Planning a first date can be a lot of pressure. You want to pick out an ideal location and propose an activity that is fun and engaging, shows you put in thought, and allows ample time for you and your date to get to know one other. On top of that, you have to consider where to take your date to eat. Of course, you do not want to resort to something cliché or something your date may have already done before. Luckily, Orange County has some unique locations that are fitting for some unforgettable first dates. Here are 15 ideas for first date spots with food suggestions in Orange County, where you are sure to have a memorable time and leave your date with a great first impression!
1. Hang out at the food halls in Downtown Santa Ana
4th Street Market is a trendy date spot in East End Downtown Santa Ana that hosts 15 different food and drink options, including Wingman Kitchen, Jinny’s Pizzeria, Dos Chinos, and Chunk N Chip.
You can enjoy your food at at outdoor seating area with music and games that was voted “Best Patio in Orange County”. They also have ping pong tables, giant Jenga and Connect 4 sets, and other board games available for you to play.
Just a block away from 4th Street is McFadden Public Market, another food hall with restaurants such as Rooster Republic, which serves “Nashville hot” fried chicken, and En Tu Boca, a Mexican-Asian fusion eatery.
Upstairs in this building, there is an 80’s vintage style bar and arcade upstairs called Mission Control, where you can play old-school games like pinball and Pac-man.
2. Chat over a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea
Orange County has plenty of cozy coffeeshops that you can visit with a date and enjoy some drinks while getting to know each other. Some notable places include Hidden House Coffee, MAZ café con leche, Portola Coffee Roasters, and Contra Coffee and Tea. These charming shops are more ideal for you to take a date to over your average hectic Starbucks.
3. See a concert at The Observatory
This would be an exciting experience to share with your date, especially if you share similar tastes in music. The Observatory is one of the most popular concert venues in Orange County that hosts up-and-coming artists as well as some popular and well-known artists from a huge range of genres. Tickets are reasonably priced at General Admission, and can be as low as $10. A few artists scheduled to perform in the coming months include Majid Jordan, Ja Rule & Ashanti, Ty Dolla $ign, T-Pain (for $20!), Oh Wonder, and Franz Ferdinand.
If you are feeling hungry after a concert, there is a Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and In-n-Out Burger right down the street.
4. Spend a day at Newport Beach Balboa Peninsula
Another first date option is Orange County’s beautiful beaches. At Newport Beach, you can walk along the Newport Pier at Balboa Peninsula, grab a snack at Banzai Bowls or Seaside Bakery, rent bikes, or even go paddle-boarding.
After a long day of activities and watching the sunset, you can have dinner nearby at Mama D’s Italian Kitchen, which was voted Yelp’s 2016 Best Italian Restaurant in America. The restaurant is known for pasta with their famous “Original Pink Sauce” and incredible hospitality.
5. Go indoor rock climbing at Sender One
Sender One, the largest climbing gym in Orange County, is sure to provide you with a fun and one-of-a-kind experience. A single day pass is $24 and allows you unlimited access to rock climbing, yoga, and fitness. If you are new to climbing, you can initiate a membership and attend a free Intro to Climbing class.
Feeling hungry after all that climbing? Drive a couple minutes out to 4th Street Market (Idea #1), Hole Mole tacos, or go all out with all you can eat Korean barbeque at Gen.
6. Take a scenic hike in Laguna Beach
For another active day date, plan a hike in Laguna Beach with sunny Southern California weather. You can hike to the “Top of the World” or explore Crystal Cove State Park, which has trails of varying difficulties. Alternatively, you can trek down to Thousand Steps Beach and walk along the tide pools. There are a lot of steps (I promise it’s not 1000), but the view is worth it.
After a hike, you can treat yourself to a milkshake at Ruby’s Crystal Cove Shake Shack. Or a gelato cone from Dolce Gelato, which constantly has new flavor themes switching out, such as Star Wars, Shakespeare, and Harry Potter.
For other options, you can dine at a restaurant with an ocean view.
7. Shop and eat at Pacific City in Huntington Beach
Pacific City is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment center located on the Pacific Coast Highway right across Huntington Beach Pier. A clear view of the ocean can be seen from both the first and second floors.
Some notable, date-worthy places to visit in Pacific City are Philz Coffee, for a mint mojito iced coffee, Burnt Crumbs, for handcrafted sandwiches and toast, and The Bungalow, for a drink at a bar with cozy interior decorations.
