Spring in New York City is something to be admired and experienced. The cherry blossoms are in bloom and there are so many fun things like live music, special events, Easter events this month, see a Broadway show or enjoy fun made up holidays like national beer day at a rooftop bar! Upcoming events are both new and annual events, but thankfully with social media, we all know where to go to have a great time! With average temperatures as sweater or jean jacket weather, April showers still bring plenty of the best events to the big apple.
Encanto x CAMP
My kids loved Disney’s Encanto movie! It was absolutely adorable and the fact that they have a collaboration with the CAMP stores is even better! That’s hands down one of my kids’ favorite places to go. You can explore Casa Madrigal and feel your own powers! This is a self guided experience and tickets are available now. So if you’re looking for something to do with your kids, this is at the top of our list!
Moonrise
Have you ever been to an immersive circus experience? Only in NYC would something this cool be happening! Watch the performance and enjoy some of the coolest cocktails in the city. We love a good dinner and a show experience- this is just that with drinks instead. Bring your friends or bring a date and have a magical night!
Spyscape
Museum experiences in the city are like no other. They are a great way to spend time on the weekends and they don’t last long, so you have to check them out while they’re here. Spyscape is an experience where you can feel like an actual spy. Go through lasers, watch surveillance footage, break codes and so much more to fulfill your mission.
Sofar Sounds
Live music fans, you will love this one! This music community will connect you with the artists and performances you want to see. You can go on their site and see tons of live performance options going on in the city, which is great because you can plan ahead!
Cherry Blossom Season
The annual festival is back at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden! If you haven’t been there before, you absolutely must check it out, as it is one of the most beautiful things in the city! It’s a celebration of Japanese culture and you can see the blooming Cherry Blossom trees. Tickets are on sale already! You can bring your kids, too, as this is kid-friendly!
Flipper’s at the Rink
If you like to roller skate or are wanting to try it out, The Rink is one of the best in town! And Flipper’s is back now for awhile, so that makes the experience even more fun! You’ll need to book tickets for time slots on the day you’d like, but everything is open to purchase now.
Easter Parade
Easter is on April 9th this year and it’s gotten here so quickly. If you still need to order things like Easter baskets and stuffers, don’t worry, I have a great roundup here! But if you’re in the city, why not do some shopping! Take this time to shop in Soho, go to local boutiques, stroll down 5th ave- there’s never anything wrong with window shopping. It’s a great way to get ideas and the weather is starting to get nicer!
The Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival is here for the holiday! From 10AM-4PM on 5th Avenue in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, you can celebrate Easter Sunday. This is a free event and it’s really nice to dress up and get together with everyone to celebrate the holiday. So if you’re up for it, I think it’s totally worth going!
Veranda, Soho Easter Brunch
Veranda is a great brunch spot! If you need somewhere to go for Easter brunch, you’ll want to start making reservations immediately, as things go so quickly! They have one of the most delicious brunch menus and the pastries are some of the best part! I do want to note that they are family friendly, so this is a nice option for the holiday.
Color Factory
Their confetti room changes each season to reflect the colors in Central Park. This spring, they’ve gone with blue- to model after the beautiful skyscrapers in the city. It will be the color of the room until June, when they switch for the summer! If you aren’t familiar with this establishment, they are an interactive art museum located in Soho. They have different installations, immersive rooms, collaborate with new artists, the fun goes on! This is perfect to bring your kids to if you’re looking for something fun to do, or just yourself, as it’s totally for everyone!
Orchid Show
The Orchid Show is something my family looks forward to each year! It’s such a unique event at a great place! The Botanical Gardens are so serene and a spot the whole family can enjoy. The show was designed by the artist Lily Kwong and is inspired by her ancestors with a meditative vibe. If you’re looking for an artsy activity to do this month, you have to check it out! It will be taking place until April 23rd, but tickets will fly!
Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is April 22nd, and it’s a day where we make sure we focus on the importance of our planet and keeping it clean. If we take care of our planet, it will be a better place for our children and grandchildren. There are a ton of sustainability events going on that you can check out here! But if that’s not your thing, you can work on a zero-waste project or watch an informative documentary. Any time and energy put into bettering this planet is never a waste!
