Top 15 Summer 2022 Activities in NYC

Spring and Summer is the best time in NYC as so many new activities pop up. Be warned though, many of the latest and greatest events sell out immediately. I haven’t personally been to all the activities below, but I will make sure to story them on Instagram as I work my way through the list. Below I am putting the Top 15 New York Summer 2022 activities to do in the upcoming weekends as we transition into the summer months.

Governers Island

Gov­er­nors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Har­bor. Just min­utes from Low­er Man­hat­tan and the Brook­lyn water­front by fer­ry, the Island is a pop­u­lar and unique des­ti­na­tion with an award-win­ning park. Governors Island is open to the public year-round from 7am-6pm and is currently accessible by ferries from Manhattan and Brooklyn operated by the Trust for Governors Island, and via NYC Ferry on the South Brooklyn route. You can plan your own picnic or eat at the restaurants on the island. On the island there are bike rentals, a slide hill, hammocks, guided walking tours, Fort Jay, Williams Castle, and the new QC NY Spa. The spa is very expensive with a sign up for a a 25-, 50-, or 75-minute massage. The spa itself has relaxation rooms, themed saunas, Vichy showers, infrared beds, foot baths, hydro jets, and steam baths.

Take a Cruise or Sunset Sail

There is quite the abundance of cruises and sailboats in New York City. I would do some additional research in this category if you are thinking of booking one. There is everything from architecture tours, brunch and champagne cruises, and sunset sails. I would love to go on the 2-hour sightseeing cruise that includes brunch, a complimentary mimosas, and music performed by a live pianist. As additional options, this business also has other slightly less expensive options including the Wine & Cheese Pairing Cruise and the Classic Cocktails with a Twist aboard Yacht Manhattan.

Newest Observatory Decks: Summit One Vanderbilt or The Edge

Summit One Vanderbilt is located on the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal. This is a ticketed event, that is about $39 per person for adult general admission. The Edge is located in Hudson Yards. It is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere at over 1,100 feet in the air. In addition, there is a Champagne Bar where you can purchase beverages and light snacks. If you are a thrill seeker, there is City Climb, an open air building ascent where you can lean out and look at New York City. This is also a ticketed event that starts at $38 per person for adult admission with City Climb purchased separately. I think both views great and on opposite sides of the city.

Walk at the High Line

The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. Saved from demolition by neighborhood residents and the City of New York, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art, and design. Between noon and 6pm on weekends and select holiday Mondays (Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day), you have to make a free reservation for access. On weekdays there is open access and no reservations are required. For timed entry you have to enter at Gansevoort Street, 23rd Street, or 30th Street only. All other stairs and elevators south of 30th Street are exit only. There are a couple spots along the way to get snacks and drinks.

Smorgasburg Food Market

There are four different locations of this food market that take place at different times. The food markets have locations in Williamsburg, Jersey City, Prospect Park, and near World Trade Center. Smorgasburg is the largest weekly open-air food market in America, attracting thousands of people each weekend to eat from dozens of local vendors. The Jersey City location is open on Saturdays from 11am-6pm, Williamsburg opens in June, Prospect Park is on Sundays from 11am-6pm, and WTC is on Fridays from 11am-7pm. I have personally tried and LOVED Baonanas, Bang Cookies, Big Mozz, and Oh K Dog. I am planning on going back to try more options!

Movies in the Park or Drive-In Theater

You can look in your individual neighborhood but movies in the park is a super fun free event. Make sure to get to the location early to set up your blanket. Don’t forget to bring snacks!

• Hoboken: Movies Under the Stars: The movies will play at Pier A Park and 7th + Jackson Street Park. I am still waiting for a schedule to be released on the website. The likely start time for movies in June and July will be 9PM and 8:30PM in August.
• New York: Please see this website for movies playing throughout New York City. Bryant Park is having movies on both Monday and Tuesday due to high demand.
• Skyline Drive-In Theater: You have to purchase tickets online for the movie, but please make sure you go to the correct screen. There are usually 2 different movies playing at the same time. The gates for the event open 1 hour prior. I would recommend getting there early to make sure you don’t have an obstructed view. They also have a fun concession stand to get some snacks for the show. If you get there early make sure to take pictures with the beautiful skyline as the backdrop.

Stranger Things Experience

Stranger Things: The Experience is an immersive experience in New York based on the iconic Netflix show. The standard admission, $44 per person for adults includes the Hawkins Lab immersive experience and the free-roam Mix-Tape medley of locations

Afternoon Tea

I love the afternoon tea experiences in New York City. I have been to the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel, The Russian Tea Room and Alice’s Tea Cup. The ambiance at the Palm Court the best. It is open daily from 10:30am-5:30pm with multiple menus for tea. We did request vegetarian menus when we made our reservation and they were able to accommodate. The architect brought the grand feeling of Central Park indoors, with garden elements such as caning, large potted plants, four soaring palm trees and an oval trellised bar anchoring the room, creating a glamorous feel. There are so many wonderful places to go for afternoon tea, check out some other options here. Next time, I want to try the Baccarat Afternoon Tea at the hotel.

