The best things to do on Valentine’s Day in NYC

Celebrate your love 1,776 feet in the air at One World Observatory this Valentine's Day. ASPIRE, the private event space at One World Observatory, will transform into a party called "Love on Top" with an exclusive feast—a preset, multi-course menu and premium open bar. Dining will begin at 7pm and tickets are $275 per person before tax, seating is limited, and reservations are currently being accepted. 

OneDine, One World Observatory’s restaurant, will also offer a special Valentine’s Day prix fix menu from Friday, February 11 through Monday, February 14. Menu items include scallops, filet mignon, molten lava cake and more. Reservations can be made on Open Table. The menu is $125 per person and includes cost of admission to the full Observatory experience.

Toe-tap and dance the night away at Birdland Jazz Club the night before Valentine's Day with Svetlana's Big Band. Svetlana has put together a dynamic and romantic set of her favorite love songs, including big band arrangements of her chart-topping movie soundtracks' record, the serpentine jazz love song classics and her uplifting originals under the direction of Emily Frederickson. Tickets for the Sunday night show are just $30.

Be transported to "the dark side" of drag and nightlife in NYC at the Villain Edit on February 13 (8:30pm). Chevy Lace hosts a night of kings, queens, cryptids, and performers of all types showcasing the incredible breadth of the alternative performance scene. "Sideshow, stunts, stripteases, sexy bigfoot, you never know what you might see at this extraordinary evening." This special V-day edition features photo opportunities and giveaways, in addition to the usual all-star performer lineup, including Chevy Lace, Lucky Pierre, Glitter Macabre, Richard, and Iodine Quartz,  Zanaxe, Willy Killigan, Cochina Divina, Poly Esther, Purssophonie and Aladdin Firm. Tickets are $10.

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Nella, a 2019 Latin Grammy Award winner, at the legendary Blue Note. She'll be performing two sets on February 14 at 8 and 10:30pm. With an extensive cocktail and mocktail menu, great food, and cozy vibes, Blue Note New York is a date they won't soon forget. 

Junior's is inviting couples to celebrate Valentine's Day with its legendary cheesecake, champagne and other goodies as well as the opportunity to get married or renew their vows officiated by third-generation Junior’s owner Alan Rosen. The event will take place on Monday, February 14 at Junior’s landmark Brooklyn location, at Harry Rosen Way and Cheesecake Corner. To participate and RSVP to the Junior’s Valentine's Day cheesecake and champagne celebration, email info@juniorscheesecake.com.

Join Green-Wood Cemetery on Saturday, February 12, (noon-2pm) on a walking tour that stops at the memorial sites for several prominent New Yorkers who had their own dramatic relationships in life and love. You’ll hear their harrowing and, at times, heartbreaking stories about John Lockitt who married his cousin’s widow 11 years after his cousin’s death and one year after his own wife’s death and died two days after his wedding; Elizabeth Richards Tilton who was subjected to a lawsuit by her husband accusing her of adultery with preacher Henry Ward Beecher in one of the most salacious cases of the era; Eleanor Mills and Edward Wheeler Hall, a choir singer and priest respectively, accused of having been involved in an affair and found murdered in 1922; Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, the mother and wife of President Theodore Roosevelt, who gave birth to her daughter two days before her death and died with her daughter on February 14th; and  Jane Griffith, whose poignant monument depicts the last conversation she had with her husband and is inscribed with the loving words “Jane, My Wife”. Tickets are $30.

Join three of NYC's sexiest comedians for a brand new, hilarious comedy show, all in the name of love. Fresh off hosting some of NYC’s most beloved comedy and storytelling shows, comedians Carly Ann Filbin, Emmy Harrington and Bobby Hankinson will make you laugh with their tales from the sheets, interactive audience games, advice and even giveaways from B-Vibe and Le Wand premium sex toys. The show is on Sunday, February 13, at 7pm. Tickets are $20.

Carolines on Broadway is hosting a night for comedy lovers on Valentine's Day (7 & 9pm) hosted by Tom Thakkar and featuring performances by Mike Bramante, Gabby Bryan, Shafi Hossain, Jordan Jensen, Usama Siddiquee and Eagle Witt. Tickets are $35 per person, plus a two-beverage minimum in the showroom.

