New York City Shines a Spotlight on Summer Activities

Image: The Top of the Rock observation deck. (photo via Photo-Michael-Brosilow, NYC & Company) (NYC & Company)
Image: The Top of the Rock observation deck. (photo via Photo-Michael-Brosilow, NYC & Company) (NYC & Company)
Claudette Covey
by Claudette Covey
Last updated: 12:41 PM ET, Tue June 15, 2021

New York City is gearing up for a busy summer, with the destination predicting 10 million visitors from Memorial Day through Labor Day across its five boroughs - reclaiming upward of half of the number of 2019 summer visitors, NYC & Company said.

Suffice it to say visitors will have plenty to see and do.

"As New York City continues to reawaken, we look forward to highlighting new and timeless attractions and events across the five boroughs," said NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon. "This summer season will be bursting with unique offers including drive-in and rooftop theaters, new waterfront parks, expanded NYC Ferry access, outdoor performing arts, rooftop theaters, new waterfront parks, expanded NYC Ferry access, outdoor performing arts spaces and cafe culture, countless green markets and garden sand multicultural experiences."

The city will offer travelers plenty of outdoor activities, including, exploring its 30-plus islands, such as Coney Island, Staten Island Governor's Island, Randall's Island and Roosevelt Island, where the new Graduate Roosevelt Island hotel debuted.

Visitors can also check out one of New York's beaches, including Coney Island Beach, Manhattan Beach, Orchard Beach, Rockaway Beach and South Beach.

For panoramic city views, they can take in observation decks like Top of the Rock, Empire State Building Observatory, Edge at Hudson Yards, and One World Observatory.

Travelers can explore the five boroughs on the Staten Island Ferry and NYC Ferry, which now includes a new Coney Island route.

For more active adventures, they can kayak on the Hudson or East rivers, with complimentary kayaking available at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, the Manhattan Community Boathouse at Pier 96 and Red Hook Boaters.

The city will provide travelers with a generous number of cultural activities, including Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, which will feature free performances of the "Merry Wives of Windsor" from \July 6 through Sept.18.

The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit opened at Manhattan' Pier 36 and includes \more than 500,000 cubic feet of projections.

Foodies will find plenty of options to sate their palates. For starters, they can visit Ping's Seafood in Chinatown, Yeah Shanghai Deluxe on Mott Street, Pacificana in Sunset Park and Asian Jewels in Flushing.

They can sample Italian food at the Arthur Avenue Retail Market in the Bronx; visit the revamped Essex Market, which provides cooking demonstrations for kids and adults; and take in the Queens Night Market and Out Market in Dumbo, Brooklyn.


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