As the saying goes, “money can’t buy love.” But it certainly can express it. This year, Americans collectively will spend a record $14.2 billion on Valentine’s day gifts — from greeting cards to jewelry to a special night out — with the average lovebird shelling out $186.
But you don’t need to empty your wallet just to show your romantic side. Depending on where you go and what you do, a sweet evening can be inexpensive and still have the same quality. You just need to be in the right place with the right budget.
With love in the air, WalletHub played cupid to determine the most romantic and cost-effective cities for celebrating Valentine’s Day. We compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities across 25 key metrics, ranging from florists per capita to forecasted precipitation to cost of a three-course meal for two.
For interesting stats about the holiday, check out WalletHub’s Valentine’s Day Fun Facts infographic.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Best Places to Go on Valentine’s Day
Overall Rank | City | Total Score | Budget Rank | Activities Rank | Gift Accessibility Rank | Weather Forecast Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | San Francisco, CA | 77.75 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 93 |
2 | Seattle, WA | 74.30 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 26 |
3 | San Diego, CA | 72.34 | 13 | 16 | 6 | 38 |
4 | Portland, OR | 71.84 | 20 | 9 | 10 | 12 |
5 | Las Vegas, NV | 71.12 | 51 | 5 | 2 | 48 |
6 | Atlanta, GA | 70.83 | 43 | 11 | 4 | 5 |
7 | Chicago, IL | 70.44 | 46 | 3 | 8 | 14 |
8 | Honolulu, HI | 68.82 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 30 |
9 | Orlando, FL | 68.29 | 69 | 4 | 3 | 19 |
10 | Scottsdale, AZ | 67.73 | 9 | 34 | 14 | 38 |
11 | Washington, DC | 66.81 | 27 | 6 | 24 | 30 |
12 | Denver, CO | 64.59 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 100 |
13 | New York, NY | 63.92 | 68 | 8 | 9 | 30 |
14 | Pittsburgh, PA | 63.80 | 60 | 17 | 13 | 2 |
15 | San Jose, CA | 63.57 | 3 | 60 | 36 | 55 |
16 | Virginia Beach, VA | 62.26 | 7 | 44 | 43 | 55 |
17 | Austin, TX | 62.24 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 97 |
18 | Los Angeles, CA | 61.33 | 73 | 13 | 12 | 63 |
19 | Boston, MA | 61.09 | 48 | 14 | 26 | 57 |
20 | Sacramento, CA | 60.60 | 26 | 31 | 29 | 18 |
21 | Tampa, FL | 59.59 | 70 | 22 | 17 | 17 |
22 | Phoenix, AZ | 59.22 | 37 | 51 | 21 | 48 |
23 | Miami, FL | 58.82 | 93 | 2 | 1 | 57 |
24 | Fremont, CA | 58.49 | 1 | 94 | 98 | 37 |
25 | Reno, NV | 58.35 | 25 | 32 | 49 | 23 |
26 | Nashville, TN | 56.86 | 57 | 26 | 30 | 29 |
27 | Gilbert, AZ | 56.73 | 2 | 92 | 93 | 30 |
28 | Minneapolis, MN | 56.44 | 33 | 25 | 37 | 89 |
29 | Irvine, CA | 56.20 | 10 | 68 | 73 | 68 |
30 | Charlotte, NC | 55.87 | 47 | 41 | 31 | 46 |
31 | Colorado Springs, CO | 55.73 | 21 | 50 | 42 | 74 |
32 | Plano, TX | 55.47 | 6 | 71 | 59 | 88 |
33 | Boise, ID | 55.38 | 19 | 63 | 54 | 45 |
34 | Chesapeake, VA | 55.04 | 5 | 93 | 96 | 66 |
35 | Chandler, AZ | 54.99 | 11 | 80 | 80 | 30 |
36 | Cincinnati, OH | 54.13 | 86 | 20 | 22 | 9 |
