The summer may be coming to a close, but outside it is still definitely hot hot hot!! When visitng NYC, you must spend some time outdoors at our world-famous Central Park. It’s accessible, offers tons of different sights, and is absolutely gorgeous. Grab a map and explore these great places: One is The Pool, between West 100 to 103rd streets, a body of water shaded by weeping willows and a collection of other pretty trees and nature. Similarly, The Pond (below) in the southeast corner of the park is an extremely attractive area, beautiful and shielded from Manhattan street noise by trees and rocks.

The Ramble (below) is a famous part of the park running from 73rd to 79th streets in the middle section, an entirely man-made sprawl designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and carved out of natural hillside. Feel free to lose yourself in this 38-acre expanse of pathways, cliffs, and streams—both figuratively and literally! It can be easy to get lost here, so remember that map!

If you won’t be visiting until the leaves fall and that cold weather returns, a trip to Wollman Memorial Skating Rink on East 62nd street is a must, offering a spacious ice-skating area, a great view of the famed Duck Pond, and plenty of time for handholding and couples skating. Winter admission is affordable, running $8.50 for adults and $4.25 for children. Curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and snacks at nearby concession stands.

There are so many neigborhoods in the city, you can’t seem ‘em all…but you sure can try! Get guided exclusive access to our hip, downtown neighborhoods through our Shop Gotham tours, and cap off the day by heading uptown and exploring the Central Park spots mentioned in this post!

Morning: Head downtown and grab some breakfast at some of Soho’s best–but affordable!–spots. Try the lovely Spring Street Natural Restaurant (62 Spring St., corner of Lafayette) for fresh, delicious options or grab some charming homemade goodies and coffee at Once Upon a Tart (135 Sullivan St.)

Late Morning: Your Soho/Nolita Shop Gotham tour kicks off nearby. For two hours you will have exclusive guided access to the area’s hottest shops–and you get to use your Shop Gotham insider discounts all day! Book here.

Afternoon/Evening: While Soho is renowned for its fabulous shopping finds, that certainly isn’t the only activity available in this NYC neighborhood! Head over to Lucky Strike (59 Grand, btwn Wooster & W. B’way), the city’s hottest bowling alley, frequented by celebs and locals seeking a good time alike–no reservations required. Great for groups, this spot also serves up yummy food throughout the day along with DJed music and a bar.

You can also check out “HERE,” a unique, cutting-edge art space producing comedies, dance shows, music pieces, and much, much more. If you’re interested in an unforgettable, authentically NY experience, view the event calendar here.

After all this exploration you’ll have certainly worked up an appetite. Here are a few great downtown suggestions:

• For casual Asian “comfort food” try Soho gem Mooncake Foods (28 Watts St., nr Thompson St.). This friendly spot offers super-affordable salads, sandwiches, and great snacks like wontons and chicken wings.
• For delicious Thai food in a stylish and unique setting, try Peep (177 Prince St.).  A very trendy dinner spot, Peep (pictured below) also offers amazing multi-course lunch deals for under $10!

• For fresh, reliable Mediterranean options, try Snack (105 Thompson St., nr Prince St.). This popular lunch spot has great sandwiches and salads, and if it’s hot out don’t miss their killer mint lemonade!

Be sure to book your Shop Gotham tour in advance and your tour guide will be happy to point you in the right direction toward any of these amazing NYC hotspots! Enjoy!

2009 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Central Park SummerStage performing arts festival. A must-see experience for native New Yorkers and visitors alike, SummerStage offers great performances in music, dance, film, comedy and more. There’s everything from hip-hop to dance parties to ballet. Best of all, every show is free!! Check out upcoming events here: http://www.summerstage.org/index1.aspx?BD=20575

Although the New York subway has come a long, long way in recent decades, it’s still full of busy New Yorkers in a rush to get where they need to be. For this reason, don’t stop or stall in the subway! Figure out your trip ahead of time, which is made easy by fantastic resources such as www.hopstop.com , which will give you step-by-step instructions for the trip between your starting point and final destination.

Peace & love in Central Park

Broadway cast of Hair, performing free, Fri, June 26, 7am – 9am (somewhere in this timeframe), Rumsey Playfield, 69th & Fifth Avenue (part of GMA summer concert series)

Its almost irrelevant what the production is or starlette featured, as the experience of sitting in the open-air Delacorte Theater in Central Park on a balmy summer night is incomparable. And its free, but there are big strings attached to this lack of fee.

The first production this year is: Twelfth Night. June 9 – July 12, 2009, starring Anne Hathaway.

For tips on getting tickets, check out this link. http://gonyc.about.com/od/summer/tp/shakepeare_tips.htm

However, our suggestion  is the ever-handy Craigslist.com For a few bucks you can secure your tickets through one of the many (unemployed/semi-employed) “line sitters”, who make this their employment throughout the season and consequently better your life.