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| Long Branch Beach, New Jersey |
As a local New
Yorker, my family is always planning vacations to escape the concrete jungle we
call home during the summer months. However, this summer was going to be
different. My extended family was visiting from Canada and I had gotten a
student worker position at the Undergraduate Admission Office. I knew it was
going to be impossible to take an extended vacation so my friend, who was also
staying in at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, decided to come up with a
summer bucket list to complete. We complied our list based on two things: the
events had to be free or cheap and within two hours of driving distance for any
day trips. So over the month of June, we participated in free yoga and Latin
dance classes that were taking place in Bryant Park. Also, many parks around
New York City were screening free outdoor movie nights. We caught the all time
classic Back to the Future at Bryant
Park and Frozen at Randall’s Island.
You can drive into Randall’s Island if taking the RFK Bridge from Queens,
Manhattan and the Bronx. If coming in from Manhattan, a cheaper option is to
take the walking passageway or one of the MTA local buses that frequently make
trips to the island.
For my
water lovers, I was able to able to take multiple free kayaking trips in the
Hudson River. The two most popular locations are Pier 96 uptown and Pier 26
downtown. What I really love about the NYC free kayaking program is how
accessible and easy it is. I went to Pier 26 a total of three times and every
time I went before 10 am, I barely had to wait in line. There is a waiver that
you have to sign but the good news is that you do it once, and it’s good for
the rest of the season. There are single and double kayaks available as well as
free lockers, lock, life jacket, and a changing room. For the perfect afternoon
activity with your partner in crime or significant other, Central Park offers
daily boat rides that you can enjoy right at the heart of the city. While not
free, boating was a lot of fun because of the beautiful location and atmosphere.
For people seeking a little more thrill, we did drive out to the Six Flags
Great Adventure Hurricane Harbor water park in New Jersey. If you don’t have a
car, not to fear! There are group buses that take folks into six flags from
Manhattan. For the perfect day beach trip, we headed out to the shores of
Jersey to Long Branch Beach. It’s a cute little resort town about two hour
drive from NYC but also accessible via the NJ transit as well. Long Branch does
a really good job at making us forget we’re still in the tri-state area with
its gorgeous sand dunes and palm trees.
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| Smorgasburg eats at East River State Park, Williamsburg |
Last but
not the very least, no vacation is complete without exploring the local food
scene! Summer is a great time to dine out in NYC because of the many different
food festivals and events that take place. Taking advantage of Restaurant Week,
I tried out Korean, Mexican, and Mediterranean fine dining. Another really cool
way to explore new kinds of food was going to the Smorgasburg food fair that
takes place in various locations around the city every week. They promote 100
local vendors of various world cuisines and it’s basically a one-stop shop for
any form of food craving you could possibly want. I tried vegan burgers,
Ethiopian food, Hawaiian food, Vietnamese food, as well as a variety of ice
cream shops in my visits. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to enjoy NYC
that doesn’t have to include going to all the tourist attractions. I completed
my first summer bucket list here in my “hometown” and I can’t wait to see which
city to explore next year!
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