Second Date Ideas in Berkeley

Make a night of live music at the Greek Theatre, an open-air amphitheater in the Berkeley hills. Pick a show you are both excited about, arrive early to settle in, and turn the concert into the main event of a longer second date.

Wander the galleries, then catch a film at BAMPFA, an art museum and film theater downtown. A film ticket also covers same-day gallery admission.

General admission costs $18, and on the first Thursday of every month nobody pays to see the galleries. BAMPFA is open Wednesdays through Sunday, and Kopi Bar and Bakery is on site with shorter hours than the galleries.

Watch the sun go down over the bay from the outdoor deck at Berkeley Boathouse, a waterfront restaurant at the DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina. Craft beer, wine and cocktails are on offer, the menu is California coastal, and the views take in the San Francisco skyline.

Learn to throw an axe in about 15 minutes with a coach at AxeVentures, an indoor spot on Telegraph Avenue. Food and drink are available, and some nights are glow-in-the-dark throwing.

Walk-ins are welcome, and the spot is open daily.

Share small plates over sake at Iyasare, a Japanese izakaya on Fourth Street that cooks with Californian ingredients. The dining room is among the most romantic in Berkeley.

The plates change regularly, and we'd start with the Ocean Umami, made with Hokkaido scallop, uni and ikura, or the eggplant glazed with sweet miso. Local wines, cocktails and a heated patio round it out. Book a week or two ahead.

Climb together at Berkeley Ironworks, a Touchstone Climbing gym in West Berkeley with slab walls, overhangs and bouldering. Beginners are covered too, since the 130-plus routes span every level.

A day pass is $35 after 3pm, or $30 before 3pm on weekdays. The gym is open Monday through Friday from 6am to 10pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 7pm.

Spend an afternoon with the hands-on exhibits and the full-dome planetarium at Lawrence Hall of Science, in the hills above campus.

An extra $4 fee gets you into the planetarium. The hall is open Wednesdays through Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The 'ammatka Cafe is temporarily closed, but food is sold in the Discovery Store.

Paint pottery together at Brushstrokes Studio in West Berkeley: pick a ready-made piece and decorate it yourselves, with no time limit.

A mug or bowl averages about $25, plus a $17 studio fee, and the price varies by piece. The studio is open from 12pm to 6pm and closed Tuesdays.

ZINO is a Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Berkeley, and its Valentine's Day celebration is an evening of romance.

An open kitchen built around large flat tortilla griddles sets the scene at Comal, a modern Mexican restaurant downtown. The back patio is covered and heated, so ask for it. Lounge chairs, communal tables and fire pits fill the space.

We'd start with the white shrimp ceviche or the rock cod tacos from the wood grill, plus something from the tequila and mezcal list. Dinner starts at 5pm and runs until 9pm Sunday through Wednesday and 10pm Thursday through Saturday. Book a week or two ahead.