As a New Yorker, you may associate buses with rush-hour traffic or the tedious process of simply getting from point A to point B. But this summer, buses take on a whole new meaning, where New Yorkers can now time travel through over 90 years of New York City history.
This September 8, the New York Transit Museum’s treasured Bus Festival returns, providing New Yorkers with the opportunity to board beloved vintage buses in Brooklyn at a free outdoor event.
The Bus Festival includes photo ops, a chance to meet some of the bus drivers who keep our city running smoothly, and a scavenger hunt activity sheet that’ll help you learn about these cool vehicles. Stop by the pop-up shop to buy a souvenir to take with you; the shop includes toys and transit merch, including model buses of course. You’ll be allowed to board the buses and take photos, but keep an eye out for off-limits areas (including the driver’s seat!). Also remember not to eat or drink on these classic vehicles. It all comes with a view of the Manhattan skyline from the Emily Roebling Plaza underneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
Though the museum hasn’t announced the buses coming to the festival this year, past events have included a model from the 1950s that was the first air-conditioned bus in the U.S., as well as a bus called “Betsy” that dates back to 1931.
The festival is free to attend, open to all ages, and runs from 10am to 3:30pm. If you RSVP, you have the chance to win a family membership to the New York Transit Museum. You might as well make it a full-circle experience and take the bus to Bus Fest—the B25 stops close to the festival site.
A lot of New Yorkers like to talk smack about Times Square. I’m not one of them.
Sure, I avoid the area during high tourism times when I can’t lose precious minutes trudging through crowds on the sidewalk. Yes, I regularly feel disgusted by the display of capitalism. And I most certainly do not want to be so much as grazed by a costumed character.
But I remember the magic of Times Square on my first visit to New York City, an experience so foreign and transformative for a girl who grew up among hayfields, rather than skyscrapers. I adore seeing that same awestruck expression on the faces of tourists—I won’t even get that mad if they stop right in front of me on the sidewalk.
Even so, when I traveled to Toronto recently, I didn’t intend to visit the “Times Square of Toronto.” It wasn’t on my carefully planned, absolutely packed itinerary filled with local cafes, renowned restaurants and quirky “non-commercial” experiences.
But I ended up there by chance and realized that New York City could learn a few things from Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square.
After spending a little too long enjoying a series of cold plunges and sauna time at Alter Wellness, I realized the best bus stop for my next experience was at Yonge-Dundas Square, a.k.a. Toronto’s Times Square, which has also been compared to Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo and Piccadilly Circus in London.
I booked it there and expected to fight through throngs of people in a chaotic public plaza to find the bus stop. Instead, I found a public space reminiscent of Times Square with its billboards and commerce but with a much calmer energy.
I was immediately struck by the water features, a series of 20 dancing fountains that were not only beautiful to watch but also provided a calming hush over the traffic noise. I now dream of some kind of water feature near the Red Steps. Restaurants with balconies offer a chance to feel like a part of the square without being blocks away on a rooftop bar, like in New York City.
A collection of colorful Adirondack chairs offers a chance to hang out and eat, people watch or just relax—and relax is not a word I’d ever associate with Times Square. Extra perk: I didn’t see a single costumed creature when I visited.
Streetcars pass through Yonge-Dundas Square—a much quieter form of transit than New York City’s honking taxis. For pedestrians, there’s a lot more room to spread out.
To be fair, Yonge-Dundas Square is much newer than Times Square and it grew from planned development. In 1998, the City of Toronto launched a competition to design Yonge-Dundas Square and it hired an architecture firm to design the space. It officially opened in 2003, while Times Square’s history dates back to the late 1800s.
Plus, while Toronto’s busiest square sees about 146,000 people every day, Times Square more than doubles that with pedestrian traffic up to 400,000 daily.
All that to say, New York could learn a few things from Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square, which has found ways to carve out moments of peace in the busiest part of the city.
With school officially being out for summer, you may be thinking about a new way to entertain your kid in the city! Sure there’s so many great things to do with kids in NYC, but why not try something a little beyond city limits?