International Auto Show
The auto show is in town! April 7th-16th from 10-10, this cashless event is always a cool experience! They’re only taking cards for ticket purchases and it’s something that is great to even just walk around and look. If you are a huge car lover, this is the event of the year! I wish I knew more about cars, but even so, I still know this is the place to be this month!
Macy’s Flower Show
The Macy’s Flower show is one of my favorite annual happenings! This is an event I look forward to every year because it’s always so stunning and inspirational. I think it couldn’t come at a better time, either, as it’s officially spring and we deserve something beautiful to look at. The winter months can feel long and a little dreary, so a great way to cheer up is to look at flowers and signs of spring. Located in Herald Square, this display is back and one of the more fun things to look forward to this month! It’s also fewer tourists here because it’s more of a local thing, so if you want to do what the locals are doing, check this out!
CMOM’s Annual Easter Celebration
Easter is upon us and if you are looking for some family-friendly festivities, look no further! The CMOM will be having fun activities like egg painting, a scavenger hunt, bunny stamp art, story time, a meet and greet with Miffy and so much more fun!
Harry Potter Exhibition
Calling all Harry Potter fans! The coolest event is in town! Enter the immersive wizarding world and view storytelling through technology through exclusive experiences. It includes characters and locations from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Tickets are currently on sale, but run don’t walk because it is a hot commodity! The experience opens on May 19th at Herald Square.
Pier 57 Market
I love food markets in the city! Market 57 is located at Pier 57 and has so many amazing options from local and independent establishments. It’s under the mentorship of the James Beard Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that helps support those behind America’s food culture and elevate good food in equity and sustainability. I highly recommend stopping by and enjoying a bite.. or a few!
Brooklyn Marathon
Finishing up with a great event: the Brooklyn Marathon! This will be taking place on April 23rd in Williamsburg. It’s a full and half marathon. You can check out this site for all the details, including how to watch and support friends if you aren’t running.
Smorgasburg
Calling all foodies, you are going to want to check this one out! Smorgasburg is the largest open air food market here! This is one of the more popular attractions food-wise in the city. They have a ton of different vendors with food ranging from BBQ to cookies to ice cream to sandwiches and all the way back. You’ll want to keep up with their schedule, though, to make sure you know which locations are open on which days and times and that’s all on their site here. They also have their full list of vendors to scope out on there. With several different locations, you can find the closest to you and head over! This is also one of the more popular events for families and is super kid friendly!
Celebrate National Burrito Day
Now this one, I can get behind! April 6th is National Burrito Day- so you know what to get for dinner now! A bunch of places will be participating and offering specials that day, but to note, El Vez will have them for lunch from 1-4PM. Where is your favorite burrito in the city?
See the NY Tartan Parade
We love parades here! On the 15th, you can watch the Tartan Parade! At 4:30PM at Sony Hall, the post festivities will begin. There will be dancers, musical guests, a toast and open bar! Tickets are available now, but you can totally just watch the parade and not attend the after party if you want!
MLB
Major League Baseball is back! Yankees and Mets games will begin this month! This is such a fun activity to do with friends or bring your kids to. What’s more American than going to a baseball game and enjoying some snacks in the spring weather?
Bar Hop at Rooftop Bars
It’s rooftop bar season! The best way to spend the warmer nights is to be hanging out on a breezy rooftop bar, enjoying the day or night with good friends. It’s the perfect time to get back into the swing of rooftops, from your local guide! While there is no such thing as a bad rooftop bar in NYC, there are a few honorable mentions that I’d like to include, as they are some favorites of mine: JIMMY, Loopy Doopy, Refinery Rooftop, Republica, The Ready Rooftop, Elsie and the Spyglass. Check these out and let me know which are your favorites or if there are any I should add to my list!
Flatiron/NoMad Things To Do:
If you haven’t been to Flatiron lately, there’s a lot going on there! Last year, we spent a ton of time checking out great spots! Here’s some fun experiences to check out: The Harry Potter Store and Experience, Rizzoli Bookstore and The Lego Store. Also some cool things going on in the area are the last Sunday of every month, the Poster House has a free family-friendly art tour and experience where you can make art, Escape Room Madness if you want to do an escape room with friends and Fotografiska a space for cool photography is a great experience. Not to mention, Madison Square Park is just steps away, this area has it all!
For more NYC things to do, visit here!
