Part of the beauty of being in NYC in the summer is taking advantage of the wide range of activities and events the City has to offer, especially on date night. Sports fans, foodies, cinephiles and even those on a first date have plenty of options for fun-filled adventure on the town. Design your very own New York love story with our five hot date ideas.
1. Pride Night at Citi Field
This year’s Pride Night at Citi Field
is set for Saturday, August 4
. The Mets will take on the Atlanta Braves starting at 7:10pm—but get there early to hear the national anthem, which is often sung by a top-name celebrity performer. (Bonus: it also happens to be Noah Syndergaard-as-Thor bobblehead night, given to the first 25,000 fans.) A portion of the proceeds from the game will go to the LGBT Network and its Safe Schools Initiative to stop bullying in Long Island and Queens. For a drink before or after the game, head to Mikkeller Brewing NYC
, a recently opened Danish beer hall attached to Citi Field.
2. Summer Movies in Bryant Park
Join the crowd on Monday nights at 5pm—the time the Bryant Park lawn opens—to grab the best spot for sunset screenings of the HBO Summer Film Festival
. Bring snacks and maybe a bottle of your favorite beverage (we’ll look the other way!) for classics like A League of Their Own (July 2) and Fried Green Tomatoes (July 16). Before finding your seat, you can venture indoors to check out You Say You Want a Revolution: Remembering the’60s
, a free exhibition this summer at the adjacent New York Public Library
.
Georgia O'Keeffee, Heliconia, Crab's Claw Ginger. Courtesy, New York Botanical Garden
3. New York Botanical Garden
This summer, the New York Botanical Garden
is all about Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawai’i
. The exhibit gets up close with the flora of Hawaii in the the beautiful Enid P. Haupt Conservatory, while some of O’Keefe’s Hawaiian flora paintings and letters from the time can be seen in the the garden’s galleries. If you really want to get in the spirit, show up on one of the Aloha Nights
for a hula party. And of course brilliant summer blooms are on hand all season in the Perennial Garden, Native Plant Garden and Rose Garden. The NYBG’s Pine Tree Cafe and Hudson Garden Café offer options for snacks, coffee or full meals.
4. LGBTQ+ Inspired Theater
Broadway marks the 50th anniversary of The Boys in the Band
with a landmark queer production starring some of Hollywood’s most notable LGBTQ+ actors, including Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto and Jim Parsons. Also, the Tony Award–winning Angels in America
, an iconic piece of LGBTQ+ theater, has been revived with well-known actors Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane. And there’s always the long-running Off-Broadway hit Naked Boys Singing!
Make a night of it with a pre- or postshow meal on Restaurant Row
.
Photo: Christopher Postlewaite
5. Big Gay Ice Cream
You know it’s summer when you first hear that ice cream truck jingle on the City’s streets. For a taste of soft-serve with an LGBTQ+ twist, head to the West Village’s Big Gay Ice Cream
, specializing in sweet treats with fun names like the Bea Arthur and the Salty Pimp. While you’re in the area, stop by The Stonewall Inn
for cocktails or happy hour and then take a stroll to check out other nearby LGBTQ+ landmarks
.
