Summer living in NYC can be amazing for those who are savvy enough to beat the heat and avoid the high costs of pleasurable activities available to us. Despite the fact that many New Yorkers flock to destinations such as the Hamptons, Montauk, Long Beach Island, the Jersey shore, and Fire Island, few realize how enjoyable it is to stay behind and enjoy a quieter and slower city. Getting a table reservation at top restaurants, hailing a cab, even getting tickets to a Broadway show are excessively easier on summer weekends than at any other time of year.
Money doesn’t buy happiness – this is a very important concept that many of my clients have learned the hard way, as a result of the 2007 mortgage crisis. The fact of the matter is, we don’t need to spend lots of money on big ticket items to be happy. Forget the 70-inch flat screen TV, and get outdoors for some low cost family fun using. So where are the places you and your family can go to find happiness, pleasure, and enjoyment, that won’t break the bank?
THE OLD-FASHIONED PICNIC. Pack some of your favorite eats and beverages, a blanket and books and head to Central Park, Riverside Park, Governor’s Island (free ferry to and from), Prospect Park – whichever borough you’re in, there are so many green patches of land from which to choose. Put down the gadgets and focus on family togetherness, which is free.
THE BRONX ZOO. Wednesday is pay-what-you wish day at the zoo. (Special exhibits cost a little more), and children under 2 always get in free. This is one of the best zoos in the country. If the trek seems too far, try the Central Park Zoo – the price of admission is cheaper than a movie ticket and popcorn, and the smaller zoo size can be perfect for families with very young children.
KAYAKING ADVENTURE. You can kayak for free at the Downtown Boathouse (Pier 40, Pier 96 and West 72nd Street), the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, the Red Hook Boaters, the Long Island Community Boathouse, and Staten Island. For $5 per person per hour, you can kayak in 1 and 2-person sit-on-tops with the Manhattan Kayak Company. A Google search of your desired location will yield the hours and all else you need to know.
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN. Entry is free all day on Wednesdays, and 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays, though you will have to pay extra for special exhibits. Admission other dates and times of the week for adults is only $13 each, $6 for children ages 2 – 12 free for those age 2 and under.
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. On those boiling hot days where it’s not safe to be in the sun, get some relief and culture in the air-conditioned Metropolitan Museum of Art, where entry is a suggested donation of $20. The MET is a member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), and already gets money from the City of New York, and as such, they have to let you in for whatever you are willing to pay.
All of these ideas require very little planning and can be done spontaneously. We mostly all work in high stress, high structure weekly jobs, so using our summer weekends to change that dynamic can allow us to appreciate the real gems in our life: our free time and our loving family.
To learn more, visit www.draldencass.com or call Dr. Cass directly at 646-202-9611.
DASHA® wellness & spa is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness.com.
