5 ideas for alternative Valentine's Day dates in Flushing, Corona, Astoria, and Woodside

We don’t have to try to convince you that Queens has awesome restaurants. Plus, you actually have a chance of getting a Valentine’s Day reservation here without having connections. But if you’re ready to think outside the dinner-and-flowers box and impress your one-of-a-kind date with something more creative than a dinner reservation, here are some uniquely romantic adventures to inspire you.

For NYC lovers: If your valentine is a geography or architecture geek, or simply has an appreciation for the five boroughs (or even just one borough), take them to see the Panorama of the City of New York at the Queens Museum of Art. This permanent exhibit is an eye-opening 3D model of the entire city. The two of you can pore over every detail together, getting close as you point out places you’ve been and places you want to go (together) someday.

For music lovers: Did you know that Louis Armstrong and his wife Lucille settled down in a modest brick house in Corona? At the Louis Armstrong House Museum, you and your boo can take a tour of the retro blue kitchen and Japanese-inspired garden, and listen to original recordings of the jazz man practicing trumpet and just hanging out at home. If your date is a serious music fan, this outing beats playing a jazz record and lighting candles at home (although you can always do that afterwards…).

Image source: SingleCut Brewsmiths

For beer lovers: An aged bottle of merlot might make some dates swoon, but if your significant other is more of a rough-around-the-edges beer fan, take them to the SingleCut Beersmiths Tap Room in Astoria to taste locally made ales, lagers, stouts and IPAs and fill growlers to their heart’s content. Anyone who knows what all of those terms mean will love you if you surprise them with a trip here. Seasonal varieties include a creamy milk stout named Eric and a hoppy double IPA called Billy.

For low-brow dessert lovers: Certain high-maintenance people might be offended if you bought them a cheap crumb cake instead of taking them out for a fancy treat. But others would be absolutely giddy perusing the Entenmann’s Bakery Outlet in Astoria or Woodside. You and your date can reminisce about your favorite childhood desserts, marvel over newfangled products (chocolate doughnut flavored coffee, really?), and go wild with your purchases – prices are seductively low.

For video game lovers: If your honey’s idea of fun is beating you at Mario Kart, take them to the Museum of the Moving Image before Spacewar! Video Games Blast Off closes March 3. The exhibit gives you a history of old-school video games, and – obviously the best part – lets you play ancient arcade games like Space Invaders (1978) and Asteroids (1979), as well as new ones on Wii and iPad. There’s no room for awkward silences when you’re virtually battling to the death!