Valentine’s Day is just over a week away, so if you don’t have a gift or plans yet, we have some ideas for you! The list below contains gifts from local businesses and date night options for a unique New York Valentine’s Day experience, from climbing a skyscraper to cozying up for a night in with candles and cocktails!
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1. Heart Shaped Pizza
Photo Courtesy of Belmont Business Improvement District
This Valentine's Day gift is cheesy in the best way. At Ivana’s Pizzeria(2373 Arthur Ave)you and your Valentine can share a heart-shaped pie with any toppings your heart desires! This family-owned and operated business was established in 1977 by two lovebirds, Antonio and Ivana Ferri. The pair married in Italy in 1966, came to America in 1975, then opened their Bronx pizzeria. They've been together for over fifty years! Unlike the Ferris' love, these heart-shaped pies won't last forever, they are available throughout the month of February.
After your pie, you'll probably need some dessert. Artuso Pastry Shop(670 E 187th St), another local and family-owned establishment founded in 1946, will serve pink and red breakable hearts filled with chocolate sweets for Valentine's Day. You can order this and many other delicious treats in-store or online for pickup or delivery.
Need something quick? Order a bouquet of roses from Ode a La Rose, a same-day NYC flower delivery service! In New York City, your gift is safely hand-delivered in Ode a la Rose’s signature gift box. The beautiful flower arrangements can also be shipped nationwide. This Valentine’s Day, Ode a La Rose has a wide selection of bouquets to choose from, from a dozen classic red roses to an array of alstroemeria and lisianthus, pink veronica, and baby blue eucalyptus. Bouquets come in many different sizes with a variety of vase styles to choose from and fun add-ons like chocolate, macarons, or a scented candle. Save 20% with our exclusive discount code!
Ode a La Rose is a partner of The Lit Salon, an intimate candlelit literary series inside a historic Brooklyn brownstone that features the city's most fascinating authors! Bring your Valentine to our next cozy book discussion this summer where you can see a stunning display of Ode a La Rose flowers and candles from our next gift suggestion!
Want flowers that last a little longer? Gift your Valentine a bouquet of floral-scented candles from Aerangis. The Botanical Journey Gift Set comes with two candles and a limited-edition matchbook. The scents included are No. 1 The Beginning, inspired by the clean crisp scent of the Aerangis orchid, and No. 7 Seven Miles, which captures the fragrance of the velvety jasmine flower on a summer evening. Another scent New Yorkers will love is No.1882 Manhattans in Manhattan, inspired by the scent of a Manhattan cocktail. It is even topped with a bright red cherry!
New York-based founder Alicia Tsai named the company after a white, star-shaped orchid that grew in her grandfather’s garden in Taiwan and provided her first scent memory. The scents of each design-forward, cruelty-free, plant-based, non-toxic candle come from a memory. Scents range from powdery musk to green vines and creamy jasmine to ancient incense. You can even design a unique scent that is truly your own. Set the mood with your own Aerangis Candles and get 10% off wth our exclusive discount!
This gift is sure to make for a Valentine's Day your significant other will never forget! This February the Bronx Zoo continues its tradition of letting you name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after the one you love. The bugs are "indestructible," just like you want your relationship to be. Customers who dedicate a roach with a $15 donation can send their giftee a digital certificate.
You can cuddle up with that special someone and (virtually) meet a Madagascar hissing cockroach during a Valentine's Virtual Encounter on February 14th, 15th, or 16th. A zoo expert will share insights into cockroach care and bring a surprise animal guest. The Zoo also offers an in-person experience where you and your significant other can sample sustainably grown chocolate and wine at an exclusive, adult-only, after-hours program on Saturday, February 15th.
5. Make a Pickle Bouquet
Photo Courtesy of Grillo's Pickles
Get crafty this Valentine's Day by putting together a pickle bouquet! Like pizza, pickles have a deep-rooted history in New York City. Grillo's Pickles' pickle bouquet kits sold out in mere seconds this year, but the Boston-based company provides an online DIY guide you can use to craft your own. Find Grillo's Pickles at a store near you or stop by your favorite local pickle purveyor for supplies!
Cruise along the waterways of New York City aboard a historically inspired ship while you cozy up to your Valentine and watch the sparkling lights of the skyline pass by. Classic Harbor Cruises offers a variety of river-bound experiences where you can get a unique perspective of the city. This Valentine’s Day, you can hop aboard the Yacht Manhattan for a romantic sunset sail, or join an afternoon Statue & Skyline Sightseeing Cruise.
Get your Valentine’s heart pumping and take their breath away with an experience like no other, City Climb at The Edge. This experience will take you on the tallest open-air building ascent in the world as you scale the side of 30 Hudson Yards in Manhattan. At the top, you’ll have unparalleled and unobstructed views of the city below you. Celebrate with a toast in the champagne bar once you’re safely back inside the building! See more observation deck date ideas for your thrill-seeking Valentine here.
Impress your Valentine with an adventure through Brooklyn’s most fascinating hidden spots or a secret bar! Secret Brooklyn will be your guide to the borough’s quirkiest locations, like a robotic church, a hidden rooftop garden, and the smallest cemetery in New York City. Secret New York will reveal places like NYC's version of the Sagrada Familia, a secret metro tunnel, a room filled with earth, a gigantic Venetian palace, the last tooth of Washington, and more. With 150 off-the-beaten-path places to explore in each book, co-written by Untapped New York’s founder Michelle Young, you will find all the inspiration you need for one-of-a-kind dates with your Valentine. After a long day of adventuring, enjoy dinner or a drink at one of the city's clandestine dining establishments found in New York Hidden Bars & Restaurants.
Spend the afternoon with your Valentine at one of New York City’s most romantic landmarks, Grand Central Terminal, or stroll along Fifth Avenue hand-in-hand while admiring the Gilded Age Mansions. On any Untapped New York walking tour our expert, licensed New York City tour guides will reveal little-known facts and overlooked spaces most seasoned New Yorkers don't even know about!
Looking for more adventures to take with the one you love? Purchase an Untapped New York Gift Card which can be applied to any of our tours! You can also use a gift card to book your own private tour for just you and your sweetheart.
Give your Valentine the key to unlock hidden spaces in New York City with an Untapped New York membership! As a member at the Insider tier or higher, they will gain access to exclusive member-only events both in-person and online, as well as special discounts and access to our video archive of 300+ recorded webinars and livestreams. See all upcoming events here including a trip to a rare book room where we'll learn about chocolate, a tour of 42nd Street, and more!
