Do you have a NY library card? If so, go into culture pass and check out all the places you can get free tickets to (not that you were asking for free stuff, simply a bonus).

For animal lovers, the Central Park Zoo is a nice option with a more intimate scale.

If weather is challenging, go out to Brooklyn and visit the Cat Cafe: https://catcafebk.com

Some other museums include the Museum of Arts and Design on Columbus Cir which is adjacent to the park and there is a Xmas market across the circle as well as The Shops at Columbus Cir.

NY Historical Society on the Upper West Side and The Museum of the City of NY on the Upper East Side are both very informative. El Museo del Barrio is closed to the City of NY Museum.

Use search bar or the guides.

You can find them in the side bar for new and old Reddit.

They’re in the community resources on mobile.

Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria is great - the Jim Henson exhibit alone is worth the trip (do Muppets count as animals?), and there are a lot of neat interactive stations that would make for a fun date.

The Brooklyn Museum is usually interestingly curated, and it's right next to both Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, so you can make a whole day of it in nice weather.

In further deep cuts, the Queens Museum usually has offbeat art exhibits, and the room-size Panorama model of NYC is surprisingly cool to look at. Pair that with getting Dim Sum in Flushing.

I've only ever been there for a wedding so I can't speak to the normal visitor experience, but the Queens Farm Museum might also fit the bill if you're looking for animal-related places.

Taking boats anywhere. I started dating my partner in the late spring and so many of our early dates revolves around boats it became a running joke. Great memories of taking the ferry to Red Hook and eating seafood and playing pool and mini golf at Brooklyn Crab.

I went on a blind date for a NYC magazine. The match was made by the magazine - all I got was the person’s first name and where to show up. That’s it. Not even a photo. Dinner was comped. In exchange, I had to do an interview and photoshoot after.

She wanted to meet at this cafe but it was down in brooklyn (matched with her on an app). When I get to the cafe, there's like a front porch-like space that was fully screened in and a clipboard with all these rules like "no unwanted hugging or touching" and a sign-up sheet. Whatever so I order a double espresso and the woman at the counter says I'll have to wait till we start our session inside (wtf.) It apparently wasnt a normal cafe, but a cat cafe. There was a little girls birthday party so all the cats were being chased by little kids. This girl kept talking about how she has two cats and her landlord won't let her have more. I notice her earrings and they are cat earrings. Her sweater is a cat sweater. Her socks are cat socks.

I think I spent like $80+ on cat time, but at least I got out of there.

heaven

They said UNIQUE.

Went mini golfing on the Hudson. Headed to a bar in Tribeca afterwards where we saw John lithgow eating a hot fudge sundae. It was the most fun date I’ve ever had and mini golfing is a great first date activity

go to the cloisters or the conservatory garden in Central Park (entrance on 105th and Madison)

DIA is a ~90 min Train ride from grand central. No need for a car. Highly recommend a day trip out to Beacon.

You can't impress a New Yorker

Maybe hit up fiddlesticks if you go to storm king OP
if you go to beacon there’s lots of nice little shops to check out on main st after you’re finished at the museum

OP prolly too young to afford it but I did it with train + uber. just waited a bit longer for the car to come

BDSM Dungeon

The high line

you could get a citibike and ride around central park.

Walk around Chelsea between 19th and 26th and visit the galleries there. Start at zwirner, Hauser and wirth, gagosian, whatever. Just pick one and you can gallery hop for a couple of hours. Then get some lomo saltado at coppelia. Great vibes and the galleries are all free so you can save your money for food.

Maybe check out the Museum of Mathematics in Flatiron?

Chamber Magic at the Lotte hotel. Its an excellent show with a small group of people. Formal wear is required. https://chambermagic.com/

It’s 2022 and nyc. If anyone has ever been there it’s online lol.

Whiskey bar, then a sex club. You asked and its certainly unique

I wish someone had told me that when my BF said he was stressed out from work, he was NOT stressed out from work. Other than that I can’t be of much help

I recommend taking a look at some of the many date idea threads already asked of, and answered by, this subreddit including the very popular Running out of date ideas from 14 days ago.

