The Most Underrated Date Ideas to Try in San Antonio

Come up with a synchronized routine at The Rollercade
223 Recoleta Road, (210) 826-6361, therollercade.com
Or you can just do your best. For a lot of people, even dancing while rolling is a little advanced. That part is cute and all, and coming up with a matching routine is super dorky but also kind of badass if you can pull it off. The real magic, though, is clinging to each other for the first half hour while you remember how to skate. After getting those pheromones circulating and holding onto each other in a not-romantic-at-all sweaty embrace, what you make of the night is up to you, which might include taking your dance to the sheets...ahem, streets.
Photo via Instagram / patrick_e

Take a class together at the Southwest School of Art
300 Augusta St, (210) 200-8200, swschool.org
If you have any interest in art, you should take a class at Southwest School of Art. They even have a few more obscure mediums and techniques, such as assemblage of ceramics and mixed media, intro to lost wax casting, pop-up and movable books, and intro to welding. Learning with your lovely can be an intense and enjoyable bonding experience, and especially if you’ve been going steady for a while, it can be a fun skill to make your relationship even closer. You can register for classes right before the start of each semester and costs vary depending on what discipline you’re interested in.
Photo via Instagram / southwestschoolofart

Take a hike at Eisenhower Park
19399 NW Military Hwy, (210) 207-7275, sanantonio.gov
The ultimate free date is taking a hike with your S.O. If you’re a little broke and don’t own athletic shoes, just stick to the paved or easy trails. If you and bae are up for a little sweating, try the more difficult trails and maybe get a little lost in the woods. It might sound gross, but getting a little sweaty with your sweetheart can be a fun experience. Oh, and don’t forget to check each other for ticks once you get home.
Photo via Instagram / clintwoosley

Search for your favorite albums at Friends of Sound
700 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 971-8044, facebook.com
There are few things more nostalgic than flipping through a crate of vinyls, finding the album art for the record you’ve been looking for, taking it home and playing it for the first time in ages. And there’s nothing more romantic than letting the music take you back with your S.O. in your arms. Listening to each others’ music is a great bonding experience for you and bae, whether your tastes are similar or different. Everything sounds better on vinyl anyway, so if you didn’t like it before, you might enjoy it this time around.
Photo via Instagram / queenoftacostx

Treat yourself to a staycation at Hotel Emma
136 E Grayson St, (210) 448-8300, thehotelemma.com
Staycation? Count us in! There’s less planning involved in a staycation, but it isn’t any less special than finding a sitter for the kids or pets and leaving all other responsibilities behind for a few days. A staycation is almost better because there’s an excuse to try the place you’ve always wanted to try, and if there’s a spot that you miss or don’t get to, you don’t have to worry because there will always be other opportunities to visit it. Another option is to stay in and enjoy the beautiful rooms and amenities that Hotel Emma has to offer on its historic grounds.
Photo via Instagram / thehotelemma

Be mesmerized by the stars at the Scobee Planetarium
1819 N Main Ave, (210) 486-0100, sacscobee.org
Remember that scene in La La Land where Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone ditch the movie they’re watching and they float up to the ceiling of the planetarium and romantically dance in space? Your date, most likely, will be nothing like that. And if it is, we want some of whatever you’re on. That being said, just because your date won’t be as literally surreal as that doesn’t mean that it won’t be magical in its own way.
Photo via Instagram / sanantoniocollege

Take an adoptable dog from Animal Care Services on a date
4710 TX-151, (210) 207-4738, sanantonio.gov
Through Animal Care Services’ Shelter Paws Program, you can take an adoptable dog home for an afternoon (or morning, if you prefer). The idea is to get the animal away from the stress of the shelter and help it become more comfortable, and thus more adoptable. Grab your sweetheart and grab a dog from ACS and go for a nice walk, watch a movie at home, or even to get a puppuccino. Basically, you’re making that dog’s day and maybe even finding the new love of your life.
Photo via Instagram / sanantonioacs

Appreciate some art at the McNay Art Museum Second Thursday events
6000 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, (210) 824-5368, mcnayart.org
Art makes us feel something, so get some intellectual or emotional stimulation with bae by checking out the McNay. They have different exhibits all the time, so this is a date idea you can use again and again. Even if you’ve got a busy calendar, the same exhibit might run for a month or so or more, so there’s plenty of time to catch it if you see one you’re interested in. On the second Thursday of the month, you can get in for free, but if Thursdays don’t work for your schedule, regular admission is $20 per person.
Photo via Instagram / estherr.robbins

Unwind at Denman Estate Park
7735 Mockingbird Ln, sanantonio.gov
Denman Estate Park is the best way to get away from the traditional architecture you’ll find in San Antonio. Even though the ol’ Alamo City is diverse compared to some, you can’t really find architecture quite like you’ll find at Denman Estate Park. The famous pavilion-like monument was crafted by artists in San Antonio’s sister city, Gwangju, Korea. You can feel transported as you pick a spot to picnic with your loved one under or with a view of the monument, or wander hand-in-hand in the labyrinth.
Photo via Instagram / craftysmoke

Test your trivia knowledge at El Luchador
622 Roosevelt Ave, (210) 988-3385, luchadorbarsa.com
El Luchador can be found on Roosevelt Avenue just south of Roosevelt Park. They have events of all kinds almost every night, from themed drink and food nights, industry nights, First Friday specials, music, comedy open mics, karaoke, loteria nights and drag shows. Basically, if there’s a type of event that bae has been wanting to go to, you’ll be able to find it at El Luchador. Maybe you can even try a double date to form a trivia team with your couple friends and use your carnal knowledge.
Photo via Instagram / talofa_photography