We put together a list of family-friendlyday trip ideas that are just a short drive or train ride away, and which range from awesome museums to thrilling amusement rides. Here’s our guide of best day trip adventures to plan with your children near NYC:
Spend a day at New Jersey’s American Dream mall, where a brand new immserive experience Bubble Planet just opened! Perfect for the kiddos, this place is truly bubble paradise…a wild planet filled with bubble-themed VR technology, themed rooms and fantastical landscapes.
Children can spend a full day hopping throughout the different areas and letting their senses run wild with oversized bubbles, balloons, soap, and more! The sensory universe is a true one-of-one and is worth spending a day across state borders! Learn more about Bubble Planet (and how you can even go in a hot air balloon simulator) here.
For the children that are absolutely obsessed with LEGOs, you have to take them on a day trip to LEGOLAND just outside NYC in Goshen, NY. It’s quite literally a LEGO utopia where kids can spend an entire day riding LEGO-themed rides, taking LEGO building workshops, watching 4D cinema, and frolicking in their massive play areas. Plus, during the summer right now their awesome LEGO CITY Water Playground is open for the season, as well as their brand new Minifigure Skyflyers, which are aerial themed party pods which can carry families in style around the park!
It’s truly one of the best theme parks in the Tri-State area, and if you’re really looking to make it a trip you can even book overnight stays at the resort’s hotel on site! Learn all about the cool happenings taking place at LEGOLAND plus how to score child tickets starting at $29 here!
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
3. Luna Park
Source / Luna Park
So technically Luna Park is still within New York City (Coney Island to be exact), but it’s still a place to bring kids for a day full of thrilling fun! The amusement park is full of family-friendly rides and carnival games that you can spend hours playing. Take advantage of their brand new motorsport Electric Eden Racewayor slide down the brand new log flume ride Leti’s Treasure. It’s been the largest park in NYC for over 120 years, and their seaside attractions and entertainment, shopping and dining, thrill rides and special events are perfect for all ages.
While you’re in Coney Island, don’t forget about other fun things to do during the day, like the 3 miles of sandy beaches, aquarium, Brooklyn Cyclones games, and more!
Distance from NYC: 45 minutes
4. The Crayola Experience
Source / Shutterstock
Let your kid’s inner creativity come to life at The Crayola Experience, a hands-on arts destination where kids can get crafty with different activities, coloring, and interactive exhibits involving the famous crayon brand. Located in Easton, Pennsylvania, it’s about 1.5 hours from the city, making it great for a quick visit all in one day. The 65,000 square foot center features all kinds of family-friendly experiences like starring in their own coloring page, naming and wrapping a personal Crayola crayon, exploring 4-D coloring adventures, witnessing a live show of how crayons are made, plus so much more.
If your kid likes arts and crafts this is the place to let their mind explore! Learn more about The Crayola Experience here.
Distance from NYC: 1 hour 30 minutes
5. Bear Mountain State Park
Source / Shutterstock
Looking for a family-friendly day trip that’s a little outdoorsy? Bear Mountain State Park is the perfect kid-friendly summer getaway where you can go hiking, have a picnic, stroll the Bear Mountain Zoo, ride a merry-go-round, and see the gorgeous Hudson River. This park is the perfect nature escape, and depending on your kid’s age there’s plenty of fun to be had!
Alongside the plethora of outdoor activities to be had, the park also throws seasonal events which are great for kids, including free concerts, arts and crafts, games, and storytelling sessions. Head here if you’re looking for a kids day trip more on the camp-y side.
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
6. The Maritime Aquarium
Source / Shutterstock
One of the best kids aquariums in the Tri-State area is The Maritime Aquarium, which is located just outside in Norwalk, CT. Kids can spend a whole day here exploring the 75 different live exhibits which feature over 2,700 marine animals and 300 species. Some of these awesome exhibits include their ongoing Travel Back in Maritime installation, which features plenty of “ancient species that can still be found swimming in Long Island Sound and underwater giants that went extinct with the dinosaurs.” It also includes a cute fossil digging area for the little ones!
In terms of other great child-friendly activities, the aquarium is home to a 4D movie theater, virtual reality experiences, and a shark and ray touch pool just to name a few. Learn more about The Maritime Aquarium and what’s on here!
