Just in time for vaccinated summer fun, many new places are opening up this year 

By: Katie Kallahan

The design of Little Island was made to look like a leaf floating on the surface of the Hudson River. Credit: Michael Grimm Photography https://www.mgrimm.com/

After a year in quarantine, everyone is itching to get out this summer. If you’re stumped about where to take your date, here’s some fresh and new ideas. Guaranteed your date will be super impressed that you found a floating park in the city, very futuristic. 

1. “Reclining Liberty” 

Artist Zaq Landsberg, who specializes in large scale sculpture spent the last year building a lounging lady liberty. She is 25 feet long, made of plaster resin, oxidized copper paint, foam, wood, and steel. You can go for a walk in the park with your date and look for her in Morningside Park. Either spend the day in the park searching for her, or you can just go to 120th and Morningside Avenue to find her faster. 

     2.   “Little Island”

This $260 million dollar park was funded by Barry Dillon, chairman of the IAC media conglomerate. It’s literally a floating park on the Hudson River and it opened on May 21, 2021. The park is open from 6am to 1am daily, but you have to make reservations if you go from 12pm-8pm. No worries, its free to go, so when you get there with your date you could spend some money in the plaza where you can buy food and drinks. The park is filled with trees, big green lawns to relax on, a huge amphitheater, and of course the plaza. Located on West 13th Street at Pier 55. You can visit littleislang.org to reserve your free tickets. 

     3.   “Brooklyn Dumpling Shop”

Located at 131 1st Avenue, this is an entirely cashless dumpling automat. You can spend the day out and find your way here for food with your boo as a fun experience. These aren’t anything like the typical dumplings you may have had before. They sell weird flavored dumplings, like pepperoni pizza, peanut butter and jelly, and the reuben dumplings. Everything is made fresh on the premises, and you get your food completely human contact free. 

     4.   “Secret Gardens”

If you and your date like going on walks and enjoying the fresh air, or you want to take someone on a first date, check out some of these really cute hidden gems. 

Greenacre Park: 217 E 51st This cute park has a waterfall. Yes, a waterfall in Manhattan. 

Pomander Walk: between Broadway and West End Avenue. 

Amster Yard: 211 E 49th Street. Built in 1849, this cute little garden area has adorable little tables and chairs for some light chit chat with your significant other. 

     5.   “The Green” 

Lincoln center has been transformed into a synthetic grass green park for the summer. The grass is made from high soy content and is called “SYNLawn” and is said to be very soft. You can take your date here to spend the day, it has a little coffee spot called “Cantina on the Green”. There is also a little pop up library with books donated by the NYPL so you can spend the afternoon reading if you’d like. It’s open from 9am to 12am and will be there until September. 

     6.   “Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit”

Opening in June at Pier 36, you can take your date to this amazing digital art exhibit. The tickets, if you can get a hold of one, are sold at vangoghnyc.com. They’re a little pricey for a museum date, but it was created by Massimilano Siccardi, who is world renowned for his immersive art experiences and has been organizing them for 30 years in Europe. It has over 500,000 cubic feet of projections of Van Gogh’s works, and is definitely going to be a once in a lifetime event.