The Best Holiday Activities To Do In NYC With Your Love

You haven’t done the holidays in New York until you’ve gone to Rolf’s. This place is extra. A German restaurant and bar famous for its over-the-top Christmas decorations six months out of the year, Rolf’s is covered in garland, fake icicles, strung-up lights and ornaments in every size and holiday hue. You may come here just to see the situation, but the food is standard and the beer is great. Only thing is, there will be a wait if you don’t come early and on a random week night.

There’s no better way to get in the holiday spirit than by wandering through the scene that is the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights. These rows of homes and mansions go all out for Christmas with everything from synchronized musical lights to interactive Santa displays. You’ll theorize as to how these people were able to decorate their homes so intensely (many hire a company to do it for them! Talk about commitment). Bundle up for this adventure through mansion-ville, as the walk can be quite frigid.

Lincoln Center is one of our favorite spots for a date in New York year-round, but come the holiday season, a certain magic takes hold there. When the center fountain is all lit-up at night and you’re strolling across that large open square with everyone else dressed up for the opera, or the ballet — there’s no feeling like it. Couple that with the The Nutcracker, the most famous holiday show of all time, performed by the New York City Ballet — and you’re doing New York right this season. The show begins at 7 p.m.

Now through December 31st

The Winter Village is open in Bryant Park, and that means holiday shopping, free ice skating (not totally free unless you own ice skates) and plenty of food and hot chocolate to keep you going all night. With the giant lit-up Christmas tree glowing and the majestic lions of the New York Public Library sitting watch — it’s hard to remember that this life together in New York is not entirely a fairytale. Open from now until January 5th, you’re going to have to embrace crowds for the most part, but it’s not elbowing-insane like Rockefeller Center.

Head to Cocoa Bar to warm up with some festive cocktails — they're a dessert hangout/cafe by day and a bustling bar by night. Sweet-tooth couples, your world is about to be changed by this cocktail list — they have three drinks that need in “tini” and also incorporate coffee and chocolate. Sold. Plus, their hot chocolate is award-winning, so either make it a Funky Monkey with banana or coconut syrup, or toss some Bailey’s in there. Cheers.

Whether you're the kind of couple that goes caroling or you're the couple that decidedly does not, everyone will dig the seasonal tunes at Village tradition, Unsilent Night. Phil Kline’s enthralling and original sound sculpture is comprised of four electronic tracks designed to fill the air with dulcet, delicate tones, creating the perfect mystical winter aura to walk along to. You and yours will gather at the Washington Square Park arch, lift your boomboxes, your phones, or whatever speakers you’ve got, and let the soundtrack play along with thousands of others, then walk the city streets and let the sounds, scene and common sense of wonder lift you and your love up into an aural winter paradise. The public is highly encouraged to bring their own boomboxes or sound blasters, and pre-download the track — do that here.

Who's ready for a holly jolly Christmas? Or just a seriously festive pop-up, perhaps? The Ho Ho Holiday Lounge is open through January 1st at The Springs in Greenpoint. Serving holiday-themed small dishes and drinks (including Fornino Pizza!), this massive 7500 square foot space is also welcoming Greg's Trees Christmas Market this year. So get ready to immerse yourselves in the backdrop of Christmas lights and a round of cocktails like the Nog-Gonna Make It To Work Tomorrow. With four grand fireplaces, floor to ceiling Christmas trees, and a Candy Cane wall, your Instagram is about to win everything. Check out their calendar here to see all the specific event dates—from wreath-making to naughty burlesque shows.