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
7. Sesame Place
Source / Shutterstock
If the perfect day trip for kids age 3 – 5 exists, it’s at Sesame Place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This theme park centered around iconic children’s show characters like Big Bird and Elmo is a kid’s wildest dreams, and a great chance to even meet their favorite characters in person! Of course there’s real life renditions of them walking around, but Sesame Place also offers other activities like rides, water rides, live shows and parades, story times, kid-friendly restaurants, themed shopping, and so much more.
Plus, the summertime welcomes special seasonal activations for kids, like a fireworks display with Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and Count von Count and the brand new 123 playground with slides, soft play mounds, and interactive play panels. Learn more about Sesame Place and see what’s on here!
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
8. Liberty Science Center
Source / Shutterstock
Only 30 minutes across the water in Jersey City, New Jersey sits the Liberty Science Center, an educational day trip idea for the little ones that’s great during summer vacation! The 300,000-square-foot learning center located in Liberty State Park is perfect for a summer day trip, where kids can spend time browsing 12 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species, giant aquariums, a 3D theater, live simulcast surgeries, hurricane- and tornado-force wind simulators, K-12 classrooms and labs, teacher-development programs, and the Western Hemisphere’s biggest planetarium.
It’s a great family-friendly option to keep your kid sharp during the off-months of school, and a chance to dig deeper into science in a fun way! Learn more about Liberty Science Center and what’s on here.
Roar! Let your children get up close and personal with dinosaurs at this brand new immersive experinece a few hours north of the city. Dinos Alive in Schenectady, New York is the latest and greatest Jurassic immersion that your kids can spend hours at! Families will be able to teleport back millions of years to get face-to-face with life-sized Velociraptors, T-rexes, and so many more fearsome giants!
It’s super hands on too, since it includes fun activities like VR experiences, a unique virtual aquarium, a “Budding Experts” interactive space where kids can become paleontologists, plus so much more. Dinos Alive is a little over 3 hours outside the city but it’s worth the hike for the little ones!
If you’re looking for a kids day trip idea on Long Island, consider the Long Island Aquarium! It’s home to not only a world-famous coral reef display tank (one of the largest all-living coral displays in the Western Hemisphere), but there’s also loads of family-friendly activities like animal exhibitions, sea lions shows, snorkel adventures, penguin selfie opportunities, and a whole lot more.
They also host lots of daily events too like animal feedings, science lectures, and boat tours (which always need some youth’s volunteering). Learn more about the Long Island Aquarium and what’s on here.
The biggest day of the year for those with a sweet tooth is almost here!
National Ice Cream Day is coming just in time to save us from New York’sthird heatwave, so mark your calendars Sunday, July 21. No matter your feelings on the man, former President Ronald Reagan did indeed create this national holiday. At least he did one thing that we can all appreciate.
Some of NYC’s greatest ice cream hubs will join in on the festivities this year with deals and freebies, so here are all the places in the city where you can get your fill during this 24-hour sugar spree.
Well if you were expecting a free popsicle, think again, these two have come together and created none other than an outdoor sprinkle pool! This colorful puddle will be open on July 20 and 21 from 11am until 6pm at Hudson Yards. What does one do in a sprinkle pool? Unsure? Go check this out and report back. They are also giving out 20,000 free pouches of cotton candy and rainbow ice cream.
Dippin’ Dots, separately, is also giving out free ice cream during selected hours and at selected stores so be sure to take a look at your local Dippin’ Dots parlor.
Free Butterbeer Ice Cream at the Harry Potter Flagship
On the big day, the Harry Potter flagship store will offer free Butterbeer ice cream. The freebie will only be available from noon to 3pm, so keep this in mind when organizing your freebie schedule. For the first time, the Butterbeer ice cream will also be available to purchase in pints so you can take the flavor home with you.
Free Turkey Hill Late Night samples
This acclaimed ice cream brand is releasing seven brand new Late Night flavors and they are providing eager fans with a first taste on this most glorious day. Its new Late Night release includes the following seven offerings: Ultimate Cookie Overload, Cherry Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Brownie Batter Cookie Dough, Buttery Southern Pecan Pie, Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Espresso and Mint Chocolate Cookie. Turkey Hill will hand out free Late Night samples in an East Village pop-up at 12 St Marks Place from 6pm to midnight. So maybe round off your ice cream day extravaganza here.
