Inspire Me

22 Reasons to Visit NYC in 2022

Irish-Ethiopian actor, Ruth Negga is on Broadway this month as Lady Macbeth opposite Daniel Craig and if that isn’t reason enough to head stateside, Here is a snapshot of 22 super reasons to head to NYC.

“Summer is one of the best times to visit NYC, when all five boroughs buzz with a special energy and excitement inviting you to get out and explore our neighborhoods, beaches, parks and waterfront,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company. “From outdoor cultural programming and spectacular new art exhibitions to new culinary offerings, a packed Broadway season and luxury hotel brands making their debut, we are reminding the world that more than ever, It’s Time for New York CitySM.”

1. 30th Anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week

The 30th anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week offers 30 days of dining (excl. Sat), on from 18 July to 21 August at a variety of restaurants from neighborhood eateries to high-end dining across NYC.

2. More Places to Stay

Casa Cipriani, at the iconic Battery Maritime Building, offers stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. The new Hard Rock Hotel New York in Midtown Manhattan is open Aman New York, Fifth Ave., and is set to open this August. Renaissance Hotels will open properties in Harlem and Flushing in the coming months, along with Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York and The Ritz-Carlton, NoMad. Then later in the year, Moxy Hotels will open in the Lower East Side and Williamsburg. Virgin Hotel New York City, The Fifth Ave. Hotel and Hotel AKA NoMad will open this autumn. For more, visit nycgo.com/hotels.

3. The Return of New York City Classics

NYC has world-renowned attractions such as the Statue of Liberty. For over 90 years, politicians, stars and moguls have flocked to Bemelmans Bar, on the Upper East Side at the Carlyle Hotel. The bar is best known for its extensive cocktail menu, nightly live entertainment and art deco decor. Try The Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel, popular for its Afternoon Tea. In Midtown Manhattan, find the iconic home of NYC glamour and entertainment, the Rainbow Room. For the first time since 1940, roller skating is back at Rockefeller Center as Flipper’s at The Rink. The Wollman Rink is also embracing the 1970s with a DiscOasis at the Central Park-based rink.

4. See New York City from Above

See NYC from the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock or One World Observatory. Edge at Hudson Yards also recently unveiled the City Climb, the ultimate skyscraper adventure for thrill seekers at 1,200 feet above the ground. Summit One Vanderbilt opened including the fifth observatory with spectacular views from the City’s only all glass exterior elevators, ASCENT. In 2022, a new virtual attraction debuted offering a unique bird’s-eye view of the skyline: RiseNY is an immersive, interactive experience while suspended 30 feet in the air.

5. Go International Throughout the Boroughs

From Little Caribbean located in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Little Sri Lanka in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, to Manhattan’s Chinatown and Washington Heights, enjoy the unique, vibrant neighborhoods throughout the boroughs. Named as one of the “52 Places to Go in 2022” by The New York Times, the borough of Queens is home to a variety of international cuisines. Visitors can dine along the 7 train to try ethnic cuisines from Eastern European to Japanese. For authentic Italian cuisine, head to the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue. For more, visit nycgo.com/neighborhoods.

6. A New Era of Air Travel

There are brand-new terminals at LaGuardia, Newark and JFK. The new Delta Air Lines’ Terminal C at LaGuardia officially opened on June 4. Later this year, Newark will debut an updated Terminal A and will also break ground on a new 2.5-mile elevated guideway train system, which will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and ease traffic congestion. Terminal 8 at JFK will debut in December with a new and renovated space, serving American Airlines and British Airways. Construction will also begin on the New Terminal One at JFK, expected to open in 2026.

7. A Greener New York City

Sustainability remains at the forefront for the City, with Javits Center recently debuting a state-of-the-art 7-acre green roof, now a sanctuary for area wildlife. Meanwhile, NYC’s new public park, Little Island, located near the Meatpacking District, provides serene spaces, venues for events, and views of the river. And Central Park, has created a Central Park Climate Lab to develop new research and tools to help urban parks manage impacts of climate change. For more, visit nycgo.com/green.

