Santa Barbara Top 5 Date Ideas

By Lauren Gallegos

Exciting news: you have a date coming up. Whether its with a classmate you’ve had your eye on for a while, or a longtime boyfriend/girlfriend, you want to create a memorable date without sacrificing next week’s ramen funds. Living on a college student budget doesn’t mean you can’t go on awesome dates; it just means you have to be a little more creative. Here are five of Ole Today’s favorite date ideas that won’t break the bank:

1. Go to your favorite restaurant during happy hour: Many local restaurants offer great happy hour deals that feature regular menu items for half the price. Although these offers usually end before the typical dinner date even begins, its worth the early meal in order to save a pretty penny.

2. Walk to the beach and have a picnic: Yes, this date idea is somewhat of a cliché, but hey, there’s no more romantic place than the ocean. Pack a couple of sandwiches, snacks, and drinks and head down to your favorite spot on the beach. To make the date less cheesy and more fun, have the picnic during the day instead of the usual sunset. Not only can the two of you work on your tans, but you can create an excuse to examine each others swimsuit bodies!

3. Put a twist on game night: Trading a night out together for a cozy night in, can not only be just as fun, but it can also be a lot cheaper. Make some popcorn, put on some good music, and pull out your favorite board games, and you’ve got a great inexpensive date. However, if this is too bland for your taste, you can always spice things up by suggesting a couple friendly wagers like, whoever wins gets a massage, or who ever loses has to take off a piece of clothing.

4. You don’t have to spend twenty bucks to see a movie on the big screen: about every Friday, the Magic Lantern puts on a film in I.V. Theater. Not only are the tickets reasonably priced ($4 for UCSB students) but the film also features cheap treats and a raffle with great prizes. This is a great alternative to local over-priced movie theaters that won’t even let you bring in your own food.

5. Get fit together: It can be a real drag working out sometimes, but if you do it with someone you’re really into, it can become a lot more interesting. Meet each other at the Rec Cen and do something fun that will also make you break a sweat, like rock-climbing, rollerblading, or even racquet-ball. When you’re all done, you can treat yourselves to some yogurt, or even a home cooked meal.