New York City is full of some of the best things in the world! From live music to food vendors to annual festival events and dance performances, there is always something fun to do around here. The best way to make the most of your visit here or a free weekend as a local, is to make a list of attractions you want to visit and plan them out! Things come and go so quickly, so any tickets that need to be purchased or reservations that need to be made should be done quickly! The summer season is almost at the end and we have found plenty of upcoming events to attend this month in the city of New York.
Aladdin’s Times Square
The ultimate partnership is here! The Hilton Hotel in Times Square has teamed up with Aladdin on Broadway to create a themed suite! If you have kids and are coming to town or live here and want to plan a staycation, you have to put this suite at the top of your list. The rooms are available until October 31st and if you book the $599/night option, you will receive up to 4 complimentary orchestra tickets to Aladdin on Broadway, two themed genie-tini cocktails and 2 mocktails, Aladdin coloring materials, a wake up call from the Genie himself and complimentary breakfast for up to 4 as well as complimentary parking. I think this is a really fun deal!
Summer Streets
Summer Streets is back and it’s a way to use up the space in the city for fun things like activations, walks free from cars, workshops, fitness classes and more! The full schedule is on the nyc.gov site for all 5 boroughs but it’s truly a great way to get outside here and enjoy the day.
SummerStage Festival
The Summer Stage Festival is put on by The City Parks Foundation. They partner with Capital One to bring live performances to the city. It’s a fun festival and they have every genre of music you can imagine. Summer Stage is the largest, most accessible, free admission outdoor festival in NYC! Something cool they do is sometimes there are free digital performances you can view. You’ll want to check them out this month!
The Museum of Broadway Experience
Are you a Broadway fan? Well, do you want to learn more? The Museum of Broadway is an interactive experience focusing on all things Broadway. For example, there is a map room where you can learn about theatres, the making of a show, studio space and so much more! A few notable exhibits at the experience are Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Rent, Company, Cabaret and Hamilton. The experience has a brand new exhibit called All That Jazz: The Legacy of Chicago the Musical. This is exclusive to the Museum of Broadway and includes costumes, photo opps and more! Tickets are on sale and a portion of the proceeds go towards Broadway Cares/Equity Fighting Aids.
Wells Fargo Stage Summer Concerts
Hudson Yards has some great attractions and one of them is the Summer Concerts at the Wells Fargo Stage! They have free outdoor concerts every Wednesday starting at 6PM running through August 9th. The restaurants at Hudson Yards have Happy Hours following the concerts and there will be live DJ’s as well as food and drink specials.
Movies with a View
There really aren’t many drive in movie options here, so finding fun outdoor movie choices for summer nights is not an easy task. Movies with a View is located at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Not only is this free but it’s running until August 24th, so check the schedule to plan out a date night!
Restaurant Week
It’s back! Running through August 20th, the most delicious event of the summer is here! Reservations actually will start to open on the 10th, which you will want to get a head start on because it’s a popular activity to participate in. If you’re unfamiliar with this few week event, it is when restaurants have running deals where you can get a trio of pricing options normally $30, $45 and $60 for prix fixe lunch and dinners. This is a great idea for a date night or a night out with friends!
Jazz Age Lawn Party
The annual Jazz Age Lawn Party is back for the 18th year! You don’t even need to be a huge jazz fan to enjoy this because it’s an event that is always phenomenal. Tickets are on sale now and they include 1920’s photo opportunities and gourmet drinking and dining options. Dress in your best jazz age gear and head on over!
Pier 17 Concerts
Pier 17 is also hosting some fantastic concerts this summer. Not only are the performances phenomenal, but you’ll also get some of the best views in town! With live music performances from artists like Bryson Tiller, T-Pain, Carlie Rae Jepson and more, you can count me in! Seaport also has a ton of great spots to grab drinks or a bite to eat beforehand.
