52 NYC Date Ideas for this Year:
The other day I realized that my husband and I had settled into a routine of watching netflicks for date night, once our son was born. We both like movies and it’s a cozy date but I think there is something great about getting out of the house and discovering something new together. So whether you are single, in a long-term relationship or married, this blog can apply to you. Having date night can reenergize your relationship through shared experience and fun.
Also, as a native New Yorker I found that I missed my love affair with this city lately too. There were things after a lifetime of living here that I still had not done—like ride a water taxi, experience high tea or having dim sum-and date night is a great time to do this. So what follows is my date wish list of 52 dates (one a week) for next year, even if it actually takes us 3 years to complete this list! I tried to list many inexpensive dates (starting at $10 per person) with the exception of a few special experiences that might cost up to $100 per person.
I’ve found that it’s good to make “a Date Wish List’ and hang it on your refrigerator. If you are married and exhausted, when time, money, baby-sitters and the stars all align, you are apt to go for ‘dinner and a movie’ down the street because you are too tired to plan something better. Or, if you’re single and a guy asks what you want to do, you may be unprepared so you’ll bounce it right back to him. When you list your date ideas up front, all you have to do is make a quick call for a reservation and you have loads of things to look forward to! Plus, you are setting up a date for success because you will really enjoy what you are doing together.
My husband and I are not foodies nor do we appreciate a date more based upon the expense. When we dated we used to surprise each other with new experiences (even if they were free) like walking across the Brooklyn bridge or flying a kite together. So this will give you a context for some of the unordinary date ideas on my list that follow, like trampoline or flying trapeze classes. If you are a foodie or a more traditional person, create your own date list accordingly. For those of you NYC dates who want to borrow from my list, please do.
Lastly, I have not tried most of the date ideas below so you cannot hold me accountable for the quality of your experience. However many dates we do try, I will probably blog about them so that you can get a better sense of each place or experience. Also, if you try them first or have additional suggestions, please add them under comments below.
So, here are my 52 NYC Date Ideas for this Year:
1. 3 course Lunch cruise and sightseeing-866-817-3463, $40 per person
2. Take a Water taxi-212-742-1969, www.watertaxi.com
3. Sonic vision laser show-212-769-5200 $15 a person
4. Mariott View lounge-dessert buffet with great view-$18 per person 1535 Broadway 212-704-8930 212-704-8930
5. Horse and carriage ride through Central Park-$35 for 30 minutes
6. Wollman rink for ice skating-917-492-3857, $6.25 to skate per person, $5.50 for skate rentals
7. Port authorities Leisure Time Bowl-625 8th Ave, 212-268-6909 212-268-6909, $9.50 Sat night bowling, $5 shoes
8. Liberty Science Center for an IMAX movie-222 Jersey City Blvd, 201-200-1000 201-200-1000
9. Bowling in the dark after 5PM at 300 New York-212-835-2695, $11 per game, $6 shoe rental
10. Alice’s Teacup for brunch-102 W. 73rd st. 212-799-3006 212-799-3006
Flying Trapeze class at the Trapeze School-518 W. 30th St, $65 per person, 917-797-1872 917-797-1872
Trampoline class-Hollywood Stunts $30 pr person, Greenpoint, Brooklyn (Sun 4:30-6:30) 212 752-5109 212 752-5109
High tea at the Russian Tea Room for $50 a person, 212-581-7100 212-581-7100, 150 W. 57th st. (daily 2-4:30)
High tea at St. Regis hotel for $48 per person during xmas
20 for $20 for off broadway
Laser tag, 718-361-8337 718-361-8337, 33rd street in Queens, $20 for 1 hour?
