18 Incredible Things to do in New York City in Spring

It may currently be snowing outside my window, but spring is just around the corner and I am ready for it! Spring in New York City is the best time of year as winter-weary New Yorkers emerge from their down coats and bask in the warmer weather.

You can feel the joy in the streets every spring. It’s a happy time: No more snow, leaves returning to the trees, and of course, flowers!

While I’ve previously highlighted some reasons to visit NYC in the fall, spring is one of the best seasons to visit New York. If you’re not convinced, then read on for my list of things to do in New York City in the spring.

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Table of Contents

1. Enjoy cherry blossoms

Ah, cherry blossoms! These beautiful, fleeting flowers are the ultimate symbol of spring. Timing for peak blossoms varies slightly from year to year but usually occurs around the third week in April (for up-to-date information, check the NYBG website).

2. Celebrate spring at the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Speaking of cherry blossoms, one of the best places to view them is at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Specifically, check out the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival which takes place each year in April. In addition to cherry blossoms, the festival includes multiple performance stages and vendors selling delicious food and drinks.

3. See the Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden

Each spring, the New York Botanical Garden hosts a spectacular orchid show. The event is a photographer’s dream with thousands of colorful and unique species of orchids on display. Budding botanists can also participate in orchid care demonstrations and other orchid-related programming.

4. Boat ride in Central Park

Starting in April, you can rent a boat or gondola from the Loeb Boathouse and row to the center of Central Park lake. This is the ultimate romantic spring date or family fun activity. Bring a picnic and relax out on the water!

5. See the Macy’s Flower show

Head over to Herald Square to catch the epic annual flower show in the flagship Macy’s. For two weeks, Macy’s Herald Square is decorated with jaw-dropping floral arrangements matching the year’s theme. The best part? The show is free to all!

6. Attend Frieze NY

Frieze NY is the city’s premiere art fair. For one week each May, more than 60 of the world’s leading galleries exhibit art in one location. The event brings together emerging artists and established names in one place for the foremost art experience in the city.

7. Root for the home team(s)

For sports fans everywhere, spring is synonymous with the start of baseball season. Head over to the Bronx to root for the Yankees in the iconic Yankee Stadium, or ride out to Queens and enjoy a Mets game at Citi Field. Better yet, bring the kids one Sunday for all the family fun at Citi Field.

8. Experience art at Asia Week NY

Each March, this 10-day celebration of Asian art takes over galleries and auction houses across the city. Experience over 4,000 years of Asian art through non-stop exhibitions, auctions, and special events.

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9. Take a bike ride

May is bike month, and what better way to celebrate than a bike ride through Central Park, soaking in all the spring blooms? Hosted by the Department of Transportation, the bike month calendar of events, along with bike maps and self-guided bike tours, can be found on their website.

10. Catch a film at the Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival is an annual film festival that takes place each spring in New York City. In addition to premiering movies, the festival also showcases TV shows, talks, games, and art. This star-studded event is open to the public, and anyone can purchase tickets to attend.

11. Eat your heart out at the re-opening of Smorgasburg

New York’s largest outdoor food market, Smorgasburg is a weekly festival revolving around food. Each week, 30,000 people descend upon Brooklyn to eat delicious food from any of 100 local vendors. Since its birth in Williamsburg in 2011, Smorgasburg has expanded to Prospect Park and the World Trade Center.

12. Take a spring birdwatching tour with NYC Audubon

The NYC Audubon is a grassroots community that strives to protect bird species in New York City through conservation and education. When better to take a tour with the NYC Audubon than during the spring bird migration?

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13. Get away from it all on Governors Island

The Governors Island recreation area is a 172-acre island situated between Manhattan and Brooklyn in the New York Harbor. The park re-opens for the season in spring. Governors Island is a favorite getaway spot for New Yorkers craving some open space. Go for a bike ride, pack a picnic, or even enjoy some public art projects. Governors Island is also part of the National Parks Service, so don’t forget to get your NPS passport stamped!

14. Attend the MoMA PS1 spring open house

To celebrate a new season of exhibits, every spring MoMa PS1 hosts its free annual open house event. In addition to getting a first look at the new exhibits, the open house event also has talks by the curators and artists.

15. Stroll through the Ninth Avenue International Food Festival

Each May, the Ninth Avenue Association hosts a weekend-long food festival between 42nd and 57th streets. Launched in 1973, this is the oldest ongoing food festival in New York City. More than food, the festival has live performances and over 100 vendors selling crafts, jewelry, art, and more.

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16. Support the troops at Fleet Week

This week-long celebration honoring members of the U.S. Navy, Coastguard, and Marine Corps, occurs annually in May. Each year, over 3,000 servicemen and women dock in New York City for the week. Events take place at harbors across the city and include opportunities to tour Navy ships and watch military formations.

17. Community garden hop in the East Village

The East Village has the largest concentration of the city’s community gardens. In the spring months, when NYC’s major parks are crowded and overrun with tourists, these community gardens remain secluded respites from the bustling city.

18. Party at the Bronx Night Market

This open-air food and drink festival celebrates diversity in food and culture. With over 35 food vendors and live performances, the Bronx Night Market highlights the diversity of cultures found in the Bronx and New York City. The event reopens in April. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance.

There you have it, 18 incredible things to do in New York City in the spring! Now get out there and enjoy all the city has to offer this spring!