Valentines Day

When February arrives, we're reminded that love is, in fact, in the air, filling our inboxes with a never-ending litany of ways to summon Cupid's attention, from expensive restaurant seatings to every bloom and bonbon that will fit in a heart-shaped box. If you're looking for a romantic New York City (or nearby) date idea with a bit more thought behind it, check out our love-infused list.
Think out of the (Heart-shaped) box

Events & Things To Do

You can get married in Times Square this Valentine’s Day

Photos courtesy of Liz Ligon for the Times Square Alliance

January 19, 2024

You can get married in Times Square this Valentine’s Day

By Aaron Ginsburg

What's more romantic than Times Square? As part of the Time Square Alliance's annual "Love in Times Square," couples can propose, tie the knot, and renew their vows at the Crossroads of the World on Valentine's Day. Registration for a chance to participate in Love in Times Square is now open.
learn more

Events & Things To Do

50 Valentine’s Day gifts that are not roses and candy

Photo by alleksana on Pexels

February 8, 2023

50 Valentine’s Day gifts that are not roses and candy

By Terri Williams

First, let’s dispel a Valentine’s Day gift myth: you really don’t have to buy roses, candy, and lingerie every year. Take this opportunity to get a gift your loved one will really appreciate - and for more than just a few hours or a few days. In fact, with the right long-term gift, they’ll think of your thoughtfulness every time they use that item - and what’s more romantic than that? So, instead of 50 roses, we found 50 great Valentine’s Day Gifts that are both practical and fun.
What to give your Valentine

February 6, 2023

22 local and unique Valentine’s Day gift ideas

It's easy to find a heart-shaped box of candy around Valentine's Day. Locating a box of caviar paired with modern glassware, a private tasting of locally-brewed craft beer, or dinner at 1,776 feet above lower Manhattan might take a bit of doing. We've done the legwork and picked a list of beyond-the-ordinary ways to say "I love you," while staying in a New York state of mind (plus a few global finds).
Find romance in retail, this way

Heart-shaped hedges blossom with real roses as part of Valentine’s Day installation in Times Square

Photo by Jonathan Hokklo

February 2, 2023

Heart-shaped hedges blossom with real roses as part of Valentine’s Day installation in Times Square

Love is in bloom in Times Square this February. As part of its 15th annual Love & Design competition, Times Square Arts on Wednesday unveiled a new public art installation on Duffy Square that invites visitors to get lost in love. This year's winner, Almost Studio, created an interactive configuration of four artificial hedge rows that form a maze-like structure with heart-shaped interiors. Called Love’s h|Edge, the sculpture features illuminated benches and trellises, the latter of which will be filled with fresh roses by passersby.
Take a look

Events & Things To Do

NYC’s urban wineries connect the vineyard to the city for date night

Red Hook Winery. Photo credit: Sava Studio

January 31, 2023

NYC’s urban wineries connect the vineyard to the city for date night

By Lidia Ryan

When asked why a couple should spend Valentine’s Day at City Winery, CEO and founder, Michael Dorf responded, "Wine not?" Puns aside, he believes "there's this romantic vibe to wooden barrels — something sexy about a winery." It’s what he attributes to City Winery hosting so many weddings. Plus, he joked, if you get engaged at his winery, you’re guaranteed to stay married. Time might tell whether or not that’s true, but when it comes to planning a date night, urban wineries are like a more romantic version of the ever-popular urban brewery.
Where to wine and dine

Photo credit clockwise: Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Jacques Torres Chocolates, Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Chocolate Noise.

January 25, 2023

The best local chocolate shops in NYC

It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to crave chocolate. But the sugar-coated holiday certainly provides a good excuse to indulge. Far beyond the red-wrapped drugstore box, creating the sweet (or bitter) treat is now recognized as a craft all its own. Chocolate purveyors range from the old-fashioned to the eco-conscious to makers who hand-mix exotic ingredients and flavors. If you're really hooked, you can make an event of it at a chocolate-themed restaurant, factory tour, or private tasting. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone special or just a sweet snack, the New York City establishments listed here have something for every chocolate lover–and you can order online or visit the source right in your borough.
Find the chocolate of your dreams, this way

