After a long, freezing winter, the weather is finally beginning to get warmer! It’s time to start wearing fewer layers, enjoy the outdoors and spend your Friday nights doing more than just sitting in your room watching Netflix. It’s time to muster up some courage and ask that special someone in your class that you’ve been eying all winter to go on date with you. Or, if you’re already with someone, it’s time to treat your significant other to a day out after spending all winter inside watching movies. And what better place to go to do this than the city? There are tons of great city spots that will be perfect for any date.
1. Walk the High Line
The High Line is a park located in Manhattan’s West Side that has been constructed on an old freight rail line. It goes above and beyond your typical park, literally, considering it is elevated above the city streets. The park has grass and trees, just like any park would, but it offers the most amazing view of the city. I recommend going as the sun is setting so that you and your date can sit and to watch the city lights brighten up the dark sky. I guarantee your date hasn’t been to a place like this before.
2. Have a Seafood Dinner at City Island
Located in the Long Island Sound, this little island is just about as close as you’ll get to a beach town near the city. Take a walk along the beach and then grab a bite to eat at one of the many seafood restaurants located on the island. This will be a little taste of summer for you and your date.
3. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Feeling a little sporty? Walking the Brooklyn Bridge might be a fun date idea for you. It really isn’t as intimidating as it sounds, especially if it’s springtime, and you don’t have to deal with the 90-degree summer heat. I really think it’s a must do for any New Yorker, as well as those visiting the city. There are tons of restaurants on both the Brooklyn and Manhattan sides that you can reward yourselves with afterwards.
4. Take a Trip to Coney Island
This is a great place to have that “carnival” type date that you see in all the movies. You two can ride on a Ferris wheel, share a hotdog at the original Nathans, and, if you and your date are rollercoaster fans, ride the famous Cyclone (although I wouldn’t recommend doing that right after having Nathans.) After a long day of fun, you and your date can even watch the sunset on the beach. It really can’t get much better than that.
5. Walk through the New York Botanical Garden
Nothing screams spring more than flowers. If you and your date are the outdoorsy type and have an appreciation for nature, this will be a great date spot for you. Tickets can be a little pricey on the weekends, so try to visit during the week, if possible. The Botanical Garden will be a great place to enjoy some beautiful scenery and take some cute Instagram-worthy pictures.
6. Have a Picnic Central Park
Central Park is such an obvious city date spot, it may be overlooked. It really is a wonderful place to bring a date, though. You two can have a picnic, explore the Belvedere Castle, and take pictures on the Alice in Wonderland statue, all while having an amazing view of the city. With so much to see, you really can’t go wrong with having a date in Central Park.
7. Go on a Sightseeing Cruise
Okay, I admit, I have a dream to take a dinner cruise on the Hudson with the view of the skyline. But I’m sure just like me, this is probably out of you and your date’s price range. Maybe it would be best to save up for a cruise like this and go for a special occasion. But, until then, there are fun speedboat cruises that will suffice! I recommend “The Beast.” It’s a high-speed boat ride that stops in front of the Statue of Liberty. Passengers are splashed and sprayed with water, so it’s a great activity to do now that the weather’s getting warmer.
Now get off your laptop and go enjoy the nice weather with your date!