8. Share a delicious and filling brunch
Brunch is always a solid idea for a first date, and Orange County has plenty of brunch options that will not disappoint you. Plum’s Cafe in Costa Mesa serves a famous deep dish pancake, biscuits & gravy, eggs benedict, and coconut french toast, among many other delicious brunch plates. And of course, you can’t forget the mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.
Other great brunch locations in OC are Mama’s on 39 and Snooze an A.M. Eatery.
9. Play games (and win prizes) at Dave and Buster’s
For games, food, and drinks all in one place, take your date to Dave and Buster’s. Their “Million Dollar Midway” has over 200 new and classic arcade games. You can register to get a rechargeable “Power Card,” that keeps track of all your chip, ticket, and reward balances. All games are half priced on Wednesdays, and guess which day Valentine’s conveniently falls on this year.
There are multiple locations in Orange County, and one is right in the middle of the Irvine Spectrum Shopping Center. Irvine Spectrum has even more food options, such as Habana, an authentic Cuban restaurant, and Cream, an ice cream sandwich shop.
You can even take your date for a ride on the Ferris Wheel or go ice skating in the rink when it reopens in the fall.
10. Race your date in indoor go-karting
If your date is looking for a more thrilling experience, make a trip to K1 Speed, an indoor go-kart racing facility. Their Irvine location is one of the largest, with two professionally designed tracks and single races priced at $20.
For food options around this specific location, there is a huge plaza with a variety of Asian cuisines called Diamond Jamboree. One restaurant is Coco Ichibanya, known for their Japanese curry katsu dishes. Tokyo Table has a great happy hour and a bunch of shareable plates. The plaza even has you covered for dessert, which you can find at 85° Bakery or Afters Ice Cream.
11. Create a masterpiece at a wine & painting class
At Pinot’s Palette in Bella Terra Shopping Center, you can have a fun and creative experience with your date and take home a souvenir to remember your time together.
Pinot’s Palette has weekly events for you to sign up for in advance and choose which painting you would like to recreate, with step-by-step directions from a local artist. The studio serves wine and local craft beers for you to sip on while painting. There are 4 other locations in Orange County, each with different painting events.
In the same shopping center, there is a Century Theaters, where you can watch a movie comfortably in a large, reclining plush seat. The highly anticipated Marvel Studios Black Panther movie is coming out in February, and you can reserve your tickets online now.
12. Explore the streets of Old Towne Orange
Old Towne Orange is a historic landmark in the city that is perfect for strolling through with a date. The Orange Circle, with its large fountain in the center, is surrounded by modern shops and newer eateries, as well as a few more dated shops that sell antiques and records.
Among the restaurants around the Circle is Thai Towne Eatery, known for its award-winning Pad See Ew.
For dessert, grab a unique slice of pie from The Pie Hole or a milkshake from retro-themed Watson’s Soda Fountain and Cafe.
13. Try out the largest miniature golf course park in the country
Challenge your date in a round of miniature golf at Camelot Golfland in Anaheim. There are 3 themed courses to choose from with different obstacles. An 18-hole course is priced at $10.50. Camelot’s main attraction is miniature golf, but it also has laser tag, a race track, and an arcade.
#SpoonTip: Check online for deals and savings.
You can satisfy your hunger close by in Fullerton. An option is Izakaya Takasei, a restaurant that serves sushi and yakitori ten minutes away. If dessert in Anaheim sounds enticing, Elado has the best churro sundaes with horchata ice cream.
14. Have a food adventure at the OC Fair or Night Market
During the summer, local residents visit the OC Fair and Events Center for the annual OC Fair and OC Night Market. The OC Fair has plenty of activities, including playing carnival games, going on rides, petting zoo animals, and of course eating all the fair food you could possibly indulge in.
The OC Night Market, which is scheduled for a handful of dates each summer, brings together hundreds of food, merchandise, and craft vendors.
While waiting for summer to come, here is a schedule of other events coming to the center, including the Cirque du Soleil show Luzia, showing from February 21st to March 18th.
15. End the night watching fireworks at Downtown Disney
How can your date not be impressed by fireworks? While waiting for a show, browse through shops such as World of Disney, an enormous store that sells exclusive Disney merchandise. The new two-story bowling and dining complex, Splitsville Luxury Lanes, is now open.
Don’t forget to pick up a churro, candy apple, or bag of beignets to snack on!
Regardless, watching the Disneyland fireworks would be a spectacular end to a memorable date night!