Date Ideas in New York City

New York City ranks as one of the best places for socializing, simply for the sheer number of dating options that it offers its couples. No matter what your personality, mood and level of commitment, NYC has something for every twosome. So if you find yourself with a partner in the Big Apple, here are some date ideas that you can explore.

Do the outdoors

One of the most popular hangouts for couples in New York City is the Central Park; this is not only because of the beautiful environs at any time of the year which naturally induces a romantic mood but also for the large number of options that it offers by way of outdoor activities. You can simply walk hand-in-hand through the avenues of the Park, admiring the colors of fall or pack along a picnic basket and settle down on a grassy slope. If you and your partner are the active kind, you can rent a bike and explore the entire Park while getting some exercise. Yet another great option is to rent a rowboat from the Central Park Boathouse and take a leisurely ride through the waters all the while admiring the beauty and tranquility of the park. Then again if you want to see more of the city, you can bike up Riverside Park, the Cloisters, over the Brooklyn Bridge or to City Island in the Bronx for dazzling views of the city. If you love hiking more than anything else, NYC offers a way to make a romantic date of that as well. Rent hiking gear or bring along your own and hike the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center in Queens where you will see migrating birds, Canada geese, shoreline views and a glimpse of the city skyline in the distance.

A romantic dinner

If you are thinking of going for the traditional dinner date, you will be simply spoilt for choice in New York City. As one of the major lifestyle centers of the world, New York City is famous for its mind-boggling range of cafes and restaurants where at one extreme you can spend a month’s paycheck on a single dinner or can partake of a hearty meal without emptying your wallet. If you are looking at the former option, you can make reservations at some of the most famous French haute cuisine restaurants like Le Bernardin, Le Cirque or expensive fine dining places like Masa which has only twenty-six seats. Try the Riverfront Cafe in Brooklyn for water views and gaze at the lights of the financial district. While the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center is expensive, the Rainbow Grille offers similar views for a fraction of the cost.  At the same time all over the city, there are delightful street vendors offering bagels and pretzels as well as hand-driven carts that dish out succulent lamb kebabs and falafel from Middle Eastern cuisine like the neighborhoods in Astoria, Queens.

A spot of local color

Indeed, if you and your partner are looking for an inexpensive daytime date idea, few options would beat browsing through quaint or ethnic neighborhoods which are full of local color and buzzing with delicious fare. You can wander through Little Italy down Mulberry Street and indulge in gelatos or browse through "Curry Row” in East Village Manhattan or “Little India” in Lexington Avenue and pick up Indian curious and chicken tikkas.  New York City is brimming with such enclaves housing various ethnic communities from all across the world including Africa, Asia and Latin America. Find out from your partner where his/her interests lie and you can have an enjoyable yet inexpensive time exploring the various interesting aspects of a particular community.

Take in the cultural attractions

The city has over two hundred cultural institutions like museums, art galleries, historical buildings and concert halls and theaters which can make amazing dating venues if you and your partner are enthusiasts of art, music, films and various cultural pursuits. The Carnegie Hall, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Historical Society are only a few of the museums internationally famous for their collection. Lovers of music and dance have a lot to explore in New York starting from the productions of the New York City Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera House to modern forms like jazz, hip-hop, punk and street dances. Then again there are over 500 art galleries in New York City alone with the most high-profile among them being Chelsea, DUMBO as well as Long Island City in Queens. You can settle on any one of these to explore with your partner and chill out at a café or bar later. Only make sure you enquire about the timings beforehand since you don’t want to endure an hour’s drive of NYC’s famed traffic and then find that the venue shut.

Get festive

One of the greatest things about this city is that almost all the year through it keeps hosting some festival, fair or parade. Events like the Village Halloween Parade, the Feast of San Gennaro, St. Patrick’s Parade, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and of course the New Year’s Day celebrations at Times Square attract people in huge numbers and can make fun dating ideas. Set out with your partner and soak in all the merriment and energy of the occasion. Later chill out with beer or warm up with a hot cup of joe before you drop your date home.

Catch a show

The entertainment center in New York City is of course Broadway which is home to thirty-nine of the city’s biggest theaters. The plays, musicals and performances of Broadway are not only likely places to meet new people but also popular dating venues for its couples. However keep in mind that the bigger shows like "Legally Blonde", "Wicked" or "The Lion King" require tickets to be purchased in advance, but tickets for off-Broadway shows like "Tony n' Tina's Wedding" can be bought with just a few days notice. Also if a play doesn’t fit in with your requirements, drop in at a comedy club for an evening of fun and laughter – in the end, a date is all about having a good time together!