The Ride is really fun---it's a quick light funny bus tour--can be combined with other things in the area (Broadway etc).

Our Ultimate Visitor's guide will probably help you. Check our some recent visitor inquires here!

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18th Room, Shalel Kitchen, Sugar Monk, Garfunkel’s, XIV, Velvet Brooklyn

Sunshine Laundromat in Greenpoint is a functioning laundromat with a hidden door at the back disguised as stacked washers that leads to a pinball bar.

He might enjoy Chumley's--a former speakeasy and writers hangout in the West Village.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chumley%27s

What part of NY? There are no shortage of options. Are you working with a budget - if so provide it with real numbers as this will avoid some one recommending either Punjabi Deli (which is tasty) vs Daniel (which i$ ta$ty).

A couple easy ones

• picnic and bike ride on governors island
• paddle boats in Central Park
• do a baking or cooking class (tons of options)
• kayaking on the Hudson River (should be open by the time he arrives)
• taking the ferry to a couple stops (if you time it you can get a couple rides on one ticket before it expires)
• walking Bk bridge to south street (seaport walk/ stroll and a bunch of shops and places to hang out) or dumbo (doing a carousel ride)
• slow stroll or bike ride
• catch a broadway show in a whim by going to the tkts booth or seeing about rush tickets

Sunset walk on the Brooklyn Bridge, picnic in Central Park, and maybe dinner at a rooftop spot, can’t go wrong with that vibe!

Welcome to NYC! 🗽 A sunset stroll on the Brooklyn Bridge, rooftop drinks in Midtown, and a cozy dinner in the West Village would be perfect. Happy early anniversary! 💕

Hang out on your roof at night

awwww you go girl! anywhere will be romantic as long as you two are together 🥰

That sounds like an amazing first date! 🎨💫 If you’re both into art, the MoMA is a solid choice, and for dinner, I’d recommend Gabriel Kreuther (Michelin-starred, artsy vibe) or L’Adresse (cozy but stylish).

For something unique & interactive, you could take a hands-on cooking class together at Selfup in FiDi—it’s fun, romantic, and lets you bond over making amazing food. 🍝🔥 Plus, it’s perfect if the weather turns bad!

Other cool indoor spots near Grand Central:
✨ Summit One Vanderbilt – insane skyline views with mirrored floors
🖼️ Fotografiska Museum – artsy, moody photography exhibits
🍸 Raines Law Room – hidden speakeasy for a classy nightcap

Hope that helps! Whatever you do, she’s gonna love the effort you’re putting in. 💕

30% off Bathhouse Williamsburg or Flatiron! New rooftop pool at Williamsburg location! Saunas, Cold Plunge, Hot Tubs! So much fun!

https://share.abathhouse.com/darien26

Murray's Cheese in Grand Central Market, you can try samples of cheese. If you're getting her something, get a small thing of havarti (the one with dill) and combine that with apple butter.

7/10/2019

there is a textiles show in the nypl that would be nice, then you could go to bryant park or up in one vanderbilt observation deck without straying too far. also for dinner near grand central is sakagura, a cool japanese izakaya in the basement of an office building that is fun and i think romantic to find. its a common kind of thing in japan, but unusual here and its very good.

Here's this post from 3 months ago asking the same question, easily found by using the sub's search feature using keywords "Date Night".

Although, there are a myriad of previous posts similar or exactly identical to this one that will have the information you are looking for.

Westchester Table Tennis Center in Pleasantville is fun if you’re looking for something active. Plenty of restaurants/bars to swing by after.

Kanopi Restaurant in White Plains is doing a HARINGS! pop-up/collaboration with Trimper Gallery, featuring art by Keith Haring. You can make reservations now through August 29. Sounds like a great date night spot! This Restaurant Showcases Iconic Keith Haring Art in White Plains

They show old movies at Bannerman Castle. You get the ferry to the island at the Beacon train station. I highly recommend booking in advance. The boat can only hold 44 people.

https://www.hrm.org/ - Hudson River Museum in Yonkers is a wonderful place to visit. I know its not the evening as you asked for but, it's an option for an afternoon date! Planetarium shows are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 12:30, 2, and 3:30pm