Mom and dad are going out ... but where?

August 18, 2011 2:49 PM

Fun, early-evening date nights in San Francisco for exhausted parents a wannabe-romantic married couple?

Mr. CruiseSavvy and I have a toddler and an infant, and both work, but we've committed to ourselves that we'll get a babysitter and go out as a couple at least once a month, every month. But what to do?

Dinner out is good, but we've done that. A lot. Movies seem like a waste, since we're not really spending time together. Late night stuff is out because to avoid total brain-death, we need to go to bed pretty darned early (and frankly nightclubs were never really our thing anyway).

Between work and baby our powers of creativity are kinda drained. Hivemind, please help!

Here are our parameters:
- Our window of opportunity is 6:30pm - 9:30pm on the first Tuesday of the month (Day can be flexible, but should be a weekday. Time is not flexible.)
- We live in the Financial District, right by the Ferry Terminal
- We love to walk, we have a car (though 6:30 traffic might be irritating), cabs are fine too
- We don't mind spending money, but we aren't budgeting for Gary Danko anytime soon

In case it helps, my all-time favorite pre-baby dates were: (a) A trip to the Exploratorium, including the Tactile Dome. Unfortunately they're not open late. (b) Touring the Mumm Champagne caves in France. But now we've kinda "done" wine, and even Napa / Sonoma are too far.

Thank you!

posted by CruiseSavvy to human relations (13 answers total)

City Arts & Lectures. (They wrap up at the eminently civilized time of 9:30, at the latest. They're shorter and usually smarter than a movie, and give you stuff to talk about on the way home.)

SFMoma is open till 8:45 on Thursdays.

How about Nightlife at the California Academy of Sciences?
posted by purpleclover at 2:56 PM on August 18, 2011

I keep tabs on fun cheep sf on a regular basis for unusual date ideas. They mostly post weekend things, but there are often interesting things to do on weeknights as well.
posted by ruhroh at 2:57 PM on August 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

what about evening hours at the academy of sciences or sfmoma? I think both are on thursdays.
posted by juliapangolin at 2:58 PM on August 18, 2011

We liked just hanging out at coffee shops for a couple of hours of interrupted conversation.
posted by COD at 3:03 PM on August 18, 2011

you could also hit Off the Grid (best one would probably also be thursdays, in the upper haight). It's just dinner, but its a pretty different setting, and if you order one thing, share it, then go to another truck and get something else, it can feel like more of an event.
posted by juliapangolin at 3:09 PM on August 18, 2011

oh, also, cheese school is WONDERFUL
posted by juliapangolin at 4:09 PM on August 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Night hike through Glen Park Canyon (BARTable).
Cartoon Art Museum night shows.
Hike up the stairs to see the parrots on Telegraph Hill and camp out near Coit Tower for a nice view.
YBCA is open on Thursdays.
posted by benzenedream at 4:18 PM on August 18, 2011

Go to Jack Early Park.

Get a day pass to the saltwater pool at the St. Regis.
posted by cior at 5:49 PM on August 18, 2011

Tourist night! Walk to North Beach and get coffee.

Go to Powell St. Get a slice of pizza and take the cable car.

Head to Golden Gate Park via Muni and explore.
posted by zippy at 6:44 PM on August 18, 2011

Seconding the Cheese School. It's interesting, interactive, educational...delicious. It's possibly one of my favorite things to do in the city.
posted by JuliaIglesias at 7:55 PM on August 18, 2011

well groupon and living social will inspire you if you're on a budget.

I recommend candybar at fulton and divis. they open early, like 6pm. sexy and romantic and affordable.

and hey, there's movie theaters, if you can find something worth watching that is :p
posted by DesmondDoomsday at 10:10 PM on August 18, 2011

6:30pm - 9:30pm on the first Tuesday of the month (Day can be flexible, but should be a weekday. Time is not flexible.)...trip to the Exploratorium, including the Tactile Dome. Unfortunately they're not open late.

Make it Thursdays night. You'll be able to do a monthly After Dark night at Exploratorium with grownups-only, cash bar, cool one-night-only exhibits and performances, and (of course) Tactile Dome. In between, you'll have the aforementioned weekly Nightlife events at the Academy of Sciences.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 4:18 PM on August 19, 2011

Exploratorium After Dark
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 4:19 PM on August 19, 2011