Pegasus Favorite Five: Summer dates on a budget in DFW

Awkward kiss at midnight not included.

Finding a fun, inexpensive date in Dallas can be tough, especially during the summer months where it's too dang hot and restaurants fill up early. Consider a few unconventional, off-the-beaten-path dates. This ain't no sitting-in-silence-on-the-couch-while-you-pretend-to-be-interested-in-the-DVD-you-grabbed-from-Redbox. No, these are five budget-friendly date ideas – ones that will actually score you a second date and get you out of your living room.

Nasher Sculpture Center

Movies and music at sunset: Come early and see a band – usually a local one – at the Nasher Sculpture Center's 'Til Midnight at the Nasher. Right after dark, the big screen outside lights up with a fun movie. You can order a picnic basket in advance or grab some food and wine for purchase, and the setting is appropriate to make it a romantic night or schedule it as a fun group date. Admission is free and it's all ages. The Nasher is located in downtown Dallas, and 'Til Midnight at the Nasher takes place the third Thursday of every month from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Fairview Wine Walk: OK, where's Fairview? It's on highway 75 near Stacy Road, east of Allen Premium Outlets. This shopping center is home to iPic movie theater, Splitsville bowling alley, and tons of restaurants and shops. The real reason for the roadtrip is to visit the Wine Walk a few times throughout the summer. On Thursdays from 5-8 p.m., you can grab food samples and sip wine while exploring this fun area. 21 and up.

Food on a roll: Make your date a little adventurous just like the on-the-go food trucks that have become all the rage in Dallas-Fort Worth right now. This new, fun way to eat will afford you and Mr. or Miss Right with a full meal, drinks, and dessert, usually for less than the cost of a more expensive restaurant. How do you find a food truck? There's an app for that. Download TruxMap, which will detect your location and give you directions to the nearest food trucks. It will also tell you where they will be the next day and even the next week! Food trucks are an all-ages experience, best enjoyed if you can find a food truck festival with a wide variety of snacks on a roll.

Breakfast and a movie: With a similar concept to dine-in movie theaters, Movie Tavern offers flicks with a twist. They do show first-run movies, but you'll also find retro films such as Pulp Fiction, Back to the Future, and Empire Records. Our favorite part is that this Fort Worth movie house allows patrons to take a glass of wine or an ice-cold beer into the movie theater, much like a few other theaters in Dallas. But even more rare, you can see an early Saturday or Sunday movie and have breakfast, making your dates not just limited to after dark.

Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice

Sophisticated presentation of the tuna lends the Japanese-American fusion at Sushi Axiom a stylish elegance.

Sushi happy hour: Going out for a great sushi dinner occasionally will break the bank. We recommend Sushi Axiom Sunday through Thursday (it has locations all over the DFW area) for happy hour. With ½ price rolls, appetizers, and $2 drink specials, you'll show that special someone that you like a special deal. Food specials are all-ages; drink specials are 21 and up.

Dates don’t need to cost a small fortune to be fun. We've done the digging; now go have a great DFW date!