Date nights in Pittsburgh are always something we look forward to, but they can be far and few between these days. With work and other obligations keeping us busy, it can be tough to find quality time to spend together. I wanted to take a night to slow down, unwind and enjoy an evening with my fiance in the city. I decided to plan a date night for two in Pittsburgh while staying under a budget of $100.
The North Shore
Our date started with taking our Newfoundland dog, Sammy, for a walk at the North Shore. We parked by the Science Center and walked the Riverfront Trail for about a mile and a half. This trail is one of our favorites in Pittsburgh because it’s a flat walk with great views of Pittsburgh. Our dog loves to walk by the river and see the birds, boats and people. Not only is getting outside and going for a walk fun and entertaining, it’s free! After our walk we dropped Sammy back off at home and still had $100 to spend.
Oakland
One of our favorite places to go in Pittsburgh is Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens on the east side of Pittsburgh. Phipps Conservatory is constantly changing its exhibits making every visit unique and exciting. We spent about an hour walking around Phipps. Our favorite room to see is the Broderie Room. The daily admission rate for adults is $19.95 making our total $39.90.
Shadyside
After Phipps Conservatory, we wanted to pick a local restaurant to enjoy dinner. We decided to make our way to Shadyside and eat at Noodlehead. Noodlehead is a restaurant with a menu that is inspired by the street markets of Thailand. You can dine-in or takeout at Noodlehead and can now order online, too. We chose to sit down and eat our meal. We ordered the crispy veggie spring rolls and pork belly steamed buns as our appetizers. They were both amazing but the spring rolls were my favorite. For our entrees, we both chose the street noodles with Thai fried chicken, bok choy, bean sprouts and cilantro. The crispy chicken and slightly spicy sauce was so good that we didn’t leave a single bite left on our plates. Our dinner including the tip was $47.
Of course, if you are in Shadyside, you absolutely cannot pass up going to Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream for dessert. Right when you walk into Millie’s you are greeted with their signature bright pink walls and the delicious smells of their homemade ice cream. I ordered a scoop of cookies and cream ice cream in a cup while my date went with the classic vanilla. There were so many tempting flavors it was hard to choose! Our total at Millies came to $10.16
On our drive home, we saw a spectacular view of the city with the lights reflecting on the river. We stopped the car so that I could capture the moment. Our date night gave us the opportunity to slow down and take in the beautiful city. From walking at the North Shore and visiting Phipps Conservatory, to supporting local businesses like Noodlehead and Millies, this evening out on the town was so special! From start to finish, our date night cost us $97.06, leaving us a few dollars under budget!