Self Guided Food Tour

I always recommend a self-guided or guided food tour in NYC so you don’t miss popular places. I personally love watching Youtube videos of top eats in the city I’m visiting. Not everything has to be expensive in NYC! My husband and I have eaten at over 300 restaurants so please leave a comment below if you have food questions, see our post here for the best vegetarian food in Manhattan. I put together a vegetarian guide to NYC eating a while ago (will update again soon), but here are the MUST TRY places that I have eaten:

• Sweets: Levain: Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie (best chocolate chip cookie post here); Dominique Ansel Bakery: Cronut or Cookie Shot, Zaro’s Bakery: Black and White Cookie; Tiger Sugar: Brown sugar bubble tea; Chip Cookies: All cookies are amazing; Blue Stripes Cocao Shop: Chocolate cloud drink; Gelato: Anita La Mamma or Venchi
• Bagels: Russ & Daughters: Bagel with Cream Cheese (known for lox and bagels); Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company: Breakfast sandwich; Zucker’s Bagels: Truffle cream cheese bagel
• Pizza: Scarr’s Pizza: Cheese pizza with hot honey; John’s of Bleecker St.; Joe’s Pizza
• Noodles: Very Fresh Noodles: Any hand pulled noodle, Ramen: Tonchin, Nakamura, Ippudo Westside; Italian: Caffe Buon Gusto, Il Buco
• Other: Veselka: Pierogies; Clinton Street Baking Company: Pancakes; Fondue: Taureau; Fries: Pommes Frites or Bel-Fries; Hot Chocolate: Mariebelle or Angelina Paris; Thai: Thai Villa or Thep Thai; Sichuan Chinese: Han Dynasty

The places above have vegetarian options. Please note there are no steakhouses or meat-centric places as we do not consume meat.

Comedy Cellar

Every night of the week, Comedy Cellar hosts shows from a rotating cast of stand-up comedians, many of them well known. I prefer the MacDougal location as there is plenty of late night eats nearby after the show. Please remember to book your tickets in advance as this location is sold out for weeks.

Other Fun Ideas

• The Greens at Pier 17: A total of 32, 10×10 square-foot mini backyards that sit up to eight people. There is a beautiful view of the water and reminds me of a luxury backyard that you have always dreamed of in the suburban life…but in the middle of the city. The mini lawns are already selling out so make sure to book quickly with a group of friends.
• The Bungalow: I took my family here last year and it was an awesome Montauk-style hangout. We got a drink pitcher and just relaxed for about an hour. It is located at Brookfield Place so you can do all of your shopping and sight seeing around the area as well! Last year it opened at the beginning of July so pay attention to the website for updates.
• Sex and the City Tour: My sister and I are huge fans of the show. We went on the bus tour when we were in college and had the best time. There is both a bus and walking tour. The bus tour includes more than 40 locations featured in the Sex and the City series and the movies. Throughout the tour, your tour guide, a local NYC actress, will quiz you on behind-the-scenes location trivia and give the hot scoop on fun facts and filming secrets at local NYC bars, restaurants, bakeries, and more.
• Yankees Game: I would highly recommend going to a Yankee’s game even if you get tickets that are slightly higher up. The MTA is the best way to get to the game as parking can be extremely expensive. The Yankees have won more titles than any other franchise in the four major North American sports leagues. According to Forbes, the Yankees are the second highest valued sports franchise in the United States with an estimated value of $5 billion. 
• Lip Lab by Bite: Have you ever wanted to create your own lipstick? At Lip Lab you can schedule an appointment and create your favorite shade, finish, and flavor of lipstick. One lipstick is $60 with each additional lipstick at $40. This is a perfect idea if you want a custom shade for an event or a fun girls day!

What I don’t recommend: Opinions may be unpopular

• Harry Potter Store: We waited for over 2 hours to get in the store! The store was absolutely beautiful but it is mostly just overpriced retail items. Additionally, it is extremely crowded so it is hard to get pictures alone while roaming around. Lastly, the butter beer also tastes nothing like Universal Studios.
• Van Gogh Exhibit: If you are an art fanatic, you would probably enjoy this. I just thought this experience was quite boring. As an aside, I am more of a sculptural art person so seeing art projected on a wall wasn’t thrilling for me.
• Museum of Ice cream: This place has to be the biggest rip off of all time. It is absolutely disgusting inside and felt like it hasn’t been cleaned since it opened, full of children and strollers so it’s almost impossible to walk around and the icecream was tasteless. For over $100 for a couple to go, it felt extremely low budget for me.

What to do outside of NYC:

• New York: Hudson, Lake George (see post here), Lake Placid (see post here) The Hamptons, Saratoga Springs
• Rhode Island: We stayed at Ocean House last year and it is an absolute 5 star hotel with impeccable service. As an amenity, they can loan you a Mercedes to drive to surrounding towns like Newport, RI.
• New Jersey: Drive to the Jersey Shore. If you are in for a longer drive, consider going to Cape May. If you are in for a shorter drive, there are plenty of nice beaches up along the shore. We recently went to Atlantic City with some friends and had a great time.
• Pennsylvania: Drive to the Pocono Mountains, Explore Philadelphia (vegetarian friendly places, post here)
• Connecticut: Greenwich, New Haven

I hope you enjoy!
Taylor