A New York summer goes fast. By the time the rooftop bars hit full swing and the parks settle into their evening rhythm, Labor Day is already on the horizon. This is the list we keep coming back to — 50 things to do in NYC this summer, all currently operating, organized by how you want to spend the day. Programming, schedules, and ticketing change throughout the season, so check official sites before you go.

Iconic NYC views

1. Ride to the top of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. The mirrored sky-deck above Grand Central is one of the most photographed observatories in the city. Timed tickets — book on the official site.
2. Visit Edge NYC at Hudson Yards. The outdoor sky deck juts out over 10th Avenue with a glass floor and skyline views.
3. Go up the Empire State Building. Still a New York rite of passage. Late evening tickets typically have the shortest lines.
4. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise. The light is best and the crowds are smallest.
5. Take the Roosevelt Island Tram. A short, cheap ride with a great mid-air view of Midtown.

On the water

6. Take a Circle Line sightseeing cruise around Manhattan or at sunset from Pier 83.
7. Ride the Staten Island Ferry for the best free view of the Statue of Liberty.
8. Spend a day on Governors Island. Bring a picnic, rent bikes, and stay until the last ferry.
9. Hop the NYC Ferry East River route for a low-cost mini-cruise between Wall Street, DUMBO, and Greenpoint.
10. Try free walk-up kayaking at the Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26 or Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse off Pier 2 — confirm current hours on each program's official site.

Parks and outdoor escapes

11. Walk the entire High Line from Gansevoort to Hudson Yards.
12. Visit Little Island off Pier 55 in Hudson River Park.
13. Lounge at Brooklyn Bridge Park — Pier 1 lawns, Pebble Beach, and Pier 6 playgrounds.
14. Spend an afternoon at Hudson River Park between Pier 45 and Pier 64.
15. Watch the sunset at Domino Park in Williamsburg.
16. Explore the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.
17. Visit the Bronx Zoo — one of the largest urban zoos in the country.
18. Picnic in Central Park's Sheep Meadow or the Great Lawn.
19. Spend a day in Prospect Park — the Long Meadow, the Boathouse, and the Sunday Drummers Grove.
20. Walk Fort Tryon Park around The Cloisters for skyline-free Hudson views.

Food and drink

21. Eat your way through Smorgasburg in Williamsburg on Saturdays or Prospect Park on Sundays.
22. Hit a slice of classic New York pizza in your nearest neighborhood — every borough has its own canon.
23. Try a rooftop bar at sunset. See our Rooftops shortlist.
24. Visit a food hall. Time Out Market in DUMBO and other major halls run all summer.
25. Go to a street fair. Weekend fairs pop up across Manhattan and Brooklyn through August.
26. Catch a food festival. Summer brings a steady cadence of food and drink festivals — check official event calendars for current lineups.
27. Try a restaurant from our Food & Drink hub. From Carbone to Tatiana, our editors keep a running list.

Beaches and summer rituals

28. Spend a day at Coney Island. Walk the boardwalk, hit Nathan's, and ride the Wonder Wheel.
29. Take the train to Rockaway Beach. A real NYC beach day, reachable by subway.
30. Visit Brighton Beach for boardwalk strolls and Brighton Beach Avenue eats.
31. Head to Orchard Beach in the Bronx — the borough's only public beach.

Sports and live events

32. Catch a Yankees game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
33. Catch a Mets game at Citi Field in Queens.
34. Catch an NYCFC or NYC professional soccer match — check the team's current schedule.
35. See Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, when running for the season. Programming varies — check the Public Theater's official site for the current schedule.
36. See a free SummerStage show at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
37. Catch a BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! show at the Prospect Park Bandshell.
38. See an outdoor performance at Lincoln Center. Free summer programming runs throughout July and August.

Movies under the stars

39. See a free outdoor movie at Bryant Park — the Monday night film festival is one of the longest-running in the city.
40. Book a film at Rooftop Cinema Club NYC. Wireless headphones, deck chairs, and a curated calendar of new releases and classics.
41. Find an outdoor movie series in your borough. Parks departments and BIDs run free outdoor film nights throughout the summer in all five boroughs.

Culture and museums

42. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art — pay-what-you-wish for NY State residents and tri-state students with ID.
43. Spend an afternoon at MoMA, the Whitney, or the Brooklyn Museum. Check each museum's current schedule for free or pay-what-you-wish hours.
44. Tour the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side.
45. Visit the New York Public Library's Schwarzman Building and its free rotating exhibitions.
46. See public art around the city through programs like the Public Art Fund and Times Square Arts.

Quintessential summer days

47. Bike Summer Streets on the dates the NYC DOT closes major Manhattan corridors to cars.
48. Take a long ride on the East River Greenway or the Hudson River Greenway.
49. Spend a Sunday in Astoria Park for skyline views from the Queens side.
50. End the season with a slow sunset walk across the Williamsburg or Brooklyn Bridge.

How to actually finish this list

You won't get through all 50 — and that's the point. A few tips from our editors:

  • Pick three per week. Even five weeks of this gets you to fifteen.
  • Stack by neighborhood. A Coney Island day, a DUMBO day, a Governors Island day.
  • Use weekday evenings. Rooftops, the High Line, and Bryant Park are best after work, before sunset.
  • Check the official site. Schedules, ticketing, and ferry windows change throughout the season.

FAQ

What should be at the top of an NYC summer bucket list? Governors Island, a Circle Line sunset cruise, a free outdoor movie at Bryant Park, and a slow walk on the High Line are the closest thing to required summer reading.

Are most things on this list free? A meaningful chunk is — the Staten Island Ferry, Governors Island grounds, Little Island, all the major parks, free outdoor concerts and movies, and most public beaches.

When should I do all of this? Most of the outdoor programming runs from late spring through early fall. Aim to knock items off across July and August before the season closes around Labor Day.

Keep exploring

For weekly editorial picks, see This Weekend in NYC. For seasonal inspiration, browse the Seasonal hub. For more ideas all summer long, the Things To Do hub is the central jumping-off point.