Stroll hand-in-hand through 250 acres of lush landscapes. The New York Botanical Gardens is open year-round and each season brings a variety of natural sights, including spring flowers and fall colors. A Grounds-Only admission costs $6 per person, as of October 2010, and gives you access to the grounds and its gardens, though not to other exhibits, such as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Grounds-Only admission is free all day Wednesday and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.
A meal for two can be a fun rather than fancy affair if you dine at one of New York's many mobile eateries. These trucks and carts offer a wide variety of foods, from cupcakes to burritos to sandwiches. A masala dosa at the NY Dosa cart costs $6, while a fish taco at the Endless Summer truck costs $2.50, as of July 2009. Some mobile eateries have fixed locations; others move from day to day. If you try NY Dosa, you and your date can make a picnic of it in nearby Washington Square Park. Sit on a bench and watch street performers as you eat. Afterward, walk through the park and take in the sights, such as the 72-foot marble Stanford White Arch.
NY Dosa
Washington Square Park (south side)
West Fourth Street. at Sullivan Street
New York City
917-710-2092
Endless Summer
Bedford Avenue at North Sixth Street
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
347-400-8128
New York is full of museums, and many offer discount tickets or free days. The Guggenheim Museum offers Pay What You Wish admission every Saturday from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., as of October 2010. Visit the Thannhauser Collection, one of the museum's permanent galleries, for romantic inspiration from Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by Paul Gauguin, Pierre Auguste Renoir and other artists.
Sharing a good laugh can be romantic, especially when you're sitting side by side in a dark theater. The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCBT) performs sketch and improvisational comedy routines, up to four shows per night. Some shows are performed by professionals and some by UCBT students in improvisation, comedy and sketch writing. Admission ranges from free to $10, as of October 2010. The UCBT is open seven days a week, with various show times frorm 6:30 p.m. to midnight.
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
307 W. 26th St.
New York, NY 10001
212-366-9176
ucbtheatre.com