Try your luck (and people-watch) at Bandera Late Night Bingo
5810 Bandera Road, (210) 682-6000, goldenbingofamily.com
Get lucky with bae! Hopefully, in more ways than just winning a few rounds — or at least one — of bingo. *wink* Bingo can be a fun dating activity and, since there’s no real skill involved, there’s very little chance that the competition will get too serious. You can even win a bit of prize money, if you’re lucky.
Photo via Instagram / ashleysymphony87

Get competitive with some board games at Candlelight Coffeehouse
3011 N St Mary's St, (210) 738-0099, candlelightsatx.com
A ton of places now keep boardgames on hand, from boba tea shops to coffeehouses. But is every other place like Candlelight Coffeehouse? No, because Candlelight Coffeehouse also serves wine and has a full menu of food to boot. So if getting a little competitive over a board game, a little tipsy on wine and a little full on delicious food sounds like the kind of date your date would love, you’ve got to give Candlelight a try.
Photo via Instagram / babydeniro

Reach new heights at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
16710 Ranch Road 965, Fredericksburg, (830) 685-3636, tpwd.texas.gov
You’ll have to register early, but going to Enchanted Rock is absolutely worth the pain of having to plan ahead. C’mon — “enchanted” is literally in the name. It’ll take a little bit of work to get to the top and some good shoes, but once there, you get to look out on the beautiful Texas Hill Country and steal a kiss from your climbing partner. After you’ve climbed to the top, you can get away from the big city for a while longer and wander around this gorgeous oasis.
Photo via Instagram / intents_life

Serenade each other at Dad’s Karaoke
2615 Mossrock, (210) 267-5703, facebook.com
Is that two cats mating? No! It’s bae, and they’re doing their best onstage at Dad’s Karaoke. You can make fun of them (but just a little, depending how sober you two are), or you can be their biggest supporter. Smile from the crowd to give them a little encouragement, especially if they’re super into singing but are always too shy to try it in front of people. Even if you two suck, karaoke is a fun date because it shows them that you’ll be cheering them on no matter what.
Photo via Instagram / ennaid_22

Get up close and personal with the wildlife at the Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston
1405 E Grayson St, Fort Sam Houston, (210) 221-1886, jbsa.mil
Okay, so “up close and personal” may be a bit of an exaggeration in most scenarios, but you can and should definitely check out the Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston, which is also known as “The Quad” to those in-the-know. You can watch cute deer grazing, exotic peacocks spreading their tails, ducks waddling about, peculiar turkeys pecking at the ground, and, worst of all, geese. You know what would definitely NOT be romantic? Letting bae get attacked by geese.
Photo via Instagram / eturner22

Score some deals at Bussey’s Flea Market
18738 N Interstate 35 Frontage Road, (210) 651-6830, busseysfm.com
You literally never know what you’re going to find at Bussey’s Flea Market. It’s located near IH-35 and FM 3009, and admission is about $2. What you pay for beyond that is on you, but there’s no doubt you’ll find something special, strange, or fun to surprise your date with. Better yet, take them with you and have a ball bartering with the stall owners, exploring hidden treasures and scoring a deal.
Photo via Instagram / silkfe

Satisfy your dark side and let the Sisters Grimm lead y’all on a ghost tour
204 Alamo Plaza Suite #T, (210) 638-1338, sistersgrimmghosttour.com
Get a little freaky with bae...and not in that way! At least, not while you’re on the tour. Sisters Grimm offers haunted history walks, dinner at the Menger Hotel with the haunted history walk, haunted pub crawls and a ghost bus tour. The tour/walk itself will take you through the streets of old San Antonio where your guide will explain the sites of old murders and historic battles. Be advised to wear comfortable shoes because the tour is about a mile and a half long.
Photo via Instagram / sistersgrimmtx

Kayak down the Mission Reach
From Roosevelt Park to Camino Coahuilteca, thesanantonioriverwalk.com
There are three main reasons to go kayaking instead of partaking in traditional date activities. 1) Renting a kayak is less expensive than taking your sweetheart to a crowded, expensive restaurant where you have to wait for a table. 2) You’ll avoid the aforementioned crowded restaurant. 3) Your sweetheart will appreciate the thought that went into planning a kayak date when the planning isn’t even the hardest part. The hardest part is not flipping yourself or your S.O. trying to get in.
Photo via Instagram / think_liz

Take a drive with no destination
San Antonio is a beautiful city where there are a lot of things to see. So many times when you’re driving, it’s easy to miss the special, cool, and unusual stuff because you’ve got somewhere else to be. Show your babe that you don’t just care about the next destination, that you care about the journey there, too. There are back roads all around the city and everywhere outside of it, so it shouldn’t be hard to get a little lost.
Photo via Shutterstock

Get a couples’ massage at Neva Face & Body
601 E Dewey Pl, (210) 734-6382, nevadayspas.com
Getting a massage is like the epitome of relaxation, but it’s not always an obvious date idea. At Neva Face & Body, couples’ massages are available upon request, so take the time to unwind with bae. If you’re not interested in getting a massage with your boo, they also offer services like microblading and facials to help you get ready for your big date.
Photo via Instagram / neva_dayspas