Monopoly Go! x Taiyaki free limited-edition ice cream
This online game is coming to real life. Monopoly Go! is partnering with ice cream shop Taiyaki NYC to provide gamers and New Yorkers alike with a pop-up Monopoly Go! experience. At both the Brooklyn and Manhattan locations, you can play, win prizes and most importantly eat free limited-edition ice cream. There will be various available flavors all inspired by Mr. Monopoly, and no he doesn’t have a monocle. The Taiyaki NYC Chinatown will open at 11 am and offer free ice cream to the first 2,100 people in line. The Williamsburg parlor will open at noon and provide the first 700 people with free deliciousness.
Free KIND Frozen Bars
Although not your typical ice cream, KIND will give out free frozen bars in Brooklyn’s Domino Park from noon to 5pm. There will be a variety of flavors (plant-based and dairy-free options as well), including Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt & Nut, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Nut, Mint Chocolate Almond Nut and Chocolate Cherry Almond & Nut. Also, keep an eye out for KIND’s giveaway beginning July 18 for the prize of a year’s supply of KIND frozen treat bars. That’s all?
Carvel’s deal
This is more than just a celebration for National Ice Cream Day because this year also marks the iconic brand’s 90th birthday, so they are going all out, kind of. If you order over $35 on Uber Eats or DoorDash, DashPass only, you get $6 off. This will last the whole weekend from July 18 to July 21. So if you can’t bear the heat, this might be the deal for you.
Free Premier Protein Ice Cream Scoop Shop samples
Want to get your protein in but also need to celebrate National Ice Cream Day? Here you can do both. Premier Protein is giving out free ice cream samples of its four new protein-filled flavors. These will first be available on July 18 from 5 to 7pm in the Scoop Shop on 21 Spring Street. Other than the free flavors, there will be customizable ice cream merch and a protein-packed demo of how the treats are made. These good vibes will start at 1pm on Friday and last up until the end of the big day on Sunday.
Free Organic Valley x Sugar Hill Creamery scoops
A new flavor is being born out of the partnership of Organic Valley and Sugar Hill Creamery. This frozen treat, a Sweet Corn Vanilla Custard ice cream with a plum gelée swirl, will be launched on Sunday. From 11am to 3pm, the first 100 customers at all Sugar Hill Creamery locations can grab a free scoop of this innovative flavor. And fear not, while sadly no longer free, you can still purchase the new ice cream until Wednesday, July 31.
Free One World Observatory x The Museum of Ice Cream scoops and ticket discounts
Not really a surprise that the Museum of Ice Cream is involved with more than one collab on this joyous day but no, sadly it’s not a second ice cream sprinkle pool. The two are partnering to offer a single discounted ticket that offers entrance to both the Museum of Ice Cream and incredible views of the city at the One World Observatory. At the Museum, ticket holders can snag unlimited ice cream, a free beverage, and 10% off at the gift store.
Special Van Leeuwen x Hello Kitty ice cream
Celebrating both National Ice Cream Day and Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary, Van Leeuwen is collabing with Kindness.org, a nonprofit organization that inspires kindness, to provide ice cream fanatics with a new flavor. On July 21, this new Yummy Berry White Chocolate Truffle flavor will be available for pint purchase at all locations. And 50% of all profits will go to Kindness.org. Tip: go to the Tribeca location because this frozen palace is going all out on the Hello Kitty theme with sundaes, scoops, shakes and more.
If all this sounds too much maybe just check out your local ice cream joint, truck or freezer and celebrate from the comfort of your own home. May the ice cream gods shine down upon you!
When Mission Ceviche first walked into the NYC dining scene in 2015 it did so via a little ceviche booth in the Gansevoort Market. Their mission was to connect NYC foodies through the unique lens of Peruvian cuisine, and once opening their first brick and mortar on the Upper East Side in 2019 they not only garnered Michelin recognition but also received a star from New York Times food critic Pete Wells.
And now, acclaimed Chef Jose Luis Chavez and partner Brice Mastroluca are set to debut their second Mission Ceviche location in Union Square this July!
