New York City always has the best things going on here. Of course, we love to see a good Broadway show, catch views from an observation deck and see the New York Botanical Garden, but there is so much more going on this month! The city is preparing for summer and by the end of the month, we will be in a new season! I’m here as your local guide to tell you what’s worth checking out and trust me when I tell you, I’ve found some really cool things that are not tourist attractions. I’d say they are happenings the locals will be seeing! Here are the things we’re most looking forward to this month in NYC!
Harry Potter Exhibition
Who else has kids that are Harry Potter fans? We are so excited for this exhibition, we can’t stop talking about it! There is interactive story telling, some BTS film making magic and you feel like you’re in the wizarding world! I’d prep by watching some of the movies to get into the spirit! Tickets are available now and this is a great family activity.
Friends Experience
As major fans of the series Friends, the girls and I could not contain our excitement when we got tickets to the Friends Experience: The One located at 130 E 23rd street. This interactive experience makes you feel like you are on the show, where you can view Monica’s apartment and even the chapel where Ross and Rachel said I Do! My favorite thing was that we were allowed to take our own photos there! They have an onsite retail store for all of your Friends merch needs and we had the most amazing time! Tickets are on sale for $39.50 before fees and can be purchased at the link in my bio! Make sure to grab yours while they still have some!
North River Sailing
We love to get on the water and see all the amazing views of the city. North River Sailing is a company that will give you a tour of Manhattan–from the water! Begin at Brooklyn Bridge and they even offer sunset cruises! What’s really unique about them is they are BYOB and super chill, so they will even let you help sail if you’d like! I highly recommend for a day activity or to end the day and watch the sun set. They have 4 sails a day and tickets are available on their site.
Lincoln Center Summer Festival
Lincoln Center does “Summer for the City”, which is a festival that’s just like a legit music festival you see everyone attending all summer. There are dance performances, live music and so much more! They will be releasing all of the information soon, so make sure to sign up on their site to get notified when it all gets released!
Taylor Swift Exhibit
When we saw the Museum of Art and Design was having a Taylor Swift exhibit, the girls and I sprinted to get tickets! It’s a look at her entire career so far and the coolest thing is they even have some of her music video looks on display! They are selling out quickly, so you will want to snag tickets now! It’s a timed entry and the exhibit closes on September 4th, which sounds far away but they are filling slots quickly.
Image: MoAD
Bridgerton Experience
If you’re a fan of the Bridgerton series-both the book and show, you must attend this experience! It’s a ball where you can experience the world of Bridgerton. There is a live performance, music, specialty cocktails and more! Tickets are available now for this 90 minute immersive experience and come dressed in your best ball look!
Barbie Pop Up
The Malibu Barbie Cafe is in the Seaport just in time to hype you up for the movie! Prices depend on time of day, but you can get a 90 minute cafe experience with an entree and side item all included. Additional menu items are available for purchase and everything is Barbie themed! My girls and I will be checking it out and we can’t wait!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
That’s right, it’s back! The Tiffany Cafe is open and ready for customers! If you are looking for a delicious tea or breakfast spot, there is not one more iconic than this one. Recently, the lines have been very long, so you will want to plan accordingly to privately dine at Tiffany’s but I highly recommend it because it is an amazing expereince!
Karl Lagerfeld Tribute
The MET has a special section called Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. It’s a tribute to his life and all of his accomplishments and it’s here for a limited time. Make a special trip over to the art museum to check this out because it’s quite a historic moment.
Watermark Beach
The Watermark Bar on Pier 15 is one of my fav spots! They have some great food and drinks and the views overlooking the water are always stunning. This month, there is a ton going on there including Cinco De Mayo celebrations, the grand opening of Glow Fest, which is a weekly neon dance party with DJ’s and of course, Watermark Beach. They are transforming into a tropical beach oasis this month and you won’t want to miss it!
Potions & Planting at the Gallow Green
Another amazing family friendly activity is back! The McKittrick hotel’s Gallow Green has tea parties! Not only is it a tea party, but you can learn how to take care of plants and create fun potions! It’s a really nice way to spend the weekend and you can dress up for fun!
Destination Cosmos
We love checking out new experiences and this one is close to us in Battery Park, located in Tribeca, so it was easy to get to! Escape reality to a world where you can view over 150 pieces of art in an area that has 2 floors! It’s a crossover between the world of art and history, so it’s educational and fun!
Grab Brunch
One of our favorite things to do is get a great brunch in the city! There are endless places to enjoy, but of course, we have our favorites. We recently shared our favorite spots for Mother’s Day brunch and I’d have to say, it’s a great list! Here’s another list of places we enjoy, too!
Go to Rooftop Bars
It’s officially rooftop season and us New Yorkers are thrilled! To be able to get fresh air while enjoying timeout with friends is something we take for granted when the cooler months come. I have a whole list of our favorite cocktails in the city here. You’ll have to let me know if I missed any!
