Are you looking for some romantic and cute anniversary ideas in NYC? If so, this list should give you loads of inspiration!
In our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, we’ll try and include fun and romantic ideas for all different kinds of budgets, so you’ll definitely be able to find perfect anniversary ideas in NYC for you and your partner!
These NYC anniversary ideas are also all recommended personally by us (and we’ve celebrated many an anniversary here!).
So, whether you’re celebrating your 1 year anniversary, or your 20 year anniversary, this list of romantic anniversary ideas in NYC is the perfect place to start planning!
So, let’s get into it!
Here are our favorite anniversary ideas in NYC!
Take a walk to Bow Bridge in Central Park
Bow Bridge in Central Park is also known as ‘the lover’s bridge’, so it’s a perfect pick for anniversary ideas in NYC.
Taking a stroll over this scenic bridge is the epitome of romantic activities in NYC, and it’s something that’s perfect in all seasons. A classic NYC anniversary idea!
Whether you walk across with the springtime blooms, or the summer greenery, or the autumn foliage, or the winter snow. It’s amazing all year round!
It’s an amazing anniversary idea in NYC, and completely free! And it’s a magical choice for anniversary ideas in NYC.
Get a poem written about your love story
Our next suggestion for anniversary ideas in NYC is something a bit different.
In Central Park, usually around Bethesda Terrace, you’ll find poets writing a personalized poem for a small fee (a tip that you decide).
My husband and I had a poem written for us on our last visit (we tipped $15) and it’s one of our favorite moments from the trip, and we now have it framed in our house. It’s one of the best NYC anniversary ideas we ever done!
This is such a small thing, for such a small price, but it’s really heartfelt and special.
If you can make it to Bethesda Terrace, we recommend looking out for people with type-writers, and getting your own anniversary poem written especially for you. It’s such a beautiful choice for anniversary ideas in NYC.
Read more NYC recommendations: 18 best happy hours on the upper west side!
NYC anniversary ideas: Rooftop cocktails
Next on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s rooftop cocktails!
Now, there are plenty of amazing rooftop bars in NYC, but the two we would recommend are Broken Shaker, and The Skylark.
Broken Shaker is quirky and cool, and it’s a bit like sitting in someone’s backyard, up in the sky. The Skylark is a bit more stylish and sleek, with Empire State views!
Both of these bars make for amazing anniversary ideas in NYC, but we recommend booking ahead as they’re very popular! As with most NYC anniversary ideas, planning ahead is key!
Read more NYC recommendations: Top 20 outdoor rooftops bars in NYC
Take a private helicopter tour
Next on our list of romantic anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s taking a private helicopter ride over the sparkling city lights!
This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences and NYC anniversary ideas, and it couldn’t be more perfect for celebrating your anniversary in NYC.
Of course, this is one of the more expensive anniversary ideas in NYC, but it’s magical and well worth splashing out!
Click here to book the private helicopter tour we personally recommend!
Manhattan Skyline Buffet Dinner Cruise
Our next suggestion for anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s a Manhattan Skyline Buffet Dinner Cruise.
This is such a great idea if the pair of you love good food, great views and fun music. You’ll sail around Manhattan listing to a great DJ, sipping delicious drinks, and admiring the romantic city lights.
We love this anniversary idea in NYC because it involves a variety of elements!
With this NYC anniversary idea, you get quality time to chat over dinner, fun time together to dance, and (of course) plenty of photo opportunities with the skyline as an amazing backdrop.
It’s definitely one of the best anniversary ideas in NYC! You can click here to book tickets!
Have a picnic in Bryant Park
Next on our list of romantic anniversary ideas in NYC… It’s a picnic in Bryant Park. Now, we know many people would picnic in Central Park (another great anniversary idea in NYC!) but we personally LOVE Bryant Park.
In our opinion, there’s just some special about Bryant Park, especially when it comes to having a romantic picnic! This is one of our favorite anniversary ideas in NYC!
Stop off at Wholefoods (just over the road) and then take a seat in this gorgeous park and enjoy a beautiful picnic overlooking some of the city’s best views.
This is another one of the cheaper NYC anniversary ideas, to keep your celebrations budget-friendly!