Purple Park Comedy is hosting a special Valentine's Day show featuring NYC-based comedians who refuse to care about the Super Bowl. Queens-based comedian Meka Mo started Purple Park Comedy with the goal of representing the diversity of Queens through diverse hilarious comics who have performed all over the country and on television. This show is at Q.E.D. Astoria on Sunday, February 13, at 7pm. Tickets are $18.

Gregory Porter will perform live at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn on Saturday, February 12 for his annual Valentine’s Day concert with Superblue (Kurt Elling featuring Charlie Hunter plus Samara Joy). Tickets are about $44. Doors open at 6:30pm with the show kicking off at 8pm.

City Cruises New York is inviting lovebirds to celebrate their love on one of its Valentine's Day cruises beginning Friday, February 12 through Monday, February 14. With various packages and upgrades to choose from, sweethearts can expect a delightful plated or buffet-style meal along with a sweet arrangement, onboard entertainment and a cash bar on the Valentine's Bateaux New York Premier Plus Dinner Cruise and the Valentine's New York Signature Dinner Cruise. City Cruises New York is also running a special early bird promotion for those looking to book early and save 15% using promo code VDAY15 upon checkout. Reservations are now available to book and will sell out fast (promotion is available through January 30). 

Sail down the river with views of the skyline with Classic Harbor Line February 12-14 on its heated, classic 1920s-style luxury yachts. From a Champagne & Cheese Tasting Cruise and Cocktail Cruises to its Weekend Brunch Cruises, Live Jazz cruises, Winter Sunset Cruises and its Statue & Skyline cruises, there are so many options to celebrate in style. Specifically, Manhattan and Manhattan II host full-service cruises throughout Valentine’s Weekend (1.5-2.75 hours) with
prices for adults ranging from $124-$142 plus tax for the Weekend Brunch Cruise, from $138-$118 for the Valentine’s Day
Champagne Tasting Cruise, from $86-$104 for the Evening Live Jazz Cruise, from $78-$84 for the Cocktails Cruise, and from
$74-$84 for Sunset Cruise departures. Learn more here.

Set up a sexy date at jazz club The Django, which will host "Songs About Love" from singer Mar Vilaseca and trumpet player Tony Glausi at 7pm, followed by Lauren Henderson backed by a live band at 10pm. There's a $25 cover charge per person (plus a two-drink minimum). To reserve, visit TheDjangoNYC.com or call 212.519.6649.

Feinstein’s/54 Below is hosting some of Broadway’s favorite lovebirds for an evening of heartfelt and hilarious stories, coupled with some of Broadway’s greatest love songs. The special concerts (7 and 9:45pm) will feature Gerard Canonico (Be More Chill, Spring Awakening) and Devon Meddock (The Imbible), Joey Contreras (Love Me, Love Me Not, In Pieces) and Brian Russell Carey (Red Roses, Green Gold), Charlie Franklin (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, The Book of Mormon) and DeLaney Westfall (Kinky Boots, Sweeney Todd), Laurel Harris (Wicked, Jagged Little Pill) and Rob Marnell (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Peter LaPrade (The Lighting Thief, This Ain’t No Disco) and Ian Fairlee (The Underclassman), Sydney Morton (Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It, American Psycho) and Preston Truman Boyd (The Play That Goes Wrong, Les Misérables), Elliott Mattox (Beetlejuice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Michael Damian Fasano (Jersey Boys), Kirsten Scott (Rock of Ages, Jersey Boys) and Matthew Scott (An American in Paris, Sondheim on Sondheim), Alexandra Silber (Fiddler on the Roof, Indecent) and Alec Silver (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) at 7pm only, Amy Spanger (Rock of Ages, Chicago) and Brian Shepard (Something Rotten!, My Fair Lady), Emerson Steele (Violet) and Matt Gumley (Elf, The Addams Family) and Stephanie Torns (Waitress, Wicked) and Benny Elledge (Waitress).

There is a $45-$95 cover charge and a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.