Top 10 NYC things to do outside this summer: LIST
NEW YORK CITY - Looking for something fun to do this summer in New York City besides watching a show?
Here are some outdoor events New York City is offering this summer.
JUMP TO NYC HOTEL AND ROOFTOP POOLS | "SUMMER FOR THE CITY" | HUDSON YARDS FREE CONCERTS | ROOFTOP MOVIES | PICKLEBALL | NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN | MANHATTANHENGE | SUMMERSTAGE | PICNIC AND A SHOW | THE LAWN CLUB
1. Take a dip in NYC's hotel and rooftop pools
People enjoy leisure time at a rooftop swimming pool on September 8, 2020 in Manhattan, New York. (Photo by Liao Pan/China News Service via Getty Images)
Summer in New York City is all about finding the best spots to cool off.
RELATED: NYC pool guide: Hotels, rooftops, public spaces open for swimming this summer
New York City has some of the finest private and rooftop pools for New Yorkers to enjoy. Here are a few to check out:
- Location: 15 Thompson St
- Details: Rooftop pool with city views. Open to all on weekends after 3 pm, free access.
The Beach at Dream Downtown, Chelsea
- Location: 355 W 16th Street
- Details: Glass-bottom pool, pool deck, sand beach, private cabanas, full-service bar. Chaise lounge prices: $80 Weds-Thurs, $100 Fri-Sat.
Coda Williamsburg Hotel, Brooklyn
- Location: 160 N 12th Street
- Details: Adults-only, heated pool. Day passes: $105 per person. Cabanas and daybeds start at $95 per person.
The Summer Club, Long Island City
- Location: 8-08 Queens Plaza South, Queens
- Details: Rooftop pool, lounge chairs, bars, private cabanas, DJ parties. Day passes: $75, DJ parties starting at $40.
- Location: 112 W 25th St, 38th & 39th floors
- Details: Rooftop pool with a secret garden theme. Open to hotel guests and the public via reservations.
- Location: John F. Kennedy International Airport, JFK Access Road, One Idlewild Drive
- Details: Rooftop infinity pool-cuzzi with runway views. Accessible to hotel guests.
Margaritaville Resort, Times Square
- Location: 560 Seventh Avenue
- Details: Outdoor pool in Midtown. Day passes: $100, daybeds: $200, cabanas: $500.
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO
- Location: 60 Furman St, Brooklyn
- Details: Plunge pool with skyline views. Accessible to hotel guests only.
2. "Summer for the City" festival at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center is preparing to kick off the third annual "Summer for the City" festival.
Couples dance on the Oasis dance floor at the (Re)Wedding at Lincoln Center on July 10, 2022 in New York City. Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City Celebrate Love: A (Re)Wedding invited a total of 500 newlyweds, people whose wedding’s were canceled o
From June 12 through August 10, New Yorkers can attend over 200 events, either for free or on a pay-what-you-can basis, covering a wide range of topics, genres, and locations.
Click here to check out the events at Lincoln Center.
3. Attend a free concert at Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards hosts a fantastic series of free events for everyone each summer.
This summer series, titled "Backyard at Hudson Yards Presented by Wells Fargo," is presented by The Bowery Presents and features major acts like Keke Palmer, David Archuleta, Brynn Cartelli, Chayce Beckham, Ray Bull, and more.
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 20: A model wears an illuminated cape at the EdgeNYC observation deck at Hudson Yards as the sun rises on the spring equinox on March 20, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
For more information click here.
4. Watch classic movies on a rooftop and Bryant Park
Rooftop views at The Greens during the private outdoor screening of "The Times of Bill Cunningham" at Pier 17 on August 31, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Rooftop Cinema Club
Elevate your movie-going experience this summer at Rooftop Cinema Club. Enjoy films on a Midtown rooftop with vegan popcorn, classic theater candy, and craft cocktails.
This season's schedule features classics like When Harry Met Sally, Dirty Dancing, Grease, Mean Girls, Clueless, and many more. Moviegoers can look forward to special programming for Star Wars Day, AAPI Heritage Month, Black Music Month, and Pride Month.
Rooftop Cinema club is also introducing a Saturday Cereal Club and Mimosas & Muffins Sundays.
Click here to purchase tickets.
"Movie Night" heads to Bryant Park
Paramount+ Movie Nights are returning to Bryant Park this summer.
Movie Night will take place every Monday at 8 p.m. from June 10 through Aug. 12.
5. Play Pickleball in Central Park
Last summer, Good Day's Rosanna Scotto and Tashanea Whitlow had a pickleball tournament. Watch in the media player above!
Game on! CityPickle's 14-court pickleball installation has returned to Central Park's Wollman Rink.
You can reserve courts or partake in open play sessions between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily.
6. Visit the New York Botanical Garden
Go down the rabbit hole and visit the New York Botanical Garden to check out "Wonderland: Curious Nature" celebrating the magic of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
The exhibit runs now until Oct. 27.
7. Manhattanhenge
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 11: Two birds fly through the middle of the street as people gather around to watch the sun set during Manhattanhenge in Times Square on July 11, 2022 in New York City. Manhattanhenge, which happened in May and now again in
Manhattanhenge, New York City's days of spectacular sunsets returns on July 12 and 13.
Manhattanhenge does not take place on the summer solstice itself. Instead, it happens about three weeks before the solstice and again about three weeks after. That's when the sun aligns itself perfectly with the Manhattan grid's east-west streets.
RELATED: Manhattanhenge 2024: When, where, and how to watch in NYC
Where can you see it?
The traditional viewing spots are along the city's broad east-west thoroughfares:
- 14th Street
- 23rd Street
- 34th Street
- 42nd Street
- 57th Street
The Hayden Planetarium suggests finding a spot as far east as possible that still has views of New Jersey across the Hudson River.
The sunset can also be viewed at Tudor City Overpass in Manhattan and Hunter's Point South Park in Long Island City, the planetarium said.
8. Summerstage in Central Park
The city’s most beloved free summer concert series is back with an impressive lineup featuring nearly 85 free and benefit shows in Central Park, as well as in neighborhood parks across the five boroughs.
The 2024 SummerStage lineup includes T-Pain, Snail Mail, Madison Cunningham, Corinne Bailey Rae, The Metropolitan Opera, Counting Crows, Ghostface Killah, The Gaslight Anthem, Trixie Mattel and Amanda Lepore, and more.
All concerts are free except the for Benefit concerts.
9. Picnic and watch a show in Bryant Park
Bryant Park's Picnic Performances will showcase the best of NYC, featuring acts like the New York City Opera, Jalopy Theatre, Carnegie Hall, the Harlem Chamber Players, and the American Symphony Orchestra.
Best of all, all 25 performances are free and open to the public.
For more information click here.
10. The Lawn Club
Head to the Lawn Club on Fulton Street to get your own terrace and enjoy some lawn games!
When reserving a spot on the Terrace, guests can enjoy their own patio, TV screens for watching any program, and a "lawncierge" service that likely takes food and drink orders, enhancing the overall experience.
Across the entire Lawn Club, guests can enjoy games such as bocce, cornhole, croquet, shuffleboard, and a unique mini-golf-pool hybrid called "putting pool," which is exclusive to the Lawn Club.
Each lawn can accommodate between one and 11 people at once, with rentals starting at approximately $75 per hour on weekdays and slightly more on weekends.