Source / Mission Ceviche
What will claim the title as the largest Peruvian restaurant in Manhattan, Mission Ceviche’s Union Square location will expand on their menu, paying homage to Peruvian and Nikkei fare, a culinary style that blends Japanese and Peruvian techniques, ingredients, and flavors.
But don’t worry–all those original dishes that have been wowing New Yorkers (and Pete Wells) will still be on the menu!
Source / Mission Ceviche
Signature dishes include Ceviche Mixto: catch of the day, shrimp, octopus, aji amarillo tiger’s milk, corn, and sweet potato, Seco Norteno: traditional Northern dish of slow-cooked short ribs, Pulpo al Olivo: grilled octopus, chimichurri, botja olive aioli, and crispy Peruvian potatoes, and Lomo Saltado: Peruvian-Chinese 8 oz stir fried filet mignon, red onions, tomatoes, and soy sauce, served with french fries and white rice.
And the timeless Ceviche Clasico with traditional tiger’s milk, Peruvian corn, and sweet potato will of course also find a place on the menu!
Source / Mission Ceviche
New Dishes include Whole Fish of the Day: fresh whole fish prepared and cooked however guests prefer in partnership with local fisheries, Pork Chaufa: Peru’s version of fried rice, crispy pork belly, and sweet plantains, Pulpo al Olivo: Octopus tiradito, traditional botija olive tiger’s milk, avocado and fried capers, and Conchas a la Parmesana: Scallops onigiri, foie gras, parmesan, and truffles.
And, take it from us who received a sneak peak: the Conchas a la Parmesana are out of this world!
Source / Mission Ceviche
Additionally, the restaurant will house a dedicated sushi and ceviche bar where diners can choose from a selection of fresh ceviches, mixto, crudo, sashimis, and tiraditos. Ceviches will be served from a “carretilla,” or a rolling cart, upon which the dishes will be composed and served tableside to mimic the traditional style of the Peruvian street food.
Guests are encouraged to dine family-style as the menu features a range of shareable and large-format dishes (and if you’re anything like us you’ll want to try everything on the menu, so the shareable dishes are perfect!)
Source / Mission Ceviche
Chef Chavez stated:
Mission Ceviche Union Square is the culmination of our work together. A bigger space means we can share the vibrant and dynamic flavors of Peruvian cuisine with an even broader audience, fostering the creation of cherished memories—the heart of our culture.
Mission Ceviche will open in Union Square on Wednesday, July 24th. And we have a pretty good feeling it’s going to be the hottest spot of the summer.
Beloved fast food chain Sonic has officially debuted its first-ever drive-through location in NYC, this one at 805 Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn.
The destination, which is also offering dive-in service, joins two other Sonic locations in NYC—one in Long Island City and the other in Brooklyn near South Williamsburg. Neither one of them features a drive-through area, though, a fact that imbues the recent opening announcement with that much more excitement.
Although a Manhattan Sonic location was announced back in 2021, no update has been shared about its possible debut.
But back to that new drive-through: according to Patch, the eatery will be open daily from 10am to 10pm for drive-through service, pickup window offerings and indoor seating for up to twenty folks at once.
Patrons will also get to place orders online or through the Sonic app for pickup.
“We are so excited to continue to expand SONIC’s presence in the Metro New York City area with this new location,” said franchise partner Jonathan Gensler in an official statement. “The Brooklyn Sonic will offer everything our customers know and love with the added convenience of a drive-thru to enjoy their meals on-the-go. Our team’s looking forward to serving the community both within and beyond our restaurant doors for years to come.”
We expect New Yorkers to flock to the area to indulge in the chain’s famous purple Sprite, adult grilled cheese, extreme popcorn chicken and, of course, the made-to-order burgers that everyone loves. Enjoy!
We’re trying to fill our summer bucket lists with new experiences and things we haven’t done before, and New York just so happens to be filled with exciting places to visit, like Herkimer Diamond Mines!
Herkimer Diamond Mines are above ground “surface mines” that give visitors the unique opportunity to search for 500 million-year-old Herkimer Diamond quartz crystals hiding in the rocks.
According to the website, the “bedrock in which the quartz crystals are found began forming approximately half a billion years ago as the Cambrian Sea lapped against the southern shores of the Adirondack Mountains.”
