Kendall Aronson, Campus Carrier Asst. Arts and Living Editor

Kendall Aronson | CAMPUS CARRIER

Freshmen Shea Crider and Timothy Wooley paint and picnic on a romantic date in a courtyard at Ford. They often enjoy painting together as a way to spend time with each other.

There are many inexpensive options for romance in Rome, if you know where to find them.

ACTIVITIES: Freshman Davis Murphy loves to go to Goodwill and eat Chick-fil-a with his girlfriend.

“Goodwill is the most romantic place in Rome,” Murphy said. “I am 100 percent serious. There are a wide variety of things to look at, and even if you don’t want to spend money it is always just a fun experience looking at what you could be buying.”

Freshman Amber Robinson recommends going bowling at Classic Bowling Center. It is four dollars per person for a game there, which includes shoe rental. 

 Going to a movie in Rome can also be very inexpensive and fun. You can buy movie vouchers at the student information desk on campus for five dollars. These vouchers can be redeemed at either of the movie theaters in Rome for a movie. If you don’t want to get out, you can always rent a movie from Redbox to watch in your dorm.

You can also go paddle boarding. Renting paddle boards from Berry costs only $10 and you can share a paddle board if you want. 

FOOD: Sophomore Nick Jacobs recommends going to Schroeder’s New Deli for food. It has two locations: on Broad Street and off Martha Berry Hwy. According to Jacobs, dinner for two will still be under $15. 

One of Murphy’s favorites is Chef Chen’s Diner, which offers a $6 Chinese buffet.

Another option that sophomore Autumn Bryson recommends is Jerusalem Grill. The restaurant is reasonably priced, and has a 10 percent student discount. You can get two entrees for under $20. It also has over four stars on Yelp and Google reviews. 

Robinson’s go-to spot for food is SoHo Hibachi. The restaurant has great prices, and large portions of food. 

“You get literally like three meals for one, and it’s eight dollars,” Robinson said. 

Jacobs also recommends going to multiple restaurants and trying out appetizers, and then going to walk along the river for a great date. 

There are several fantastic places for desserts in Rome. Honeymoon Bakery has a great variety of pastries and desserts, as does Sweet Bar. There are also two froyo places, Jandy’s and Sweet Frog, which have color changing spoons and 10 percent off student discounts. Any of these places costs under $12 for two people. 

ON CAMPUS: A stellar on campus date idea might be hiking, followed by stargazing.

“Berry has some great trails and good hiking,” Jacobs said. “And they’re all free.” 

You can also paint with your date. You can buy paint inexpensively and paint on printer paper to reduce costs. Painting can relieve stress and allow you to be creative and get to know your date. Whether in a lobby or even outside, painting is a fun activity.

Picnicking can be a great thing to do, and it is very romantic. 

“We would go get Publix sandwiches and go have a picnic by Frost Chapel, the most romantic place on campus,” Bryson said. 

OUT AND ABOUT: One option is to visit the local American Flag Bridge. It is free and beautifully lit in the evenings. Jacobs thinks it is the most romantic spot in Rome. 

The Rome Labyrinth is an exciting place to visit. Parks can be great to explore with a special someone. There are many in Rome. The Myrtle Hill Cemetery is also a beautiful location for a date. 

Another fun activity with no costs is going to the new Paws Animal Shelter and playing with the puppies there. 

If you don’t mind going a bit further, the Rock Garden in Calhoun is an excellent place for fun times. They have many famous monuments from around the world, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, recreated with pebbles. It is about 30 minutes from Rome.

If none of these options work for you, you can always go to Publix and watch the lobsters fight for as long as you want with no cost.