The 13 Best Summer Date Spots in NYC to Impress Your Girl

Image via Complex Original

Neighborhood: Coney Island
Address: 1000 Surf Ave
Website: coneyisland.com

Every once in awhile, you're overcome with the urge to whisk her away on a beach vacation, but your wallet isn't having it. For those times, you should head to the nearby R&R available at Coney Island. That way, everybody wins!

Start at Nathan's Famous (1310 Surf Ave) and overload your hot dog with as many condiments as your bun can handle, while simultaneously discovering how much of your 44 oz. beer your bellies can handle. Chances are, she won't finish half.

Head down the boardwalk to Luna Park, where you'll ride the vaguely sexual sounding Soaring Eagle and fear for your lives on the Cyclone, which may or may not collapse while you're riding it. The terror adds to the fun, trust us. After your near death experience, get your palms read by one of the fortune tellers scattered along the nearby sidewalks, and hope she tells you both there is luck (and not indigestion, as expected) in your future.

Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Address: 298 Bedford Ave
Website: maisonpremiere.com

Let's just start with the inarguable facts: Oysters are an aphrodisiac. Right off the bat, that means your date will be off to a sexy start. Now add absinthe to the mix. Sure, it doesn't make you hallucinate like Hemingway, but it does give you a unique sensation that goes beyond "a buzz."

Luckily for you, Maison Premiere does both incredibly well. Freshly shucked east and west coast oysters can be procured for a mere dollar Monday-Friday 5-7 p.m., and well-versed bartenders can make abisnthe's anise undertones sing in balanced cocktails. Have her try the Imperial Opal, a cocktail thate mellows the anise sting with yellow chartreuse and rose water, while you take the unadulterated route and consume it the way the gods intended, i.e. the absinthe drip.

Snag a seat on the outdoor patio, and let the green-fairy's euphoria work its way through while you share licorice-flavored kisses with your equally emerald-eyed girl.

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Address: 92 Ludlow Street 
Website: hotelchantelle.com

Set just apart from the hustle and endless flow of traffic on LES's main stretch between Stanton and Rivington is Hotel Chantelle, which is not a hotel, but a gorgeous tri-level space with a rooftop patio that will woo even the most hard-to-impress girlfriend's pants off.

Start early so you can catch their "High Life" happy hour (which in case you were wondering, does not refer to the champagne of beers) before heading up the outdoor space on the second floor, where she'll happily sip on a specialty cocktail like their Sarth Sangria, a rosé sangria made with fresh fruit and Pyrat rum. 

After you've spent a few minutes lounging in the sunshine and gossiping about the Olsen-esque fashion aspirations of the crowd, stumble down to the basement for some bumping and grinding. Admit it, after a few glasses of rosé, making out in public somehow seems like the right move.

Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Address: West 79th St at Riverside Dr
Website: boatbasincafe.com

Take her to lunch at the Boat Basin, where the food is no-frills (think standard-issue burgers and fries) but the gorgeous Hudson river views make your frozen piña colada something worth reveling in.

After your riverside snack, walk down to Pier 72 (West 72nd Street), where you and your slightly tipsy date can try your hand at kayaking on the Hudson free of charge. Thanks, Bloomberg! And if we may, a word of wisdom: If you've never had your way with a paddle before, we suggest drinking after, not before, and taking the complimentary kayaking class before heading out.

After you've tackled tandem paddling, take in the Hudson vistas as the sun sets and amble down to romantically-inclined (as in, super dark and cozy) Casellula (401 West 52nd Street), where you'll find a carefully curated selection of cheese and wine to satisfy your insatiable post-kayaking appetites.  

Neighborhood: Citywide
Address: Locations vary
Website: rooftopfilms.com

For 15 years, Rooftop Films has been showing top-notch indie films in offbeat outdoor spaces throughout the city, but chances are, your girl hasn't seen one yet. Shouldn't you be the first to share the experience with her, and win those much-coveted brownie points?

With screenings in a stunning industrial space in Gowanus, to a graffiti-covered rooftop on the Lower East Side, you can pick a flick within the proximity of your hood, or choose a spot that will suit your lady's inclinations best.

The 2012 summer series has a mixed-bag of marvelous films, from all-American crowdpleasers like The Muppets and The Sandlot, to stellar indie selections, like the existential coming of age story, Only the Young. Many feature live music to set the scene before the opening credits, and end with sponsored after parties, which means free booze! Just when you thought the night couldn't get any better...

Neighborhood: Dumbo
Address: 56 Water Street
Website: janescarousel.com

Inside every woman is a despicable urge she doesn't want to admit or even acknowledge for a rom-com worthy rendezvous. Scratch that embarrassing itch for her by taking her to Jane's Carousel, a dazzlingly restored merry-go-round tucked under the Brooklyn bridge. 

After taking a two-dollar-twirl, meander along the cobblestone street towards Almondine Bakery (85 Water Street), where you can snack on macaroons (try the pistachio!) and take a slice of their achingly sweet chocolate créme brule cake to share over east river views, which can be found a mere block away back at the Brooklyn Bridge Park (26 New Dock Street). 

Neighborhood: Pelham Parkway
Address: 2300 Southern Blvd
Website: bronxzoo.com

Even if your boo cringes at the thought of anything nature-oriented, she'll be a sucker for the baby animals strolling on grassy knolls at the Bronx Zoo. 

