February in Austin means fixed-price menus, sold-out reservations and roses with a luxury markup. Romance, suddenly, feels like a budget line item.\u00a0But dating in this city doesn\u2019t have to cost as much as rent.<\/p>\n
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Each month, we\u2019re tracking down smart, affordable date ideas that prove you can keep the spark lit without torching your bank account \u00a0\u2014 even on Valentine\u2019s Day<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related: Austin first dates gone wrong: Lessons in love, tequila and dancing<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n $20: Coffee, culture and classic movie romance<\/p>\n Austinities visit and enjoy the Austin Public Library in Austin on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. [LOLA GOMEZ \/ AMERICAN-STATESMAN]<\/p>\n Lola Gomez<\/p>\n If you can’t get to the Central Library downtown, the Austin Public Library has introduced an eCard that allows adults who don’t live in Austin to get a year of access to the library’s online materials for $22.\u00a0<\/p>\n Start your day at Intelligentsia Coffee in downtown Austin near the Central Library, where an\u00a0avena latte warms your hands and a flaky pastry warms your heart. You can steal sips from each other\u2019s cups while the world hustles past outside the window.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Then, wander over to the Central Library and dive into its DVD collection. Sure, streaming is convenient, but nothing says \u201cromantic nostalgia\u201d like physically picking up a copy of “Before Sunrise,” “Cinema\u00a0Paradiso,” or “Mississippi Masala.” If you don’t have a DVD player, you can stream titles on Kanopy, Hoopla or Libby using your library account. Settle in at home for a cozy movie night.\u00a0<\/p>\n Three experiences, one day, less than $20. Who says love can\u2019t be thrifty?<\/p>\n Central Library: 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. 512-974-7400, library.austintexas.gov.<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Intelligentsia: 607 W. Third St. 737-414-6696, intelligentsia.com.<\/a><\/p>\n $30: Latin beats and tacos on a Sunday<\/p>\n Popular bar Hotel Vegas is located at 1502 E. Sixth St in Austin, Texas.<\/p>\n DEBORAH SENGUPTA STITH\/AMERICAN-STATESMAN<\/p>\n If early rising is your love language, Sunday mornings are for\u00a0Primos on the Patio at Hotel Vegas. Imagine swaying to Latin rhythms, a taco in one hand, your partner\u2019s hand in the other. The crowd is lively, the energy contagious \u2014 and the best part? Free tacos.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Add a couple of drinks from the bar, and you\u2019ve got a date that\u2019s festive, flirtatious and just a little spicy \u2014 much like your relationship should be. The morning ends, the sun dips, and you leave with memories rather than scary card statements.<\/p>\n 1502 E. Sixth St. texashotelvegas.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n $50: Sunset kayaking on Lady Bird Lake<\/p>\n Denise and Bekeris Edward paddle their kayak towards shore after completing the Paddles for Puppies fundraiser with their two dogs Maggie and Sophie. Austin Pets Alive! hosted its third annual Paddle for Puppies event at the Rowing Dock Sunday morning August 24, 2014. Lady Bird Lake was filled with dogs and their owners on paddle boards and kayaks in support of raising awareness and money for the Parvo Puppy program. The first of its kind in the nation, Austin Pets Alive!’s Parvo Puppy ICU provides shelters as an alternative to euthanasia for puppies that contract parvovirus.<\/p>\n Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n Skip the crowded restaurant and take your romance to the water. A two-hour kayak rental from Lady Bird Lake Rentals runs $50 \u2014 just enough time to paddle past downtown\u2019s skyline as it turns cotton-candy pink.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n There\u2019s something about being on the lake at sunset that does the flirting for you. The city softens, the breeze cools and conversation comes easy. Drift for a while near the Congress Avenue Bridge, and let the birds provide the evening entertainment.\u00a0It\u2019s intimate without being clich\u00e9. And when you dock back on shore, you\u2019ll feel like you\u2019ve gone somewhere far beyond your budget.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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