The best season to experience New York City is autumn. There’s no more funky smell coming from the over-heated sewer system and you’ll miss the inevitable cranky locals and snow-covered traffic jams of winter. Aside from the more laid-back atmosphere, NYC is packed with events, activities, festivals and parades that cater to adults and children alike. There are the perennial favorites like the congested Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade or the terminally-hip New York City Film Festival, but NYC has so much more to offer that won’t give you an agoraphobia-induced panic attack. Here are a few of best autumn activities peppered throughout the five boroughs.
Watch the Leaves Change on Bow Bridge
A “leafer” is an affectionate term for tourists that visit the upper Midwest and portions of the eastern United States to watch the leaves change colors. There are literally hundreds of places to witness this glorious sign of the impending winter, but nowhere is Mother Nature’s glory more elegantly displayed than in Central Park. The park comes alive during the fall, but if you really want to snap a scrapbook-worthy photo, make your way to the iconic Bow Bridge. The sight of many passionate, romantic movie kisses, the Bow Bridge is a NYC landmark and the best place to escape the city’s manic energy and take in the breathtaking fall colors in relative peace and tranquility.
Brooklyn Book Festival
From poet Allen Ginsberg and playwright Eugene O’Neill to Louisa May Alcott, many literary figures have lived in and drawn inspiration from this eclectic city. Celebrate the city’s rich cultural heritage, and discover your new favorite author, during the Brooklyn Book Festival. A very kid-friendly event, this yearly festival is host to many seasoned and burgeoning authors alike. The Brooklyn Book Festival is the largest free event of its kind throughout the east coast, and a must-see for the smallest members of your traveling party.
Dumbo Arts Festival
Banish the thoughts of a certain well-known Disney character from your brain, because there’s nothing cutesy about the annual Dumbo Arts Festival. The premiere arts and cultural event in Brooklyn, the Dumbo Arts Festival attracts well over 200,000 visitors each year and highlights some of the best modern artists in the country. Musician, poets and dancers perform alongside painters and conceptual artists on the street and also inside on 50 stages and galleries. The festivities stretch well into the evening hours, which is arguably the best time to take in the Dumbo Arts Festival without the kids in tow.
Atlantic Antic Festival
Brooklyn is definitely the place to be to take in some of the city’s best fall activities, including the Atlantic Antic Festival. This massive street fair and party stretches along 10 blocks from Fourth Avenue to Hicks Street, and is nearly a mile long feast for the senses. Hundreds of vendors religiously set up their booths and showcase some of the finest wares and foods NYC has to offer. If you’re headed to the Atlantic Antic Festival for the food, that is a wise decision, just make sure to lift your face from the plate long enough to watch the street performers and live concerts. Families will enjoy the entire city block dedicated to the kids, which includes face painting, pony rides and every child’s favorite street fair treat, funnel cakes.