37 | St. Louis, MO | 53.91 | 81 | 12 | 16 | 99 |
38 | Anchorage, AK | 53.84 | 18 | 56 | 65 | 72 |
39 | Stockton, CA | 53.80 | 16 | 91 | 62 | 23 |
40 | St. Petersburg, FL | 53.76 | 56 | 36 | 46 | 19 |
41 | Raleigh, NC | 53.71 | 50 | 38 | 45 | 63 |
42 | Houston, TX | 53.37 | 79 | 21 | 15 | 92 |
43 | Dallas, TX | 53.18 | 76 | 29 | 19 | 86 |
44 | Jersey City, NJ | 52.95 | 17 | 66 | 86 | 30 |
45 | Columbus, OH | 52.49 | 63 | 47 | 44 | 7 |
46 | Durham, NC | 52.34 | 28 | 81 | 67 | 46 |
47 | Chula Vista, CA | 52.02 | 12 | 96 | 95 | 38 |
48 | Indianapolis, IN | 51.94 | 65 | 49 | 38 | 6 |
49 | Long Beach, CA | 51.73 | 61 | 37 | 52 | 57 |
50 | Fort Worth, TX | 51.71 | 31 | 52 | 58 | 75 |
51 | Anaheim, CA | 51.65 | 34 | 57 | 77 | 57 |
52 | San Antonio, TX | 51.64 | 75 | 30 | 23 | 85 |
53 | Jacksonville, FL | 51.00 | 72 | 43 | 41 | 10 |
54 | Omaha, NE | 50.92 | 32 | 39 | 74 | 87 |
55 | Fort Wayne, IN | 50.77 | 45 | 86 | 70 | 4 |
56 | St. Paul, MN | 50.77 | 38 | 46 | 51 | 90 |
57 | Henderson, NV | 50.56 | 24 | 87 | 89 | 19 |
58 | Baltimore, MD | 50.18 | 85 | 24 | 33 | 26 |
59 | Philadelphia, PA | 50.14 | 88 | 23 | 27 | 26 |
60 | Madison, WI | 49.64 | 53 | 48 | 68 | 73 |
61 | El Paso, TX | 49.38 | 62 | 53 | 57 | 57 |
61 | Bakersfield, CA | 49.32 | 36 | 84 | 79 | 63 |
63 | Riverside, CA | 49.16 | 44 | 85 | 69 | 57 |
64 | Tucson, AZ | 48.98 | 84 | 33 | 28 | 68 |
65 | Oklahoma City, OK | 48.76 | 52 | 59 | 53 | 79 |
66 | Mesa, AZ | 48.73 | 49 | 73 | 78 | 38 |
67 | Oakland, CA | 48.72 | 55 | 40 | 56 | 95 |
68 | Albuquerque, NM | 48.40 | 82 | 42 | 25 | 71 |
69 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 48.14 | 64 | 77 | 55 | 7 |
70 | New Orleans, LA | 47.91 | 95 | 7 | 32 | 1 |
71 | Louisville, KY | 47.70 | 83 | 45 | 39 | 11 |
72 | Arlington, TX | 47.42 | 30 | 74 | 87 | 97 |
73 | Kansas City, MO | 47.27 | 59 | 54 | 64 | 83 |
74 | Corpus Christi, TX | 46.74 | 42 | 82 | 76 | 82 |
75 | Lincoln, NE | 46.37 | 39 | 75 | 84 | 84 |
76 | Aurora, CO | 46.25 | 14 | 88 | 90 | 95 |
77 | Tulsa, OK | 46.14 | 66 | 61 | 48 | 81 |
78 | Fresno, CA | 46.04 | 74 | 69 | 66 | 38 |
79 | Glendale, AZ | 46.02 | 58 | 83 | 85 | 38 |
80 | Wichita, KS | 45.90 | 54 | 70 | 71 | 94 |
81 | Greensboro, NC | 45.63 | 71 | 76 | 60 | 36 |
82 | Garland, TX | 44.78 | 29 | 98 | 100 | 79 |
83 | Irving, TX | 44.31 | 35 | 95 | 91 | 78 |
84 | Lubbock, TX | 43.81 | 67 | 89 | 82 | 2 |
85 | Santa Ana, CA | 43.78 | 77 | 79 | 75 | 53 |
86 | North Las Vegas, NV | 43.18 | 23 | 99 | 99 | 48 |
87 | Norfolk, VA | 42.66 | 78 | 67 | 83 | 66 |
88 | Milwaukee, WI | 42.32 | 89 | 28 | 61 | 70 |
89 | Buffalo, NY | 42.07 | 94 | 35 | 34 | 22 |
90 | Winston-Salem, NC | 41.75 | 80 | 72 | 81 | 52 |
91 | Laredo, TX | 39.98 | 41 | 100 | 88 | 91 |
92 | Memphis, TN | 37.13 | 91 | 64 | 50 | 76 |
93 | Baton Rouge, LA | 37.03 | 92 | 62 | 47 | 76 |
94 | Toledo, OH | 36.87 | 90 | 78 | 92 | 15 |
95 | San Bernardino, CA | 36.83 | 87 | 97 | 94 | 53 |
96 | Cleveland, OH | 36.73 | 98 | 27 | 40 | 13 |
97 | Birmingham, AL | 35.99 | 97 | 55 | 35 | 16 |
98 | Newark, NJ | 32.01 | 96 | 65 | 97 | 48 |
99 | Detroit, MI | 30.59 | 99 | 58 | 72 | 25 |
