New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [10]
Wander Battery Park City’s waterfront promenade. The breeze and passing boats will make you forget you’re in the gritty city, though the view of the Statue of Liberty will remind you that you couldn’t be anywhere but New York. | Station: 4, 5 to Bowling Green; 1 to South Ferry.
Kayak on the Hudson. The Downtown Boathouse gives free lessons and paddling tours, and there’s even an indoor-swimming-pool program to hone kayaking skills in winter months. The boats are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so cloudy days and early mornings are the best times to avoid the crowds. | Pier 40 at Houston St. | www.downtownboathouse.org| Station: B, D, F, M to 47th–50th Sts./Rockefeller Center.
Watch wannabe trapeze artists swing and soar at the Trapeze School New York (as shown on Sex and the City). They’ve helped locals and visitors alike make leaps of faith since 2002. | Pier 40 at Houston St. | www.trapezeschool.com| Station: A, C, E to Canal St.
Taste the goods at the Union Square Greenmarket (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday), where farmers offer samples of their organically grown produce, artisanal cheeses, and fresh bread. The Greenmarket, a hip outing for all, is often filled with families shopping for dinner, famous chefs choosing ingredients, and foodies stalking Food Network hosts. | Station: 4, 5, 6 to Union Sq.
Stroll the Coney Island boardwalk for some old-school kitsch (before it’s redeveloped into swanky condos). There are also plenty of annual events for free here, including the outrageous Mermaid Parade and the Fourth of July hot-dog-eating contest. | Station: B, F, N, Q to Stillwell Ave.
Check out the street performers around New York’s parks: break-dancing crews in Union Square, ragtime duets in Central Park, nutty unicyclists in Washington Square. Buskers in the subway are better than you’d expect—the MTA has a committee that vets official performers, with the top performers assigned to the busiest subway stops.
Smell the cherry blossoms in spring at the Central Park Conservatory; the pathways beneath the blossoming trees are gorgeous, and much closer than the botanical gardens in the outer boroughs. | 5th Ave. at 105th St. | Station: 6 to 103rd.
MUSIC, THEATER, AND DANCE
Watch tango dancers and jazz musicians outside Lincoln Center at the annual monthlong Out of Doors festival, held in August. It includes more than 100 performances of spoken word, beat boxing, and bigwigs like Dave Brubeck and Arlo Guthrie. | Station: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center.
Hit Central Park Summerstage for big-name performers like Afrobeat bandleader Seun Kuti and Columbia’s own Vampire Weekend. There’s also a second series of concerts in Brooklyn.
Catch rising stars in classical music, drama, and dance at the Juilliard School’s free student concerts (check www.juilliard.edu for a calendar of events). Free tickets are available at the Juilliard box office for theater performances; there’s also a line for standby an hour before the show. Smaller acts don’t require tickets beforehand. | 144 W. 65th St. | Station: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center.
Entertain thyself at Shakespeare in the Park, one of New York City’s most beloved events—80,000 watch each year. It’s been going strong since 1962, and shows usually feature celebrities earning their olde English acting chops. Get in line early at the Public Theater for a shot at tickets, or head to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. | 425 Lafayette St. | Station: 6 to Astor Pl.
Get gratis giggles at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre’s comedy shows. The theater has moved a few times since 1999, but the improv comedy, inspired by Chicago’s Second City, remains sharp regardless of location. Professional comedians,