Too many people are sleeping on the city's coolest borough.
The Bronx has so much to offer that you're missing out on!
I mean, why else would Jennifer Lopez love it so much?
All that's great about NYC, you can find in this eclectic borough.
So here are some of the best things to do around The Bronx that you can finally add to your bucket list:
1. Groove to the beat
The Bronx isn't called the Boogie Down for nothing. And if your parents grew up in the '70s and '80s, they never forget to let you know that.
If you want to see the coolest concerts for completely FREE, The Bronx is the place to go. SummerStage never fails to bless Bronx locals with the most dope lineup of gigs. This year, if you're looking for some throwback hip-hop in the borough where it came alive, catch Jadakiss at Tremont Park.
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If you need something with a little more Latino sabor, head to St. Mary's Park to salsa all night long. La India, (a.k.a. the legendary South Bronx Princess of Salsa) will provide her top hits so you can show off your pro salsa skills in the dance style's birthplace.
If you need to brush up on some of your best moves–or your awkward movements can't really be called "dancing"–you can join the free workshop right before the concert lead by a true pro dancer, Joe Burgos, director of New York's Piel Canela Dance Company.
For the modern dancers and film buffs, who also like free stuff, grab your blanket for a sunset screening of ADF's Movies by Movers in NYC at BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance's backyard. Co-presented by Dance Film Associations and BAAD!, the series includes eight curated short dance films that will make you want to get up and start leaping through the air yourself.
2. Appreciate the art
The Bronx has way more to offer than just Yankee Stadium's ballgames. It's art offerings are never worth missing.
The first person to ever mix booze and painting is a straight up genius. Nonprofit organization BX Art Factory has brought the brilliant collaboration to Brooklyn at its Paint the Night Away at Brooklyn Drafthouse.
SummerStage has done it again by offering the best of NYC for free. At Crotona Park, you'll finally get to see the Broadway hit A Bronx Tale performed live on stage and in a full movie screening. I mean, you kind of deserve it as Bronx natives.
While you could just explore the massive New York Botanical Garden for free on Wednesdays, trying to make sense of weird sculptures is too fun to pass up. The Chihuly Sculpture Exhibition lets you do exactly that for just a little more cash. But seeing that at night, is even more spectacular.
3. Stuff your face
Summer isn't summer without epic food events. And as The Bronx is a cultural hub, it has some of the best food events in NYC worth falling into a food coma for.
Little Italy has sadly been getting smaller and smaller every year. Thanks, Chinatown! But you can still get a taste of the historic ethnic neighborhood on the Arthur Avenue Little Italy Food Tour before it disappears forever.
You can't live in NYC without taking advantage of those mornings where you can avoid cooking. At The Good Lyfe Sunday Brunch party at Barcelona Bites, you'll get two full hours of drinks on drinks, amazing drink specials and live DJ sets to jam out with your three course meal.
You can't do summer without endless BBQ and your fave drinks on tap. Summer Done Right at the Bronx Brewery will let you redeem yourself if you had a proper BBQ yet.
4. Chill with nature
The Bronx isn't just another concrete jungle full of only humans and tiny puppies. This diverse neighborhood has tons of its own spaces to appreciate nature within the urban community.
Answer the call of the wild by visiting your distant relatives at The Bronx Zoo. Every Wednesday is free, so you can save that $37 admission fee on more important stuff, like everything in the gift shop.
OK, so you may be super far from the beach, but you can still see it in a movie screen at Washington Square. The Square is bringing the beach to you at Beach Day at the Square where you can watch Moana for the 10 thousandth time and sing along to all of the great songs.
This is as awesome as it sounds. Catsuit Gardening with Aryana Evans at The Laundromat Project will take your gardening game to the next level...in a catsuit because reasons.
5. Go wayyy back
The Bronx has TONS of events to bring you back to the past. Honor your heritage and the borough you call home with your awesome neighbors at your side.
Meet up with your parents' childhood friends from across the borough. At Old Timer's Day at Crotona Park , you'll get to hear either the most epic or embarrassing stories of your parents' childhoods.
Looking for a way to visit the homeland of your ancestors, but skip the expensive flight? Gaelic Park Irish Live Music Festival will make you feel like you're all the way in Dublin.
One epic parade dedicated to the vibrant culture of the Dominic Republic? Yes, please! Expect endless bachata dance offs, "Despacito" on repeat, and the most amazing arroz con habichuelas– that aren't as great as your mom's, but pretty close– at the Gran Parada Dominicana del Bronx.
[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]