Summer in New York City is completely different than any other time of the year. The weather is warm, everyone wants to be outside, and the city fills up with free outdoor concerts, movie nights in the parks, and great places to hang out by the water.
If you are planning a trip to NYC over the next few months, you need a solid game plan. To help you map out your days, we have rounded up the best daytime activities, nighttime events, and local spots to eat and drink like a real New Yorker.
Daytime Activities
When the sun is out, the best things to do involve getting out of the crowded streets and heading toward the parks or the water to catch a breeze.
- Take the Ferry to Governors Island: You can hop on a quick 7-minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan to get to this giant, car-free island. It has old historic buildings, big grassy hills, and hammock groves. You can rent a bike to ride around the path and get incredible, close-up views of the Statue of Liberty.
- Walk the High Line and Little Island: Start your morning walking along the High Line, which is an old elevated railroad track in Chelsea that was turned into a beautiful park. At the end of the path, walk over to Little Island. It is a new public park built on top of unique concrete pillars right in the Hudson River, and the views are amazing.
- Have a Picnic in Central Park: Grab some sandwiches and cold drinks from a local deli and find a shady spot under the trees in Sheep Meadow or the Great Lawn. It is the perfect place to relax, listen to street musicians, and people-watch for a few hours.
Nighttime Activities
When the sun goes down, the city cools off and everyone hangs out outside. Summer nights in New York are perfect for outdoor movies and live music.
- Sunset Movies at Bryant Park: This is one of the most popular summer traditions in Manhattan. People bring blankets and picnics to the big lawn in Bryant Park to watch classic movies on a giant screen. Sitting on the grass watching a movie while surrounded by glowing skyscrapers is an awesome experience.
- Outdoor Concerts at SummerStage: Summer is peak concert season. You can catch live shows under the stars at Central Park’s SummerStage or check out the Celebrate Brooklyn festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell, where local and famous artists play outdoor shows all summer long.
- Rooftop Cinema Club: If you want a unique movie night, head up to a hotel rooftop in Midtown. They set up a big screen and give everyone wireless headphones so you can watch a movie with the glittering Manhattan skyline right behind it.
Best Local Spots to Eat & Drink
You can’t visit NYC in the summer without trying the outdoor food markets and waterfront bars. Here are the top spots to check out:
- Smorgasburg: This is a massive open-air food market that happens on the weekends in places like Williamsburg and Prospect Park. Dozens of local vendors sell everything from trendy street food to ice cream, and you can eat right by the waterfront.
- Grand Banks: If you want to drink like a local, head to Pier 25 in Tribeca. Grand Banks is a historic wooden schooner ship docked in the river that operates as an oyster bar. It is the best spot in the city to grab a drink and watch the sunset from the water.
- Queens Night Market: This open-air market runs late into the night at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It features incredibly diverse food stalls from all over the world, and almost all the dishes are very affordable, making it a favorite for locals.
- The Cantor Rooftop: Located right on top of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this seasonal rooftop bar lets you grab a casual cocktail or a beer while looking directly out over the entire canopy of Central Park trees.
The best part about New York in the summer is that you never know what you’ll run into. You might start your day with a simple walk and end up finding a live jazz band playing on a pier or a neighborhood street festival. Just map out a few choices from this list, wear your most comfortable walking shoes, and enjoy the energy of the city.