Ten Valentine Activities for Everyone
February is the month of love, and whatever that means for you, there is no better place to celebrate love than the New York City metro area. Whether you are looking for a romantic evening with your sweetheart or a “Palentine’s Day” with friends or family, New York and Hoboken have something for you.
You don’t have to wait until February 14th to celebrate your Valentine. In fact, in some cases, it might be better to choose another day and avoid the crowded restaurants. With that in mind, we’ve put together activities for both romantic and platonic love in the NYC metro area throughout February that are guaranteed to make you feel the love.
Hoboken
Paint like Picasso
Palentine: Less than a mile from Dharma Hoboken at Novia, ArteVino Studio offers BYOB paint and sip classes. You can join a class with your significant other and paint each other a special Valentine’s gift, or you can book a private party and make it a Palentine’s to remember.
Valentine: It’s BYOB, so a fun idea might be to stop in at Cheese and Wine Hoboken and pick up a couple of nice bottles for you and your loved one to enjoy. Drink one at the studio and then bring the second bottle back with some cheeses to enjoy at Dharma Hoboken at Novia.
Get your Groove on
Palentine: Spice up your dance skills by taking a salsa class with your friends. Salsa Fever on 2 offers beginning Salsa classes twice a week for those who want to feel the rhythm. They also host a social dance party once a month to put those moves into practice.
Valentine: Have an authentic Cuban dinner at La Isla Uptown – a restaurant that touts itself as “Havana meets Miami in Hoboken”. Then book a private couples lesson at Salsa Fever on 2. You can enjoy quality time with your partner while working off those calories from that flan!
New York City
Enjoy Winter Sports
Palentine: Central Park’s Winter Jam is a free annual winter sports festival that takes place in Central Park on Feb 4, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. They host winter activities such as ice carving, snowshoeing, sledding, curling, and ice bowling. Don’t worry about the weather – if there is no snow that day, they have a company come in and provide a mini mountain of snow.
Valentine: After an afternoon of snowy fun, you can turn up the romance by booking a picnic in a heated bubble tent in Central Park. Pik NYC offers packages that include a heated bubble tent for 2, 4, or 8 people with your choice of themed decor. You can pack your own picnic or choose an add on for drinks, snacks, and dessert. You can even get customized beer, wine, or purified water cans with your loved one’s name and face!
Immerse Yourself in Culture
Palentine: Check out paintings and sculptures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the MoMA , or bring your kids to the American Museum of Natural History to see the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. With over a hundred museums in Manhattan, it’s easy to find one that will interest you and your friends.
Valentine: To add some romance to your day of culture, make a reservation at some of the fine dining restaurants that populate many NYC museums, such as The Met Dining Room, which features a seasonal menu from chef Bill Telepan. If you are more of a MoMA fan, try The Modern, a two Michelin-starred, contemporary American restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art that features Chef Thomas Allan’s contemporary cooking in a setting that overlooks MoMA’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden.
Valentine: To add some romance to your day of culture, make a reservation at some of the fine dining restaurants that populate many NYC museums, such as The Met Dining Room, which features a seasonal menu from chef Bill Telepan. If you are more of a MoMA fan, try The Modern, a two Michelin-starred, contemporary American restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art that features Chef Thomas Allan’s contemporary cooking in a setting that overlooks MoMA’s Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden.
Get a specialty hot chocolate
Galentine: Chocolates are the go-to gift for Valentine’s day for a good reason; it is a mood booster. This is because it both smells good and contains caffeine as well as phenethylamine (PEA), a naturally occurring chemical compound that stimulates humans’ central nervous systems and releases dopamine. You can get your dose of dopamine in liquid form with a batch of hot chocolate from Max Brenner’s. You and your Palentine can visit Max Brenner’s Restaurant in Union Square for sandwiches, salads, and entrees paired with chocolate infused cocktails, fondue, or starters like cocoa spiced waffle fries.
Valentine: On your way back from a day in the city, pick up a treat from Max Brenner’s Retail Shop at their Times Square location. Cook your significant other a dinner in the fully-stocked kitchens at Dharma Hoboken at Novia, and then make a thermos of your chosen hot chocolate mix to take it to our rooftop terrace where you can bundle up, snuggle with your significant other, and watch the sunset.
If none of the aforementioned activities, doesn’t entice you, there is always the tried and true “dinner and a show” date. February is the perfect time to visit New York and New Jersey, as both Broadway Week and Restaurant Week run from January 17 until February 12th. Check out our 5 NYC Winter Wonderland Experiences blog for more information on 2-for-1 shows and pre-fix menus.
Whether you are looking for romance, family fun or a night out with friends, Dharma Home Suites is here to provide you with your home away from home.
