Living in Philadelphia is expensive. Home to several different colleges, Philadelphia is one of the best places to go for date night, however when you first start dating someone, or even have been dating someone long term, dishing out a large portion of money for a night in Philly may not be realistic. Even when we do have the means to mix it up sometimes, we need to know which places are going to be great, not just okay, for that special someone we're trying to take out. Below are some of my favorites and other places guaranteed to be fun and cheap all at once.
Spruce Street Harbor Park
Spruce Street Harbor Park is a gem in the middle of Olde City, Philadelphia. Known for it's place along the water and colorful hanging lights, Spruce Street has everything you're looking for in a date night venue. To start, it's completely free, and is open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. during the weekdays and closes at 1 a.m. during the weekends. Inside of this park are countless tables, chairs, and hammocks... yes, hammocks. These hammocks tend to fill up fast, but don't worry, you can reserve up to two hammocks ahead of time. Alongside the hammock area are tons of restaurant carts, fit to serve you anything from Mexican food to Chicago-style hot dogs to ice cream, and a selection of bars that hang off of the water. You can also relax on the cantilevered net lounges right over the water and play some of the arcade games like bean bag toss ad life-sized chess.
Sweet Charlie's
Sweet Charlie's, located right on Walnut Street, serves up some of the best Thai-inspired ice cream. What makes this ice cream different is how it' served - rolled, not scooped. Usually open until 10 p.m., this is the perfect place to stop on a date. With clever names like "Monkey See, Monkey Do" (pictured below) made with nutella ice cream, fresh bananas, and chocolate syrup, and "Off Duty Officer," which includes donuts and coffee ice cream, you will definitely find something that you like with all of its fixings, for $7.
Jim's Steaks
No, it's not Geno's and it's not Pat's, but Jim's is one of the best in Philly. Jim's Steaks is home to three locations, but I recommend the one on South Street. The minute you walk in, you can see hundreds of photos of celebrities, politicians, athletes and the like who have ever visited Jim's. If this isn't enough to convince you that Jim's is a strong competitor to Geno's and Pat's, order one whiz 'wit, and don't forget to grab a beer on your way out, all for around $9.
Union Transfer
Union Transfer, located on Spring Garden Street, is home to a concert venue and a restaurant. Prices depend on who's playing that night, but on average, you'll probably spend about $20/ticket, a low price to pay for a show in Philadelphia. Artists from Klingande, Cute Is What We Aim For, Corinne Bailey Rae, Balance and Composure, and The Naked and Famous are set to be playing at the Union Transfer between August and November.
Barcade
Barcade is a place that you will only find in Philadelphia. Located in Fishtown, Barcade combines a dive bar and an arcade where games are .25 cents per game. Open until 2 a.m. every day of the week, Barcade also has some awesome specials for those on a budget. On Fridays and Sundays, you can get any $6 beer, two tacos, and a side of nachos for $10, plus $1 tacos on Mondays.
Magic Gardens
For the creative bunch, Magic Gardens will show you that the simplest of objects can come alive. The floors are completely covered in stain glass and concrete, and you'll be taken around a maze of walls that contain everything from empty bottles and glass trinkets to statues and figurines. Magic Gardens prefers that you purchase tickets online giving you a preferred time of arrival. Most days, Magic Gardens will sell out of tickets. Tickets are usually $10.00 for adults $8.00 for students. Because Magic Gardens closes at 6 p.m., make sure to stop by one of the other places on the list right afterwards to keep the date night going.
Any single sports game
Being in Philadelphia means we are blessed with access to see almost every Philadelphia sports team play. From the Phillies, to the Flyers, to the Sixers and the Eagles, going to a sports game is as easy as a subway ride away. Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers tickets can get as low as $10 when you buy a few weeks ahead of time. Take the subway all the way south and enjoy your night with some of the most die-hard sports fans in the country.
Franklin Square Mini Golf
Until September, Franklin Square Mini Golf is open until 10 p.m. and switches back to 7 p.m. in October. Tickets are $9 per person, and there's tons to do if you end early. Head over to SquareBurger when you're finished to chow down on some of the best hamburgers in Philadelphia. Most Saturdays, Franklin Square will also hold a free movie announced on their website.
Sky Garten
Sky Garten is quickly becoming one of Philly's best beer gardens, and for good reason. Sky Garten sits atop of a 50-story building, giving you an incredible view with their drink specials. Located on Arch Street, Sky Garten is only open certain days of the week until about 10 p.m., so make sure to get there before they close and check what days they're open before leaving. Though one of the more expensive beer gardens, Sky Garten does participate in Center City Sips so they'll be having many different drink specials through the month August.
Helium Comedy Club
Helium Comedy Club is a unique establishment in Philadelphia. Located on Sansom Street, Helium Comedy Club serves up dinner and drinks along with its shows. You will need to purchase tickets ahead of time, but they usually are $20 or less. Their menus are ones you would never expect at a comedy club, like pizza, salads, and sandwiches for a reasonable price. You can select to view a show from as early as 7 p.m. to as late at 10 p.m., leaving your night open to having doing something else as well.
Mac Mart
Mac Mart is a new grab-and-go restaurant on 18th Street, serving up mac n' cheese in a way that you've never seen before. Open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., you can get anything from "Lobster 7 Cheese Mac" with 3 oz of fresh lobster within a bowl for $12, to the "Fat-n-Happy" with spinach and artichoke topped with bacon, fried onions, and ranch. All of Mac Mart's dishes are between $8-$12.
