New York City can be an excellent destination for couples because it has something for everyone. It's a city known for food, entertainment and its melting pot culture, with the natural beauty of Central Park, and diverse neighborhoods that seem like little countries within the city. From carriage rides in Central Park to an evening dinner cruise along the Hudson River, there are plenty of ways for couples to fill a day with experiences only found in New York.
Central Park is 1.2 square miles of lush, green space in the heart of New York City. Central Park annually receives 35 million visitors, and is a beautiful, inexpensive way to spend quality time as a couple. Walking trails criss-cross the landscape, guided tours are available, and in the summer months you can rent a rowboat or ride in a Venetian gondola.
Central Park is also known for its carriage rides. Since 1935, horse-drawn carriages line up along Central Park South to drive couples through the park. According to centralpark.com, a typical ride lasts about 30 minutes, and longer rides are available. The carriage route passes Wollman Rink, the Pond, the Zoo, and the Carousel. Rides are available starting at 10 a.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Evening rides end between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. seven days a week.
The Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center has been open since Christmas Day 1936, and since that time has attracted over a quarter of a million people each year. The skating rink is open from October to April, and can accommodate up to 150 skaters at a time. Nyctourist.com warns that the ice gets crowded around the holidays and on the weekends, so plan accordingly. After working up an appetite on the ice, visit the restaurants in the basement of Rockefeller Center, or the Magnolia Bakery around the corner at 1240 Avenue of the Americas.
The New York Dinner Cruise offers a three-hour trip down the Hudson River while you eat and dance the night away. A night cruise includes a five-course meal prepared at a private table by an executive chef. The menu is changed seasonally, but includes a choice of seven appetizers, and five entrees plus amuse bouche champagne toast, and dessert. All food, gratuities, and taxes are included in the total cost. After dinner, stroll along the observation deck and take in the New York skyline as you float along the river.
