New York City
What makes New York City the best city in the world to live in? The sheer amount of unique activities that one has access to on a daily basis. This is why when my girlfriend, Anmol, and I started dating in this city, we vowed to never go on the same date twice. Fast forward 2.5 years later, and we have amazingly been able to keep our promise. During our incredible time living in New York, we have experienced all sorts of unique adventures together. Here are our top 25 date ideas.
25. High Line + Chelsea Market
The High Line is an old railroad converted into a 1.5 mile elevated walking path. Walking along the High Line is a cute way to experience New York City with your date. There are many gardens, small parks, and seating areas along the path. Stroll slowly, enjoy people watching, and take in New York City from above. After your leisurely stroll, exit the High Line on 16th street and head to the famous Chelsea Market. Here, you will find an array of unique restaurants to fill up your appetite. I highly recommend trying Los Tacos!
Tip: The High Line has many entrance and exit points between 34th street and 16th street. I recommend starting at 34th, building an appetite, and ending at Chelsea Market (16th Street). Near the entrance/exit on 34th street, there is a newly built structure called The Vessel that you can also add to your date!
Cost Per Person: Free + Any money spent on food
Time Of Year: Any Day With Nice Walking Weather
24. 4D Movie
Let’s face it there’s nothing special about movie dates; That is unless you are being flung around in your seat as water splashes in your face and bullets hit your back. New York City’s 4D movie theater, located on 43rd and 7th, turns an ordinary movie date into an extraordinary one. The theater shows regular movies and adds a fourth dimension that changes the entire viewing experience. Good luck trying to hold hands on this date!
Cost Per Person: $32 per ticket
Time Of Year: Any
23. Movie Night at Bryant Park
Continuing with the movie theme, movie night at Bryant Park is a guaranteed fun time. Bring some food/wine and enjoy some of the best movies of all time. The picnic lawn opens at 5 pm and fills up quickly, so be sure to get here as soon as you can. Check Bryant Parks Website at the start of the summer for more details and movie schedules.
Cost Per Person: Free + Any money spent on food
Time Of Year: Summer
22. The Slipper Room
The Slipper Room is home to New York’s most famous burlesque variety show. The show is strange, weird, and entertaining as hell. The Slipper Room is the definition of unique and is a great date option if you are the type of couple that loves to try out new experiences.
Cost Per Person: $25 for entrance ticket
Time Of Year: Any
21. Speakeasy Bar Hop
Turn back the clock and scavenger hunt through the city as you search for New York’s most secretive speakeasy bars. Start in the early evening and drink and explore late into the night. Some bars require reservations, and others require passwords, so do your best to research bars/requirements beforehand. Most importantly, have fun with the challenging experience of finding NYC’s most hidden bars with your date! If you need a place to start your planning, check out Thrillist’s list of top speakeasy bars.
Cost Per Person: Variable. Depending on how much you spend on drinks.
Time Of Year: Any day with nice walking weather
20. Food Hop
Let’s hop again only this time with food! New York City has an incredible food scene and has almost every cuisine known to mankind. Find 5 to 10 food spots that you want to try and map out your walking route. Then, simply eat walk, and repeat till you can’t eat anymore!
Tip: Make sure not to order full meals at each spot. Split an entree appetizer, or house special and move on to the next place!
Cost Per Person: Variable. Depending on how much spent on food.
Time Of Year: Summer
19. Museum of Illusion
Bring out your inner kid as you stroll around one of New York City’s coolest museums, The Museum of Illusions. Enjoy getting stumped, confused, and mind-blown as you experience some of the craziest optical illusions.
Tip This Museum is popular on weekends, so expect lines if you plan to go on a Saturday or Sunday.
Cost Per Person: $19 for Tickets
Time Of Year: Any
18. MOMA with a Twist
If you’re an art fanatic, the Museum of Modern Arts (MOMA) is an excellent date choice. If you are not, however, there’s still a way to make it a memorable date! Neither Anmol nor I are art enthusiasts, so we decided to explore the museum in our own way. We brought with us a bag that had paper slips with personal questions written on it. Anytime we stopped to look at art, we would pull out a question and answer it. Some questions were deep others were light-hearted, but answering them after looking at different types of art was a cool way for us to experience the museum while learning more about one another.
Tip: If you have a student ID, you can get the tickets for a cheaper price.
Cost Per Person: $25 per ticket
Time Of Year: Any
17. DIY Picnic by Hudson River + Free Kayaking
Nothing is more special than cooking your date a homemade meal. Prepare your delicious 3/5/7 course meal, buy some wine, pack it all up, and head over to 12th avenue anywhere between 55th and 70th street. Here you will find tons of spots where you can sit and enjoy a picnic by the pier. Once you are full, head over to Pier 96, located on 72nd street, for some free kayaking! Be sure to have a change of clothes that you don’t mind getting a little wet!
