Summer’s nearly here, and that’s a time many individuals and families excitedly anticipate. You may get some time off from work. If you do, you may feel like you’ll take a trip that you’ve saved your money for and that you’ll always remember afterward.
If you’ve never visited New York City, maybe that tops your list. It’s the Big Apple, America’s largest and most famous metropolis. You can customize your time there, hitting the events and venues you like the most.
Let’s talk about a few things you might do if you visit New York City in the summer of 2023.
Arrive and Drop Off Your Bags
First, you might fly into LaGuardia or JFK. JFL works nicely since you can take a train into Manhattan from Queens. You might also stay in Queens and get a hotel there. The borough has some nice ones.
If you fly into LaGuardia, you’ll likely take a bus into Manhattan. You can also take a cab, though that costs more.
If you find that the hotel doesn’t have your room ready, you should know about the comfort of accessible luggage drop-off locations in New York. Services exist now that will take your luggage and let you pay a flat storage rate.
You access the app and let the company know how many bags you have and where you’ll drop them off. These companies usually have many locations around the city, making it convenient for you.
Get Some Lunch
If it’s late morning or early afternoon now, then maybe you feel that it’s lunchtime. You can look around and see what looks good to you.
You might go down into the Village and eat at Veselka, the famous Ukrainian restaurant. They have comfort food that you should love. You might get some of the short rib perogies and a chocolate milkshake. The latkes or the goulash also have many admirers.
Check Out Times Square
From Veselka, you can take the train uptown. Several trains make a Times Square stop, and you might do that next.
You can get off the train in Times Square, go above ground, and look around. You’re now in the city’s beating heart. You can see thousands of people hurrying by at all times.
You can easily see who’s a tourist and who’s a local. The tourists can’t stop gawking and taking pictures and videos. You can do the same. You’ll see enormous billboards advertising new video games, movies, and Broadway shows.
You might visit the M&M flagship store or get souvenirs at one of the many shops and kiosks. If you want “I Love New York” tee shirts or Statue of Liberty paperweights, you can get as many as you need. You can buy cheap sunglasses from a street vendor if you’d prefer those instead.
Walk Over the Brooklyn Bridge
Next, maybe you’ll take a train downtown again and get off in Chinatown or Little Italy. In Chinatown, you can buy knockoff Gucci purses or delicious-smelling street food. You can pass Peking ducks hanging in rows in the shop windows. In Little Italy, you can hear people speaking Italian in the street, and there are always crowds waiting for outdoor tables at restaurants.
You can access the Brooklyn Bridge’s Manhattan side from there. You can walk across the bridge into Brooklyn. As you walk across the water, you will see the Empire State Building standing majestically on your right, with her torch proudly raised.
It might take half an hour, and then, you’re on the bridge’s other side. You’re now in Brooklyn, and you can walk around DUMBO. You’ll find many quaint cafes and shops there.
Figure Out Your Evening’s Activity
Now, you should figure out what you’ll do that night. Maybe you’ll hop on a train again, and this time, you’ll head up into the Bronx. If you like sports, you might catch a Yankee game. If the team is in town, you can buy a ticket outside the stadium, or you can just use your phone and purchase one on an app like StubHub or Ticketmaster.
You can watch Yankee ace Garrett Cole and their MVP outfielder Aaron Judge. You can see all of the retired numbers and plaques out in Monument Park.
Maybe you’d prefer a National League game instead. You can take the train into Queens and see the Mets play at Citi Field. You’ll take the 7 train to the last stop, Willet’s Point. There, you might see the Mets battle their hated rivals the Phillies or the Atlanta Braves, their divisional foes.
If you’re not a sports fan, then maybe you’ll go down into the Village and catch some live jazz at the Blue Note club. It’s small but intimate, with great acoustics.
You can stay around Times Square and catch a Broadway show. You might see someone frivolous and fun or something contemplative and serious. Broadway has it all, whatever you favor.
Have a Nightcap
As your evening winds down, you might have a nightcap at one of New York City’s many watering holes. You can visit the Thirsty Scholar in the Village. Or, maybe you’ll hit Marie’s Crisis, a piano bar that always has live music. You can sing along with the show tunes and perhaps meet some Broadway stars who stop in sometimes.
Then, you can retrieve your luggage and check into your hotel. You can see your room’s amenities and watch a movie on TV if you’re still excited and not sleepy yet.
Also, think about what you’ll do the following day. You might take the ferry and see Staten Island or head out to Coney Island and see the pier and the Atlantic Ocean. Maybe you’ll stroll through Central Park and get some exercise.
New York City offers so much in the summer. Among the crowds, you can feel small, but in a delightful way. You’re anonymous, and you might feel good losing yourself in this vibrant city.
