Asbury Park beach, photo via Wikimedia

New York City has some great local beaches, like the Rockaways, Coney Island, and Brighton and Orchard Beaches. But when you need a short break from all the spots you can hit via the subway, it’s worth remembering that there are some great beaches just a quick drive, NJ Transit, or Long Island Railroad ride away. Here are some of our favorite day beach trips from the city, from up-and-comer Asbury Park and Long Branch in NJ to long-time favorites like Fire and Shelter Islands.

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With Memorial Day just around the corner, most New Yorkers have two options–sit in endless hours of traffic trying to get to the beaches on the Hamptons or down the Jersey Shore, or have a staycation in the city. And while the latter may sound boring (and hot!) there are plenty of beaches to hit up within the boroughs. From the Rockaways to Fort Tilden, we’ve rounded up the seven best sandy spots in New York City.

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There are few spring and summer pleasures more sublime than drinking aboard a boat, though, in New York City, those are hard to come by unless you’re buddies with a yacht owner. The good news is, there are a handful of bars actually located onboard barges and boats, where you can sip wine and watch the sunset as the waves bob below. Here are our favorites; and do note the Staten Island Ferry is an unofficial boat bar, too.

All aboard!

Lead image, clockwise from top left: © Sprout Home; © The Sill; © Chelsea Garden Center; © The Sill

At long last, it appears springtime’s on its way to New York, transforming streets of sad, wilted grey and brown into, er, slightly less sad-looking grey and brown. If the little buds starting to sprout on tree branches in the parks and on the streets aren’t enough green for you, there are plenty of plant shops in the city that’ll help introduce some oxygenating goodness into your own apartment, no matter how small, dark, or pet-filled it may be. Note that for the sake of this list, we’ve stuck with plant shops, not florists, though you’ll find arrangements at some of these shops—this one, though, is for home gardeners and lovers of succulents, which it turns out you do need to water from time to time, a lesson some of us first-time plant parents learned the hard way.

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A downside to living in a thriving city is that air pollution makes for poor fall foliage, though some spots in town—Wave Hill, Pelham Bay Park—still boast colorful leaves at the end of October. But if you take a short trip outside the city limits, you can see some beautiful autumn colors, all within a day’s drive. Sadly, the best fall foliage sightseeing trip is no more—Amtrak retired its glass-domed Adirondack train in 2018. But there are other spots to take in the season; here are our seven favorites.

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Photo via Pixabay

With autumn in New York City quickly approaching, you can take in the changing leaves and crisp air, and there are few places better to do that than a local farm. Some of the best spots near town offer apple and pumpkin picking, in addition to a slew of other fall-ready activities, making it easy to bring some of the season home with you. Ahead, we’ve rounded up our 10 favorite spots that are open this year with COVID guidelines in place.

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Getting out of the city during the hot summer months has never felt so necessary, with the usual ways of staying cool by exploring an air-conditioned museum or taking a dip at a city pool currently on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. For those looking to reconnect with nature (while maintaining social distance), there are a number of escapes just outside of the city offering hikes and treks ranging in levels of difficulty. Some of these are easily accessible by Metro-North; some might require a car, and some happen to be in the city itself, provided you consider Staten Island within its borders. All of them feature great views, exercise, fresh air, and the occasional tree, how novel! Ahead, discover our favorites.

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Photo of McSorley’s © James and Karla Murray

Irish Americans have been a part of the New York ecosystem since the colonial era, but they cemented their stamp on this city during a period of mass migration in the 19th century. We owe a lot to the Irish—some of the city’s most beautiful buildings and cathedrals were designed and built by Irish immigrants, for instance. One of the tastier hand-me-downs was the Irish bar, replete with cheap pints, hearty grub, dark lighting, and a slate of bartenders who’ll inspire you to earn their respect. Ahead we’ve rounded up 12 of the best, from old standbys like McSorley’s and Peter McManus Cafe to some lesser-known gems like Sunset Park’s Irish Haven (the bar in The Departed) and baseball bar Foley’s.

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Photo of The Strand Rare Book Room (top left) by Aaron and Whitney Photography; all others cited below

Some people think Valentine’s Day is a good day for a proposal, but those people are wrong. Valentine’s Day is a holiday that belongs to Hallmark, but the day you propose is one that belongs to you, without any intrusion on the part of a greeting card company. Still, if you’re going to pop the question, you’re best off doing it before February 14, so the pressure’s off and no one’s sitting at dinner stressing out over whether or not they’re going to accidentally swallow a ring in their champagne. Luckily, this city’s full of romantic spots ripe for love and impending marriage. Here are a few of our favorites, from a bookstore and a movie theater to parks and restaurants.

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Photo by Caleb Minear on Unsplash

One of the best things about freelancing in New York City is not having to fight with the subway to get to my desk on time, something I did almost daily when I had an office job. One of the worst things, though, is feeling permanently stuck in my cramped apartment. Luckily, this city has lots of great, airy spaces that lend themselves well to remote work, whether you do it full time or are just looking to spend the day free of fluorescent lighting and Gary from HR. Ahead, discover 10 of our favorites.

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