Lately, the stubborn clouds and wind have made sunny days a rare occasion. Staying inside on these bright days means missing an opportunity to finally soak up some vitamin D. Luckily for NYU students, there are many inexpensive activities to do in the city in order to make sure these sunny days aren’t wasted. Here are four things to do that will help you capitalize on warm weather in New York City.
Riverside Park (Free)
A venture to any of New York’s various parks is perhaps one of the easiest activities to throw together at the last minute. Riverside Park runs along the Hudson River in the Upper West Side and has so much more to offer aside from people-watching and expanses of green grass — though these things are always a good addition to any warm weather activity. After walking 10 minutes into the park, you stumble upon Ellington in the Park — restaurant and bar with a sandy playground in the lower level. No matter what anyone says, you’ll never be too old for a good playground. However, if you don’t want to spend money on eating out, one way to enjoy this park would be to use a meal swipe at one of NYU’s dining halls to grab some food to-go and take it over to Riverside Park with some friends, a blanket and portable speaker. Have a lovely picnic while looking out over the river. Regardless of your budget, Riverside Park is full of ways to enjoy New York’s warm weather.
A subway ride to Rockaway Beach in Queens takes about an hour on the A, J or Z train if you leave in the morning, but the long ride is worth the trip if you plan to spend the day there. Walk along the boardwalk and enjoy the salty taste of the Atlantic Ocean as the breeze keeps you cool. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation will also host a free weekly yoga class every Saturday from May 25 to August 31 at 8:15 a.m., so you can watch the sunrise while in downward dog. It’s not often that NYU students get to see the horizon, thanks to Manhattan’s skyscrapers, and Rockaway Beach provides the perfect escape from the chaos of going to school in the middle of the city.
Staten Island Ferry (Free)
The Staten Island Ferry is free, though you may have to pay for a subway ride to get to the dock. It may seem like a tourist trap, but riding the ferry across the Upper Bay never gets old, whether it is your first time or your fourth. The bright orange ferry takes passengers from the shores of Manhattan to Staten Island, while passing the Statue of Liberty along the way. The round trip takes about an hour, with the entire ride providing beautiful views of the city from afar.
The Met Cloisters (Free)
Take your steps-of-the-Met picture to a whole new level at the Cloisters. Located in Washington Heights, the Cloisters is a section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that exhibits mainly medieval art. Visit after the Met Gala in a few weeks, though, and you may get access to seasonal summer collections. What might be the coolest part about this museum is the fact that a lot of the museum’s architecture itself comes from Romanesque and Gothic art periods. Seriously, it feels like you’re in a medieval castle. The price of admission is waived for students, so you can feel like a prince or a princess for free.
Email Calais Watkins at [email protected].