Cost For Two: ~$30 for groceries and wine
Time Of Year: Summer or any warm weather day
16. Winter Lantern Festival
Winter is synonymous with lights, and there is no better place to experience these lights than at the Winter Lantern Festival in Staten Island. It is a bit of a hike to get here from Manhattan, but the long trip is worth it. When you arrive, you will enjoy a romantic walk with your date through an incredible display of lights and figurines. In between it all, you can savor some warm cider and winter snacks as you take in the joys of the holiday season. Be sure to have your camera charged for this date!
Tip: Look out for Groupons for this activity.
Cost Per Person: $20 for tickets + any money spent on food and drinks at festival
Time Of Year: Winter
15. Sports Game
Sport is a big part of New York culture, and heading to a game is a fun date regardless of your interest in sports. Our favorite team is the Yankees, so we always recommend going to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. If you decided to do so, head up before the game and grab a few beers at any of the Yankee bars. Then enjoy the game and some classic ball-game foods as you cheer on the home team. Other fun sports game options include basketball games (Nets or Knicks) as well as Football (Giants and Jets)
Cost Per Person: $25 for Yankees tickets (Bleacher Section) + any money spent on food and drinks. The cost will be different if you choose Basketball or Football Game.
Time Of Year: Dependent on Sport
14. Comedy Cellar
Treat your date to the best medicine there is in life…laughter! Comedy Cellar is hands-down the best comedy center that New York City has to offer. This basement venue is small and intimate, which means there is a good chance you and your date get roasted. You will leave this date with your stomach in pain from all the nonstop laughter. After burning lots of calories laughing, end the night at the famous Artichoke Pizza located just a few minutes away from the venue.
Cost Per Person: $20 for tickets +20 for additional food and drinks required to be purchased at the venue
Time Of Year: Any
13. DIY Wine and Paint in Central Park
Wine and Paint has become one of the most popular dates ideas for couples. Instead of going the easy route and signing up for one, why not make it more special by creating your own?! Pick up some paint supplies, head over to Central Park, find a secluded area, and start painting! The central park views promise to beat any wine and paint venue in the city and may even spark some extra creativity.
Tip Wine is technically not allowed in Central Park, but as long as you are not disruptively drunk, no one will bother you.
Cost Per Person: $15 for some basic painting equipment
Time Of Year: Spring, Summer, or Fall
12. Roller Skating With A View + Brooklyn Bridge
You can never go wrong with a classic old-school date like Roller Skating. The Rink, located in Brooklyn is the absolute best place to Roller Skate in New York City. Why? Because it is entirely outdoors and offers a stunning view of Manhattan.
Spend an entire afternoon skating and falling together as you overlook the city. Once you’re worn out, head over to Forninos, a 15-20 minute walk from The Rink, and enjoy their crispy brick oven pizzas with a side of well-earned sangria! When the day turns to night, wrap up dinner and top of the day by walking back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn bridge.
Bonus: If you have time, there are some unique little parks you can stop at between The Rink and Forninos
Cost Per Person: $15 for Skating Tickets + ~$20 for Food and Drinks at Forninos
Time Of Year: Spring, Summer or Fall
11. Open-Air Night Bus Tour
Sometimes you just have to act like a tourist! Take in the city at night from a new vantage point atop a double-decker bus. Even if you have lived in NYC for years, it can be fun to feel as though you and your significant other are on vacation as you get guided around the city and learn about its architecture! You can buy a night bus + bonus Empire State building ticket here.
Cost Per Person: $18 for tickets (inlucding Empire State Building)
Time Of Year: Warm Weather Days
10. Color Run at Citi Field
The Citi field color run takes place once a year, so you only have one shot at making this date happen. The race is 3.2 miles (5K)long and can be completed at a leisurely pace. Not only will you get a chance to run inside Citi Field (Mets Stadium), but you will also have colors thrown at you (Ala Holi) throughout the run. You will finish this date feeling accomplished and full of color!
Cost Per Person: $40
Time Of Year: Usually in June. Look out for tickets a few months before.
9. Queens Night Market
What couple doesn’t like food! New York City is the hub for great food around the world and this is on full display at the Queens Night Market. The market is open on summer weekends and some fall weekends as well. The vibe here is awesome as there is live music from local musicians, and lots of lawn space to lay down and enjoy the performances with unique foods and beverages from around the world.
Tip Smorgesberg (Brooklyn) is another great food market option but personally, we enjoyed this more from a date perspective. It was fun being here at night and getting live music. If you have time you can always check out both!
Cost Per Person: Variable. Depending on how much spent on food.
Time Of Year: Summer and Part of Fall
8. Holiday Delight: Macy's Santaland+Bryant Park + Ice Skating
Start this special holiday season date at the iconic Macy’s building located on 34th street. This Macy’s store creates a magical winter wonderland that will make your date’s jaw drop. At the end of the experience, you will get the chance to have a photo-op with Santa. Once you have finished meeting the Big Man, its time to head to Bryant Park’s cozy Christmas village. Enjoy some apple cider doughnuts and hot coffee as you bask in the holiday spirit. Finally , end the night with some romantic ice skating near Bryant Parks stunning Christmas tree. A truly magical day!
Tip: You must book a time slot for the Macy’s Santaland in advance.