8. Brand-New Culinary Experiences

Williamsburg is now the new home for Philadelphia favorite Laser Wolf, the hit Israeli skewer shop by famed chef and restaurateur Michael Solomonov located on the rooftop of The Hoxton hotel. The team behind Frenchette recently welcomed a new French-leaning restaurant to Rockefeller Center, Le Rock. Lysée, a high-end dessert shop is heading to Flatiron. HAGS, the first LGBTQ+ fine dining restaurant, opens in the East Village. The Campaign Against Hunger has opened a café in Edgemere, Queens, Beach Dunes Eats & Arts Café (profits are donated toward efforts to fight food insecurity in the City). The Lambs Club at The Chatwal recently reopened. Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud recently opened Le Gratin on the ground floor of the iconic Beekman Hotel. Open-air food markets include Queens Night Market, Smorgasburg in Brooklyn and Bronx Night Market. The City’s nightlife scene has new nightclubs, including Eavesdrop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn; Somewhere Nowhere NYC Lounge and Rooftop Pool in Chelsea; The Q, an LGBTQ+ multilevel nightclub in Hell’s Kitchen; and Musica Club, the biggest nightclub in NYC by Cipriani. For more, visit nycgo.com/dining and nycgo.com/nightlife.

9. Enticing Exhibits Debuting This Year

Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure is at the Starrett-Lehigh Building. The Guggenheim Museum has the exhibition, Cecilia Vicuña: Spin Spin Triangulene (until 5 Sept.). The Whitney Museum of American Art is celebrating its 80th Whitney Biennial, Quiet as It’s Kept (until 5 Sept.). The Met Fifth Avenue has An Anthology of Fashion (until 5 Sept.). The Museum of Modern Art’s newest exhibit, Henri Matisse: The Red Studio is open (until 10 Sept.). The High Line will debut artist Meriem Bennani’s first public sculpture, Windy (2022). On June 25, the City will be invaded by an army of zombies with an exhibit spotlighting TV series The Walking Dead – Living with The Walking Dead – it will be hosted at the Museum of Moving Image and will feature original costumes and props and more. On July 1, the Brooklyn Museum will host its first survey exhibition dedicated to Virgil Abloh – Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech,”. For more, visit nycgo.com/museums.

10. Stars and Beloved Stories Return to Broadway

Hugh Jackman recently returned to Broadway for the revival of The Music Man; and Golden Globe–nominated-actress Beanie Feldstein stars in Funny Girl. Through July 10, Darren Criss, Sam Rockwell and Laurence Fishburne will be in American Buffalo. Daniel Craig also returns to the stage as Macbeth until July 10. The best-selling novel The Kite Runner is coming to Broadway this summer, and the critically lauded and fan-favorite new musical Kimberly Akimbo is also coming to Broadway on November 10. For more, visit nycgo.com/broadway.

11. New York City As Seen on TV

The iconic television series set in NYC have recently returned. With forthcoming seasons of the new Gossip Girl and And Just Like That, fans can explore the City that is home to Serena van der Woodsen (and the new Gossip Girl cast) and Carrie Bradshaw and friends. Gossip Girl fans can take one of the On Location Tours of the many sites where the popular series was filmed, including The Met steps and Grand Central Terminal; and Sex and the City fans can take an official tour, including dining at Buddakan or indulging in cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery.

12. Shopping in New York City:

Harry Potter fans can visit the first official Harry Potter New York Flagship Store. The Seaport recently welcomed Club Vintage for all things vintage, and The Shoe Surgeon, a shop and workshop space offering one-of-a-kind sneakers. The new Tiffany & Co. flagship store at 727 Fifth Ave. in Midtown Manhattan is coming this autumn and sees the reopening of The Blue Box Café, where customers can enjoy breakfast. Visitors can also check out Macy’s Herald Square, Nordstrom NYC, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. For more, visit nycgo.com/shopping.

13. New and Evolved Museums & Cultural Institutions:

The Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History will reopen this winter. The Museum of Broadway, the first permanent museum dedicated to Broadway, will open in Times Square in the autumn. The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens will debut later this year an interactive exhibit, archival collections, a 68-seat jazz club and store. And, the Bronx Children’s Museum is also opening this year after moving to a new home in Mill Pond Park. For more, visit nycgo.com/museums.

