Cute ideas for a teenage date in NYC?

M

moopdog

Dreaming of Disney....
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Weird question, I know. But didn't know where else to turn. While my daughters & I are seeing Wicked, my son and his girlfriend (16 & 18 & he's he younger of the two...don't get me started on that one) will be allowed free time to roam in NYC. It's 2 days after her bday, so my son wants to surprise her with something sweet while there. Any ideas? I have only been there a handful of times and usually only long enough to catch a show. Central Park comes to mind. Maybe a picnic?? They need to be within walking distance of the theatre district, and will have about 3 hours to kill.

TIA
 
I may have taken "sweet" literally...

He could take her to the M&M store (close to the theaters) and they could personalize M&M's. It's fast and super cute. I can't remember the price but I don't think it was exorbitant.

Top of the Rock might seem "romantic" to a pair of teenagers??

Would they enjoy a quick run to MOMA?

They could walk up to Tiffany's and window shop but you may not want that!!

Just some ideas of the top of my head... I hope everyone has a wonderful trip!
 
Max Brenners is a cute date idea, and if you have reservations you usually never have to wait. It's not really in walking distance but its only 2 or 3 train stops away.

They can walk to Sprinkles get some cupcakes or ice-cream and walk to Central Park from there!

Madame Tussauds is also super fun and can easily kill 3 hours of time.
 


What time of year are you going? If you are going during the Christmas season they could walk to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and ice skate then walk down 5th avenue to look at the windows. Grab a hot chocolate in there some where and it can be very romantic.

If it is soon then they could walk to the park but it is about 10 blocks from Wicked (maybe less) and as long as it is a matinee performance I wouldn't see a problem with two teens doing that walk. A night show and I'd be a little hesitant for two teens to be in Central Park at dark.

They could just walk around Times Square and eat at any of the many restaurants in the area. Restaurant Row has some good places.
 
Would taking the horse-drawn carriage at Central Park be too corny for teens?

I believe they'd be fine on the subway, but given the time constraints, the limits might be the Met/Guggenheim or American Museum of Natural History. Or find out what's playing at Radio City.

Before the age of security screening, I'd suggest watching a double feature of An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle, and then a trip up the Empire State Building. But very long lines and metal detectors ruin the romance. On the other hand, shopping at Macy's Herald Square is quite an experience that some might appreciate.
 
I would say dinner near by (if you aren't doing that before the show).

They could also do desert some place, M&M store is a good idea. Bryan Park is an option a little bit of a walk but not to far....

Is seeing a different show not an option?
 


wilkeliza said:
What time of year are you going? If you are going during the Christmas season they could walk to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and ice skate then walk down 5th avenue to look at the windows. Grab a hot chocolate in there some where and it can be very romantic.

If it is soon then they could walk to the park but it is about 10 blocks from Wicked (maybe less) and as long as it is a matinee performance I wouldn't see a problem with two teens doing that walk. A night show and I'd be a little hesitant for two teens to be in Central Park at dark.

They could just walk around Times Square and eat at any of the many restaurants in the area. Restaurant Row has some good places.
Click to expand...
We are going in 3 weeks, September 27th. :)
 
DLgal said:
Why are you planning your son's date? Let him figure it out. Geez. He's old enough to do this kind of research.
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I'm a planner at heart. Not planning it for him, just giving him ideas that I'll ALLOW him to do. Sheesh.
 
A picnic in Central Park might require too much planning and hefty of items. A nice coffee shop or restaurant with a stroll afterwards can be very romantic in the right neighborhood. I would recommend the area north of Columbus Circle. Restaurant Row can be gross outside (lots of garbage) and with tons of people its hard to really "stroll". One of my favorite places to go with my husband is an old school Italian Restaurant. We have had many a meal there and the area is a quick train ride from Times Square. There are lots of unique shops and you get a more NYC feel than you will in Times Square or Hell's Kitchen. Here is a link to the place to give you an idea and the neighborhood: http://www.pappardella.com/

This place can be pricey for teens but there are tons of nice little restaurants in that neighborhood so take a look at yelp. This is also a great chance for them to try ethnic cuisine you may not have in your area as there is a huge range of diversity in restaurants in any neighborhood. I also like the village but that area can be much more confusing to navigate, for them going on their own if they aren't familiar with the city staying in an area that is on the grid layout is best to prevent getting lost.
 
Escape the room?
Or honestly just walking around can be fun for teens in the city. If you google you can see if any street festivals are going on that day
 
I just remembered the time my cousin took me to Rumplemeyer's for ice cream. I was too young to be impressed, and sadly, they're not around anymore, but it did make me think of the Plaza. Which raises the issue of what's the budget? Afternoon tea (I'm assuming you're going to a matinée) at the Palm Court in the Plaza would be impressive and romantic for people who get impressed by that sort of thing. But it would require dressing up, and I'm pretty sure the prices would compete with the top of the line options at the Grand Floridian.

More reasonably, Grom Gelato at Columbus Circle looks like an interesting place for young people to enjoy a snack. And they might be able to fit in a tour of Lincoln Center (but check their website first).
 
I'd go with Max Brenner if they're comfortable with a subway ride.

Could they go to a different show?

Are they tourists mostly or NYC veterans? If tourists, Ellen's Stardust Diner is fun and then just stroll around Times Square.
 
I have never been to NY, would love to. But I do notice they do have an Ice skating rink at some point. It is near and running that could be an option. Just throwing it out there.
 
usnuzuloose said:
I have never been to NY, would love to. But I do notice they do have an Ice skating rink at some point. It is near and running that could be an option. Just throwing it out there.
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NYC has many ice rinks. The most famous are the Central Park and Rockefeller Center rinks. Neither will be operating when they go in September.
 
I would think that just walking around and looking at the sights and maybe stopping for a bite to eat somewhere would be fun for them. Spontaneous and unplanned, people watching, laugh a little, maybe take a few photos with the local flavor in Times Square, etc.
 
3 hours in NYC should be easy for them! At that age just walking around Times Square and stopping for lunch or a snack. Central Park would be nice if it's during the day. A subway ride was fun for me at that age (I'm from a small town- no subways near us!). Since it's her birthday a gourmet cup cake.
 
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