If you’re like me, you’re spending this summer working in the greatest city in the world--New York City. Work can’t be your entire life, though, and luckily NYC is filled with a plethora of activities and events to check out during the summer months. From music and the arts to sports and, of course, food, the city has much to offer. I know all of those choices can be a bit daunting, so here are 10 fun suggestions of things to do in NYC this summer:
1. Broadway
With services such as TKTS and BroadwayBox, it has never been easier to experience Broadway. With those services, you can get tickets to many Broadway shows for up to 50 perecent the original price, including popular shows such as "Fun Home," "Something Rotten," "Phantom of the Opera" and more. Both TKTS and BroadwayBox have apps and websites, and the TKTS booth in Times Square is very convenient. To see what shows are offered take a look at https://www.tdf.org/nyc/81/TKTS-Live?loc=tisq and http://www.broadwaybox.com/. Unfortunately, massively popular shows such as "Hamilton" and "Wicked" are not offered on the discount services, but both shows have lotteries that can be entered online daily: https://lottery.broadwaydirect.com/.
2. The High Line
A highlight in Manhattan, this fun public park is a great place to spend time this summer. Open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., the park is filled with many exciting features, spots to relax in, and good food. For more details and directions, check out http://www.thehighline.org/.
3. Smorgasburg
Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Smorgasburg is the perfect place to go for some good food and good shopping on the weekends. Located in Brooklyn, this flea market is filled with 100 flea vendors and 30 food vendors, making for an exciting trip where you’re bound to find something interesting. For more information visit http://brooklynflea.com/.
4. Shakespeare in the Park
Like Shakespeare? Enjoy spending time outside? Just want some free theater? Well, look no further. Shakespeare in the Park, staged by The Public Theater at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater, is a great way to spend an evening or two this summer. This summer’s shows are "The Taming of the Shrew" (running now through 6/26) and "Troilus and Cressida" (running 7/19-8/14). For more information about the shows and tickets, check out http://publictheater.org/en/Programs--Events/Shakespeare-in-the-Park/.
5. Central Park
This may seem obvious, but there is so much to do in Central Park over the summer (beyond just Shakespeare in the Park). Explore, walk around, have a picnic, go to the zoo – the choices are endless! In addition, there are free movies and performances throughout the summer. For information about the park, visit http://www.centralparknyc.org/ and for information about the Film Festival visit http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/film-festival.html.
6. Museums
Another thing that might seem obvious – we all know that NYC is filled with museums. But on a rainy or overcast day (or even a ridiculously hot day), museums are an ideal way to spend time. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Natural History and so many more. What better way to spend a day than strolling through a beautiful, fascinating museum? Tip for students, many museums have discounts for students or even free admission, so remember to bring your student ID with you! Here’s a list of all of the museums in the city: https://www.ny.com/museums/all.museums.html.
7. Panorama Music Festival
In its debut year, this festival on Randalls Island is sure to be a success. On July 22, 23 and 24, many musicians – including Arcade Fire, Kendrick Lamar, LCD Soundsystem and Sia – will perform. This is bound to be a great event and will be a fun way to spend some time this summer. For more information check out http://www.panorama.nyc/.
8. 9/11 Memorial
While a little more somber than the other activities on this list, this is still a good place to go spend time. The memorial and museum are open every day from 7.30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and offer a unique look at how the tragedy affected the city. For more information, visit https://www.911memorial.org/.
9. Baseball
New York is home to two iconic MLB teams, the Yankees and the Mets, and going to a game is one of the most “New York” things you can do over the summer. Yankee Stadium and Citi Field are both easily accessible by subway, and it’s pretty easy to get relatively cheap tickets online the day of the game.
10. Fourth of July fireworks
Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks return to the East River this summer! The fireworks will be fired from locations along the shorelines of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn starting at around 9.25 p.m. It is sure to be a great show, so if you’re looking for something to do in the evening, consider checking it out!
