New York is to America what Paris is to Europe: the most romantic city on the continent. For young or old lovers on a tight budget, there are plenty of cheap, romantic things to do in New York City. Every season of the year has its charm in the city that never sleeps.
The Romantic Rendezvous
Either of New York's airports can provide a backdrop for romantic rendezvous, with cafes and French bakeries on every concourse. La Guardia is in Queens, a scenic four-mile cab ride into the city. JFK airport is also a vibrant place for meeting, with its own light rail, AirTrain, going directly into Penn Station's hum of humanity.
To capture the romance of rail travel, take your sweetheart to Grand Central Station, now that its grandeur has been restored. Meet under the famous clock, smooch in the "Kissing Room," and marvel at the sculptures of Hercules, Mercury and Minerva.
Springtime in New York
Taking a 30-minute walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. hand-in-hand, could be a springtime tradition for you and your honey. While you're on the Brooklyn side, visit Walt Whitman Park and read to each other from "Leaves of Grass." Get a stranger to take a photo of the two of you stopped for a cuddle on the walk back, with the NYC skyline behind you. Start a scrapbook of your springtime bridge walks.
Extend your poetic adventures together by visiting the Shakespeare Garden in Central Park, a rock garden filled with plants and flowers duplicated from Shakespeare's own garden at Stratford-on-Avon. Read to each other the most romantic Shakespearean quotes from the bronze plaques scattered throughout the garden
Summer on the Staten Island Ferry
Just when the summer heat starts to wilt your ardor, hop aboard the Staten Island Ferry for a romantic view of lower Manhattan. Feel the cooling breeze of the East River in your hair. Everybody rides free. Bicycles are allowed on the lower level. Consider taking your bikes along and spending part of the day exploring Staten Island's many bike trails and paths. The ferry back to Manhattan runs 24 hours a day, so you can linger as long as you like.
Autumn Lingering
October is the month in which you and your soul mate can make a pilgrimage to Strawberry Fields at Central Park West, the spot most beloved by New York's archetypal lovers, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Each October 9, Lennon's birthday, his fans from all over the world gather at Strawberry Fields in front of the "Imagine" mosaic. The area is a designated quiet zone, so the atmosphere will be both emotional and romantic.
Winter Wonderland
Nothing could be more romantic than ice skating in Central Park. What is now called Trump Wollman Skating Rink has been a New York City tradition since 1947. Part of the romance is taking the subway to 59th Street, Central Park South, and walking the foot path arm-in-arm into the park. Besides, it's impossible to drive because there is no parking in Central Park or at the rink.
After an afternoon or evening of skating, extend the romantic mood with a cup of cocoa or a goblet of mulled wine.
Member Comments