Do you enjoy jumping in leaves, drinking apple cider (and whiskey) in Central Park?
How about choosing Halloween costumes, maneuvering corn mazes, and checking out new Broadway plays and exhibits at art museums?
If you're shooting out of your skin with excitement at all the activities above, take a deep breath and revel in the satisfaction and joy of living in a city with so much seasonal ecstasy.
Whether it's paddling in a rowboat in Central Park, gaping at awe-inspiring documentaries at New York City's film festivals, or pounding back pumpkin spice lattes, NYC has got it going on when it comes to fall.
Here's the thing though, these activities won't completely break the bank, but they will all cost you a few dollars. (If you're looking for some completely free fall activities, don't fret, just check this out.)
If you are willing to cough up a few bucks, though, read on to discover 7 activities you've just got to do in and around NYC now that fall's about to cloak us in its splendor; beautiful foliage, and warm beverages included.
1. Broadway plays
During September, fresh plays start springing up on Broadway for our viewing delight. Get your tickets while they're hot, because from September 7th through the 20th Broadway Week tickets are two-for-one.
There are also several plays opening on Broadway during this excellent season, some for the first time, and some returning. Coming to the Broadway stage this fall will be A View from The Bridge (November 12th), Misery (November 15th), and Spring Awakening (September 27th).
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Check this schedule of upcoming Broadway shows and start consorting with your friends to see which one you'll drop mad bills on.
Since everyone knows Broadway is amazing.
2. Film festivals
gabimadsen Our Exec Director, @lklainberg addressing a full house on our upcoming #newyorkfilmfestival lineup as well our Dept Director @eugonline and our selection committee member Amy Taubin. #fslcteam
The New York Film Festival is organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and runs from September 25th through October 11th, and features 26 films, four programs of cinematic shorts, and new works from Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis.
You can watch clips and trailers for this amazing festival, and start getting hyped here.
WilliFest, the Williamsburg International Film Festival, is also going down this fall. It was established to provide a platform for the creative vision of today's artists.
The lineup and festival program include documentaries like #chicagoGirl - The Social Network Takes on a Dictator and 100 Dresses for Christmas. Check out the full lineup for this year's festival here.
3. Boat rides
Paddling around in a rowboat at the Loeb Boathouse at Central Park is the most glorious way to ring in the coming of fall, all while gaping at the gorgeous foliage lining the Lake. Row boat rentals at the Loeb Boathouse are $15 an hour. This activity is widely known as the most romantic activity under the sun.
For more fall boat rides which bring you even closer to more fall foliage, visit the Downtown Boathouse, which offers free weekend kayaking until October 12th. The North Brooklyn Boat Club offers free public canoe and kayak rides until September 26th.
There are also kayak and pedal boat rentals at the LeFrak Center at Prospect Park for the extremely reasonable price of $15 dollars an hour. There isn't really a better way to gaze at NYC's stunning foliage than from the water, right?
4. Long Island's vineyards
Taking the Long Island Railroad to visit Long Island's vineyards was always a good idea. Now that the trees' leaves are sprouting breathtaking shades of yellow, orange, and red, getting wine drunk at any of these vineyards is an especially good idea.
Long Island's most stunning vineyards include Martha Clara Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Jamesport Vineyards, and Palmer Vineyards.
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Wondering how to get there? You can buy a ride with Long Island Wine Tours, who'll pick you up from the intersection of 39th Street and 2nd Avenue to ball out at a variety of different day trips, which you can browse here.
,5. Corn mazes
The Queens County Farm Museum's "Amazing Maize Maze" opens on Saturday, September 19th, and will run on weekends until October 25th. Getting lost in this 3-acre corn labyrinth is the perfect autumn afternoon activity.
The adventure begins with a "Stalk Talk," which prepares explorers for the challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles, and eventually getting out of the maze.
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The maze will also be open for Maze by Moonlight on October 3rd and 17th, and will stay open until 9 p.m. these nights.
Decker Farm on Staten Island also has a cornstalk maze, which is open on weekends in October (except October 11th).
6. Pumpkins
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Whether you're sipping a delectable pumpkin spice latte, choosing a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, or scooping out the goop from a pumpkin's middle and roasting its seeds, pumpkins are pretty much the ubiquitous fall centerpiece of the world.
Bonus points if you buy a pumpkin from a place that actually grows pumpkins, but of course Gristedes, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes will stock pumpkins for this holiday season.
The Queens County Farm Museum's pumpkin patch will be open on October 3rd through the 25th. Decker Farm on Staten Island also offers pumpkin picking, face painting, a corn maze and hayrides on weekends in October.
So go ahead. Pick, carve, and roast. Don't forget to help yourself to double servings of pumpkin pie once Thanksgiving rolls around.
7. Art museum openings
This fall at the MoMa, "Picasso Sculpture" opens September 14th. The exhibit examines Picasso's often overlooked three dimensional works. The MoMa will also feature "Jackson Pollock: A Survey," which opens November 22nd and exhibits the evolution of Jackson Pollock's career.
Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" will also be on display at the MoMa until October 18th, presented in a straight line instead of a grid - which is how they were first presented in LA in 1962.
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The Whitney Museum will present a Frank Stella retrospective which opens on October 30th, and a career survey of the Harlem Renaissance painter Archibald Motley which opens October 2nd.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will also open several dope fall exhibits, like "Selections from the Permanent Collection" which opens on September 29th and "Ancient Egypt Transformed" which opens on October 12th.
Check out 17 Absolutely Incredible Free Activities in NYC This Fall.
[Feature Image Courtesy: Axs]