100 | Hialeah, FL | 25.12 | 100 | 90 | 63 | 38 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Cheapest
- 1. Gilbert, AZ
- 2. Fremont, CA
- 3. Chesapeake, VA
- 4. Glendale, AZ
- 5. Plano, TX
- Most Expensive
- 95. Cleveland, OH
- 96. Albuquerque, NM
- 97. Santa Ana, CA
- 98. Miami, FL
- 99. Hialeah, FL
- Most
- T-1. Scottsdale, AZ
- T-1. Orlando, FL
- T-1. Honolulu, HI
- 4. Tampa, FL
- 5. Miami, FL
- Fewest
- 96. Gilbert, AZ
- 97. Detroit, MI
- 98. Henderson, NV
- 99. North Las Vegas, NV
- 100. Fremont, CA
- Most
- T-1. Miami, FL
- T-1. Orlando, FL
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- 4. Atlanta, GA
- 5. Honolulu, HI
- Fewest
- 96. Chandler, AZ
- 97. Aurora, CO
- 98. Gilbert, AZ
- 99. Henderson, NV
- 100. Garland, TX
- Most
- T-1. Honolulu, HI
- T-1. New York, NY
- T-1. San Francisco, CA
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- 5. Pittsburgh, PA
- Fewest
- 95. Lubbock, TX
- 96. Santa Ana, CA
- 97. San Bernardino, CA
- 98. Garland, TX
- 99. Omaha, NE
- Best
- 1. New Orleans, LA
- T-2. Pittsburgh, PA
- T-2. Lubbock, TX
- 4. Fort Wayne, IN
- 5. Atlanta, GA
- Worst
- T-95. Oakland, CA
- T-95. Aurora, CO
- T-97. Austin, TX
- T-97. Arlington, TX
- 99. St. Louis, MO
- 100. Denver, CO
In-Depth Look at the Best Places for Valentine’s Day
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco is the best place for celebrating Valentine’s Day, in part due to the fact that it has the highest prevalence of affordable restaurants, florists and gift shops rated at least 4.5 stars. That covers dinner and presents – but the city is also perfect for dates, with an extremely high number of attractions.
If you want to take a romantic stroll on Valentine’s Day, you’ll benefit from the fact that San Francisco ranks at the top of the most walkable cities. And for those who like to drink, it surprisingly has one of the lowest costs for beer and wine, when adjusted for the median household income.
Even if you’re just a new couple and plan to go with some basic cards and chocolate to celebrate, the Golden Gate City tops the list when it comes to card shops and chocolatiers per capita.
Seattle, WA
Seattle isn’t just the setting for famous romantic comedies – it’s also the second-best city to be in on Valentine’s Day. For those who want to spoil their partner, it has the highest prevalence of affordable jewelry shops rated at least 4.5 stars, plus also ranks at the top for affordable restaurants and florists.
Residents of the Emerald City also search for keywords relating to Valentine’s Day gifts, flowers, cards and chocolate more often than people in most other cities, which shows that they care about the holiday and want to make it special.
Seattle is also likely to have good weather on Valentine’s Day, according to the latest predictions, though things can naturally change.
San Diego, CA
San Diego is the third best city for Valentine’s Day, rounding out the list with another win for the west coast. If you want to pamper your Valentine, you could take them on a spa date, since the city has one of the highest number of wellness and spa centers per capita in the country.