Bryant Park Movie Nights
Who likes free movies?! Let me rephrase that, who doesn’t? I thought so! Bryant Park has another great summer happening every Monday. There are concessions that open at 5PM and the movies start around 8PM. This is a great activity to do with friends, it gives you plenty of time after work to take a moment before running there. This is a popular spot, not just because it’s one of the best free things in the city, but because so many people can go to it and it happens so often. Outdoor festivals are plenty here and this is hands down one of the best experience choices this month!
Brooklyn Ice Cream Social Half Marathon and 5K
August 26th at 7AM, the Brooklyn Ice Cream Social and Half Marathon is taking place. You can register through race day as they have day of registration options. It’s a cool and sweet way to end the summer!
Free Kayaking
For those that want to stay active in the summer and keep cool, you can actually go kayaking for free. Several places in the city offer this amazing deal and you can view them here. It’s fun to do with friends or even a day date option.
Seaport Cinema Rooftop
Rooftop movies are in season! The Seaport Cinema screens films on their open rooftop in the summertime and it’s another great outdoor movie option. Views alone from the roof make it worth it! It’s free to go but space is limited so you will want to get there earlier than the 6:30 start time.
US Open
The US Open is back and starts August 28th! It’s truly an amazing experience to go to a match and watch the greatest tennis players in their element. Tickets are officially on sale and they offer several different plans to purchase. Tickets are flying though, so grab yours now!
Go Glamping On Governor’s Island
Collective Retreats has so much to offer, such as their glamping accommodations and a phenomenal restaurant! They have stunning luxury camping with several tent options, as well as the opportunity to take culinary classes and enjoy a special tasting menu. Even if you don’t stay overnight, you can book reservations for their farm to island menu on OpenTable. Although, they do allow walk ins for brunch and lunch, so if you’re visiting Governors Island for the day, this is the best option!
Blues BBQ Festival
Hudson River Park has a blues and BBQ festival taking place this month on August 19th at 1PM. Located on Pier 76, this festival is full of amazing live music as well as some of the very best BBQ in town!
Shakespeare in the Park
If you’re a fan of theatre, I think this is one of the more popular attractions we have in the summers! And even if you’re not a huge theatre person, it is a great experience to go see one of these Shakespeare performances.The tickets are free, you just have to make sure to grab them before going! The Public Theater puts it on every summer and sometimes they change the setting of the plays, so it could take place in present day, for instance. It’s been going on for over 60 years, so this is a great year to go! Hamlet is running through August 6th.
CityPickle
Some of us are not great athletes! But with pickle ball, you only need a little bit of practice! This is also a great place to learn how to play if it’s your first time on the court. New Yorkers need some time to be active or we go crazy indoors, so this is skipping a tourist attraction and doing what the locals do in one of the best ways.
Pools
It’s hands down the hottest month of the year and that means we need to do whatever we need to do in order to keep cool through the end of the season. Here is a list of all the best free outdoor pools located here in the city, so you can bring your family or friends and relax in a cool pool. My biggest advice is to pack your own water and snacks to enjoy throughout the day in the summer heat.
Tea Around Town
The coolest bus is in town! Did you know you can sip on tea while driving around NYC and seeing all the great sights? Tea Around Town is a bus with afternoon tea! It’s all pink, so it’s right up my alley and they have great finger sandwiches and pastries to enjoy along with the tea. The 90 minute experience has tickets starting at $69. Book it with friends!
Shop Sample Sales
I love to shop as much as the next girl, but what’s even better about sample sales is the prices. Some items are 80% off sometimes and my favorite place to shop for sample sales is 260 Sample Sale. They have a few locations in the city as well as online sales and several take place a week. This is a great place to get holiday gifts ahead of time, too! Follow their Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest brands they are hosting sales for.
Enjoy the Beach
Finally, the beach is most likely where you will find us this month! We love to take advantage of the warm weather and being near a great beach to make memories together as a family. Check out all of our beach content to see what we are making for beach snacks, taking as beach gear and which beaches are our favorite near the city!
For more NYC things to do, visit here!
