Living in small town San Dimas, fun date ideas must seem so out of reach if trying to be local. But don’t worry, the Saint Scroll is here to provide some cute ideas- especially for Valentine’s Day which is right around the corner. 

Local Date Ideas

Bonelli Park

Located right next to our favorite amusement park, Raging Waters, Bonelli is a beautiful big park. The park has an entry fee of $12, which is definitely reasonable. Set up a pretty picnic or take a walk on their trail which includes beautiful nature scenery of trees, flowers, and the lake. There are also many fun playgrounds, so if you and your partner are up to it, go down some slides. The park is big enough to set up a picnic on the many fields of grass or the sand on the lake. It’d be perfect timing to watch the sunset as well. If you’re having a picnic, don’t forget the flowers for a nice touch!

Pottery Painting 

Color Me Mine is located in Covina. This date can be on Valentine’s Day or any day. It is overall a super cute idea that your significant other will love and cherish forever. Whether that be painting a mug, plate, trey, or statue of a dog- this is the cutest date, and it comes with a memorable item. Though prices may range depending on the item of choice, it is worth every penny.

 Brunch

Local places such as Butter!, Twisted Sage, and In-House are located in San Dimas and are definitely worth the time and money. All locations’ sit down brunch places are simple yet nice for just talking. All places are in-expensive and close by.  It’s also fun to grab to-go and sit at a nice viewpoint such as the one in Via Verde, the Antonovich Trail.

 Cooking/Baking

This event takes place right at your home! Just stop by your local grocery store such as Target, Vons, Trader Joe’s, etc., and grab a Pinterest recipe. For Valentine’s, heart-shaped pasta or chocolate-covered strawberries would be just the perfect lunch, dinner, or sweet treat. This is such a fun way to spend time with your significant other and also a great way to save.

Dinner

Whether it’s a homemade dinner or at a local restaurant this date idea, this date ranges from cheap to expensive- depending on the restaurant. Some local favorites are Spaghetti Eddies in Glendora and Buca di Beppo in Claremont, which are both Italian restaurants. Another place is Chase’s in La Verne and Eureka! in Claremont.  Both are American cuisine resteraunts. This one is a little farther, but Din Tai Fung in Arcadia is a yummy option if craving Chinese food. Or you can just go to the Glendora Shopping Center and grab Chick-Fil-A or Canes and head to a local viewpoint as well.

Hiking

If adventure or nature is more your scene, there are plenty of great hiking trails around San Dimas. The most local one is the Antonovich Trail. There are many different pathways and ways to enter the trail. It is an easy hike and super fun. The next closest one is The Loop in Claremont. This one is hiking uphill but not hard whatsoever. It is very scenic and pretty, a personal favorite. After hikes, it’s always nice to head to a bagel place such as 42nd Street Bagel Cafe in downtown Claremont or Klatch Coffee in San Dimas.

Date Ideas

Beach

Whether it’s watching the sunrise, having a picnic, or watching the sunset- the beach is one of the most beautiful places to take your significant other on a date. Just like Bonelli, a picnic would be great to have with the waves crashing in front of you as a view. If you or your significant other is an early morning person, sunrise is always a beautiful sight to watch with a coffee around your hand and blankets around your shoulders, and the same thing goes for sunset. On a sunny day, swimming or surfing in the water together will always bring pure joy and laughter- just like Noah & Allie from The Notebook. 

Aquarium

The aquarium is such an underrated date location. The scene is calming yet interesting to those who love marine life or are intrigued by it. Touch the stingray or moon jellyfish while you’re there. It’s about $45 per ticket at the Aquarium of Pacific in Long Beach and there are great lunch or dinner options surrounding that area.

Dinner

If you are willing to take the drive and spend the money, there are many dinner places that are worth the price and perfect for a date night. Located in Los Angeles, Bacari Silverlake is definitely on the expensive side but gorgeous with the outdoor seating a string lights. If you’re looking for a beautiful rooftop view, Catch LA has gorgeous city views, serving seafood & Japanese food.  In Laguna Beach, Splashes is a beautiful restaurant with ocean view seating- not limited to dinner, this place serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Pelican Grill, located in Newport on the Pelican Hill resort is an amazing place for any time of day as well (one of my favorite places), this restaurant has a gorgeous ocean view but is located on an extravagant resort.

Lantern Festival

Though these events are at random, they are definitely sweet. Just like Laura-Jean and Peter Kavinsky in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (P.S I Still Love You) any sort of lantern festival whether it’s floating in the air or in the water is a perfect night. Customizing the lantern with you and your partner’s initials with a heart or any special date/quote dear to the both of you is very romantic. Don’t forget to capture this memorable night.

We hope that these ideas give inspiration for the next couple dates, and they make your significant other the happiest. Have the best Valentine’s Day dates scroll-cialists.

Xoxo, The Saint Scroll