Nothing says springtime like when the cherry blossoms speckle the city with beautiful shades of pink and white. And according to the Observer, New York City is one of the world’s top destinations for viewing cherry blossoms when they’re in season!

This year, cherry blossoms were first spotted flowering around Queens by early March. Typically, NYC experiences a bloom period halfway through April, so the flowers were quite early indeed. Since we’re now currently in mid-April, tons of areas across the city are in full bloom, including Central Park!

Besides Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is another notorious location to see these beautiful blooms in the city.  Whether you stroll along Cherry Esplanade or visit the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, the vibrant views will surely mesmerize. And though the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival will not be returning this year, the garden will host a new event series titled “Weekends in Bloom.”

To no surprise, most of the other locations on the Observer‘s list were in Japan (the country most commonly associated with the spectacular trees) including: Maruyama Park in Kyoto, Ueno Park in Tokyo, Matsumae Park in Hokkaido, Nara Park in Nara, Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival in Aomori and Himeji Castle in Hyogo.

Washington D.C. was another U.S. destination to make it on the list, in addition to Amsterdam and Vancouver.

Insider tip: for some of the best views in NYC, be sure to head to Ladurée’s outdoor garden in SoHo right now because the cherry blossoms are finally in full bloom. It’ll only be a week or two until they begin to fall so head over asap!

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For more magical views of the cherry blossoms around NYC, you’ll want to check out our guide on the best spots around town to catch the gorgeous blooms.

The post NYC Is One Of The World’s Top Destinations For Cherry Blossoms appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

As New York City blossoms into spring and thaws out from the winter, it’s coming alive with new restaurants, must-see shows on Broadway and Off, immersive exhibits and so much more.

NYC is busier than ever so it’s hard to know what’s worth your time. That’s why we have completely overhauled our 100 Best Things to Do list with the newest, best things to do in NYC so that you can easily mark your calendars and make your plans.

RECOMMENDED: The 100 best things to do in NYC right now

Our editors are constantly going out to discover the best of the best. Their expertise is what we base our 100 Best Things to Do list on and we’re over the moon about new offerings, such as:

• The Museum of Modern Art landmark Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit
• Sweeney Todd and Fat Ham on Broadway
• Japanfes returning this weekend for the season
• The new House of Cannabis museum
• The massive pickleball installation in Central Park
• An immersive NASA-approved space show at Hall des Lumières

Plus, a whole host of new restaurants have cropped up. And that’s just the tip of this iceberg that is our best-of list.

We’ve gone on long enough. Go ahead and make your way over to the list and start planning!

* This article was originally published here

Harlem Bespoke:  Fresh oysters was a standard for any restaurant a century ago but has only recently become de rigeur in the current NYC dining scene.  Apparently months with the letter R are peak time to eat the fresh delicacy since they are at their prime during the cooler months so make sure to stop by these local eateries for the gastronomic experience du jour.  

Maison Harlem, 341 St. Nicholas Avenue at the corner of 127th Street.  Harlem’s favorite French restaurant has a wildly popular Happy Hour so make sure to come early since the bar fills up quickly even at the beginning of the evening. Best bets are probably earlier in the week when things are less crowded.  More on Maison Harlem in our past post: LINK

B2 Harlem, 271 West 119th Street, east of Frederick Douglass Boulevard.  The former Billie’s Black still has the same owner but has been transformed into one of uptown’s most under the radar seafood restaurants.  This eatery is probably one of the best spots for fresh oysters since there usually is not a wait for a spot at the bar.  More details on B2 Harlem can be found in our past post: LINK

ROKC, 3452 Broadway by 141st Street.  The boutique Japanese ramen and raw bar in Hamilton Heights is on the cozy side but is full of charm.  Dropping by early is probably beneficial besides getting a deal on fresh oysters since lines for a table or spot at the tiny bar form by the time 8:00 rolls around.  More on ROKC can be found in our past post: LINK

* This article was originally published here