5 Romantic Things to Do in San Francisco

Nothing says romance quite like crisp white tablecloths, soft lighting, fine china, flowers and candles on every table, and that’s what you’ll get at AAA Inspector Pick and AAA Four Diamond Acquerello. A decadent three- to five-course Italian dinner is in store for you and your significant other at this award-winning, fine-dining establishment in Nob Hill. We recommend the signature dish from the truffle tasting menu: ridged pasta with foie gras, black truffle and Marsala. Or try a dish from the prix fixe menu, like the Liberty Farms duck breast with satsuma, garnet yam and roasted shallot.

Stroll hand-in-hand and take in the festive atmosphere around Fisherman’s Wharf. There are so many fun things to do: Pick up some kitschy souvenirs, ride the carousel together, chow down on some amazing seafood, and stop at the west marina on Pier 39 to see the renowned sea lions. After all, who can resist the gaggles of chortling “sea lebrities”? These whiskered chocolate-brown giants are terribly photogenic, not to mention comical, so snuggle with your sweetie and snap a pic with these celebrated cuties for that perfect Instagram moment.

A dinner cruise has all the ingredients for a romantic evening: an elegant four-course dinner, fancy cocktails, dancing to live music and ravishing vistas. If you can tear your eyes away from your sweetheart, gaze at the blazing sunset and the dazzling lights on the Golden Gate Bridge, then ogle the San Francisco skyline – the city lights are simply breathtaking in the still of the night.

San Francisco is world-renowned for its ornate, filigreed Victorian houses painted in a variety of colors; many were built in the late 1800s. You can find these fine painted ladies throughout the city, but a popular place to see them lies at Hayes and Steiner streets (aka Postcard Row), where they’re set against a backdrop of the city skyline and cloud-dusted mountains. Grab a take-out lunch from one of many nearby restaurants and sprawl out in the grassy park across the street for a picnic and a can’t-beat-it view. Hint: Use public transportation to get here; parking is almost nonexistent.

To paraphrase 11th-century poet Omar Khayyam, what’s more romantic than a glass of wine and thou? It’s always wine o’clock in Sonoma and Napa valleys, just a short drive from the city by the bay (roughly one to two hours, depending on traffic). Tour vineyards, sample lots of wine, peer at immense fields of green vines—really, what better way is there to while away a day with your sweetheart?