Read more about NYC dining: Top 15 best French restaurants in NYC
Have a spa day at Aire Ancient Baths
Our next suggestion for anniversary ideas in NYC, is visiting Aire Ancient Baths – which is a day spa in Downtown.
This is one of the most magical spas in the world, and it’s probably one of the most romantic experiences you can have in NYC – which is why we’ve included it on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC.
This isn’t a cheap option, but it’s worth every dollar, and we promise this will sweep your partner off their feet!
Aire Spa is located underground and feels like another world. The spa is purely lit by real candles, and the various pools and treatment areas are decorated so convincingly, you’ll feel like you stepped back in time.
It’s one of the best anniversary ideas in NYC, hands down!
Read more about visiting NYC: The ultimate NYC bucket list (80 ideas in the city!)
Take a cupcake food tour
Next on our list of romantic anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s a cupcake food tour through the heart of Greenwich Village!
This is such a lovely choice for couples who adore food, or sweet treats – and it’s a great activity that you’ll remember for ages.
This is such a cute choice for NYC anniversary ideas, especially for foodies! You can book tickets onto this cupcake tour by clicking here!
Read more NYC recommendations: The best cake shops in NYC
Book a personal photographer!
Next on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s hiring a private photographer to take some romantic couples photos of you and your loved one!
We love this idea, because it gives you a gorgeous momento of the anniversary, and (let’s face it) a photographer’s images are going to be so much better than some rushed selfies!
Read more NYC recommendations: 40 things to do on the Upper East Side, NYC
Photographers will usually be really flexible, usually allowing you to choose where you’d like your photos to be taken and what route you’d like to take through the city too.
We genuinely think this is one of the sweetest anniversary ideas in NYC, and it’s not as expensive as you’d expect!
You can book a photographer for your anniversary by clicking here.
Book a steak dinner
Next up on our list of romantic NYC anniversary ideas, it’s booking yourselves for a steak dinner!
If NYC is good for anything, it’s an amazing steak! And where better to celebrate your anniversary than at one of the city’s best steakhouses?
Our personal favorite steakhouse is ‘Quality Meats‘ which is located about a block from Central Park. The vibe there is cozy, relaxed and SUPER romantic.
We can’t recommend this pick for NYC anniversary ideas enough!
Read more NYC recommendations: 15 Romantic Upscale Restaurants in NYC
Ride on the city’s romantic carousels
Next on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s finding (and riding) on the city’s many romantic carousels!
It’s a little known fact, that NYC has a ‘thing’ about carousels! There are so many carousels in NYC to explore, we wrote about our top 8 carousels in NYC here.
If you want to do something a bit quirky and different for your anniversary in NYC, then this is such a fun pick for anniversary ideas in NYC! We think you’ll love it!
Read more NYC recommendations: 22 Best Bars in Midtown, NYC
Go and watch a Broadway Musical
Another fantastic pick for anniversary ideas in NYC, is booking yourselves tickets to one of the many amazing Broadway musicals!
There are so many incredible musicals to watch in New York City, so you really can take your pick for whichever you think the pair of you will enjoy the most.
Which would we recommend? Well, we love The Lion King, and Chicago and Moulin Rouge! They’re all romantic or nostalgic, and great for anniversaries!
Seeing a show on Broadway is definitely one of the best anniversary ideas in NYC!
Read more: What should you wear to a Broadway show in NYC?
New York City Sunset Cruise
Our next suggestion for romantic anniversary ideas in NYC, is taking a New York City sunset cruise.
There’s no time of day more romantic than the sunset, and watching the sunset over Manhattan’s skyscrapers is really something special. It’s such a romantic choice for NYC anniversary ideas.
On this gorgeously romantic sunset cruise, you’ll set sail in a traditional Schooner Adirondack, which is absolutely one of the most romantic-looking boats you’ll ever see!
This sunset cruise is like stepping into a movie, and it’s a perfect pick for romantic anniversary ideas in NYC! Click here to book your tickets!
Get your faces put on cookies!
Next on our list of fun anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s visiting Funny Face Bakery, specifically to get your own faces put onto cookies!
