aybe you’re a poor college student trying to impress your crush. Maybe you lost your money on dogecoin but haven’t shared it with your wife yet. Or maybe you’re just a cheap bastard. Whatever your reason is for needing a cheap date night, we get it, we’ve been there. And let’s be honest, not every date night needs to be had in a luxurious setting with over-the-top food – in fact, half the time those fancy restaurants don’t even pass muster for. So how can you have a cheap date night in San Diego – one of the most expensive cities on the planet? Well, you can either ghost your date, or you can follow our quick and easy itinerary in the University Heights neighborhood for a fun date that won’t break the bank.

The Itinerary

1. Grab Dinner To Go at Pop Pie
2. Eat In Trolley Barn Park
3. Go To The Lancers
4. Get An Ice Cream Bar at CVS

Grab Dinner To Go at Pop Pie

Pop Pie serves hand-held savory and sweet pies with delectable, all-butter crusts, and each location functions as both a morning pie shop (serving coffee) and an evening pie shop (serving beer). They have pastries as well – sausage rolls, cookies, guava cream cheese pastries (best thing on the menu), and homemade pop tarts.

Pop Pie is the perfect place to go for a casual dinner that won’t break the bank. Get your pie warmed up at the restaurant and then take it to go.

Eat In Trolley Barn Park

Located at the northern border of University Heights, Trolley Barn Park is a lovely open grassy park and playground. Bring a blanket or some chairs and find a spot in the nice grassy field to eat your pie. If you are lucky and it is summer they host a Summer Concerts in the Park series, usually running every Friday evening in July.

Go To The Lancers

The Lancers is mostly a dive bar. It is cash only and no frills. But it is nicer than most dive dive bars. Get a Miller High Life.

Get An Ice Cream Bar at CVS

Oh we’re sorry, did you think we were gonna suggest getting Stella Jean’s Ice Cream during “cheap date night”? One of the more famous and expensive ice cream parlors in the city? No. You don’t get the $16 ice cream cone.

You can get the $2 choco-taco and deal with it.