Cost: Free + Any Food and Drinks
Time Of Year: Winter (Holiday Season)
7. Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall
Whether you’re into ballet or not, seeing the Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall is a must-have experience in New York City. This music hall is extravagant, and the performance is incredible. Tickets can get pricey, but almost every seat in the hall has a good view. I would recommend getting the cheapest tickets if you are on a budget.
Cost Per Person: $60 for tickets
Time Of Year: Any
6. Sea Glass Carousel
This entire experience is about 5 minutes long; No, that is not a typo, 5 minutes long! That being said, the Sea Glass Carousel, located in Battery Park, is one of the most mesmerizing experiences you can have with your partner. If you come here on a weeknight, an hour or so before closing, you will get the chance to ride this magical carousel without any other tourists. Letting out your inner child, and having the ride all to yourself, is a movie-like date experience that you will never forget.
Cost Per Person: $5 for tickets
Time Of Year: Any
5. Color Factory
The Color Factory is a pop-up exhibit that emphasizes color in many unique ways. Through your tour, you will enjoy colorful, art, photo-ops, food samples, and interactive activities. However, above everything else, what makes this one of the best dates in NYC, is the giant, room-sized, ball pit at the end of the exhibit! There aren’t many cooler dates than one where you get to jump, swim, and dive into a ball pit the size of a living room!
Tip: Grabbing a few drinks before the exhibit will 100% enhance the ball pit experience
Cost Per Person: $38 for tickets
Time Of Year: Any
4. Harry Potter On Broadway
If you are not a Harry Potter Fan, DO NOT skip over this. I had no interest in Harry Potter but decided to get a pair of tickets to this 2 part show. Not only was this purchase worth every penny (and it’s expensive!) but the show, in my opinion, was the best show I’ve ever seen in my life. What makes it so great? The special effects that are created on stage. For 5 hours (split into two parts), you will sit and watch in awe as you marvel at the magic created in front of you. Save up, cut costs, do what you can but find a way to experience this magical date!
Cost Per Person: $170 for good tickets. Cost can vary depending on where you choose to sit.
Time Of Year: Any
3. Drunk Shakespeare
Who said love has to be cheesy?! If you want to show your partner you can be romantic and fun at the same time, Drunk Shakespeare is an absolute must-do! This play is performed in a small library theater and offers an up-close viewing of Shakespeare’s stories. The catch? The actors take shots before and during the play! What starts off a romantic love story turns into slurring of words, awful dancing, impromptu plot twists, and a whole lot of laughing. This date is hands down one of the most unique experiences you can find in New York City.
Tip: Look out for good Groupon deals for this show. Do not worry about which ticket you get, all seats are great!
Cost Per Person: $30 for tickets
Time Of Year: Any
2. Batsu
“Batsu! Batsu! Batsu!” Batsu means punishment in Japanese, and that is what this crazy game show is all about. Game participants compete in challenges, and losers have to face strange, whacky, and painful punishments. The best thing about this show is that it is highly interactive with the audience, and you can even opt to participate in the games if you so dare! By the end of the night, you will have made friends with all the other audience members as you collectively chant “Batsu! Batsu! Batsu!” with your drinks held high up in the air.
Cost Per Person: $40 for tickets
Time Of Year: Any
1. Den Art Studio
And number one on our list goes to…Den Art Painting in the Dark! If you want to take wild and unique dates to the next level this is it! Den Art is a small art studio inside a Brooklyn garage. The studio provides a painting in the dark class with an interesting twist. Instead of painting on paper or a canvas, you paint on each other! With UV lights and florescent paints, you can turn your skin into a canvas full of glow in the dark colors. Painting your date’s face/back/hands/legs and seeing it light up in the dark is a surreal experience. By the end of it all, you will have your partner’s imagination and creativity on your own skin.
Tip: Be sure to wear clothing that you don’t mind getting pain on!
Love it.💕. Captured it really well. Enjoying every moment of your time together in different places and exploring new things ♥️
This is so helpful. Definitely going to check these out once the COVID situation gets better!
Only thing missing now is date 🤪😂
Oh I love all of these ideas. I have been to New York just once for a few hours, but these are some great date ideas + places that can be visited while exploring the city for a weekend or so. I particularly liked the Hudson River Picnic combined with some kayaking!
The winter lantern festival looks beautiful. The warm cider and winter snacks would more than make up for having to take the ferry! The drunk Shakespeare looks like a really fun way to round off an evening. How to
These are really nice ideas. My understanding about dating in NYC comes from Sitcoms like friends and HIMYM. Your list is really inspiring.
First of all, I like the font you are using on your blog. Secondly, I didn’t know all these places in New York City and would like to visit. You gave me some perfect ideas for the date or a meeting. I would go kayaking at the first one, definitely.
The Museum of Illusion looks very interesting, I would love to visit it. Besides, I like the idea of Den Art Studio. Lots of fun things to do, thanks for the tips!
I’ve been to NYC a whole bunch of times, but this reminds me that I really need to head back there with my wife and take advantage of some of these date ideas!
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