This is a relatively low-cost option for anniversary ideas in NYC, and it’s definitely something your loved one won’t forget anytime soon!
These guys make cookies in all shapes and sizes, but you actually get your own faces made into a cookie for small extra cost!
This is quirky and cute, and it’s one of those NYC anniversary ideas you won’t be forgetting anytime soon!
Read more NYC food recommendations: 15 best Japanese restaurants in NYC
Take a Private Limo Tour
Next on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s taking a private limo tour around the city!
If you grew up watching romantic movies set in NYC, or Sex and the City, then a romantic limo tour is going to tick all the boxes!
Pretend you’re Big and Carrie, put one some fancy clothes, and take a romantic tour of the city from the comfort of your own limo ride.
This is such a cute choice of anniversary ideas in NYC, and we know you’ll both love it!
Click here to book your private limo tour!
Watch the sunset from Pier 35
Another great pick for free anniversary ideas in NYC, is taking a trip down to Pier 35.
Pier 35 has the most incredible views over Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Downton skyline, and the sunsets from here are breathtaking.
A really simple anniversary idea in NYC, is to grab a couple of drinks, and to head here to watch the sun go down. It’s mega romantic watching the city turn from day to night.
There are even some swings you can sit on for the ultimate romantic experience! This is such a gorgeous pick for NYC anniversary ideas, and really low-key too.
Read more NYC recommendations: Top 50 best desserts in NYC
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Our next idea for anniversary ideas in NYC is another free option. Basically, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge can be super romantic, and a lovely way to spend you anniversary.
Our favorite time to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge? Sunrise!
Wake up early, grab your favorite coffees, and walk over the bridge and watch the sunrise over the city. It’s such a perfect pick for romantic anniversary ideas in NYC, and it doesn’t cost a cent!
If you’re thinking ahead, you could even book yourself a table for breakfast or brunch once you reach the otherside!
Read more about NYC food: The best brunch in NYC – 15 places to try!
Visit the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Experience
Next on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s visiting the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Experience.
This is one of the newer observation decks in NYC, and it’s a really unique and quirky experience, perfect for an anniversary day trip or activity!
It’s a little different to other observation decks, there are different rooms, photo opportunities and romantic backdrops to enjoy and admire.
Click here to book your SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Experience tickets!
Dine out at a Michelin Restaurant
If you want to sweep your partner off their feet in the culinary sense, then our next pick for anniversary ideas in NYC is going to be perfect for you.
There are plenty of amazing Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC, so take your pick and find one that feels the most romantic to you!
This is a great pick for NYC anniversary ideas, because Michelin restaurants never disappoint, and they always deliver romance!
Read more NYC inspiration: 25 best bars on the Lower East Side!
Walk the Highline
Our next suggestion for romantic anniversary ideas in NYC, is walking The Highline.
The Highline is a public park, converted from an old railway line, and it twists and turns through the city, offering up some amazing views.
We recommend walking the Highline at sunrise of sunset, to avoid the busy daytime crowds, but also to guarantee some beautiful views over the city.
This is such a lovely choice for anniversary ideas in NYC!
Read more about NYC: 30 fun things to do in NYC for couples!
Go for oysters
Our next suggestion for anniversary ideas in NYC, is to go for oysters! NYC is known for serving up amazing oysters, and some of the best in the world are served here!
Oysters are also (rather famously) considered a big aphrodisiac, so that seems like the perfect reason to include them on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC.
We’ve written an in-depth guide on where to find the best oysters in NYC, so look no further than that post for all the info you need!
Take a boat ride in Central Park
Lastly, on our list of anniversary ideas in NYC, it’s taking a romantic boat ride through Central Park.
We can’t recommend this enough, and it’s one of those romantic activities in NYC that has been featured in many movies and TV shows.
And if it’s good enough for the movies, it’s good enough for us!
This is obviously one of those anniversary ideas in NYC that’s best fitted for summer anniversaries, but if you get a lovely day in the spring or autumn, this could work perfectly too!
We hope this list of anniversary ideas in NYC has been inspiring!
Which of these NYC anniversary ideas will you be trying out on your big day?
There are so many anniversary ideas in NYC, we know it can be difficult to choose the perfect option!
