Best And Worst CA Cities To Celebrate Valentine's Day: Report

CALIFORNIA — Valentine's Day is around the corner, and one California city is the best place to be to celebrate love and romance, according to a new report.

Researchers at the personal finance website WalletHub ranked San Francisco as the best city to spend the holiday.

The National Retail Federation reported that consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on Valentine's Day this year, with the average person shelling out $188. 81. But lovebirds don't need to empty their wallets to shower their loved ones with affection in San Francisco.

"It's common to spoil your partner on Valentine's Day, but inflation can certainly put a damper on those plans," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. "Fortunately, the best cities for Valentine's Day offer a wide variety of affordable date activities, food options and places to buy gifts, so you can show that you care without breaking the bank. It's never a good idea to go into debt just to enjoy a holiday or give a gift."

To determine the most romantic yet affordable cities for celebrating Valentine's Day, researchers at WalletHub compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities across 25 key metrics, ranging from florists per capita to the cost of a three-course meal for two.

According to WalletHub, San Francisco topped the list of the Best Places for Valentine's Day for 2025 in part due to the fact that it has the highest prevalence of affordable restaurants, florists and second-highest gift shops rated at least 4.5 stars. The city also has a 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 second among the most walkable cities," the report states. "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."

San Diego also ranked high on the list. Following Seattle in second, America's Finest City claimed the third spot and rounded out the list with another win for the west coast.

According to WalletHub, the city has one of the highest number of wellness and spa centers per capita in the country. San Diego also has a high Google search interest for Valentine's Day-related terms, as well as 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," the report states.

These are the best and worst California cities for Valentine's Day, according to WalletHub. Their overall rankings are in parenthesis.

1. San Francisco (No. 1)
2. San Diego (No. 3)
3. San Jose (No. 16)
4. Sacramento (No. 27)
5. Los Angeles (No. 30)
6. Irvine (No. 34)
7. Fremont (No. 38)
8. Anaheim (No. 54)
9. Bakersfield (No. 55)
10. Chula Vista (No. 63)
11. Oakland (No. 64)
12. Long Beach (No. 67)
13. Fresno (No. 72)
14. Riverside (No. 75)
15. Santa Ana (No. 77)
16. Stockton (No. 81)
17. San Bernardino (No. 99)

View the complete rankings on WalletHub.