4 Unagi Approved Dates: NYC, LA, SF, MIA
We get it. Dating can be tough. The googling, the yelping, the planning, the reservations, the transportation. . . the process can be overwhelming. Making a good first impression can also be a source of anxiety for millions of single men and women around the world. Luckily, Team Unagi has you covered.
Leave your car at home; you don’t need the hassles of parking and driving to add to the list of potential first date potholes. Ditch cabs, Uber, and Lyft; you don’t want to assume the risk of pulling up in a gas guzzler that’s seen better days. Walking? In the cold? Bad idea. In the heat? Very bad idea. When it’s nice out? You’ll be too tired to dance later on.
When you take a bird’s eye view of the potential risks and benefits that accompany your vehicular dating options, there’s one clear winner (yes, it’s us). Meet up with your date carrying an additional Unagi, and not only will you register as an environmentally conscientious citizen with elegant, minimalist aesthetic preferences, but, maybe most importantly, you’ll come across as fun, adventurous, and out of the box! Now that we have your mode of transport covered, let’s take care of the other major potential date pitfall: the place. We scoured the States to provide you with the 4 best, unusual, electric scooter approved date spots in some of your favorite cities: NYC, LA, SF, and MIA. So stop stressing, hop on your Unagi, and get to it!
Hudson River Greenway, NYC
It’s warming up, and it’s time to have a certified Unagi date cruising along one of the most overlooked promenades in NYC. Even among New Yorkers, the Hudson River Greenway - stretching the length of Manhattan and bordering the Hudson River - is an overlooked dating gem. Sprinkled with joggers, bikers, parks, dogs, restaurants, battleships, and other attractions, the Hudson River Greenway pops to life when the sun is out. As far as dates go, the stretch of mixed concrete and green not only provides an Unagi-friendly course for cruising at speed, it also boasts an attractive amount of flexibility. Stop for a game of tennis? Why not. Catch some rays while laying out on a stretch of green? The Hudson River’s got parks. Hop on a boat and eat some lobster while bobbing along the Hudson? The North River Lobster Company has you covered. Among the different stops along the way, The Lobster Company and the Boat Basin provide very date-friendly atmospheres and merit a close look. Folding up your scooter for a semi-impromptu jaunt along the Hudson while cracking open fresh lobster must top anyone’s list of dreamy afternoons, and 79t h street’s Boat Basin can get a bit rowdy, but hey, nothing like a brief refreshment after a long ride.
The Venice Canals, Los Angeles
When you think Los Angeles, specific geographical sites come to mind. The Hollywood Sign, The Walk of Fame, Muscle Beach - all points of praise for the celebrity-crazed world round, but somewhere between tourist trap and local hangout lies a more understated, elegant location to spend an afternoon. Right off 25th street in Venice Beach, the avid electric scooter rider will find a residential wonderland of crisscrossing canals first constructed by wealthy tobacco man, Abbott Kinney, in 1905. Although many of the canals dug by Abbott Kinney in his effort to make Venice, CA a proper beach resort town with elements of Venice, Italy, were filled in with concrete by Los Angeles County, the canals that remain offer a bit of understated, nostalgic wimzy in a city characterized by trend. After you and your date have watched the sunset reflect across the murky waters of the quiet canals, head down to Abbott Kinney (the street named after the man) and grab a bite to eat at local favorite Gjelina to cap off a romantic evening ride.
Treasure Island, San Francisco
Hills are more ingrained in San Francisco’s culture than any tech giant could hope to be, and while Unagi’s dual motor makes riding around town, uphill, on an electric scooter a breeze, there are few things more satisfying than cruising around the smooth, man-made grounds of Treasure Island. Treasure Island - unbeknownst to many - is full of date approved entertainment value. Cruise around yards of scenic shipping containers, play a game of sun-baked-bocce at VIE Tasting Room, and investigate the potentially irradiated, spooky grounds of Treasure Island’s famous abandoned houses. If you’re up for a bit of crisp, salt air and some leisurely adventure, head up to the end of the north jetty and throw some fishing poles in the water. As far as food goes? Don’t worry, just about every tasting room on the island boasts a well-crafted menu, but, if you’re really feeling the hunger pains, pick up a deep dish pizza courtesy of The Star at Woods Beer Co.
The Perez Art Museum, Miami 
The heat, the clubs, the beaches - Miami itself, cloaked in all its wondrous humidity, offers an abundance of date options. Although the Miami Beach Boardwalk and Joe’s Stone Crab remain top of mind for many visitors to the perennial party city, many slightly less “showy” destinations appeal to locals seeking to spark something with a potential significant other. Of these, The Perez Art Museum offers a splash of contemporary and modern art culture in a city’s whose tableau is often dominated by the gustatorial workings of celebrity chefs. Although its outdoor surrounding are suitable for an Unagi cruise, you’ll have to fold-and-store or carry your ride while you make your way through the Museum’s exhibitions. After imbibing the works of the 20th and 21st century’s most innovative artists, take a moment to regard the great ships bespeckling the port of Miami from the museum’s outside patio. If guards permit (or you’re left unsupervised) cruise through the hanging gardens that accent the museum’s grounds and grab a bite at Verde as you discuss your favorite pieces from the latest exhibits.
We hope all of you have fun on your Unagi dates! Take some pictures and tag us @unagi.scooters.us on Instagram for a chance to be featured in our feed, and remember, ride safe!