Walking Date Ideas in San Diego

Start at Seaport Village and follow the bay, with the Coronado Bridge, sailboats, and kayaks in view. Wander the cobblestone lanes for kites, hammocks, and homemade fudge, and stop for ice cream or a ride on the historic carousel. For a date, stroll through Seaport Village and then catch the Coronado ferry around sunset from behind the Convention Center.

Head north along the waterfront past the USS Midway, the oversized WWII statue The Kiss, and the Maritime Museum with the Star of India. The walk ends across the street at San Diego County Waterfront Park, which has a playground and splash fountains. Hours at Seaport Village differ by business, but the village as a whole runs 10am to 9pm every day.

Begin at the red-roofed Hotel del Coronado, go around to the beach side, and follow the paved path north along the ocean. It takes about 30 minutes to reach Coronado Dog Beach, and you can also start at the dog beach and walk south.

Farther north, the dunes spell out Coronado, and the O is the easiest letter to pick out. On Ocean Boulevard, the dog beach faces Sunset Park and sits beside the North Island naval station, with the Point Loma headland to the right and the hotel to the left. Parking is free on the streets around it.

Coast Walk Trail follows the La Jolla bluffs for 0.6 mile, close to La Jolla Cove and the village's boutiques and restaurants. The views are big and the effort is lighter than on most Southern California trails.

Continue onto the paved walkway through Ellen Browning Scripps Park, with the Cove to the north and the Children's Pool, where harbor seals rest, an easy walk south. Couples looking for a romantic sunset spot can picnic on the lawn, which is free to enjoy. Street parking along Coast Boulevard is difficult, and alcohol and glass are not allowed in the park.

Walk into the Gaslamp Quarter, where Victorian-era buildings stand beside modern towers and the blocks fill with restaurants, clubs, pubs, theaters, galleries, and boutiques. Horton Plaza Park makes a good pause, with an interactive fountain, lawns, and vendors selling ice cream and coffee.

North of downtown, Little Italy adds Italian restaurants, cocktail bars, pubs, boutiques, and a farmers market each week. Piazza della Famiglia, on W. Date Street between India and Columbia Streets, has a tiled fountain, umbrella tables on the cobblestones, and views of San Diego Bay. The Little Italy Mercato runs Saturdays from 8am to 2pm and Wednesdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm.

Go as far as you feel like on the paved bay paths, anywhere from half an hour to half a day, with water views throughout. Stops include Dana Landing marina, Quivira Basin for waterfront shopping and dining, and Sail Bay, where the running path is wide.

Cut through the reception of the Catamaran resort at 3999 Mission Boulevard to get onto the waterfront path. Kayak and paddleboard rentals are there too. Keep going and the route connects to the Mission Beach boardwalk.

Liberty Station, a former Naval Training Center campus in Point Loma, pitches itself as a casual date night for someone you would like to know better. Two main promenades run through the Arts District and past NTC Park to the water, and the walk takes 30 to 45 minutes without retracing your steps.

More than 30 artist studios and galleries operate in the Arts District, and most welcome visitors. Walk in and leave when you're ready, with no reservation on a standard evening. Galleries extend their hours on the first Friday of each month. Liberty Public Market is open every day from 9am to 8pm. Parking is free.

Shops and restaurants line one edge of Mission Beach Boardwalk and the sand and sea the other, over 3.5 miles. It is a laidback date idea, and biking it together is one option.

Along the way, get ice cream at Big Kahuna's, drinks at Lahaina Beach House, and a look at Belmont Park, home to The Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, the Vertical Plunge, and Beach Blaster.

Mission Trails covers more than 8,000 acres about eight miles northeast of downtown, with roughly 60 miles of trails. From the Visitor Center, take the flat loop trail along parts of the river, which is walkable in about an hour. Or follow the road to the Old Mission Dam, about 1.75 miles away and closed to traffic on one side.

Balboa Park spreads over more than 1,200 acres of paths, gardens, museums, restaurants, and historic buildings, and you can walk there from the Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy. Pillar-lined avenues lead past the Moreton Bay fig, the Lily Pond, and the Botanical Building. For a longer outing, the 4.5-mile Balboa Park Loop winds through canyons that fill with spring wildflowers.

The Japanese Friendship Garden suits a romantic stroll, and a grassy knoll is there for a picnic. Website: balboapark.org

Sunset Cliffs is a 68-acre park on the western edge of Point Loma, with carved bluffs, arches, sea caves, and panoramic ocean views. Gray whales can often be seen migrating past.

Head to the Ladera Street area for sunset, where parking is on the street or in a few small lots. A late-afternoon picnic on the cliffs makes a romantic yet casual date, with dinner in nearby Ocean Beach afterward.