16 Fun First Date Ideas in NYC

Planning a first date can be stressful, but we’re here to make it a little easier for you with a list of 16 fun first date ideas in NYC.

First dates are stressful. For the most part, a first date determines whether two people will experience a second and third date, and so on. So, for the person planning the first date, the ball’s in their court determining the best kind of outing. For the planner, it helps to at least know a few things about the other person, as you can really get some brownie points for planning something around their interests. However, if you’re still in that stage of getting to know each other, lunch or dinner will always make a solid first date. Everyone has to eat! But make sure you at least do a little research on the restaurant as to not pick a dud — that would be embarrassing. While I’ve had some fun first dates over a meal, it’s nice to do something different. For instance, one of my first date’s was at a museum exhibit, which is interactive, but a good way to strike up interesting conversation.

Regardless of where you decide to go for a first date, you both have a lot at stake. The memory of that date will last a very long time, perhaps your and your significant other’s entire lifetime (that is, if the relationship doesn’t end up being short-lived). So, yeah when it comes to first dates things are pretty important. You must do everything within your power to make it as pleasant and as romantic as possible. Now, I do understand that dating in New York City is hard work, but you can do a few things to spice it up a little bit. Like I said, if you want to play it safe, go to a restaurant for dinner and drinks; there are more good date night restaurants in NYC than we count. However, if you really want to impress the other person (and have them recognize that), there are so many special things to do in New York. If you look around there are plenty of things you can do. For starters you can read our article and go through the ideas we have in store for you. I am sure you will find something here that will get you excited. I mean the dinner and drinks are not going anywhere, but for the “fun” first date, we’ve got you covered.

Obviously, what makes a “good” or “fun” first date is very subjective, as some might enjoy a nice chat over coffee while others may find bungee jumping off a cliff a fun idea. Therefore, our list of fun first date ideas in NYC will contain the ideas that we find fun enough (and hope others do too) and the list is in no particular order, as quantifying fun is beyond us. Of course, you might find our list a bit off from your idea of fun, please leave us a comment down below if you did. Also, if you have any suggestions regarding fun first date ideas, do not forget to put it in the comments as well. For our list today, we’ve relied on a quick Google search to come up with ideas and outings for dates around New York City. Now, if budget is a concern for you, we got you covered as well, please check out 16 Fun Cheap and Unique First Date Ideas in NYC.

Let’s get the planning started and take a look at our list of 16 fun first date ideas in NYC.

16. Meet & greet with the sea lions

Who doesn’t love cute animals? At  Central Park Zoo you can observe the sea lions feed and then go on a playful stroll around the central gardens (normally this happens only a few times a day at 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm). If your significant other loves watching cute, funny animals, then this just might do the trick for you.

15. Go old-school on a merry-go-round

If you find yourself at Brooklyn Bridge Park, you can hop on an old-school merry-go-round (Jane’s Carousel) that’s been restored and relive your childhood days. It does have the potential to conjure up some serious romance between you and your significant other, to say the least. I mean, pretty much every romantic classic movie has a scene near a merry-go-round.

14. A date among the flowers

Does botanical garden sound romantic enough to you? I mean, who would not want to have a date surrounded by nature’s most beautiful flowers — other than someone with serious allergies in the spring? The very sight of pretty flowers makes it seem way more romantic. Prospect Heights that ranks 14th on the list of fun first date ideas in NYC has everything set up for you already, you just need to go there and admire the rows of flowers.

13. The secret date

The prohibition period is long gone, but the speakeasy bars aren’t. Lead your significant other in a mysterious and secret journey through a speakeasy in New York City. You can even dress up for the occasion and make it even more fun. Everybody could use a little bit of mystery on their first date.

12. Show off your funny side

There is a saying that chicks dig funny guys. I believe it still holds true. However, be aware that there is nothing worse than a bad stand up comedian trying it too hard. Now with that said, if you are confident enough, you should head to The Standing Room, the next on our list of fun first date ideas in NYC that is a place for great cocktails and take your chance to do some stand up comedy. The place of course has some veteran performers, but they let the newbies try it out as well.

