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. 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.
Nederlander Theatre
Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
Broadway Theatre
Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
Madison Square Garden
Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen
New Amsterdam Theatre
Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
Lena Horne Theatre
Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
Ambassador Theatre
Midtown Manhattan · $$$$
Showing 145–150 of 150 spots
Good to know
- What's the best activity in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is Nederlander Theatre in Midtown Manhattan. Broadway Theatre and Madison Square Garden round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best activities?
- Midtown Manhattan (5) and Chelsea / Hell's Kitchen (1) have the most spots in the top 6.
- 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.