Summer

If you’re looking for ways to beat this (albeit, late) summer heat, you could head to one of the top 5 beaches near NYC, but hurricane Bill is predicted to make the water a bit rough, and in some cases, un-swimable. So maybe head over to one of these free and cheap city pools or water playgrounds instead, or cool off at a free dance show or music festival, or any of these true “New York Summer” events, like meeting Robinson Crusoe, or seeing generations of writers come together at the Fort Greene Park Literary Festival. 

Or maybe you want to head out of the city to some of our New Jersey Weekend Events...or Long Island. Plus don't forget to check our event calendar for even more fun stuff to do. Whatever you do, we’ve been asking for this heat, so get out and enjoy it!

On any given night, it can be hard to find a visible star, let alone a constellation, here in the City. With all of the ambient light, you might think it's near impossible to do any star gazing at all. But even with the neon signs and lights, there are amateur astronomy clubs that gather weekly and find wonders in the nighttime skies, not to mention the university observatories that are open to the public.

Imagine a New York where people flock to visit not for skyscrapers and luxury shopping, but gorgeous sand and beach front fun; a New York where "staycation" really takes on a new meaning. This weekend, you can get a glimpse of that version of the City with the City of Water Day festival--a celebration of our waterfront's potential. But until we rival the beaches of Capri (hey, it could happen), there's other things to keep us occupied, like turning the streets into a drawing canvas, saws making music, fishing contests and kid-friendly Shakespeare.

We also have weekly listings for Long Island events and New Jersey events on their respective pages (whether you live there or are looking for a day trip). And of course, our event calendar is jammed with even more things to do, as is our Summer Activity Guide.

A beach probably isn't the first thing that pops into most people's heads when they think of the Boogiedown Bronx... but Orchard Beach, which is part of Pelham Bay Park and weighs in at 115 acres, provides an invigorating beach getaway each weekend for thousands of NYC residents.

Jill has spent alot of time in the Hamptons with her kids over Summer vacations. Here are her ideas for the best kid-friendly places to check out- Thanks, Jill!

 Yes, the Hamptons get a lot of hype for being the playground of the rich and famous, but you don't have to be rich or famous or fashionable to enjoy these beautiful beaches. The Hamptons are a great family vacation destination, close to New York City, with some of the best, sandy beaches anywhere.  Plus, there's lots of fun activities, and places to eat, off the beach that make the Hamptons the perfect place for a family vacation getaway.

We've scoped out the best ideas on where to play, learn, and eat your way through  The Hamptons this Summer with your kids:

We recently visited the new Water Taxi Beach at the South Street Seaport. Similar to the original in Queens, this outdoor bar has a huge sandy beach area with picnic tables and great views out toward the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River and is a great place where families can enjoy a night out with kids in tow.

Around my house, these few weeks before my kids’ Summer camps officially start can be tough. The Summer weather seems to have arrived finally and the kids are anxious to take advantage of it. With plenty of beach days ahead, I wanted to do something special to celebrate today being the first official “day I don’t have to go to school” this Summer.  So, we  headed to Bayville this afternoon and hit the best mini-amusement park on Long Island-the  Bayville Adventure Park. 

For young kids, really, nothing could be better. First of all, there are lots of parking spaces right up front or just across the street, and you don’t even have to take a train to get into the park, like you do at Disneyland or those other big amusement parks. There is just enough activities to keep them from getting bored, but also the right amount to squeeze into the average young child’s visit without missing any (which I’d say is a few hours). 

This Sunday is Father's Day and so it's time to celebrate dads.  All year long Dads take the kids to kid-centric weekend activities. For Father's Day Weekend let there be no kiddie music or bouncie castles. This weekend treat dad to some fun family activities that he will enjoy as much as the kids will. There's a sports carnival, family field day, hip hop family festival, baseball games, great music and much more. And most of it is completely free!

Top events for Father Day Weekend in New York City

So, your kids are longing for swimsuits, sprinklers and slides. Well, now you can make their dreams come true, whether the weather is cooperating or not. Load up the iPod, the towels and the kids and take a short road trip to newly opened Sahara Sam’s Oasis in West Berlin, New Jersey. This indoor water park is less than two hrs from NYC and the 286,000 gallons of water keep 11 rides and tons of kids wet and wildly entertained, rain or shine!

We traveled with four parents; and three boys and three girls aging from 2-8 yrs old, so believe me, the place was well-tested. The kids were awed into silence (SILENCE, I SAY ) as we stepped through the door. But after those two seconds, they immediately got busy. Favorites?

Experience random acts of fun at the Come Out and Play Festival, a free New York City street game festival running from June 12-14. This event turns the city into a giant playground, with everything from a photo hunt to a jump roping contest. It's not about winning, but about rediscovering the city through play and play through the city. Although Come Out and Play isn't just for kids, there's lots of fun family friendly games that kids will enjoy as much as you will.

Here are some games from the Come Out and Play Festival that are fun for kids: