4 Dreamy Date Nights in San Diego

Whether you're headed to San Diego for a romantic getaway for just you and your honey, or you're traveling with a brood but planning to sneak out for one special date night, this seaside town is filled with many sweet spots to explore with the one you love. As a San Diego resident who married her husband here nearly 10 years ago, I have a few favorite places for couple-time in America's Finest City. I also called upon the expertise of a few locals to help create itineraries for four dreamy date nights in San Diego.

Wine Lovers Date Night - San Diego
For a unique and affordable dining experience, make reservations at the Wine Vault & Bistro, just five minutes north of downtown. This is a go-to date night option for my husband and me for the pricing, the wine flights, the candlelit minimalist decor, and the adventurous menu. A three-course prix fixe with options is offered at $20 per person (plus $15 for wine pairings) on Fridays, while a five-course set menu for $30 is served on Saturdays (plus $20 for wine pairings).

If you are looking to escape the kiddies for a night, this 21 and older restaurant is a good choice. Large groups are discouraged here to cater to couples canoodling over dishes like braised short ribs with creamy späetzle, dill, and gremolata or a Caprese dessert made of basil panna cotta, sweet tomato jam, marscapone sorbet, and candied basil.

To get your endorphins pumping, head just around the corner to the National Comedy Theatre to watch an improvisational troupe perform hilarious sketches based on suggestions made by you, the audience. The earlier show is g-rated and welcomes children. The later show is better for date night, with a typically adult-only audience and edgier comedy. Showtimes are 7:30 and 9:45 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $15 each.

Water Lovers Date Night - Coronado Island
While Coronado is actually a peninsula, it feels like an island escape, even if just for an evening. Take the ferry boat from Broadway Pier or the 5th Avenue Landing the 2.3 miles across the San Diego Bay or simply drive across the Coronado Bridge.

Start your date with a light dinner at Tartine, a reasonably-priced, intimate cafe and bakery. Choose a gourmet salad as an entree to save room for a decadent dessert, like their passionfruit cheesecake or a slice of chocolate raspberry silk cake.

Afterward, head to the other end of Coronado for a gondola ride. Departing from the Loews Coronado Bay Resort, the Gondola Company takes passengers through the canals of the Coronado Cays. Angela Quisimbing, who writes the San Diego Date Night Examiner blog, said, "What's more romantic than a bottle of champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and sharing a blanket beneath the stars in a traditional gondola imported from Venice, one of the most romantic cities in the world?" Bring your own beverage to toast your love; ice buckets, glassware, and wine openers are provided. A private one-hour cruise is $85-99 per couple.

Finish up your night listening to the sound of ocean waves while you sip cocktails in front of a blazing fire pit at 1500 Ocean Sunset Bar at the Hotel Del Coronado. Affectionately known as "The Del" to locals, this hotel is famous for its Holly wood history (it's featured in such movies as Some Like It Hot), its unique architecture with a red roof and castle-like turrets, and its pristine stretch of white beach.

City Lovers Date Night - Gaslamp
If you prefer a night out on the town, you belong in San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter. It's fun to meander hand-in-hand along the bustling streets pondering sidewalk menus. However, on busy weekend nights, you're better off making reservations to ensure you can snag a table at one of over 100 restaurants in this downtown district. Becky Scott, author of Misspriss.org recommends Croce's for its live music, romantic ambiance, and upscale contemporary American cuisine.

Croce's Restaurant & Jazz Bar is owned by Ingrid Croce, wife of folk music legend Jim Croce. This restaurant, which opened in 1985, is credited as a catalyst in the revitalization of San Diego's downtown.

Joann Wooley, owner of San Diego's Sign4Baby sign language school, suggests taking a ride aboard a horse-drawn carriage in the downtown shopping and entertainment center, Seaport Village. While some might think a carriage ride sounds like a romance cliche, Wooley said, "Who doesn't want a little fairytale setting every once in a while?" For a 30-minute ride, costs start at $90 for a standard carriage, while those seeking the royal treatment can opt for a tour aboard a Disney-esque lit-up Cinderella carriage for $110. Longer rides are available for an additional charge.

Top off your evening by splitting a hot fudge sundae at Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop. This old fashioned soda fountain offers shakes, malts, cones, and sundaes galore plus a shop filled with Ghirardelli chocolates that you can take home as a sweet souvenir.

Luxury Lovers Date Night - La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is the place for those seeking the finer things. Start off your date with a trip to Victoria's Secret in the afternoon to pick up some lacy, frilly things for later. This store is located in the heart of the Cove's shopping and restaurants, with an oyster and pearl themed fountain out front.

Across the street is La Valencia, a historic hotel painted in sweetheart pink with a tri-level view of a La Valencia's green lawn trimmed with a necklace of fuschia flowers, beneath which is La Valencia's pool, below which stretches the Pacific Ocean.

For the ultimate in fine-dining, make reservations at La Valencia's Sky Room. Enjoy "California Fresh" cuisine with a sweeping ocean view. Their five-course prix fixe is $95. Start the evening with an appropriately pink kir royale or ask the sommelier to suggest something from their vast wine list.

Walk off those scrumptious calories with a stroll down to the Cove. Meander along the ocean cliffs to the Children's Pool, a man-made bay that California seals have claimed as their home.

My husband and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary with dinner at the Sky Room followed by a stay in one of the hotel's ocean-view rooms; truly it was one of the most romantic dates of my life.

Do you have any San Diego date night suggestions? Share them in the comments below!

Photos: Colleen Lanin