Blink 182 Concert
Blink 182 will be in the Big Apple this month! On May 19th, the band will be playing at Madison Square Garden, of course! Only the best venue for the best musicians. This is a really fun event to look forward to and tickets are flying, so you’ll want to snag some ASAP!
Spring Makers Market
We’re big market people! Finding markets to walk around and find fresh foods and enjoy the spring time weather at is something that is underhyped. We should be talking about it more! Bryant Park will be opening this new spring market Mother’s Day weekend and you will be able to shop from local vendors with amazing pieces of jewelry, art, clothing and of course bites to eat!
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is the perfect holiday to enjoy amazing food! A few of our favorite taco spots are Los Tacos No. 1, Tacqueria St. Marks Pl, La Esquina, Empellón and La Superior. We can’t forget about margaritas! A few great spots are Fool’s Gold, The Black Ant, Fonda, Cosme and Cantina Rooftop! If you want to have a party and make tacos and margs yourself, that’s even better!
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is to celebrate and remember all of those who have fought for our country. It’s a weekend of rest and celebrations and that’s exactly what we should be doing! There are tons of restaurants open and ready for reservations, but if you can get out to the Hamptons or Jersey Shore to spend some time at the beach and get some sun, I highly recommend doing so!
Five Boro Bike Tour
Can you believe the Five Boro Bike Tour is already sold out for registration?! I’m so proud of all of the riders and excited to watch from the sidelines! On Sunday, May 7th, you can watch the bikers ride throughout the city and cheer them on! They have been training for so long and there will be jazz music, cheerleaders and more entertainment throughout the tour. Plan to not take any cars that day!
Frieze
This international art fair is something you will not want to miss! The world’s leading galleries are brought together and you will be able to witness it at The Shed this year from May 17th-21st. Over 65 galleries are represented here and quite a few are from New York, so that’s something to look forward to! They totally sold out last year, so you’ll want to be on top of this year!
Opening of Grand Banks
One of our favorite restaurants is back open! The Grand Banks is a restaurant on a boat! Yes, you read that right. Personally, I love the lobster roll, it makes me feel nostalgic about summer and the Hamptons. You will need to get a reservation because it’s a hot spot! I can’t forget the drinks- they are outstanding!
International Food Festival
Food festivals are opportunities that provide great ways to learn about other cultures and try new foods. Located on 9th Avenue, near Times Square, on May 20th-21st, you will be able to enjoy some of the best foods in the entire world! They will be running from 10AM-6PM, so you have all day to check it out, but it will be crowded so bring water and cash to be safe!
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is May 12th this year and there truly are endless options of ways to celebrate. Grab brunch, have a picnic in the park or even just spend time together at home. Quality time is overlooked and sometimes we don’t realize we are missing it until we get it. Personally, I love seeing Broadway Shows and grabbing dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. I’ll be happy as a clam if I can do that!
Volta Art Fair
Finally the Volta Art Fair is here! It seems like all of these art fairs are happening at the same time this month, but that’s alright, we can bounce to each of them! It opens May 17th and runs through the 21st and will be located at 125 W 18th street. Tickets are already on sale and this is a great chance to view international artists from galleries all over the world. And yes, all the big time galleries have a hand in this selection!
For more NYC happenings, visit here!
24 thoughts on “The Best Things to do in NYC in May”
NYC is such a great city to explore. There’s always something happening! I’d love to take my kids to the Harry Potter exhibition.
It is so cool!
I can’t wait to visit NYC one day, but I want to wait for my daughter to be a little older before we visit. The Harry Potter experience would be the first activity on our list. There is so much to do.
Yes, always so many fun activities!
You wontt get bored in NYC thats for sure, we are huge fans of Friends and would love to visit the Friends Experience.
My daughters had the best time there!
Vibrancy of NYC is unmatched. Any time is good time to have fun and celebrate in New York City.
Yes! All year
Visiting NYC is on my bucket list. I hope I can visit soon, I want to explore NYC.
I hope you get to soon!
There really is a lot going on in NYC! I would love to go to a Harry Potter exhibition and the Friends experience also sounds great!
Yes, those are great!
So many fun things to do here in NYC! I just wish the weather would get better lol!
Totally! It was summer here for a moment
I love all our outfits, gorgeous!!! The cinco de mayo dress is out of this world, wow!!!! So beautiful.
Thank you so much!
Wow, I had no idea there were so many amazing events happening in NYC in May! The tips and suggestions in this article are super helpful and have me excited to explore the city. Thanks for sharing such valuable insights!
I hope you have the best time!
Beautiful ways to share time in New York City! And your girls have grown up! Love your post.
It happened so fast!!
Love NYC! Your post inspired me to visit it!
This is amazing! I hope you get to soon!
I love the idea of going sail boating and would have never thought that this is something you could do in New York! Thank you for all of these fun tips.
Totally! The best views