From prominent new hotels and restaurants, to remarkable once-in-a-lifetime exhibitions, to new attractions and waterfront activities, New York City is poised to demonstrate its reawakening and vibrant future ahead.
Have you been to New York City? Or is the Big Apple on your bucket list? NYC is back and looking forward to safely welcoming visitors with a plethora of new and exciting things to do and see. Here are our favourite 8 ways to experience what’s new in New york City.
Fly into the newly-remodeled LaGuardia Airport or Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport
LaGuardia’s redesigned Terminal B features 35 new gates, along with retail, food and beverage and amenities that more than doubles the previous offerings. With soaring ceilings and plenty of natural light, the new terminal has nearly 50 shops and restaurants including iconic NYC retailers Shake Shack and FAO Schwarz. By mid-2022, with the completion of the head-house for Delta’s new Terminal C, visitors will be greeted by a new, unified airport fit for the 21st century with its two new terminals connected by a magnificent Central Hall, featuring the Orpheus and Apollo sculpture formerly at Lincoln Center.
Additionally, construction at Newark Liberty International Airport is nearly 75% complete for an all-new Terminal A, with 33 gates opening next year.
Travel by train to NYC via the new Moynihan Train Hall
Moynihan Train Hall, a spectacular 92-foot-high skylighted train hall, transformed the landmark James A. Farley Post Office Building into a 21st-century transportation hub serving LIRR and Amtrak passengers. The new station features 50% more concourse space, state-of-the-art wayfinding, information displays and is a welcomed expansion of the Penn Station complex.
Enjoy new attractions and tours
The recently opened Friends Experience offers fans of the TV show two floors of interactive experiences including the iconic orange couch, show props and costumes. Visitors can also grab a coffee at Central Perk which is open to the public daily.
The Phoenix Family Thrill Roller Coaster will rise this summer at Coney Island. Standing 68 feet tall, the new ride will reach speeds of 34 miles per hour and guarantees a thrilling new addition at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, celebrating its 100th season this year.
Opening in the fall, SUMMIT will be NYC’s newest observation deck and immersive experience at the crown of the iconic One Vanderbilt. SUMMIT will take visitors to the highest vantage point in Midtown with views of The Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and north to Central Park, and glass floor ledges that overhang Madison Avenue. The observation deck will also offer food and beverage options.
Visit iconic museums, cultural organizations and performing arts venues for new experiences and exhibitions
For the first time in a New York museum, the work of sculptor, painter and filmmaker Niki de Saint Phalle is featured at MoMA PS1. On display through September 6, Niki de Saint Phalle: Structures for Life features more than 200 pieces from the feminist artist dating back to the mid-1960s, including some work that has never been exhibited.
The Guggenheim Museum is the first place in New York to show Jackson Pollock’s famous “Mural” painting in more than 20 years, with Away from the Easel: Jackson Pollock’s Mural, on display through September 19. The mural marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of Pollock’s artistic style as he began to move into more abstract art styles and non-traditional painting techniques like his signature drip method.
KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature premiered at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx earlier this month featuring new work by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, including two new outdoor monumental sculptures Dancing Pumpkin and I Want to Fly to the Universe, as well as Infinity Mirror Rooms and colorful flowers and floral sculptures that will change seasonally through October 31.
Beginning June 6, experience Cézanne Drawing at MoMA, which will showcase more than 200 works on paper—including drawings, sketchbooks, and rarely seen watercolors— alongside a selection of related oil paintings, from modern artist Paul Cézanne. On display through September 25, this is the first major effort in the US to unite drawings from across the artist’s entire career, exploring his methods and revealing his most radical works on paper.
Two immersive art experiences will open in June celebrating the works of Vincent Van Gogh. Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit New York, opening on June 10, will feature Van Gogh’s work in a captivating digital art exhibit, giving guests the rare opportunity to “step inside” Van Gogh’s art. The second, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, opening on June 21, will be a 360º digital art exhibition at the Skylight on Vesey in Lower Manhattan.
For the first time in decades, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum will allow visitor access to its pilot escalator, which has recently been restored, and later this year, visitors will have the opportunity to peek into one of Intrepid’s bomb elevators, which transported weapons to other parts of the ship where they were assembled, armed and loaded onto airplanes.
