Hot town, summer in the city! You guys know I’m a big fan of city summers as of late – I AM a homebody after all. And, since we haven’t been traveling, we’re making more of an effort to explore our hometown. There is so much to do, see and explore here! I must admit that sometimes, as locals, it’s easy to forget how lucky we are. New York City is certainly known for being a cultural center. And, while we love the delicious restaurants, artful shows and educational museums – they can get expensive! There are so many other activities here that are fun and free. Over the years, C and I have made a conscious effort to incorporate more of those things into our lives. We are certainly the better for it!
Last year we did a lot of things we had never done before – COVID forced us to get creative! My favorite activity was exploring every single inch and corner of Central Park. With everything closed, empty streets and an energized dog, we made the park our playground! Over several months, we explored it all. Last year we also made a city bucket list for late summer/early fall. On it, you’ll mainly find the things we wanted to do before we moved (briefly) out to New Jersey. I highly recommend visiting the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise!
This summer we have a few seasonal staples and a couple of things we’ve never done before. Some things cost money, some are free – overall it’s a pretty good mix. I can’t wait to get started!
Walk Summer Streets with Bruce
Ahhh Summer Streets! For two Saturdays in August, the city shuts down Park Avenue from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. It’s an almost 7 mile car free stretch that is open to all. This is one of our favorite events of the year! We love to walk Bruce and check out the activities, concerts and free art installations. This year the dates are August 7 and August 14, from 7am to 1pm.
Rent a Row Boat in Central Park
We have NEVER done this! Most people think of Loeb Boathouse as a restaurant / brunch spot / wedding venue. And it is all of those things. But did you know there is an actual boathouse there? I’ve always wanted to rent a row boat but we’ve NEVER have actually done it. Every single year C jokes that he’s really looking forward to me rowing him around. I have zero upper body strength but if rowing is what it takes, I’m game. It’s $20/hour (cash only) and $5 for every additional 15 minutes. The boats seat four people, children are allowed, life jackets are provided and they do not take reservations!
Walk the Perimeter of Roosevelt Island
We can see Roosevelt Island almost every day on our East River walk. Sadly, the only time we’ve been was to run a 5K one early December morning after Christian’s holiday party. It was not our finest hour, and I mean that literally. It took us quite some time to complete said 5K after a long night out. We were in our twenties, obviously.
ANYWAY, there are some really cool parks over there like Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park and Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Park. There’s also historical features like the Renwick Ruin (a former smallpox hospital) and the Octagon tower (the remnants of an insane asylum). The history there is kind of dark, and I’m sure when we actually do this I’ll share more. Lastly, the only way to get to RI from Manhattan is to take a TRAM over the river! Super fun and costs the same as a subway ride.
Swim in John Jay Pool
If I had a dollar for every time I whined about living on an island and not having easy access to a pool or beach, I would be a gazillionaire. For context, said whine is usually spoken on the hottest day of the year when I’m sweating through my clothes. A few summers ago though, my mom went for a walk and discovered A POOL! A public pool. That is FREE! It’s super nice and usually has a long wait. That bieng said, one of our neighbors told us it’s pretty manageable this year.
A few “know before you go” tips: pool hours are from 11:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. daily, with a break for pool cleaning between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m; you cannot bring phones, food, unbound periodicals, electronic devices or valuables but if you bring a combination lock you can store them in lockers before entering; wear a swimsuit and a white shirt or hat – no colors are allowed on deck. A tech free afternoon at the pool in my favorite color? Yes please.
Go to a Street Fair
We’ve never planned to attend a street fair, they just pop up! Usually we find ourselves walking for blocks and eating the yummiest street food. NYC Street Fairs are exactly what they sound like – several blocks of vendors with all sorts of shops and snacks. C always gets a beignet or street corn or empanadas. I always try to find something local, random and equally delicious. I found a list online with some options, so I’m guessing we’ll be more intentional about our visit this year!
Visit The Cloisters
This was on my list last year and we never made it! We are Met members and have never made it up to The Met Cloisters, a beautiful indoor/outdoor venue in Washington Heights. The museum specializes in European medieval art and architecture and is an idyllic place to spend a summer day! Luckily our membership applies to this locaiton, too! It’s open Thursday-Monday from 10:00am-5:00pm and non-members can make a reservation online for timed entry.
Spend a Day at Coney Island
Okay, this is a bit of a stretch for me. I am not a fan of carnivals or crowds or amusement parks. Which is weird, because growing up we ended every school year with a carnival on the village green. And pretty much every summer we went to Six Flags Great America. AND YET, in my fuddy duddy adulthood, the crowd thing really gets me. That being said, this is on our list because the last time C went he was a kid. He wants to go back and I’ve never been.
Despite my aversion I think I just need to chill out and be spontaneous here (is C rubbing off on me?!). Coney Island is such a quintessential NYC experience and the idea of being able to get a hotdog on a boardwalk, ride a roller coaster and sit on the beach really blows my midwestern mind. I have no tips yet, but C says we can take the subway there and back which makes life a heck of a lot easier!
Have Sunset Drinks at a Rooftop Bar
We haven’t been to a bar in like, ages. We aren’t really bar people, but I really love the idea of seeing the city from a different space. I’m also not a big fan of heights but will endure them for a good view 😉 Ideally we’d like to visit a new spot where we can see the sun set over the Hudson! We will probably use this list to determine where to go!
Watch the US Open in Person
This is a yearly tradition in our house that has been happening since I moved to NYC in 2012! The ONLY year we missed was 2017 (and last year of course, but everybody did!). C is a big tennis guy and since we’ve been together, I’ve embraced the sport as well. I don’t even really like #sports but I can confidently say that the US Open is the best sporting event in the country. It is seriously so fun. The grounds of Billie Jean King Tennis Center are stunning, the food is ahhhmazing (some of the city’s best restaurants have outposts there) and the ENERGY! Omg the energy. There is seriously nothing like it.
Our tips: buy grounds tickets and always say to go early in the tournament so you can see some of the best players on the lower courts. We’ve spent more and gotten stadium seats in Ashe, Armstrong and Grandstand before, but don’t find it to be worth it. Other tips: download the app to make a schedule and follow your favorite players, bring a portable phone charger and be prepared to spend a lot of money on food (everything there is pricey, and you can’t really bring your own). If you’re an AMEX cardholder there are cool perks so make sure to get there early and pick up an ear piece to listen to all the coverage.
Ride The Ferry (at Night)
Whenver we walk down the east river we see the NYC ferry heading south. Without fail, I always say “hey, we should take the ferry sometime!”. It goes all around the island and there is a stop right by our house. We can take it alllll the way downtown to Wall Street and even to the Rockaways! I really want to go at night when the bridges are all lit up. Maybe we’ll ever bring roadies 🙂 The cost is $2.75 for an adult and $3.75 if you have a bike. You can use the NYC Ferry app to purchase and download tickets!
SHOP THE POST
My dress is sadly sold out, but I rounded up a few fun, flirty maxis that have a similar vibe!
