Summer 2025 in New York: Borscht Belt laughs, butterfly gardens, ‘glamping’ and more
By Caroline Cubbins
If the thermometer-shattering temperatures and sweltering sun weren’t proof enough, pleasant spring days are long gone.
But summer in the city doesn’t have to be all sweaty subway expeditions and serpentine ice cream lines down the block, however — this is the season when the Big Apple and environs truly come alive.
families on the lawn at sprinklerfest in snug harbor
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NYers beat the heat any way they can. This month, many will flock to Snug Harbor’s Sprinklerfest — a Staten Island seasonal favorite — to cool off.
Lance J. Reha
From budget-friendly park offerings to a one-of-a-kind urban “glampground,” here are The Post’s must-attend activities to add to your summer calendar.
Borscht Belt Fest
robert klein doing standup comedy in nyc
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Comedy legend Robert Klein performs onstage at Gotham Comedy Club in 2015.
Getty Images
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Borscht Belt Fest — a nostalgic celebration of the iconic Catskills community that thrived as a resort destination catered towards Jewish vacationers — will honor a comedy legend of the era this year: Robert Klein, whose status as an icon of American stand-up will be feted with the fest’s first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.
It turns out that even before he stepped onto the stage, Klein spent his childhood summers going to small resorts and hotels in the region, which includes the Ulster County town of Ellenville, where the festival will be held July 26 and 27.
“I was a lifeguard in a hotel, and when I was 16 or 17, I was a busboy with a bunch of other college boys. And of course, there was romance in the air,” he recently revealed to The Post. “You know, my sister met her husband there in the Concord,” referencing the former grand resort, now the site of Resorts World Catskills.
That was when the region first inspired his love of the craft.
guests at the borscht belt fest
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These days, the comedy and culture scene in the ‘Borscht Belt’ region has been revived, and countless visitors flock to the area to get a taste of the golden age resort lifestyle.
“[One summer] I actually borrowed a tuxedo from the band and wore it over my bathing suit, and I introduced the acts. I got up and did it. That was important. I was terrified, but I was entertained,” said Klein, who will make an appearance at a screening of and a panel discussion for the documentary “Robert Klein Still Can’t Stop His Leg.”
Not all of the Borscht Belt’s golden-age comedians became nationwide sensations like Klein, Joan Rivers or Sid Caesar, to name a few, but many cultivated the dry, edgy brand of stand-up that audiences across the U.S. have become so familiar with.
joan rivers impersonator at the borscht belt fest.
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Linda Axelrod, a Joan Rivers impersonator, was a legendary performer at the iconic Friars Club.
Brad Devins/Borscht Belt Museum
“I thought, you know, that’s a great way to make a living. And I’ve never stopped thinking that. Making people laugh is a high calling,” Klein told The Post. “To be remembered for doing it, and doing it well at that, is great.”
The 83-year-old comedian, who retired this year after six decades in the business, also shared that he has fond memories of the culinary culture that existed in the hotels.
“It was that kind of Jewish cooking that is completely lost — and partially in a good way, because cardiologists have made a tremendous amount of money due to that food,” Klein joked.
street food being prepared at borscht belt fest
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Street fair eats at Borscht Belt Fest.
Brad Devins/Borscht Belt Museum
The planned screening of the documentary also stirred up plenty of nostalgia for him.
“It was wonderful to see all these great, big star comedians who say that I had some influence on them,” Klein said, recalling when Jay Leno pointed to him a comedian people would say was “smart” and “normal,” rather than “commiserating with your mother,” and how Jerry Seinfeld called him “the Beatles of comedy.”
Just like the New Yorkers of the region’s golden age, vacationers can make a 90-minute drive to Ellenville for the festival weekend of stand-up comedy, a street fair, history talks and Borscht Belt Museum tours.
Tickets range from $25 to $40 and are available at www.borschtbeltfest.org.
Bat Night Walk
Five-week-old eastern red bat hanging in its cage.
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Checking out bats at Brooklyn’s Marine Park is a fun, unexpected summer activity.
MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Contrary to popular belief, pigeons aren’t New York’s only airborne animals — in fact, they share the skies with nine native bat species.
On July 31, Gotham Bat Conservancy is hosting a Bat Walk in Brooklyn’s Marine Park, where attendees can learn from NYC’s leading bat experts.
Aside from spotting bats as they flit through the trees and snack on insects, GBC president and principal biologist Ryan Maroney said that the conservancy’s team offers a pre-walk 411 on the animals that involves dismissing visions of Dracula and persistent bat-related wives’ tales.
And, no, bats aren’t trying to swoop at you and get stuck in your hair, he told The Post.
“There are only three different species of bats in the whole world out of around 1,400 different species of bats that are sanguivorous [blood feeders],” Maroney explained, “so New Yorkers are all good. All of the bats that we have here are insectivores.”
Attendees will likely glimpse eastern red and big brown bats, but summertime is also prime insect season, so rarer species like the beloved northern long-eared bats and tricolor bats may make appearances as well.
Bat Walk is free, but interested parties should register online.
Central Park’s Butterfly Garden
woman in central park butterfly garden
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The North Meadow Butterfly Garden is located mid-park around West 103rd Street.
Stefano Giovannini
Central Park’s sprawling grounds are home to some of the city’s most iconic summer destinations, with New Yorkers flocking to picnics in Sheep Meadow, impromptu volleyball games in the sand pits and bike rides around its many paths.