Tavern on the Green for brunch-$30 per person, Ventral Park and W. 67th, 212-873-3200 212-873-3200
Bar Jamon for tapas-125 E. 17th st (3rd ave)
Dim Sum Go Go-5 E. Broadway, 212-732-0797 212-732-0797, platter with 10 pieces for $11.95, daily 10 AM-10:30 PM
Met opera rush tix for $20 Mon-Thursday performances, 2 hours before show, info at 212-533-4466 212-533-4466
Shatel Lounge for romantic ambiance-65 E. 70th St. 212-873-2300 212-873-2300
Pomme Frites for Belgian fries-123 2nd Ave 212-674-1234 212-674-1234
Rice to Riches-37 Spring Street bt Mott and Mulberry 212-274-0008 212-274-0008
Rolphs bar for hot chocolate and desert and to see the lights-281 3rd Ave 212-477-4750 212-477-4750
Planet Lucky Changs Show-$32 per person-drag show 21st near Houston
Drinks at Duvet-sip on the beds there, 45 W. 21st street-212-989-2107
Johnny Utahs-ride the mechanical bull-25 W. 51st st 212-265-8824 212-265-8824
See bellydancing at Turkuaz after 10PM or brunch Sun 11-3:30 or $20 a person-212-665-9541
Karaeoke at Winnies-212-732-2384, 104 Bayard St. $1 a song open 12pm-4am
High tea at Tea and Sympathy $35 per person-108 Greenich Ave (bt. 12th and 13th st) 212-989-9735 212-989-9735
Drinks & desert at the Westbury Manor -516-333-7117, 1100 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury, NY
Trailer Park for burgers, 271 W. 23rd street, 212-463-8000 212-463-8000
5 course High tea at Lady Mendyl’s for $35 per person (sat & Sun 12:30, 2:30 or 5PM)
Le Figaro Café- prix fixe dinner with dessert for $22 per person. 174 Bleeker st. 212-353-1426 212-353-1426
Do something cultural at BAM-718-636-4100, 30 Lafeyette Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Turning Point-for inexpensive brunch with views. 201-222-3797 201-222-3797, 1420 Frank Sinatra Drive, Hoboken, NJ
Pete’s Downtown- lunch with great view, 2 Water St. Brooklyn, 718-858-3510 718-858-3510
Lua- $20 brunch or sunset menu $22 per person, 1300 Sinatra Dr. North, Hoboken, NJ, 201-876-1900 201-876-1900
Alma Restaurant in Red Hook NJ, brunch with roof deck, 187 Columbia St. Brooklyn, 718-643-5400 718-643-5400
Vu restaurant- breakfast buffet $25, 2 Exchange Place, Jersey City, 201-469-1234/ 201-469-4648 201-469-4648
Dark Dining for lunch experience, 888-958-chef, $50 per person
Brunch at CAMAJE, 35 MacDougal Street, NY, inexpensive, 212-673-8184 212-673-8184
See The Nutcracker or the Christmas Spectacular (up to $100 per person, can be less)
Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater, Wed at 7:30? (and the $16 tour)-253 W. 125th st., 212-663-0499 212-663-0499
Dizzy’s Club Coco Cola- jazz club with amazing views and ambiance, 212-258-9595 212-258-9595, 33 W. 60th st., NY
Yaffa Café for brunch-97 St. Mark’s Place (bt 1st Ave & Ave A) 212-677-9001 212-677-9001. Open 24/7
Sintir-good food and entertainment (Call for info), 424 E. 9th st. (bt 1st & Ave A), 212-477-4333 212-477-4333
Rollerskating at RollerJam-236 Richmond Valley Road, Staten Island, 718-605-6600 718-605-6600, $11.50 +rental
Fondue dinner at Simply Fondu, 71-90 80th St, Glendale, NY, 718-416-3755 718-416-3755, $38 4 course fondu meal
Duane Parke for brunch & jazz (Sun 11:30-3), 212-732-5555 212-732-5555, 157 Duane St. (Bt. Broadway & Hudson).
Angel’s Share for drinks &ambiance, enter through Village Yokocho, 8 Stuyvesant St., 212-777-5415 212-777-5415
Pyramid Club for dancing, cheap cover, 101 Ave. A (bt. 6th & 7th St), 212-228-4888 212-228-4888
Don’t forget to do your own list!
Happy dating.
My Best in Love,
Paulette
www.mydatingschool.com
The link to my dating book, ‘Dating from the Inside Out’ published by Atria Books is below:
Author Bio:
Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman is a licensed psychologist and author of ‘Dating From the Inside Out: How to Use the Law of Attraction in Matters of the Heart’ published by Atria Books. She’s the Director of http://www.mydatingschool.com which offers coaching and classes in dating issues. She was a speaker at The Learning Annex for over two years and an expert on television shows such as the CBS Early Show & the AM Northwest Early Show and radio shows like ‘the Curtis Sliwa show’ on 77WABC. She has been quoted as a relationship expert in MSN.com, USA Weekend, the NY Post, Newsweek, Lifetime.com, More, Match.com, Foxnews.com, Reader’s Digest, Redbook, Glamour, ‘Seventeen, Complete Woman’ magazine and the NY Times.