In New York, we’re all looking for the next best thing. Whether it’s a man, a show, a view, a food or a museum; we need something bigger and better if it’s going to pique our interest. Rooftop bars with pools are cool, and clubs are always going to draw in a big crowd, but I much prefer the novelty of other attractions. With this in mind, I bring you some of the coolest, most uniquely New York experiences you can have this summer.
1. New York City has perfected the art of making museums surprisingly not boring. And by now I’m sure most of you have paid a visit to the bouncy house of boobs at The Museum of Sex and the incredible views at The Cloisters, so now I introduce to you The Museum of Ice Cream.
Opening
at 100 Gansevoort St. on July 29, this
cool
(get it?) new addition to the meatpacking district will feature ice
cream tastings, a rainbow "sprinkle" pool you can swim in, edible
balloons and a special exhibit called “Tinder Land” sponsored by dating app,
Tinder, to find your true flavor match. If that’s not enough, you can have a
romantic date see-sawing in an ice cream scooper, swing together on an ice
cream sandwich and get free (well, once you pay admission) ice cream! Tickets
are $18 for one person and $30 for couples – so grab a guy, get some ice cream
and indulge the delights of the inner child in us all! (Exhibit is open until
August 31st ) And you can follow it up with a Black Tap crazy milkshake!
2. Go to a baseball game.
It doesn’t matter if you like the Mets or Yankees, or you don’t like baseball at all. Go for the hot dogs and peanuts and crackerjacks…and in August check out the U.S. Open. They, too, have great food, activities, and very good-looking players just feet from your face (if you watch on the side courts).
3. Play mini golf.
There are courses at Pier25, Governor’s Island, Randall’s Island, Brooklyn Golf Center, and the one that piqued my personal interest, Shipwrecked Mini Golf. Shipwrecked is an indoor 18-hole mini golf adventure led by a pirate captain, filled with special effects and treasure; it’s sure to be a hole in one.
4. Escape the city.
Whether that means Governors Island, Coney Island, Fire Island, Randall’s Island, the Hamptons or maybe just Brooklyn Bridge Park, go somewhere outside the concrete jungle. Ride a bike, have a picnic, read a book. I know better than anyone that the fast paced lifestyle can be exhausting, and without a little space you’re bound to go crazy. Relationships with Manhattan are quite similar to those with a man. It looks really pretty from the outside, it’s super complex and probably not as pretty on the inside, and sometimes you just need some time away from it. Don’t break up with it; just take a little break -- like Ross and Rachel. Come back when it’s time to go to bed… Or in the morning… Or at the end of the weekend…
5. See a movie with a view.
Whether it’s in a park in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan or your front lawn, watch a movie under the stars. There’s nothing like the cool breeze of a summer night while you're lying on a picnic blanket eating popcorn and M&M’s in someone’s arms (the movies are free; someone’s arms are not included).
6. Go to a fun restaurant!
Some of my favorites are Serendipity (only after you watch the movie!), Artichoke Pizza (and get the artichoke pizza; it’s the best), Catch (also has a rooftop bar), Sugar Factory for some insanely large, sugary drinks, and Ninja New York for great sushi and an unforgettable dining experience.
7. Visit Top Of The Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center.
It’s an overpriced view of the city, but it is breathtaking. It’s the kind of date that would be on "The Bachelor". Well, they’d probably close it down and have a romantic candlelit dinner on the top of the building, but just seeing the view and snapping some pictures will have to do for us.
8. Ride the Staten Island Ferry.
As touristy and terrible as this may sound, it is definitely worth doing once (and then back!). The breeze is great on a hot summer day, the views of the Statue of Liberty are unbeatable and it makes for a fun little free adventure. One guidebook even calls it "one of the world's greatest (and shortest) water voyages."
9. Find a street fair.
New York City street fairs are some of the most fun things to do over the weekend. Almost every weekend a different street is highlighted, and you can browse the food and knickknacks the city has to offer.
10. Do yoga in Bryant Park.
This may sound crazy, but it’s insanely fun to participate with hundreds of other New Yorkers, or even just watch from the sidelines.
11. Spend a Saturday at Smorgsburg.
Located at East River State Park—Kent Ave. and N. 7 St.—on the Williamsburg waterfront. Open from 11-6 rain or shine, Smorgsburg provides 75-100 vendors with edible delights.
12. Go boating in Central Park.
It may not be as romantic as “What A Girl Wants” depicts it to be, and you may not find the James Marsden to your Katherine Heigl ("27 Dresses"), but it will be a fun day. And if you don’t feel like rowing your own boat, you can go on a gondola tour and pretend you’re in Venice for a little while. And when you’re done, you can walk a few steps and get a nice big, salty, New York City pretzel.
I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
