Valentine's Day on a student budget
If you think you need money to enjoy Valentine's Day, think again.
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Valentine’s Day is approaching and many students are feeling the pressure to think of something fun and romantic to do with their partner or date. But with the current economic situation (and many students’ everyday economic situation) these dates can be hard to afford. That does not mean, however, that your dates have to consist of Kraft Dinner and a movie on YouTube. Check out this list of 10 ideas for fun, creative and student-friendly dates in the Halifax area.
10. East Coast artefacts
Halifax is a great place for museum lovers and a museum can be an excellent place to enjoy an inexpensive date. Admission prices are usually reasonable and often they have discounts for those attending a number of events throughout the year. One museum unique to the East Coast is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, located at 1675 Lower Water Street. You can check out videos about the Halifax Explosion and the Age of Steam. You can even see items recovered from the Titanic. The museum is open daily year round from 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., except for Mondays from Jan. 1 – April 30, and Nov. 1- Dec. 31.
(902) 424 7490
Estimated Cost: $17.50 (Admission for two adults)
9. The great outdoors
If the weather is on your side, go for a picnic! A walk through a local park creates a great opportunity to chat with your date and enjoy the outdoors, and doesn’t drain your wallet. Just minutes from downtown, Point Pleasant Park covers the southern tip of the Halifax peninsula. Have fun exploring the extensive walking trails and the ruins of several forts as you look for the perfect picnic spot. It can get icy in the winter though, so be careful. The park is located at the south end of Tower Road and the south end of Point Pleasant Drive. The park is open daily between 6 am and midnight.
Estimated Cost: The price is up to you! You can be as extravagant (think cheese, fruit, wine etc.) or as “budget friendly” (sandwiches, water in a travel mug etc) as you like.
8. Happy Maki Hour at Hamachi House
Winner of The Coast’s 2008 award for best sushi, Hamachi House is very budget friendly. If you like sushi, and you like saving money, check out Happy Maki Hour, from 10 pm until 12 midnight every night, with specials on drinks and appetizers. There are discounts of $0.25-$1.25 on specified rolls.
(902) 425-7711
Estimated Cost: Depends how hungry you are!
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7. Farmers’ Market
As well as contributing to the local economy and getting some of your grocery shopping done, you will likely find live music, great deals, opportunities for excellent people-watching, and interesting conversation at a farmers’ market. The Halifax Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday morning from 7a.m. until 1p.m. and is located at 1496 Lower Water St., at the Keith’s Brewery Building. Even more romantic than buying flowers for your date (although those are sold there too) spring for some fresh produce! What’s more romantic than a stocked fridge?
(902) 492-4043
Estimated cost: $10-$20. You'll be surrounded by kiosks all morning, so you're likely to end up buying something.
6. Boat Cruise
Want to spend your date watching the sunset on the ocean but think a boat cruise is out of your price range? Think again and think creatively. Halifax has its very own boat cruise that runs every 15 or 30 minutes! The Halifax/Dartmouth ferry costs only $2 per rider, though if you have a U-PASS then you can save that two dollars for coffee or hot chocolate at Tim Hortons. Check online to find out what time dusk is before you go so you don’t miss the beautiful East Coast sunset.
Metro Info: (902) 490-4000
Estimated cost: $8 for two round-trip tickets. The ferry is also covered by the U-Pass.
5. Tobogganing
A great way to "break the ice": try tobogganing with your date! It’s not only fun and free but can also be a great way to bond with someone you’ve just met. How can you be self-conscious when you’re both in snow suits and speeding down an icy hill? And where better to go tobogganing than at one of Canada’s most visited national historic sights, Citadel Hill? The grounds are open daily year-round between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
(902) 426-5080
4. Art Shows
Check out your own campus or other colleges and universities in the city for events.
At NSCAD, the Anna Leonowens Gallery has weekly exhibitions that include contemporary art by faculty, students and visiting artists. Keep your eye on campus posters, announcements and the campus newspaper for listings. Open Mon. 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tues. to Fri. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. noon to 4 p.m.
Phone: (902) 494-8223
Similarly, you can go to the Dalhousie Art Gallery at the Dal Arts Centre and check out the changing exhibits of historic and contemporary art for free! There is a film series that runs every Wednesday evening from September until May, plus a reading room full of art periodicals and catalogues. Open Tues. to Sun. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: (902) 494-2403
Estimated Cost: $0-$10. This one can be completely free, but the cost may go up a bit if you pick up a postcard or some student art.
3. Rooftop Picnic
If you don’t want to leave the house, but still want to have a creative date, go hang out on the roof! You might not be able to pull off the rooftop date that you have seen in the movies, complete with a violin player and a seven-course meal for two, but you can still be pretty creative.
Borrow a card table, tablecloth and cloth napkins if you need to, and some candles. With such a lovely setting, there is no need to be extravagant with the food. Order some Chinese take-out! Sweet-and-sour pork from Jean’s Chinese Cuisine will seem like one of the most romantic dates you've ever had.
Bonus Points: Earlier in the day, hang some twinkly lights nearby for extra atmosphere.
Estimated Cost: $10-$20 for food
(902) 444-7776
2. Volunteer
To add a bit more meaning to a traditional date, volunteer at a local soup kitchen together. It's the cheapest date possible and yet you might find that spending the night helping others will make you feel more connected to your date than a night at an expensive restaurant. Hope Cottage at 2435 Brunswick St. serves meals to those who need it between 10-11 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. every weekday. Call ahead to see how you can help. This would probably work best for couples who have been together a while, since most charities like their volunteers to volunteer at the same time every week.
(902) 429-7968
Estimated Cost: Free
1.Create Something Together
Do have an artistic as well as a romantic streak in you? Why not take your date to Clay Café? The café on Quinpool Road has shelf loads of ceramics just waiting for you to paint them. The two of you can either paint a small item for each other, like a picture frame of figurine, or the two of you could tackle a big project together, like a teapot. And there’s no reason this has to be for just one night; Clay Café will hold on to your half-finished masterpieces for you so that you can come back and work on it another night.
Estimated Cost: $15-30
(902) 429-2994
Halifax is a great city for dates. On top of having so many wonderful things to see and do, you can get to most of them for free! The most important thing to remember when you are planning cheap dates without actually being a cheap date is to use your imagination instead of your money. If you put in some effort your date can feel like a million bucks - even if you only spent $5.
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