February 10, 2022

The 10 most romantic spots in NYC

By Rebecca Fishbein

It’s sometimes hard to see New York’s romantic potential, considering the city’s sheer quantity of subway rats and mysterious street sludge. But despite some of New York’s less love-inspiring qualities, there are a lot of beautiful, heart-stopping spots that set the right tone for romance, even if you have to contend with yellow snow on your way home. Just in time for Valentine's Day, we've rounded up our 10 favorites, from a medieval monastery to a cozy restaurant haunted by Aaron Burr to tried-and-true favorites like the top of the Empire State Building.
Love is in the air

January 25, 2022

13 unique gift ideas for Valentine’s Day

By Lizzy Briskin

This year, think outside the box to wow your Valentine. Use these ideas for fun, flirty and family-friendly one-of-a-kind gifts for your one in a million. These gift ideas include something for everyone in your life, from the plant lover to the New York City foodie. In particular, there are plenty of experience gifts for Valentine’s Day. Because why not gift the present of your presence?
See the full list

These early 20th-century Valentine’s Day cards are delightfully bizarre

Although the pandemic probably put a damper on plans for a big night out this Valentine's Day, there are still ways to celebrate your loved ones. While jewelry, roses, and a steak dinner are always nice, a romantic greeting card remains one of the most popular, and affordable, ways to say "I love you." Instead of the typical heart and floral card designs, why not surprise your Valentine this year with a bizarre note from the early 20th-century that depicts delightfully weird cherubs and charming cupids? The New York Public Library has an amazing digital collection of vintage Valentine's Day cards, some of which stand the test of time and others that may not. Ahead, see some of our favorites from the collection and choose your own to exchange on February 14.
More here

Events & Things To Do

You can stay overnight at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this Valentine’s Day

All images courtesy of Booking.com

February 9, 2021

You can stay overnight at Bryant Park’s Winter Village this Valentine’s Day

Travel company Booking.com is transforming Midtown's Bryant Park into a unique overnight experience this Valentine's Day. As part of its "Love Letters to America" campaign, the company is celebrating cities across the U.S. that have been hit hard by the coronavirus and inviting others to share adventures they are looking forward to once it's safe to travel again. As a tribute to the Big Apple, Booking.com has converted the Polar Lounge at the Bank of America Winter Village into an après ski-inspired chalet, available to book for two nights only on February 13 and February 14.
Details this way

February 4, 2021

Romantic Valentine’s Day takeout and treat options from NYC restaurants

Heart-shaped pizzas, at-home sushi-making kits, red velvet cakes, sake and chocolate pairings--these are just some of the takeout offerings and treats that you can order this Valentine's Day. Since most of us will be staying home, we've put together a list of local restaurants with special to-go menus, as well as shops that have yummy holiday treats and edible gifts and even some virtual cooking classes. Ahead, check out all the options and start planning your romantic day (or weekend!).
Full list ahead

On Valentine’s Day, take a virtual tour of the city’s largest sewage plant

Photo via NYC Water/Flickr

February 2, 2021

On Valentine’s Day, take a virtual tour of the city’s largest sewage plant

What's more romantic that that?? It may seem odd, but every year, when the NYC Department of Environmental Protection and Open House New York host a Valentine's Day tour of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility and its famous Digester Eggs, it sells out almost immediately. But thanks to our new virtual world, more New Yorkers will get a chance to experience this quirky event this year, and it also allows us to see parts of the facility that the public wouldn’t normally have access to.
READ MORE

Events & Things To Do

The Sill’s Valentine’s Day Collection is perfect for the special plant-parent in your life

All photos courtesy of The Sill

February 1, 2021

The Sill’s Valentine’s Day Collection is perfect for the special plant-parent in your life

It's no surprise that we've seen a growing number of plant moms and dads over the past year, with everyone staying home and looking for added comfort (and company!). So this February 14th, ditch the roses and get that special someone a plant gift that will last longer than a week. The Sill has put together a Valentine's Day Collection, and it's just as good as you'd imagine, from the world’s longest blooming houseplant (how romantic is that?!) to an actual heart-shaped plant to a petite rose bush.
Check out the gift ideas

This Valentine’s Day, watch the sunrise from 1,131 feet above NYC at Edge

Photo courtesy of Related-Oxford

January 28, 2021

This Valentine’s Day, watch the sunrise from 1,131 feet above NYC at Edge

New York City's highest outdoor observation deck has a special treat for lovebirds this Valentine's Day. For that one day, Edge will be opening at 6am, allowing visitors the rare opportunity to watch the sunrise from 1,131 feet in the air. In addition, from February 12th-21st, the Hudson Yards attraction will extend its daily hours from 8am to 10pm (perhaps to accommodate an expected rush of proposals?).
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Events & Things To Do