14. Festivals & Festivities Returning This Year:

NYC plays host to some of the largest events in the world across a multitude of industries. The free SummerStage Concert Series at Central Park returned on June 4 featuring a lineup of talented artists through September 22. The Tribeca Festival will take place from June 8–19; Shakespeare in the Park will return on June 17 with performances through September; the “Conscious Carnaval,” Letsgetfr.ee, will take place in August; and New York Fashion Week will return in September, setting the stage for designers worldwide to showcase their latest designs. For more,

15. Food Halls Featuring International Delicacies & NYC Favorites:

Moynihan Train Hall now as the likes of Sauce Pizzeria, E.A.K. Ramen, Magnolia Bakery, H&H Bagels and Jacob’s Pickles. Coming soon is the full market, expanded food hall and three signature restaurants. This summer, a brand-new food hall will open at The Seaport, The Tin Building by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, which will feature a French brasserie, an Asian speakeasy and more. Singapore Hawker Center, an enormous Singaporean-inspired food hall, will soon open in Midtown with 18 street-food vendors, like Douglas Ng of Fishball Story, Chris Hooi of Dragon Phoenix and Ah Tai, known for his Hainanese chicken rice. This fall, the James Beard Foundation will also open an 18-stall, 16k sqft hall at Pier 57 featuring local businesses and offerings from food entrepreneurs.

16. Explore What’s New on Staten Island:

The acclaimed Clinton Hall opened its sixth beer hall in the City at the Empire Outlets alongside MRKPL Culinary Market, offering craft beer, wine, cocktails and cuisine. The brand-new Staten Island FerryHawks baseball team is now playing in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In addition to a new Staten Island Ferry fleet, the recently launched St. George route on the NYC Ferry now offers a direct route to Manhattan’s Battery Park City and Midtown West. For more, visit nycgo.com/statenisland.

17. Year-Round and Citywide Celebrations of Pride:

As the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, NYC is proudly the center of Pride celebrations each June and throughout the year. The NYC Pride March takes place on June 26. One of the largest Pride marches in the world, it attracts tens of thousands of participants and millions of spectators. Harlem Pride will host its neighborhood annual pride celebration on June 25. The celebrations began in the boroughs beyond Manhattan, with the New Queens Pride parade held earlier this month and Staten Island PrideFest in early May. The Brooklyn Pride will take place on June 11 and the 1 Bronx Pride Festival on June 12. For more, visit nycgo.com/lgbtq.

18. New and Revamped Performing Arts Centers Take the Stage:

The Barrow Group theater company recently opened a new facility in Midtown Manhattan, offering over 13,000 sqft of training studios and a brand-new theater. The David Geffen Hall, part of Lincoln Center and the New York Philharmonic, will reopen to the public this October, after a complete makeover. For more, visit nycgo.com/performingarts.

19. Explore the Great Outdoors Within the Five Boroughs:

This summer, plan for a seasonal highlights tour at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Enjoy the Chinese Scholar’s Garden at Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center, one of two authentic outdoor Chinese gardens built in the US. Rent a rowboat at Central Park’s Loeb Boathouse and row across Central Park Lake. Head to Roosevelt Island’s annual Outdoor Summer Movie Series. A series of films will be shown on a 40-foot screen at the island’s Firefighter’s Field from late June to late August. The New York Botanical Garden Farmers Market returned this month through Oc 26. Nearby, check out the Treetop Adventure at the Bronx Zoo, open throughout the summer. Visit Rockaway Beach in Queens, known as the City’s go-to surfing destination, which also offers playgrounds and other outdoor activities and more. For more, visit nycgo.com/outdoors.

20. Rejuvenating Wellness Experiences:

Governors Island offers a selection of 20 wellness experiences at QC NY including several saunas, and massage and treatment offerings. Additionally, opening on August 2, the spa at the new Aman New York hotel will offer three stories of rejuvenating experiences, including a 65ft-long indoor swimming pool, two spa houses and an outdoor terrace.

21. A More Accessible New York City:

NYC is on a mission to make the destination more accessible to all. Some Broadway shows including The Lion King, Aladdin and Come From Away have implemented autism-friendly performances, with adjustments such as reducing any jarring sounds and eliminating strobe or spotlights that shine into the audience. Contento, a restaurant that opened in East Harlem last June, was designed to be accessible for all. Accommodations include lower bar counters for those using wheelchairs, a QR code on the menu that people with visual impairments can scan with their phones to have the menu read out loud to them, and the bathroom on the same floor as the restaurant. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum offers many free access programs for visitors with developmental disabilities, taking place on select Sundays throughout the year. For more, visit nycgo.com/accessibility.

22. World-Famous Sporting Events:

NYC is home to some of the greatest sporting events across the globe. The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will return to race the streets of New York City July 16–17. Since 1978, the top tennis stars have played in the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, taking place Aug 29–Sept 11. The TCS New York City Marathon takes place on November 6. For more, visit nycgo.com/sports.

For an up-to-date list of what’s open across the five boroughs, visit nycgo.com/whatsopen.

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