13 Cheap (But Fun!) Atlanta Date Ideas For Couples on a Budget
It can be challenging, but you can totally still add some romance to your relationship while staying within your budget goals! With a little creativity, you’ll find that you can still enjoy a night out on the town with your boo without spending major moolah. Here are some inexpensive date ideas around ATL.
1. Go on a Buford Highway Food Crawl
It feels like it’s hard to go out to eat nowadays in Atlanta and not spend at least 50 bucks, but you can definitely keep a date under $25 with a food crawl along Buford Highway, a stretch of highway/neighborhood in Atlanta famous for cheap eats from all over the world. Start with banh mis at Lee’s Bakery and end with dessert at Mango Mango Dessert or Matcha Cafe Maiko. Your date will love getting out and trying something new, and your wallet will thank you.
2. Have a Photoshoot at a Sunflower Field
This one is a summertime only date, but it’s truly worth adding this to your calendar for a memorable experience with your loved one! For a short time every year, the Georgia sunflower fields are in bloom, and it’s perfect for a weekend out. There’s several options around Georgia for you to visit, and the prices tend to be quite affordable. For just the cost of gas and $25 fee per car, you can gain entry to Anderson Sunflower Farms in Cumming. Faussett Farms in Dawsonville is another option, as is Copper Creek Farm in Calhoun.
3. Grab a Beer at Atlanta’s Breweries
Dinner out on the town can quickly add up with the costs of your meal plus potential cocktails, but one way to still enjoy a date out is to go for a beer or two instead at any of Atlanta’s fabulous breweries. Some have more extensive menus that also can get expensive, but pick a brewery, like Orpheus, that only has food trucks to also tamp down on your spending.
4. Grab coffee and pastries and stroll through the park
Going on a walk in beautiful Atlanta weather when we have it is definitely underrated. Grab a croissant, biscuit or pain au chocolat at the Chastain and walk and chat alongside the Chastain Park walking trails. Or, pick up a coffee and crepe at the Piedmont Park farmer’s market Saturday mornings or Grant Park farmer’s market for a picture perfect date. Your wallet will thank you!
5. Sip on beers and watch a show at local dives and venues
Catch a concert, but for cheap! Bars and venues like The Earl, 529 Bar, Aisle 5, and Smithe’s Olde Bar are always hosting small, local artists for free or cheap shows, making it the perfect relatively thrifty date night option.
6. Do a Tiny Doors Scavenger Hunt
Have you ever come across one of these Atlanta quirks? Local artist Karen Anderson started out creating cute-as-a-button 7-inch doors without any idea how much of a hit it would be. Now, you can find her doors all over Atlanta landmarks, and a wonderful date idea would be going on a scavenger hunt together and seeing how many you can find! From Atlantic Station to the Beltline to the Atlanta Botanical Garden, there’s a colorful, beautiful tiny door in a neighborhood near you. Check out their map to map out your scavenger hunt!
7. Go on a Hike
Put on your sneakers and get some fresh air at one of the metro area’s local trails. Kennesaw Mountain, Whitewater Creek, Stone Mountain, Roswell Mill, and Red Top Mountain are all less than an hour away and have easy to moderate walking trails. If you don’t mind going further, Panther Creek Trailhead has one of the coolest and most challenging hikes and waterfalls in Georgia, while Raven Cliff’s Trailhead also has a scenic waterfall that’s much easier to get to.
8. Get artsy at High Museum Sundays
There’s always something interesting happening at the High, one of the finest museums in the city. And something we love about this cultural institution is that admission is FREE for everybody on the second Sunday of each month from noon to 5pm! Allowing everybody to experience their art no matter their budget. So mark your calendars and bring a date for a Sunday stroll!
9. Pack A Picnic
If walking or hiking isn’t a thing, take the exercise out of the equation and just enjoy some good food out in nature. Packing a picnic at having a lovely meal at Piedmont, Brook Run Park, Roswell Mill, Grant, or any other of the city’s wonderful parks is a wonderful date idea. Pick up a Publix subs, a Coke and some chips. Or there’s also businesses like Buttery or Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party that’ll pack a picnic for ya!
10. Go On A Bike Ride
For just the cost of a bike rental (or better yet, bring your own), you can really get out and MOVE with your date with a bike ride along Silver Comet Trail or the Beltline! The Silver Comet Trail is a paved and beautiful, whopping 60 mile + trail that stretches all the way to Alabama. So be mindful that you will have to circle back at some point and don’t expect to loop back home! And the Eastside Trail of the Beltline is especially fun to bike–start from Piedmont Park and go all the way to Ladybird or Krog for a snack.
11. See a Drive-In Movie
What’s way cooler than Netflix and chill? Taking a step back in time and seeing a movie at the drive-in! And Atlanta’s lucky to have the Starlight Drive-in, which is very affordable at 10 bucks per person for not one, but two movies!
@atlantaeatstv Looking for something fun and inexpensive to do in ATL? Cascade always has the vibes #atlanta #skatetok #vibewithus ♬ original sound – Sturdy
12. Lace Up Your Skates At One of Atlanta’s Iconic Rollerskating Rinks
Rollerblade culture in Atlanta is something to experience! Check it out at Cascade or Sparkles Skate Rinks. Adults only skate nights are at Cascade on Wednesdays and Sundays, and adults only skate nights at Sparkles are on Sunday nights. Be aware that Cascade can get quite crowded, so go on the earlier side if you’re not a strong skater.
13. Visit the Fernbank Science Center
Yes, you’re probably familiar with the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, but did you know the Fernbank Science Center is completely free to the public? They have a planetarium and observatory perfect for stargazing and nerding out with your loved one!
Valentine’s Day at @WaffleHouse was 1000% the right move! #waffleHOME pic.twitter.com/6lUTrb5RzY
— Atlanta Eats (@AtlantaEatsTV) February 15, 2020
BONUS! Waffle House for Valentine’s Day
Since it’s something you can only do one day of the year, we didn’t want to include this event as one of our 13 cheap date ideas, but we would be remiss not to mention that Waffle House for Valentine’s Day is one of THE most fun cheap dates you can possibly do in Atlanta! At select locations, they go all out with Valentine decor, raffles, and even some special menu items. It’s a party and something you definitely need to add to your bucketlist! Reservations are required, so get a move on if that’s something you’d be interested in doing this year!
