Everyone wants the kind of things that money just can’t buy — except on Valentine’s Day, otherwise known as “The Day Love Costs Money.” This year, the average lovebird will spend $146.84 and nearly $20 billion collectively to show just how fat our hearts are.
But is it really necessary to tank our wallets in exchange for love? We know what J. Lo would say. And if you’re already as sweet as Valentine’s Day candy, we think you don’t have to try so hard — or blow that much cash unless you can afford to. As for the rest of us, it helps to be in the right place with the right budget.
With love in the air, WalletHub’s number crunchers played cupid to find out which of the 100 largest cities are the most romantic but also the easiest on our finances. And if you live in or near one of the best, you might just be in luck. Our data set of 15 key metrics ranges from restaurant-meal costs to number of attractions to number of florists per capita. Scroll down for the results, insightful commentary from love experts and our detailed methodology.
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10. | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – TOTAL SCORE 61.61
A Sweetheart Couples Skate is scheduled for both North Park and South Park on Valentine’s Day, plus Valentines on Ice is on the calendar at the Schenley Skating Rink. If you’re prefer to avoid the Valentine’s Day crowds, then check out the Y108 Sweetheart Skate and the KISS Lovers Skate events at the Rink at PPG Place.
There are a slew of fun things to do around the Pittsburgh area. Whether you’re looking for a great date idea, a new way to meet people, or a unique way to spend time with the family and here are the 14 options to get you started.
9. | Chandler, Arizona – TOTAL SCORE 63.75
The City of Chandler, AZ is one of the fastest growing cities in the country featuring beautiful Arizona resorts, it’s no wonder why it’s one of the great Arizona vacation spots. City of Chandler are graced with near perfect weather – more than 330 sunny days a year, and an average temperature of 85 degrees making the city a great place to visit.
8. | Irvine, California – TOTAL SCORE 65.04
Irvine is one of the most family-friendly destinations in the country, ranked “America’s Safest Big City” by the FBI since 2005 and less than half an hour from some of California’s best-loved attractions.
7. | Portland, Oregon – TOTAL SCORE 65.90
Whether you’re into costumed bike rides or riverboat cruises, this funky city has you covered this Valentine’s Day.
Portland has plenty of memorable ways to celebrate the holiday, from quirky daytime outings to traditional romantic dinners.
6. | Las Vegas, Nevada – TOTAL SCORE 66.22
Vegas is the wedding capital of the United States with about 4 percent of all U.S. weddings taking place here each year. In 2014, 80,738 couples tied the knot in Clark County, more than any other county in the United States. Maybe it’s because they have no waiting period and don’t require a blood test. Nah… it’s because you can get married by Elvis.
This year marks the first Valentine’s Day since gay marriage was legalized in Nevada so now there are even more reasons to celebrate.
5. | Seattle, Washington – TOTAL SCORE 68.44
Seattle is oozing with awesome activities for you and your loved one. Whether it’s someone you just started dating or someone you’ve been attached to for the last 50 years, these Valentine’s Day date ideas in Seattle are perfect for everyone!
4. | Orlando, Florida – TOTAL SCORE 69.48
Looking for unique Valentine’s Day ideas that will make your sweetheart swoon? This Valentine’s Day in Orlando, let them help you dream up a special surprise for your special someone.
Planning the ultimate romantic moment, that’ll send hearts soaring, is not an easy task. City of Orlando love squad has created an unexpected list of heart-fluttering experiences that your romantic partner is sure to enjoy.
3. | Honolulu, Hawaii – TOTAL SCORE 75.79
If you want to have a romantic Valentine’s Day, there is no better place to spend it than in a tropical paradise like Honolulu, Hawaii. Valentines Day activities in Honolulu are easy to come by since the beach city itself is so close to Eden; from night swimming to romantic hotel packages and dinners, to the exotic Valentines Day flower bouquets, there’s so much to do here. With panoramic sunsets, calming water sounds, an amazing ocean view, and steep volcanoes and “hike-able” mountains as a backdrop, you can’t go wrong in the romance department even if you just went to the beach and handed out some roses and chocolate!
2. | Scottsdale, Arizona – TOTAL SCORE 76.33
Scottsdale offers exciting options for things to see and do. From outdoor adventures and championship golf to upscale shopping and spa treatments, Scottsdale days can be as active or relaxed as you’d like. And after dark, every hour is happy hour, especially in downtown where more than 80 restaurants, clubs and lounges await.
1. | San Francisco, California – TOTAL SCORE 78.39
Detailed Methodology
To identify the best cities for celebrating Valentine’s Day, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 100 most populated cities across four key dimensions: 1) Valentine’s Day Budget, 2) Valentine’s Day Activities, 3) Valentine’s Day Gift Accessibility and 4) Valentine’s Day Weather Forecast.
They compiled 15 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was given a value between 0 and 100, wherein 100 is the best value for that metric and 0 is the worst and then calculated the overall score for each city and finally ranked them using the weighted average across all metrics.
With regard to the sample, please note that “city” refers to city proper and excludes surrounding metro areas.
Valentine’s Day Budget – Total Points: 50
Note: All of the following cost metrics were adjusted by the median household income of the respective city.
- Average Price per Valentine’s Day Party Ticket: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Restaurant-Meal Costs (three-course meal for two*): Double Weight (~16.37 Points)
*We used this measurement as a proxy for “Valentine’s Day restaurant-meals costs” and assumed that the price of such would increase proportionally across all cities during the holiday. - Average Price per Movie Ticket: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Average Wine Price: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
- Beauty-Salon Costs: Full Weight (~8.33 Points)
Valentine’s Day Activities – Total Points: 20
- Number of Restaurants per 100,000 Residents: Double Weight (~8.00 Points)
- Number of Cafés per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Number of Attractions (e.g., museums, cultural performances, zoos): Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
- Number of Nightlife Options per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Valentine’s Day Gift Accessibility – Total Points: 20
- Number of Jewelry Stores per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Number of Florists per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Number of Chocolate Shops per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Number of Specialty Stores (e.g., greeting card/gift store) per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Valentine’s Day Weather Forecast – Total Points: 10
- Difference between the Average Forecasted Temperature for Valentine’s Day & the Average Normal Temperature for This Time Period: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Forecasted Precipitations for Valentine’s Day: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Sources: Data used to create these rankings were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Council for Community and Economic Research, Numbeo, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Eventbrite and Accuweather.com.
This feature originally appeared in Wallethub.
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