Summer Highlights: New York City
New York City is buzzing this summer with plenty of events taking place across the five boroughs from hotel openings to art exhibitions, and a variety of free activities suited for friends and families. From 18 July, the annual NYC Restaurant Week will return for a month, celebrating its 30th anniversary. Foodies will enjoy fixed price menus starting from $30 a head. Another anniversary of note is the Whitney Museum of Art which has been shaping cultural conversation for 80 years and marks the occasion with a new exhibition, Quiet As Its Kept. One of the largest art museums in the country devoted to contemporary art, MoMA PS1 in Queens has a number of interesting exhibitions to see.
Boasting the highest outdoor sky deck, The Edge offers views at 1,200 ft and thrill seekers can literally hang over ‘the edge,’ or try the City Climb. At less dizzying heights, the High Line is now a truly established way to explore Manhattan. The mile-long linear park is a home for biodiversity, local businesses and art installations. Only a short ferry ride away, Governor’s Island – the former military base which housed a Coast Guard facility for over 200 years – has plenty of green space for bike rides and offers unparalleled views New York City’s famous skyline.
Rockaway Beach is sure to attract visitors to Queens to visit the largest urban beach for sunbathing and surfing. Queens will be back in the spotlight this August when it plays host to The US Open Tennis Championship, the finale of the Grand Slam tournament. The 2022 season of free Picnic Performances at Bryant Par has started, including music, dance and theatre produced by the City’s most prolific institutions including the American Symphony Orchestra. Brooklyn Night Markets and the NY Aquarium are also due to reopen over the summer.
Globally acclaimed Broadway shows are back and more electrifying than before including hits such as Moulin Rouge!, The Book of Mormon, Wicked, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera. Alternatively, catch a show at the Apollo Theatre, which has been a staple in the Harlem community since 1934. The theatre’s Amateur Night has been the launch pad for the careers of Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill and Michael Jackson and continues to showcase emerging talent on a weekly basis.
Whether you’re looking to splurge on a luxurious five-star service, or stay in a boutique hotel – there are many exciting openings happening in the second half of the year. The highly anticipated Aman New York, Fifth Avenue is due to open in August; the Ritz-Carlton, NoMad in late summer and two new properties by Moxy Hotels in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
