Best activities for a date in New York
Something to do first, then dinner to talk about it.
150 spots · Jump to the list
Doing something together beats sitting across a table, at least to start: a shared activity gives you something to react to, and it takes the pressure off the conversation. This list runs the whole range — a gallery or a show, a kayak or a climbing wall, a comedy set, the zoo — and every one of them sets up dinner afterwards. Check hours and booking before you go; the popular ones sell out on weekends.
This guide ranks 150 activities in New York, from Williamsburg to Astoria / Long Island City and East Village / LES. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Carreau Club
4.7(24)Carroll Gardens / Cobble Hill
Bury the Hatchet Brooklyn
4.7(21)Williamsburg
Ray's
4.7(19)East Village / LES · $
Aliume Art Gallery
4.7(19)Bushwick / Ridgewood · $
The Roxy Bar
4.7(17)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$
Museum of Sex
4.7(15)Flatiron / Gramercy
MoMA PS1
4.7(14)Astoria / Long Island City · $
3rd Place from the Sun
4.7(14)DUMBO / Brooklyn Heights · $
Toad Hall
4.7(12)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $
Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden
4.7(9)Astoria / Long Island City · $
Maria Hernandez Park
4.6(19)Bushwick / Ridgewood · $
Accidental Bar
4.6(19)East Village / LES
Happy Medium Art Cafe
4.6(17)DUMBO / Brooklyn Heights · $
The Last Place on Earth
4.6(16)Williamsburg · $
Sardi's
4.6(15)Midtown Manhattan
Blinky’s Bar
4.6(15)Williamsburg · $$
Rocka Rolla
4.6(15)Williamsburg · $
Gaming City
4.6(15)Astoria / Long Island City · $$
NY Axe Throwing - Williamsburg
4.6(9)Williamsburg · $$
Paint N Pour Lower East Side
4.6(9)East Village / LES · $$
Color Factory
4.6(8)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$
Wild East Brewing Co.
4.6(7)Park Slope / Gowanus · $
Bowlmor
4.6(7)Midtown Manhattan · $$
Lanterné Lab
4.5(26)Tribeca
Showing 25–48 of 150 spots
Good to know
- What's the best activity in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is Carreau Club in Carroll Gardens / Cobble Hill, rated 4.7 out of 5. Bury the Hatchet Brooklyn and Ray's round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best activities?
- Williamsburg (5), Astoria / Long Island City (3) and East Village / LES (3) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable activities in New York?
- Yes — Ray's, Aliume Art Gallery and The Roxy Bar are all $$ or under.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a night out: something to do, then dinner, then nightcap. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.