Looking for your next great read? Here are 125 books NYPL hopes you’ll love

Photo: Jonathan Blanc/NYPL

February 14, 2020

Looking for your next great read? Here are 125 books NYPL hopes you’ll love

Forget the roses and chocolate, spend this Valentine's Day enjoying a new book. As part of its 125th-anniversary celebration, the New York Public Library on Friday released an expertly-curated list of 125 books that inspire a love of reading. A team of librarians spent a year debating and choosing its 125 Books We Love list, which includes fiction and non-fiction titles published after May 23, 1895, the year the library was incorporated.
The full list, here

Win a private dinner for two ‘under the stars’ of Grand Central Terminal this Valentine’s Day

Photo courtesy of Grand Central Terminal

February 3, 2020

Win a private dinner for two ‘under the stars’ of Grand Central Terminal this Valentine’s Day

One of the most unique Valentine's Day events in New York City is happening at one of the city's busiest transit hubs. Grand Central Terminal announced it will provide one couple a romantic, private evening under the stars of its iconic main hall as part of a new contest announced Monday. The winning couple, who will get the space to themselves on February 14 between 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., will enjoy a three-course dinner provided by Michelin-starred restaurant Agern and a live piano performance from a Steinway Artist, all under the terminal's constellation ceiling.
How to enter

Events & Things To Do

Times Square Arts’ 2020 Valentine’s Day heart comes with a hidden surprise

Photos by Ian Douglas

January 31, 2020

Times Square Arts’ 2020 Valentine’s Day heart comes with a hidden surprise

By Alexandra Alexa

Times Square Arts debuted the 2020 Times Square Valentine Heart yesterday, a tradition that started in 2009. This year's installation, Heart Squared, was selected by the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and designed by MODU and Eric Forman Studio. The sculpture is composed of a 10-foot-tall cubic steel lattice structure that approximates the form of an anatomical heart and 125 mirrors that are suspended within and tilted at various angles to create a kaleidoscopic collage of the urban environment. The arrangement of the mirrors might seem random at first but they're precisely calibrated to form an anamorphic projection—meaning that the mirror array creates a surprise image when viewed from a specific vantage point, which is marked on the ground with white paint.
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Events & Things To Do

The best Valentine’s Day gifts for modern design lovers

Image courtesy of The Sill.

January 30, 2020

The best Valentine’s Day gifts for modern design lovers

Long after the day of chocolate boxes and candy hearts is over, these gifts will still be as cool as the person who gave them. Because if you're going to wear your heart on your sleeve, it had better look good! Ahead, we've rounded up 15 great gift ideas, from chic pottery and lamps to heart-shaped succulents to a hot sauce kit to spice things up.
Great Valentine gift ideas, this way

14 un-boring ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC

Image via Pixabay.

January 28, 2020

14 un-boring ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC

There are more ways to say “Be my Valentine” than we can count, and purveyors of all things romantic will be out in full force trying to win hearts this February 14. If February's second week has you scrambling for a worthy celebration, it might be the perfect time to try something a little bit different. Below, we've rounded up 14 unexpected Valentine-inspired events–from whiskey and chocolate to bugs and sewage.
Details, this way

Events & Things To Do

February 11, 2019

NYPL maps your favorite New York City love stories

New York City is the endlessly romantic backdrop for more literary love stories than we could possibly count. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the NYPL asked their book experts for their favorite tales of love and the city; then they put them on a map for our exploration–and reading–pleasure.
Amore, this way

Events & Things To Do

14 fun and offbeat ways to spend Valentine’s Day 2019 in New York City

Image courtesy of Dumbo.is

February 1, 2019

14 fun and offbeat ways to spend Valentine’s Day 2019 in New York City

Like Mother's Day, there's something to be said for the idea that every day ought to be Valentine’s Day, candy and flowers included. But if February's second week has you scrambling for a worthy celebration, it might be the perfect time to try something a little bit different. Take a look below for some Valentine-focused events–from skating and shopping to science and sewage–and lots of other ways to get heart-shaped this V-Day.
Details, this way

Events & Things To Do

Collection of antique Valentines explores expressions of love over three centuries

Fold-open Valentine card, German (1900); courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

February 14, 2018

Collection of antique Valentines explores expressions of love over three centuries