But here’s your chance to check out one of its best-kept secrets: the North Meadow Butterfly Garden.
This summer, visitors can join nature experts on a guided tour of the garden and the native wildflower meadow, where Monarch butterflies and other pollinators are almost a sure sight, especially now that the gardens are in full bloom.
Perfect for families, the nature-inclined, or those looking for a low-stress, laid-back jaunt through the park, the walk will be offered on July 21, 24 and 26. Tickets range from free to $33, depending on age, and can be reserved online.
East River Tennis Courts
new tennis courts in east river park
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Basketball courts, a lawn, a picnic area and BBQ pits were added to the park alongside the new courts.
Tamara Beckwith
Calling all racket players — the East River tennis courts at John V. Lindsay Park (from Montgomery Street to East 12th Street, hugging FDR Drive) are once again open to the public. After four long years of construction and renovations, the beloved spot is back with six brand-new hard courts, open daily from dawn to dusk.
The courts, christened over Memorial Day weekend, boast better drainage systems, new benches and drinking fountains, and pleasant views of the East River and the skyline beyond.
Met Museum Rooftop
jennie c jones exhibition on met rooftop
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The rooftop is subject to closure depending on the weather, so plan ahead if you’re interested in catching the exhibit.
Tamara Beckwith
The popular Met Rooftop Garden is currently showing its last exhibition until 2030, due to forthcoming renovations.
Jennie C. Jones’ “Ensemble,” a striking display that combines minimalism and musical instruments to salute “black improvisation and avant-garde music,” sits atop the museum’s sprawling — and scenic — Cantor rooftop.
Deep red, brown and black hues reflect off the installation’s sculptural elements, with shifts in color and sound as the weather changes, offering a unique encounter each time.
The exhibition is free with museum admission until October.
The View
interior of the view restaurant
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The slowly rotating restaurant offers top-tier views of the skyscraper-lined horizon and an up-close look at Times Square — without the area’s typical crowds.
Olga Ginzburg for NY Post
Kiss overrated rooftop bars and pricey harbor booze cruises goodbye.
Instead, head for Times Square, where the glass-encased, rotating dining room high atop the Marriott Marquis has once again become one of the Big Apple’s premier ways to take in the city’s views while enjoying a meal.
The NYC classic, located on the 47th floor of the hotel at 1535 Broadway, has a whole new look and attitude — and menu — after a revamp by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group.
The aptly named restaurant could be your best chance to catch a glimpse of a summer sunset against the skyline or try your luck at admiring the East River’s Fourth of July fireworks from afar.
prime rib au jus at the view
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The View’s executive chef, Marjorie Meek-Bradley, previously worked in high-profile Starr Restaurant Group spots.
Olga Ginzburg for NY Post
Crab cakes, beef tartare, spaghetti chitarra and a classic prime rib are popular menu picks, but no visit is complete without a $10 dessert — or two — to sweeten the night.
While reservations are recommended, walk-in guests can try their luck for a table, or enjoy small plates and cocktails in the lounge and bar area, one floor up.
Snug Harbor Sprinklerfest
kids playing in the sprinklers at snug harbor
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The free Staten Island ferry ride usually takes around 25 minutes to get to and from Manhattan.
Lance J. Reha
Central Park’s brand-new pool is convenient, sure. But for New York families looking to cool off and skip lengthy lines, Staten Island is the place to be.
On July 18, the sprawling Snug Harbor Cultural Center complex will host Sprinklerfest, an annual event geared toward wholesome — and wet — outdoor fun where kids and their nostalgic parents can playfully dash through sprinklers, enjoy a spread of summery food and jam out to local music.
Bonus: Snug Harbor is also home to a top-notch botanical garden — Brooklyn and Queens aren’t the only boroughs with awe-inspiring greenery.
Catch the free Staten Island Ferry for this year’s event, which runs from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at South Meadow. Register for free ahead of the event on the organization’s website.
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
people watching a jazz performance in the park
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Jazz lovers gathered in Marcus Garvey Park for the 2024 iteration of the festival.
Sean J. Rhinehart SGP
Newcomers and jazz legends like Nicholas Payton, the Bertha Hope Quintet, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap, and bassist Ron Carter will celebrate the genre at SummerStage’s Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, an annual three-day bash dedicated to its namesake saxophonist.
The series will blend jazz classics, funk and soul from Aug. 22 to 24.
The best part? The festival is free and open to all ages, so jazz fiends don’t have to brave long lines that the city’s leading bars and clubs now command.
The first two nights, attendees can catch musicians at Marcus Garvey Park before the final afternoon at Tompkins Square Park.
Collective Retreats
glamping tents at collective retreats governors island
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Rates for Collective Retreats’ luxe tents begin at $249 per night.
Collective Retreats Governors Island
No, “glamping” isn’t just for upscale upstaters or the faux-granola crowd.
New Yorkers can enjoy the trend, thanks to Collective Retreats, which boasts the city’s first wellness-oriented “glampground.”
Enjoy a night under the open sky in the heart of the city in one of 29 luxury tents, unplug from cosmopolitan concerns with a bike ride down tranquil tree-lined paths, unwind with access to spa-style bathhouses, and dig into nightly gourmet s’mores sessions.
After a snappy eight-minute ferry ride from Manhattan and Brooklyn, slow down with sunrise yoga, sophisticated seasonal dinners at Three Peaks Lodge, and more.
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