America’s Finest City, as it’s often called, also has a high Google search interest for Valentine’s-day related terms, and an abundance of affordable restaurants, jewelers and florists. Plus, if you’re looking for a unique place to eat that will make the day memorable, San Diego’s restaurant options are more diverse than those of most other cities.
Tips for Saving Money on Valentine’s Day
- Plan a homemade dinner date: Instead of dining out at an expensive restaurant, opt for a cozy homemade dinner date. Cook together and enjoy a romantic meal at home, saving money while creating memories.
- Give personalized DIY gifts: Get creative and make personalized DIY gifts, such as handwritten love letters, photo albums, or handmade crafts. These heartfelt gestures not only save money but also demonstrate thoughtfulness and effort.
- Explore free or low-cost activities: Consider inexpensive or free activities to celebrate Valentine's Day, such as picnics in the park, stargazing, or scenic nature walks. Enjoying quality time together without spending extravagantly can be just as meaningful.
- Set a budget and stick to it: Establish a budget for Valentine's Day celebrations and make sure not to exceed it. Plan activities and gifts within your budgetary constraints, avoiding unnecessary expenses and financial strain. Going into debt just to have a better holiday isn’t worth it.
- Plan ahead for discounts and deals: Buying your gifts early gives you more time to take advantage of sales and special deals from merchants. It also gives you more time to plan out a gift that’s thoughtful.
Ask the Experts
Planning a date or buying gifts on Valentine’s Day shouldn’t break the bank. You can display your affection for that special someone while remaining smart about your finances. To help consumers stay within their budgets this year, we turned to a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What are some tips for celebrating Valentine’s Day on a budget?
- In evaluating the best places for Valentine’s Day, what are the top five indicators?
- Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year – how might this impact how people plan to celebrate?
- Who spends more on Valentine’s Day, men or women?
- What post-Valentine’s Day deals should savvy shoppers take advantage of?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to determine the best cities for Valentine’s Day, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated cities across four key dimensions: 1) Budget, 2) Activities, 3) Gift Accessibility and 4) Weather Forecast. Our sample considers only city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.
We evaluated the four dimensions using 25 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for celebrating Valentine’s Day. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Budget – Total Points: 50
Note: All of the following cost metrics were adjusted for the median household income of the city.
- Cost of Three-Course Meal for Two: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Note: We assumed that the cost of a three-course meal for two would increase proportionally across all cities on Valentine’s Day. - Prevalence of Affordable 4.5+ Star Restaurants: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Prevalence of Affordable 4.5+ Star Valentine Gift Opportunities: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: This is a composite metric which includes the following Valentine Gift Opportunities: a) Jewelry; b) Florists; c) Chocolate Shops; d) Cards & Stationery and e) Gift Shops. - Average Movie-Ticket Price: Full Weight (5.00 Points)
- Average Beverage Price: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: “Beverage” refers to wine, beer and cocktail prices. - Beauty-Salon Costs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Massage Costs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Taxi-Fare Cost: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Lowest Price for Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (5.00 Points)
Note: In 2018, 26 percent of U.S. adults prefer a romantic Valentine’s getaway as a gift, according to a Wakefield Research survey. “Hotel Room” refers to a standard room.
Activities – Total Points: 20
- Restaurants per Capita*: Double Weight (~4.44 Points)
- Diversity of Restaurants: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Cafés per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: “Attractions” include, for instance, museums, cultural performances and zoos. - Nightlife Options per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Walkability: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
- Amusement & Entertainment: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Most Fun Cities in America” ranking. - Share of Romantic Hotels: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Gift Accessibility – Total Points: 20
- Jewelry Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Florists per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Chocolate Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Greeting-Card Stores & Gift Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Wellness & Spa Centers per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Google Search Index for “Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas”: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric measures search interest for “valentine's gifts for him”, “valentine's gifts for her”, “valentine's day cards”, “valentine's day flowers” and “valentine's chocolate”.
Weather Forecast – Total Points: 10
- Difference Between Forecasted and Normal Temperatures on Valentine’s Day: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: For this metric, the city was penalized if its forecasted temperature on Valentine’s Day is colder than the holiday’s average temperature. - Forecasted Precipitation for Valentine’s Day: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of January 18, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Numbeo, Kayak.com, Google Ads, Walkscore.com, Yelp, TripAdvisor, AccuWeather, MassageBook, Expatistan and WalletHub research.
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