Being a student and living on a student budget does not mean that you should hide from Cupid and lock yourself in your room this Valentine’s Day.
Instead Valentine’s Day this year can be about creativity, adventure, and romance. We have suggestions for some inexpensive ways to express yourself without emtying your piggy bank. And trust us, your date will have fun!
Nature
Take a blanket and head to Carmel State beach to watch the sunset. Pack a picnic basket with some cheese, a baguette, and a bottle of wine from Trader Joe’s. Check the time the sun sets and get there at least half an hour early so you don’t miss it!
Bring a blanket, firewood, and matches for a bonfire. Oh yeah, and whatever you do, don’t forget the makings for smores!
Be an artist for the day at Big Sur. There are a variety of trails from Highway 1 down to the beach. Draw or photograph the view with your date. Get some great shots of each other among the redwoods, waterfalls, and the beach. Print the photos and make a memory album.
Visit the animals at the SPCA. Even if you are not in the mental or financial place to adopt, you can still go to pet the animals and give them some love.
Culture
Attend a play or musical production at Monterey Peninsula College. View their calendar of events.
Check out the art galleries in Carmel together. There are probably a dozen or so on Ocean Avenue and surrounding streets. Then stop by The Cheese Shop in the Carmel Plaza. Pick your favorite cheese and buy enough for the two of you to enjoy. OR Spend the afternoon at The Monterey Museum of Modern Art on Pacific Street. Admission is only $2.50 for students and $5.00 for non-students.
Go to Borders in Seaside for a poetry reading or a lecture by an author. While you’re at it grab a coffee, your favorite magazine, and cozy up for an hour in their cushy chairs.
Skip the high price of the movie theater and rent a video. Theaters charge $9.00 per ticket, Blockbuster charges $3.99 per video. That’s a savings of $13 on two tickets. And that’s not even including the savings in popcorn, soda, and candy costs. Need a few movie ideas…try a romantic comedy such as America’s Sweetheart, Bridget Jones Diary, Love Actually, or French Kiss.
Food
Setup the fondue set. Fondue can be quite romantic. Gather pillows around a coffee table. Pop a disc of Sinatra into your stereo, light those candles.
Catch Happy Hour at El Torrito on Cannery Row. Grab a window booth and watch the waves crash as you sip raspberry margaritas. Appetizers are 50% off until 8pm on Monday-Fridays and margaritas are under $3.00.
Check out Taste of Monterey on Cannery Row for wine tasting. For only $5 you can taste 10 different local wines. Plus the view is absolutely breathtaking!
Meet for brunch at your favorite public bench. On the way, stop by the bagel bakery for a couple of bagels and two coffees. Pick up a coast weekly at the paper stand in the bakery, they’re free! Browse the paper for the weekly horoscopes and see if you and your date’s signs align.
Feeling more like dessert? Instead of going out to a restaurant for dinner, go only for a nice dessert and coffee. Tarpy’s and Rosine’s are two excellent places to go for dessert.
Make a romantic pasta dinner. To help set the mood, play some Italian opera (if you don’t have Italian opera CDs around, try checking the local library), and light some candles. After dinner, relax with a romantic Italian film or the classic “Lady and the Tramp.”