Cheap Date Night Ideas in San Francisco, CA
Cheap date nights in San Francisco, CA under $30/person include Angel Island State Park ($20), House of Air ($29), San Francisco Recreation & Parks (Free), San Francisco Recreation & Parks ($30), and Stern Grove Festival Association (Free). Look for weeknight specials and happy hour deals to stretch your budget further.
Indoor trampoline park in a converted Presidio airplane hangar. Grip socks required ($4). Closing Feb 2027 -- go before it's gone.
926 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94129 · Mon 10am-7pm, Tue-Fri 3-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-1pm · Ages 3+
Free summer concert series in a eucalyptus grove. Kid Zone with face painting and instrument petting zoo. Bring a blanket.
19th Ave & Sloat Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132 · Gates noon, concert 2pm, Sundays mid-June through mid-August
Free. A small herd of actual bison in the middle of San Francisco. Kids lose their minds every time.
John F Kennedy Dr & Chain of Lakes Dr, San Francisco, CA 94121 · Visible during park hours, daily
Rent a pedal boat or rowboat. Paddle around the island. The waterfall on the north side is hidden and great.
50 Stow Lake Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Boat rentals daily 10am-4pm (weather permitting)
Seven floors of modern and contemporary art. Frida Kahlo, Warhol, Calder. Rooftop sculpture garden with city views. Free under 18. Late Thursdays open until 8pm. Federal employees free with ID.
151 Third St, San Francisco, CA 94103 · Mon-Tue 10am-5pm, Wed closed, Thu noon-8pm, Fri-Sun 10am-5pm
1915 Beaux-Arts rotunda and colonnades built for the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Grounds and lagoon free to visit year-round. Indoor theatre (1,000 seats) hosts concerts, ballet, comedy, cultural performances.
3301 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123 · Grounds open daily; theatre hours vary by event
Fine arts museum in Golden Gate Park. American art from the 17th century on, textile arts, contemporary international. Hamon Observation Tower has free 360-degree city views. Free first Tuesdays. Japanese Tea Garden and botanical gardens nearby.
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118 · Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm, closed Mon
Acoustic sculpture at the tip of a jetty. 25 PVC organ pipes make music from bay waves. Views of Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, and the skyline. Go at high tide for the best sounds; at low tide the pipes are basically silent. Full moon tides are loudest. 1.8-mile trail connects to Crissy Field.
83 Marina Green Dr, San Francisco, CA 94123 · Open 24 hours
300+ coin-operated mechanical machines from the 1800s to 1990s. Free admission, machines cost a quarter or fifty cents each. Bring $5-10 in coins. The oldest machines in the back (fortune tellers, execution dioramas) are the best part. Open 365 days.
Pier 45, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Daily 10am-8pm, 365 days a year
Free museum inside the actual cable car barn and powerhouse. Watch the massive winding wheels pulling 9.6 miles of cable at 9.5 mph from the mezzanine. This is the real system, not a replica. Three antique cable cars from the 1800s. Donations cash only. Wheelchair ramp on Washington St side.
1201 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108 · Tue-Thu 10am-4pm, Fri-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon
163 tiled steps with a sea-to-sky mosaic, completed in 2005. Best photos before 10am or after 4pm. Take the N-Judah to 15th & Judah and walk up, or get dropped at the top. Tiles can be slippery. Grandview Park nearby for city views. Residential area, keep it quiet.
16th Ave & Moraga St, San Francisco, CA 94122 · Open 24 hours (residential area, visit during daylight)
Two steep concrete slides built into a hillside, designed by a 14-year-old in the 1960s and opened in 1973. Choose the red slide or the yellow slide (steeper and faster). Bring cardboard to sit on — without it, the concrete friction slows you down and ruins your clothes. Locals grab flattened boxes from nearby stores. The slides are steeper than they look and the yellow one is legitimately thrilling. Hidden in a residential area and easy to walk right past.
30 Seward St, San Francisco, CA 94114 · Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon
Free museum about the science of sight, run by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. 38,000+ artifacts including antique surgical instruments, optical illusions, and exhibits on how vision works. More interesting than it sounds. Most people walk right past it on the way to Ghirardelli Square.
645 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94109 · Wed-Sun 11am-4:30pm, closed Mon-Tue
Outdoor food truck park with trucks rotating from 200+ Bay Area operators. Free entry, food $10-18 per item. Fire pits, lawn games, bar. Weekday lunch has short lines; Fri/Sat evenings are packed. Dogs welcome. Check @sparksocialsf on Instagram for daily lineups.
601 Mission Bay Blvd N, San Francisco, CA 94158 · Mon-Thu 11am-3pm & 5-9pm, Fri 11am-3pm & 4-9pm, Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-5pm
Free outdoor concerts in a natural eucalyptus grove amphitheater, running Sunday afternoons mid-June through mid-August since 1938. Classical, jazz, pop, world music. Reserve free tickets online in advance. Bring a blanket and picnic.
19th Ave & Sloat Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132 · Sunday afternoons, mid-Jun through mid-Aug, typically 2pm
Victorian-era saloon on Columbus Ave with free live jazz and ragtime most evenings from 8pm. No cover. Mahogany bar, pressed tin ceilings. Craft cocktails and small plates.
155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Tue-Sat 4pm-12am, closed Sun-Mon
Free monthly night market in Chinatown with 40+ vendors, food stalls, games, DJs. Typically one Saturday per month, 6-11pm. Check the schedule for dates.
Grant Ave & Clay St, San Francisco, CA 94108 · Monthly, typically one Saturday evening, 6-11pm
Coastal ruins of a Victorian-era bathhouse — free, haunting, and best in fog.
1004 Point Lobos Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121 · Sunrise to sunset daily
Largest island in SF Bay — ferry from Pier 41, hike to 360-degree views.
Ferry from Pier 41, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Ferry schedule varies, check Angel Island Ferry website
Tucked in a Financial District alley — 100+ wines by the glass, no attitude.
408 Merchant St, San Francisco, CA 94111 · Mon-Sat 5pm-12am, closed Sun
Brand new for 2026. SF's largest outdoor rink at Fisherman's Wharf. Waterfront views. ~$20-25 including skate rental.
80 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133 · Daily 10am-11pm
$15 adults, $7 skate rental. Year-round indoor rink in downtown Oakland. Easy BART ride. Less crowded than anything in SF.
519 18th St, Oakland, CA 94612 · Mon-Sun, hours vary by day -- check website
$20 admission, $8 skate rental. The only permanent outdoor ice rink west of the Sierras. Open mid-October through April. Book online -- sessions sell out.
3009 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306 · Sessions vary by day -- Mon/Tue 3-5pm, Wed-Sun multiple sessions, check website