60 Phenomenal Things To Do This July In New York City
By Claire Leaden • Secret NYC

“Summer in New York City is filled with plenty of things to do, and it’s finally the perfect outdoor weather!

With 4th of July on the horizon and summer in full swing, July will offer plenty of opportunities to soak in the sun and hang by the water before the brutal heat of August kicks in (because like it or not, it’s coming!).

Check out glorious rooftops, cool off at beaches and pools, traipse through fields of sunflowers and lavender (ok, those are a bit outside of NYC!), and much more with our recommendations of things to do this month.”

Here are 60 Phenomenal Things To Do:

1. Catch this year’s bigger-and-better-than-ever 4th of July fireworks

2-6. Head to the beach
NYC is know for its notoriously hot and humid summers, which may be true for all over the tri-state but definitely seem worse when you’re surrounded by tons of sky-high buildings! Taking a trip to one of our lovely beaches is definitely one of the best ways to beat the heat, so check out our list of the 10 best beaches in NYC. Here’s a sneak peek:
The People’s Beach at Jacob Riis Park, Queens
Coney Island, Brooklyn
Orchard Beach, The Bronx
Rockaway Beach, Queens
Brighton Beach, Brooklyn

7-11. Or take a dip in an NYC pool
NYC’s free public pools are now officially open for the season, but if you’re looking for something more high-end, there are tons of gorgeous private pools to check out too! Here are some of our favorites:
Roosevelt Island’s stunning multicolored pool
Jimmy at the James in SoHo
The Beach at Dream Downtown in Chelsea
McCarren Hotel & Pool in Brooklyn
Profundo Pool Club at the Ravel Hotel in LIC

12. Camp under the stars on Governors Island
13. Watch paintings swirl all around you at Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
14. Grab tickets to the new multisensory exhibit on infamous British street artist Banksy
15. Take in sultry tunes under the stars at NYC rooftops
16. Or if you’re more into classical music, try one of these glowing concerts by candlelight
17. Catch a hilarious rooftop comedy show
18. Be transported to Paris with this Moulin Rouge-era outdoor show in the Village
19. Immerse yourself in a dazzling, multi-sensory experience
    Happy-Go-Lucky
20. Plan your visit to NYC’s thrilling Money Heist experience coming this winter
21. Explore NYC’s first-ever floating park ‘Little Island’
22. See a concert at Bryant Park
23. Hop Aboard NYC’s first-ever floating Mexican restaurant
    La Barca Cantina

24-29. Take in skyline views at these stunning NYC rooftops
Nothing beats a drink in hand and a skyline in sight. Here are some of our favorite rooftops around the city:
Check out Cantina Rooftop and try the 12-lb taco!
Experience a backyard vibe at The Ready
Escape to the Hamptons right in the city at this beachy-themed bar
Dine on Eataly’s rooftop and see their seasonal decor
Admire all the floral installations at Ampia Rooftop
Sip on cocktails at Top of the Box in Brooklyn

30. Catch Lady Liberty napping in Morningside Park
31. Kayak for free at Brooklyn Bridge Park
32. Explore this stunning lavender farm on Long Island
33. Or pick summer sunflowers in New Jersey
34. Ride Coney Island’s brand-new roller coaster
35. Or try out the world’s longest, tallest & fastest single-rail coaster in nearby NJ
36. Embrace your inner child at this giant inflatable theme park coming to Brooklyn
37. Give into temptation at this extravagant cirque-burlesque mixology experience
38. Experience true darkness at the dystopian immersive show Blindness
39. Grab a bite at the Queens International Night Market
    Queens Night Market

40-45. Cool off with NYC’s best ice cream shops
One of the best ways to beat the heat in NYC is by indulging in some delicious ice cream! Of course Mister Softee is a classic, but here are some of our other favorite spots to grab a cone:
Minus Celsius Ice Cream, Lower East Side
Mikey Likes It, Lower East Side & Harlem
Whipped Urban Dessert Lab, Lower East Side
Van Leeuwen’s, Multiple Locations
Tipsy Scoop, Kips Bay & Williamsburg
Milk & Cream Cereal Bar, Little Italy

