading to Alki or Golden Gardens. Show off your fire-making skills, cuddle up close against the chilly breezes coming off the Sound, and let the mesmerizing flames and whooshing waves put on a show for you.
Talk about how athletic you used to be while watching amateur athletes
University District
While the money sport is football, many of the University of Washington's best athletes compete for national titles in the shadow of the same stadium that people pay the big bucks to watch every Saturday in fall. The men and women in the purple and the gold battle it out all year on the baseball diamond, over the volleyball net, and while rowing their hearts out on the Montlake Canal. Games and meets rarely cost more than a few dollars and offer a far more up-close-and-personal experience than the mega-crowds at the stadium.
Share cheap, delicious wine on the street
Happy hour wine has a tendency to be, to put it lightly, terrible. Not at List Restaurant, where Italian bottles (red, white, and rosé) go on sale every afternoon. Grab one to share and split it on the patio: your $20 will cover the bottle, tax, and a generous tip, so linger long and enjoy watching the world... err, Belltown go by.
Watch your favorite movie... outside
Drive-in theaters have gone the way of the dodo, but there’s still something romantic about watching a movie on a giant outdoor screen. While the price of seeing a movie in theaters has shot up, outdoor movies stay affordable, meaning you can probably also spring for a food truck taco for your date.
Go canoeing on Lake Washington
Could it be love among the lily pads? That depends on how well can you steer. For $10 an hour ($12 on weekends), the University of Washington will rent you a canoe to take your date through the tree-lined arboretum or for a quick turn around the Union Bay Natural Area to say hi to the local birds.
Do a self-guided food tour of the International District
From the Vietnamese food at 12th and Jackson to the stalls inside Uwajimaya, there are hundreds of dumplings, spring rolls, and snacks with big flavor and tiny price tags. Pop in and out of shops and cafes, buying just a bite or two at each place.
Watch the sunset at Kerry Park
All the views that you’d get if you spent the money to go up the Space Needle, none of the expense. For extra romance (read: fewer people) but a slightly less-good view head a few blocks away to the lookout across the street from Parsons Gardens.
Tour Safeco Field
It’s gotten a bit pricey just to watch another embarrassing Mariners loss, but Safeco Field offers $10 tours of some of the areas you might never have seen before -- stop by a private suite and pretend you can afford to see the game from there!
Ride bikes to a brew
Riding a bike is always a good -- if overly wholesome -- date activity, so sweeten the deal by heading to the 192 Brewing Company in Kenmore’s Lake Trail Taproom. Sure, you could go all the way to Woodinville, but this ride keeps it around 15 miles from Seattle, leaving you just enough energy to order a couple of beers, and maybe even do a little dancing when there’s a live band.
Take the water taxi to West Seattle and walk along Alki
Getting on a boat is the most quintessential Seattle way to pass an afternoon, and the easiest way to do it is the water taxi, which leaves from downtown and takes passengers to West Seattle. While the $4.75 price tag (per person, each way) won’t leave you much spending money, the best thing to do on the other side is free: stroll along Alki Beach.
Cook a gourmet dinner from the farmers market
Kale rarely breaks the bank, so hit your neighborhood’s farmers market and grab a few nice vegetables and maybe some bread and cheese to put together a simple supper for you and your new friend. Just steer clear of the meat as it tends to get pricey!
Split a Salumi sandwich and eat it in Waterfall Garden Park
You could actually each get your own small sandwich, if you’re that type, from Seattle’s most famous sandwich shop. But it’s far more romantic if you split one of the giant, messy beasts for which the place is known: the porchetta or grilled lamb (get a few extra meatballs at $2.50 each, if you think you’ll still be hungry). Walk a few blocks to eat at Waterfall Garden Park and pretend you’re eating anywhere that isn’t Pioneer Square.
Make fun of the tourists watching the guys throw the fish at Pike Place Market
Watching the guys throw the fish at the market is super cheesy. Watching the tourists bumble around watching the guys throw the fish is fun. Stopping for a yogurt at Ellenos afterwards basically guarantees a successful date.
Pretend you’re Willy Wonka at the Theo Chocolate Factory
Sadly, the Fremont facility doesn’t have any Oompa Loompas, but you can still see how chocolate is made and, more importantly, taste as you do.
Tour (and taste) at the Westland Whiskey Distillery
Yup, there’s free whiskey to be had. Take the tour and learn how they make the single-malt, then head to the tasting bar to sample the wares. Since it’s all free, you’ll leave with $20 to spend on your date.
Eat raw fish after hours at Umi
With rolls priced at $5 apiece and a full sashimi set at just $10, even the thriftiest of Romeos can eat well during Umi's late-night happy hour. Beers start at $4 each, though, so make sure to keep that budget balanced.
Learn about something at Town Hall
Listen to an Italian glassblower talk about his Venetian techniques or hear amazing storytelling from The Moth. Most of the events on the jam-packed calendar are free or $5 each.
Stop and smell the flowers at the Volunteer Park Conservatory
Don’t know your bromeliads from your ferns? Here’s the place to learn -- or just wander the stunning glass building and look at all the pretty plants.
See how many tacos you can eat on a Tuesday at the Tin Hat
The $0.69 tacos served on Tuesdays are none of the authentic taco-truck styles that are trending around town: these are old-school American, right down to the crispy shell, orange cheese, and shredded lettuce. But the price -- and nostalgia -- hit the spot, so feel free to see how many you can down in a sitting.
Decide once and for all if Dick's burgers are good, or just really good at 1:30am
It’s a hometown favorite, but it’s time for a taste-off: are the burgers under the orange sign actually any good? Or have you just only ever had them while wasted at 1:30 in the morning? Take your date to Dick’s, order the works (a Deluxe, fries, and a milkshake, natch) and enter a deep discussion on burger quality.
Enjoy your Rainier tallboy from the comfort of an Airstream trailer
There’s no particular reason a cheap beer might taste better from the inside of a sleek-looking Airstream, but there’s also no particular reason said trailer should be parked on the patio of a dive bar in South Park. Loretta’s Northwesterner gives you and your date plenty to ponder as you drink $2.50 tallboys of Rainier.
Eat ice cream at Madison Park
Scoop du Jour is a classic old-school ice cream shop -- the kind where the smell is intoxicatingly summery and there are kids everywhere. So grab your cones to go and make the short walk to Seattle’s most crowded beach, where there is always great people-watching.
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