Sediments then slowly began to accumulate beneath the sea’s waters and were gradually compacted under the weight of thousands of feet of additional sediments, creating a layer of rock called dolostone. As water seeps through the pores of this rock and dissolves it forms small cavities in which Herkimer diamonds are found.
Source / Herkimer Diamond Mines
And these diamonds rival true diamonds in their appearance–a true diamond found in the wild is rough and must be cut to give it its signature smooth geometrical shape. Herkimer Diamond quartz crystals, on the other hand, are naturally faceted, each with eighteen facets and two points.
Hardness-wise a true diamond scores a 10 while Herkimer Diamond quartz crystals score a 7.5, making them close rivals.
There are a few ways to find the crystals, but most people like to simply use a hammer to reveal them. Though beyond hammering them out of the rocks you can also choose to do sluice mining, in which you’ll receive a special bag and head to the Sluice Station where you can screen away the debris to discover your very own treasures.
The best part–everything you find is yours to keep, but you can do way more than just bring them home and place them on a shelf.
After mining you can design and assemble your own custom jewelry in the Artisan Center, choosing from a variety of jewelry-making accessories to create a masterpiece and show off your finds.
Source / Herkimer Diamond Mines
Admission to Herkimer Diamond Mines is $18 per person for adults 13+ ($20 on weekends) and includes an all-day prospecting ticket, gem collection bags, and use of a rock hammer. Instruction is provided prior to entering the mines.
And, once you’ve worked yourself up an appetite, you can grab a bite to eat at The Canteen, The Garden, or The Miner’s Table and then shop for souvenirs at the Trading Post.
It’s suggested that visitors come prepared with safety eyewear, gloves, and closed toe shoes. Learn more on their website.
Luxury magazine Robb Report, just released its ranking of the 10 best new restaurants in America and (unsurprisingly, given our stellar culinary landscape), New York City made the list twice.
Le B., the French restaurant at 283 West 12th Street in the West Village, lands at spot number six.
One of the most anticipated openings of the past year, Le B. comes courtesy of Chef Angie Mar, of Beatrice Inn fame, serving classic French dishes in a setting reminiscent of the 1980s and early 1990s.
“The menu reflects Mar’s longtime obsession with French cuisine, but she allows her own personal history to influence her dishes in subtle yet exciting ways,” reads the Robb Report ranking. “In her lobster blanquette, shellfish mingle in a sea of indulgent, umami-rich sauce: beurre blanc flavored with soy and shiro dashi to give it uncommon depth.”
Restaurant Yuu at 55 Nassau Avenue near Brooklyn’s McCarren Park tops the overall ranking—and for good reason.
The Greenpoint eatery only offers service to 36 guests a day spread across two seatings of 18 folks each. The tasting menu, which earned a Michelin star less than a year after the restaurant opened, includes Wagyu tartare, foie gras and hefty beverage pairings.
To, perhaps, make things a bit more accessible, Restaurant Yuu started selling top-notch desserts to-go back in March. Interested parties must order the sets of eight macarons two days in advance through this special Google form. Available flavors include pistachio, strawberry, chocolate, cassis, lemon, vanilla, matcha and praline for $25. A $30 pound cake made with oranges, white and black figs, apricots, raisins, prunes and cherries is also available.
“The curtain opens, the lights go up, and a row of cooks inside a kitchen is revealed,” reads the Robb Report‘s survey. “Chef Yuu Shimano steps forward and welcomes the 18 diners seated at the counter to his restaurant, and with a clap of his hands the team members scramble to their positions for the show to begin. This little gesture could come off as pretentious or annoying, but it’s just the right amount of whimsy for the night ahead at Restaurant Yuu, which performs at an extremely high level but also seems to be having fun with fine dining.”
Below, check out the top 10 list of best new restaurants in America according to Robb Report:
1. Restaurant Yuu in Brooklyn, New York 2. 7 Adams in San Francisco 3. Maxwells Trading in Chicago 4. Katami in Houston 5. Iggy’s in Nashville 6. Le B. in New York 7. Brasero in Chicago 8. Burdell in Oakland, California 9. Array 36 in Temple City, California 10. Atoma in Seattle
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