46. Take an outdoor yoga class in Bryant Park for free

47-51. Take in the views at NYC’s most stunning waterfront dining locales
The best (and coolest) place to be in the summer is on the water (Manhattan is an island, after all). From eating on historic boats with insane views of the sunset to checking out secluded seafood hotspots on NYC’s smaller surrounding islands, these are some of our favorite spots for a breezy cocktail and bites:
Grand Banks, Pier 25 in Tribeca
Watermark Bar, Pier 15 in South Street Seaport
Baylander Steel Beach, Harlem
City Vineyard, Pier 26 in Tribeca
Anable Basin, Long Island City

52-58. Catch an outdoor movie

59. Enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter at the new flagship store
60. Sip on Butterbeer just like Harry and his friends

Secret New York City is one of the finest online guides to things to do and see in NYC. From the best restaurants, to fascinating museums, this site will help you discover amazing new places and create some beautiful memories along the way.

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NYC events in July 2021

“Starting making your Independence Day plans and check out the other amazing NYC events in July By Shaye Weaver / Time Out New York

Some of the best things to do in summer are NYC events in July. Even after all the 4th of July events simmer down, there are still many awesome things to do for the duration of the month. After Independence Day, enjoy fantastic outdoor fun, hit up one of the city’s many rooftops and make sure to pencil in getting a tan at the best beaches in NYC while the weather is still hot, hot, hot.”

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If you are looking for some of the best info on food and drink, restaurants and eating in New York City, then you want to head to New York magazine’s Grub Street.

Right now you want to check out: The Return of Restaurants

“Make up for lost meals. No takeout, no pasta kits, just 66 of the best new (or newly relevant) places to eat.”
Edited by Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld, Photographs by Dina Litovsky

Here are 3 more of my faves:

Hang Out in New York’s Best-Smelling Vestibule

Frenchette Bakery / 220 Church St.

Last fall, the abandoned Arcade Bakery space came back to life as Frenchette Bakery, ready to fulfill the carb-craving needs of Tribeca moms, the doctors in the medical practices upstairs, and passersby lured in by the sweet, yeasty promise of croissants and baguettes. Happily, the new owners have retained a big part of what made Arcade so special. Its unique design, using drop-down table ledges and inset benches, transforms a generic hallway into a gathering place for impromptu meetings, shared pizza lunches, and the kind of coffee breaks office workers never knew they’d miss. The bakers line the display case with their own enticements, too: exceptional loaves of sourdough and rye; savory breakfast pastries like the mortadella, egg, and Comté; and rich and flaky pain au chocolat. —Adam Moussa

Follow Your Nose to Great Bronx BBQ

Hudson Smokehouse / 37 Bruckner Blvd., Mott Haven

This recently opened barbecue joint is located at the southern tip of the Bronx on a street once populated by antiques shops, and you can smell the ’cue as you walk by. The corral seating in front catches the sun during the daytime, and inside there’s a high-ceilinged room where social distancing isn’t a problem. The meats include great fatty brisket, pork ribs worth gnawing, and pork-belly burnt ends that make deliriously good bacon. Even the beer list, with many mugs originating in the Bronx, draws you in.—R.C.S.

Start With Salteñas in Sunnyside

Bolivian Llama Party / 44-14 48th Ave., Sunnyside

The Oropeza brothers have pulled off a rare pandemic feat: They closed their tiny takeout outpost in midtown, which focused on soupy salteñas (Bolivia’s take on the empanada), and rebooted in Sunnyside with a sit-down location serving creative South American fare. On any given Saturday, a young crowd may show up to eat (and ’gram) craggy fried-chicken chicharrón sandwiches with spicy Llajua-spiked mayo, stark white bowls of sopa de maní (peanut soup), vegan “chola” sandwiches crammed full of charred jackfruit instead of the usual pork, and cherimoya birthday-cake ice cream. The best time to swing by is just before dusk, when you can grab a seat on the streetside terrace and take in the Empire State Building framed against a pink sky while Andean music plays from the storefront.—R.P.S.

Also see Eater New York’s interactive map that highlights
all 66 restaurants that deserve your attention.