Let’s face it: there are some horrible first date options like going to the movies or your date forcing you to get an MRI after you tell him you’ve never had one.

That’s why it’s better to save the awkwardness for another time, assert your independence, and go on friend dates! New York City is a great place all year round, and there’s really no excuse to be bored, ESPECIALLY during FALL. So grab one or a few of your closest friends and check out these fall activities!

1. Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade

• Where? Tompkins Square Park
• How much? Free
• When? Oct. 22, 2016 (12:00-3:00 p.m.)

Observe and cheer for hundreds of dogs in Halloween costumes at the 26th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade.

Owners go all out to dress their dogs, choosing creative costumes to make their dogs stand out. Prizes are awarded for the best costumes. So go be an amateur dog pageant judge for the day!

2. Smorgasburg

• Where? Brooklyn
• How much? The price of the food you buy
• When? Saturdays or Sundays depending on location (11 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Getting food is always a great idea. Shoving your faces is one of the best ways to bond. Smorgasburg has a plethora of opportunities for you to bond, with over 100 vendors selling anything and everything: fried chicken, pizza, arepas, etc.

Available at Prospect Park’s Breeze Hill on Sundays through Oct. 23, East River State Park on Saturdays through Oct. 29 and weekends at Skylight One Hanson from November through March.

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3. Pumpkin Patch Weekends

• Where? Queens County Farm Museum
• How much? No fee to enter the Pumpkin Patch, but must pay for any pumpkins you pick
• When? Weekends Oct. 1-30, 2016

October is Pumpkin Month at the farm. Nothing like the blood, sweat, and tears of physical labor to strengthen friendships.

Go pumpkin picking with your squad and enjoy their company as you wander in search of the perfect gourd.

4. Strawberry Fields/Imagine Mosaic

• Where? Between 71st & 74th Sts. on the Central Park West Side
• How much? Free
• When? Whenever

Commemorate John Lennon at Strawberry Fields, a section of Central Park named after one of Lennon’s favorite songs, “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, worked with the Central Park Conservancy to create the area; it features a mosaic of the word “Imagine” given by the city of Naples.

A visual treat for Beatles fans and non-Beatles fans alike!

5. Giant Pumpkin Weekend

• Where? New York Botanical Gardens
• How much? $25 (all garden pass)
• When? Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016-Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016

Monstrous pumpkins weighing up to 1,800 pounds will be on display at the New York Botanical Gardens. These pumpkins are winners of global pumpkin weigh-offs, excelling in weight and measurement.

A little on the imaginative side, but come on, when else are you going to have the chance to take a picture next to a nearly 2,000 lb. pumpkin?

6. Friday nights at the Museum of Modern Art

• Where? Museum of Modern Art
• How much? FREE
• When? Fridays, 4:00-8:00 p.m.

Admission is free for everyone during UNIQLO Free Friday Nights! It is strongly encouraged to come after 6:00 p.m. to avoid long lines.

Your ticket entitles you entry to all MoMA galleries and exhibitions. Have a great time checking out the exhibitions for free!

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7. Haunted Lantern Tours at Ft. Totten Park

• Where? Fort Totten Park: Queens, NY
• How much? Free
• When? Friday, Oct. 28, 2016 (6:30 PM-8:30 PM)

What better way to get into the spirit of Halloween than a haunted tour? Urban Park rangers guide tours around the Water Battery Gate at Fort Totten Park.

Enjoy walking in pitch-black darkness, hearing stories about this ghost-infested historical ground.

8. Boo at the Zoo

• Where? The Bronx Zoo
• How much? Prices vary by age
• When? Weekends Oct. 1-39, 2016; including Oct. 3, 4 and 10

What’s better than one day of Halloween?

13.

The Bronx Zoo is hosting 13 days of Halloween. Put on your costume and head over to the zoo for Jack O’Lantern Creatures, hay maze and the costume parade among other attractions.

Go crazy and maybe coordinate a group costume! Buy tickets online.

9. The Amazing Maize Maze

• Where? Queens County Farm Museum
• How much? Prices vary by age
• When? Weekends Sept. 24-Oct. 30, 2016 (11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

Strengthen connections  navigating out of a 3-acre corn maze with your friends! It starts with a “Stalk Talk” to prepare visitors to find clues and solve puzzles to get out of the maze.

This year’s theme is “The Big Apple.” You can experience the Maze by Moonlight on two Saturdays— Oct. 15 & 22nd, 2016— when the maze stays open until 9:00 p.m.

10. Loeb Central Park Boathouse

• Where? Central Park Boathouse
• How much? Price of meal, $15 per hour for boats
• When? By reservation

The Central Park Boathouse is located right on the lake. It features a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, containing menus with different price ranges per seating area. You have to make reservations ahead of time.

After your meal, rent a rowboat to keep the fun going! The lake is beautiful all year round, but the changing foliage of fall makes it look even better.

Going on any of these friend dates ensures excitement. So instead of spending the day watching Netflix, grab some pals and explore the city!