These summer recommendations are great for anyone who is new to New York, is looking for great family activities, or just wants to explore New York City beyond the Upper East Side!
Elizabeth Street Garden: If you are looking for a mental palate cleanser, I highly recommend walking through this garden. Tucked away between Prince Street and Spring Street, it feels like a mini oasis of lush trees and flowers that acts as a hidden and surreal pocket universe within our city. The narrow, half-acre garden is packed with dense greenery, winding paths, and many neoclassical marble monuments. The garden’s quietness makes it the perfect place to relax and reset your mind. My advice is to visit on a weekday, in the morning or during golden hour in the late afternoon. This garden is the premier spot to turn off your phone and unwind as you take in the beauty of your surroundings!
Queens Night Market: The Queens Night Market at Flushing Meadows Corona Park offers a vibrant night out! This market takes place every Saturday night throughout the summer from 4pm to midnight and is a great activity to do with a group of friends. What makes this market amazing is that there are over 100 independent local vendors, easily representing over 90 countries. You can sample food from every corner of the globe, from Taiwanese wheel cakes to Sudanese kofta. All of this incredible food rarely exceeds $6 per item, making this the perfect night out with friends looking to explore all the wonderful cuisines NYC has to offer!
Free Kayaking at Pier 26: If you are looking for a high-reward activity that doesn’t require much previous experience, you should definitely check out the Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26 in Tribeca! Run entirely by volunteers, this public program in the heart of downtown Manhattan allows you to launch a kayak straight into the Hudson River free of charge. No prior experience is needed—the boathouse provides everyone with the necessary safety gear, life vests, and paddling lessons to help you feel safe and get out on the water right away! I would advise you to go during the weekend, when the boathouse is open from 10am to 4:30pm (until early October). You can also attend weeknight sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30pm–7:15pm.
Arte Museum New York: Located at 61 Chelsea Piers, this museum stands out amongst the many in New York City! With its cutting-edge technology, the museum abandons traditional spacing, opting for large 3D mapping, directional sound design, and custom-created scents. The museum is built around the theme of Eternal Nature, where people walk through fourteen distinct exhibits/zones. You can expect to see an endless field of digital roses blooming or enormous hyper-realistic waves crashing in a 5,000-square-foot room. I would aim to visit on a weekday morning or early afternoon so you can take your time wandering through each exhibit. The museum is open Sunday–Thursday from 10am–7pm and Friday–Saturday from 10am–9pm.
Rooftop Cinema Club: Located in Midtown, this unique movie experience trades your traditional theater for one where you can watch a movie under the stars! If you’re worried about the sounds of New York getting in the way, don’t worry—the theater provides high-fidelity wireless headphones. All you have to do is lounge back in your chair and enjoy a film against the backdrop of Manhattan skyscrapers. The screenings run all summer long, with doors opening 30–60 minutes before sunset so you can enjoy the golden hour over Midtown. Note that you should book tickets online in advance!
Brooklyn Public Library: If you are looking for an intellectual respite away from the summer heat, the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza is the perfect place to check out! Housed in a stunning and massive Art Deco building (that looks like an open book!), this library is a grand, air-conditioned sanctuary. My advice would be to check out the Dweck Center for film screenings and live performances, as well as stopping for coffee and snacks at Emma’s Torch. This is a premier spot to escape the summer heat!