11. Ride a boat, shall we?

Does riding a 3-story, 160 ft yacht sound romantic to you? Well, then what are you waiting for? Head to Pier 81 and board the Fist Bar for a ride to the Statue of Liberty. It may not be a luxury yacht, but the views are fantastic. On top of that, the whole thing is entirely free. However, it will not be wise to be cheap and not buy anything, so you could go for drinks or even a full course dinner on-board one of the city’s newest floating lounges.

10. The island getaway!

We are continuing our list of fun first date ideas in NYC with Governors Island that is a great place for your first date. Given that you like adventures. It spans over 172 acres and is located at the heart of the New York Harbor. If you feel like exploring, it is recommended that you bring or rent bikes and travel across the island’s paved bicycle tracks, while having a chat with your date. At sunset, it is about as romantic as an island can get.

9. Are you both into art?

If you guys are into art, then I don’t think you can do better than MoMA. The Museum of Modern Art offers the perfect getaway for people who love art and need a great place for their first date. It’s cheap, convenient and things will never get awkward as you will have so much to talk about. Now, let’s see what else we have on our list of fun first date ideas in NYC.

8. Have a picnic

We’re halfway through our list of 16 fun first date ideas in NYC, and offering a traditional option. A picnic on a first date may sound a bit off at first, but think about it before your write it off entirely. I mean, a whole day with your significant other far from the chaos of the city, but not the beauty of it. You can find the perfect spot at Fort Tryon Park. It definitely is worth a shot, if you ask me.

7. Sing a song for your date

Now, this one that ranks 7th on our list of fun first date ideas in NYC is not for everyone. Unless you have great vocal skills, we recommend that you do not try this at your first date. However, if you do have what it takes to impress your date, then you just cannot go wrong with a bit of karaoke at Sing Sing located on St. Marks.

6. The movie night

No, we do not mean just take your date to a movie literally. Rather we recommend that you take your significant other to the Museum of the Moving Image, that ranks 6th on the list of fun first date ideas in NYC and solidify your status as a movie buff. You can show off your movie trivia skills and take a tour of attractions like sound-editing, dubbing and stop-motion-animation stations.

5. Take a stroll

Well, we realize that taking a walk with your date is definitely the most underrated cliché, but we do want to you take a walk. However, we recommend that you set the venue for your leisurely walk at the High Line park. The main attraction of this park is a re-purposed elevated railroad over 10th Avenue. A romantic stroll through there is definitely worth a try.

4. Star gazing

We are continuing our list of fun first date ideas in NYC with star gazing can be romantic and fun, as long as you plan around the weather. You could also combine it with a late, dinner picnic and get even more brownie points. If you like the sound of this, the perfect solution could be to take your date to the Hayden Planetarium and gaze at the stars while holding hands for the perfect first date.

3. Perfect date for gamer

If you guys happen to be gamers, then I don’t think going to the Nintendo World NYC will be a bad idea. Every 90’s kid will have fond memory of Nintendo characters, from Link to princess Peach, you guys will have a lot to talk about and also show off your skills at retro gaming. I say it’s a win-win situation, if your date is into gaming.

2. The silent disco

Speaking of novelty, the silent disco is an awesome place to hang-out and have fun in general. No wonder it’s this high on our list of fun first date ideas in NYC, right? It does not matter whether it’s your first date or hundredth, you will always find yourselves enjoying your time at Lincoln Center Local: Silent Disco: Manhattan or any other silent discos that you can find. However, you might not find much time for conversation here.

1. The Brooklyn Bowl

If you are having trouble deciding between live music and bowling, then consider your troubles gone. Because at Brooklyn bowl, you can do both. You can dance till you drop with live performances from artists, and you can also challenge your date to a game. Sound like a pretty awesome combo for a first date.

This concludes our list of 16 fun first date ideas in NYC. We had a lot of fun working on it, and hope it would serve you well on your first date. If you pick a place for your date from our list, do not forget to post a comment describing how it went. Good luck!