Broadway is projected to return this September with classics like Aladdin, Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera and more, and newer productions including Hadestown, Jagged Little Pill and Moulin Rouge. Brand-new shows will also debut, including Thoughts of a Colored Man, Diana and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Stay at a new hotel
Occupying the Crown Building in the heart of Manhattan on Fifth Avenue, Aman New York is expected to open in June with 83 rooms and suites, 22 private residences, three restaurants and a spa spanning three stories and featuring an indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, hot and cold plunge pools, as well as an outdoor terrace with cabana, daybed, and fireplace. Opening in June, Margaritaville Resort Times Square will offer an island oasis at the crossroads of the world. Featuring 234 guestrooms and amenities such as an outdoor heated pool, retail store and fitness center, Margaritaville Resort Times Square will bring an island vibe to the bustling neighborhood.
Situated on the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island, the Graduate Roosevelt Island will offer guests views of Manhattan and Queens upon opening in June. The pet-friendly hotel will feature futuristic themes with nods to Roosevelt Island’s history.
Also read: 3 new and exciting resorts for the perfect getaway to Las Vegas
Expected to open this fall a few steps from Madison Square Park, The Fifth Avenue Hotel will boast high ceilings and a large ballroom, as well as a multi-level restaurant and a bank vault that has been transformed into a wine cellar. The 40-story Ritz-Carlton New York NoMad will be the City’s second Ritz-Carlton when it opens on 28th Street and Broadway later this year, and will include an outpost of the Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya, by Chef José Andrés. The Virgin Hotel will be the brand’s first NYC property upon opening in NoMad later this year. The new hotel will feature 463 guest rooms, multiple food and beverage venues and a rooftop pool and bar.
Attend large-scale events and commemorate historic anniversaries:
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the iconic Tribeca Film Festival will take place June 9–20, in a reimagined format with screenings at locations across all five boroughs, including Brookfield Place, Empire Outlets, Hudson Yards, MetroTech Commons, Pier 57 Rooftop and The Battery.
Known as the “World’s Most Famous Building,” the Empire State Building will celebrate its 90th anniversary as an iconic landmark in 2021.
September 11 will mark 20 years since 9/11 and the City is honoring those we lost with a citywide tribute of lights and additional cultural programming to be announced at a later date, to commemorate this important and never-to-be-forgotten day in history.
Discover the waterfront
Circle Line, Classic Harbor Line, Statue Cruises and City Experiences by Hornblower sightseeing and leisure tours have reopened for the season with updated offers. The NYC Ferry will add new routes and stops this year to serve more waterfront communities, including a Staten Island route (to Battery Park and Midtown West) this summer and a Coney Island route (to Bay Ridge and Wall Street) later this year along with the Ferry Point Park/Throgs Neck extension of the Soundview route.
Marsha P. Johnson State Park (formerly East River State Park) will reopen this June after undergoing extensive renovations. The waterfront park in Williamsburg will include a new park house with public restrooms, classroom space, new park furniture, and a public art display honoring Marsha P. Johnson, an advocate for gay rights, and the LGBTQ+ community.
With the recent Inwood and Washington Heights expansion, Citi Bike is now one of the largest bike share systems in the world next to China.
Expected to open as a public park on June 1, Phase 1 of Pier 76 will include a walking area and outdoor flexible space, as well as benches with waterfront views.
Shop at newly opened retail storefronts:
Madison Avenue has welcomed recent and upcoming developments by luxury brands, including a newly opened Montblanc flagship as well as a Manolo Blahnik flagship opening this spring. Other expansions currently under construction include Brunello Cucinelli; Fendi; Giorgio Armani; Graff Diamonds; and Hermès. The RealReal recently opened in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, making the location its third NYC store. The luxury-consignment store offers gently used adult and children’s clothes, jewelry, fine art and home decor at a fraction of the original cost.
The world’s first official Harry Potter flagship store, Harry Potter New York, will open on June 3 in the Flatiron District. The store will feature the largest selection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts merchandise under one roof, as well as 15 themed areas, interactive displays and photo-ops.
Loeffler Randall recently opened its first storefront in SoHo and will use the inaugural shop to showcase the brand’s unique shoes, handbags and accessories in the trendy neighborhood. Century 21 is expected to make its return to the five boroughs later this year, though the specifics of where and when are still being finalized.