If baby animals aren't her thing (Seriously? What kind of woman is she?!), take a stroll through the butterfly garden, peep monkeys, giraffes, tigers, and even lemurs (as part of their Madagascar exhibit) and feed penguins and sea lions. Ambling along the LEGO Wild Forest, a special exhibit that features realistic renderings of the zoo's animals, is also a must.

End your excursion into the great outdoors with the Wild Asia Monorail, a 20-minute ride in the sky that gives you a bird's eye view of the best exhibits (that are often too crowded to see otherwise) and the Bronx River, and affords an opportunity to steal a kiss in the sky. Damn, you are one slick dude!

Neighborhood: Willamsburg
Address: 27 N 6th St
Website: brooklynflea.com/smorgasburg/

If you find yourself hungry and without a date idea on a Saturday afternoon, look no further than Smorgasburg to satisfy both needs at once. Like the Brooklyn Flea Market but with delicious food, Smorgasburg unites almost 100 artisanal food vendors for a mass picnic of sorts on the Williamsburg waterfront that a gourmet-inclined lady won't soon forget.

Be adventurous eaters, and only try things you both haven't, like fried anchovies from Bon Chovie, chai ice cream from The Alchemists, or a stroopwafel ice cream sandwich from The Good Batch. Or, stick to summer staples like oysters from Brooklyn Oyster Party, lobster rolls from Red Hook Lobster Pound or a BBQ brisket sandwich from Mighty Quinn's. Make inappropriate food jokes the entire time, and take pictures of every amazing thing that enters your mouth before collapsing onto a bench along the pier. When you finally head home, you'll inevitably be too full to hump around, but in the AM, you will get props (preferably of the sexual variety) for your date well done.

Neighborhood: Midtown East
Address: 145 East 50th Street
Website: upstairsnyc.com

Some rooftops are best enjoyed at night, when the sparkling cityscape stands out against the dark sky. That's a scene suited for no-fail romance, especially if you happen to be Upstairs at The Kimberly Hotel.

If the stunning panoramic views of midtown Manhattan don't leave her woozy with delight, the potent cocktails will. Ensure a steamy evening by ordering her their Summer Heat cocktail, which warms up Patron Reposado with fresh jalapeno and a sweet splash of ginger liqueur and pineapple. 

The cocktails are admittedly pricey, but what you spend on the drinks, you'll save on the foreplay, because everyone knows rooftops are an express route to being man-handled in the cab home. See what we're saying? Totally worth every penny!  

Neighborhood: Washington Heights
Address: 99 Margaret Corbin Dr
Website: metmuseum.org

Pools and beaches may be the undisputed pantheons of hot weather activity, but The Cloisters will have you rethinking whether museums deserve a spot on summer's short list.

Found in under-appreciated Fort Tryon Park, The Cloisters is an outdoor branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art that spotlights medieval art and architecture, enclosed in peaceful gardens that were made for roaming. Marvel at stained glass and learn about the famed unicorn tapestries before taking off into the painstakingly maintained medieval gardens and digging into the picnic we suggest you pack prior to the occasion.

If you're slacking on your homemade grub game, stop by Café Trie, a small eatery overlooking the garden where you can share a cup of coffee and sit back while your girl sings your praises.

Neighborhood: Flatiron
Address: 20 West 20th Street
Website: westsidepistolrange.com

Every once in awhile, the prospect of dinner, no matter how fancy, seems kind of dull. You've had one foie gras pâté, you've had them, all right? Put a pistol in her hand, and give her a chance to experience something truly novel at West Side Rifle and Pistol Range.

For $65, the two of you will be privvy to a short safety tutorial, and shortly after, will be handed a 22-caliber rifle and 50 rounds for your firing pleasure. After your stress has been executed and your adventurous spirit awakened, hail a cab to scintillating sexy cocktail den Mayahuel (East 6th Street), where you'll wind down with flights of smoky mezcal and tongue-searing sangrita, and keep the fire burning well into the wee hours of the night.

Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Address: East 72nd Street
Website: thecentralparkboathouse.com

Before taking the time out to curate a truly creative date, make sure your woman is well-versed on the classics—and we're not talking Moby Dick and Heart of Darkness.

Like ice-skating in Rockefeller center, renting a boat and rowing across the lake is an iconic date that would border cliché if it weren't so beautiful. It's something every woman should experience at least once just to say she did, and you should be the one to share that quintessential couple's activity with her. You may catch slack for being corny from your boys, but on the upside, she'll snag some sweet Instagram pics she'll totes treasure forever.

If you want to splurge on her, eat inside, where the white table cloth factor will wow just as much as the views. If the boat ride has left you strapped, eat at the casual outside grill, which is lighter on the wallet and will still leave her swooning over the lake views.

Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
Address: 1000 Washington Ave
Website: bbg.org

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden is an urban oasis that sits close by in Prospect Heights, but gives you the sense that you've escaped the city entirely. Nature, as it happens, is also incredibly romantic.

The BBG's sprawling grounds contain enough to keep the two of you busy exploring for an entire day. From the Cranford Rose Garden to the Japanese Zen Pond teaming with coy, the solace that you misplaced in the city, you'll find here. 

Explore their climate-controlled rooms (you can make it from rainforest to desert in just a few hours!) and marvel over their bonsai collection before heading off to the gift shop, where you can procure a tiny cactus to remind you of your day before heading off to the nearby Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Pkwy). If it happens to be a Saturday (hint, you should plan it that way), you can enjoy live music, beer and wine, and even take a dance lesson before heading off to scrutinize the latest exhibits.