It’s that time of the year again where love is everywhere! Gone are the times of celebrating Valentine’s Day with just chocolate and flowers. Whether you’re celebrating the day with your friends, your partner, or just yourself, there’s a whole host of activities you can engage in. In a city as multicultural and diverse as New York, there’s no end to what you can do. To start you off, here’s a list of eight ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC!

1. Partner Up For A Class

One of our favorite Valentine’s Day ideas in NYC is to take a fun class! This is an especially fun way to spend the day irrespective of who you’re spending it with. There are several Valentine’s Day events in NYC in this category. If you’re a foodie, you can take a cheese-making class or pizza workshop. If you’re looking for something artsier, you can learn pottery or even graffiti! Whichever you choose, you’re sure to have a lot of fun. With the current COVID-19 situation, you can even find virtual classes.

2. Relax And Unwind

Although Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this year, there’s one way you can enjoy some downtime to celebrate: booking a spa! You can book an appointment in the evening if you’re working. But if you decide to take the day off to spend it with your partner, booking a day spa for a couple’s massage is one of the most romantic things to do in NYC on Valentine’s Day. The Couple Spa has great packages you can choose from!

3. Visit NYC Attractions

While this might not sound like an enticing way to spend Valentine’s Day in NYC, here are a few attractions that will change your mind!

• The Empire State Building – one of the most romantic things to do in NYC on Valentine’s Day is going all the way to the top of the Empire State Building with your partner. What better way to celebrate the day of love than by being surrounded by love? A popular spot for proposals, the building even celebrates by lighting up red!
• Roosevelt Island Tramway – get your fellow celebrators and yourself subway tickets across the East River and you’ve got yourself romantic views of the river facing Uptown and Downtown Manhattan!
• The American Museum of Natural History – visiting this museum is another one for the list of iconic Valentine’s Day ideas in NYC. Every year on this special day, the Hayden Planetarium hosts a “Romance Under The Stars” event. You can enjoy the immense starry night while listening to some of the most romantic love stories ever written.

4. Enjoy A Romantic Valentine’s Dinner in NYC

Valentine’s Day dinner in NYC is a classic way to celebrate. Our recommendation is One if by Land, Two if by Sea. It has been voted the fifth most romantic restaurant in the world by Architectural Digest. Serving some of the best American cuisine, you can enjoy your food with its beautiful ambiance. According to Forbes, this will be “one of the best meals you’ve had in ages, traditional French fare with Moroccan influences and a contemporary flair, in a classically appointed dining room with magnificent floral arrangements in the Masson family tradition”.

5. Take a Romantic Cruise at Sunset

A lovely way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC is to book one of the dinner cruises specially planned for this holiday. Enjoy the lovely buffet on this romantic cruise as you watch the captivating skyline of the city all lit up. The cruise, organized by Bateaux New York offers tickets starting at $208. The cruise itself takes about three hours from beginning to end. So if you have other activities planned for the rest of your evening, you might want to schedule them for later!

6. Go Ice Skating on Valentine’s Day in NYC

Get in touch with your inner child and celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC with some ice skating! Seeing how V-Day takes place in winter, you’re sure to find several ice rinks open and functional. The two most popular rinks are those at the Rockefeller Center and Central Park. A huge bonus for this idea against other Valentine’s Day ideas in NYC is that it’s an open space, perfect for those who prefer not to be indoors with large groups of people.

7. Adventure Away With a Helicopter Ride

Celebrate Valentine’s Day in NYC by splurging and creating a memory that’s going to last you a lifetime! Enjoy a helicopter ride over one of the most beautiful cities in the world with your loved one. There are several tour operators that offer helicopter rides and you can choose from this comprehensive list!

8. Do Something Absolutely Unique!

If you’re looking for something completely new to do on Valentine’s Day in NYC this year, here are a few unique activities.

• Join A Mass Vow Renewal Event – Every year, Times Square hosts a Vow Renewal Ceremony in which hundreds of people gather to declare their love for one another again. You can register to be a part of this ceremony here.
• Enjoy The Green-Wood Cemetery’s “Happily Never After” Tour – This cemetery, located in Brooklyn, organizes a “Happily Never After” tour every Valentine’s Day in NYC. If you’re interested in the heartbreaks and love affairs of historical people, writers, and artists, this is the tour for you! You can book your tickets for the tour on the website here.

We hope this list has given you fun things you can do to enjoy this Valentine’s Day in NYC.

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