August · New York City
August is the secret. Every native New Yorker with the means to leave leaves — for the Hamptons, for the Adirondacks, for Europe, for anywhere cooler. As a result, the city empties out. Restaurants have availability. Subways are less crowded. Even the streets feel less packed. It's also incredibly hot and humid, which is why everyone leaves. If you can handle the heat, August is a great time to visit.
**The weather:** Average high 83°F, low 69°F. Humidity is at its peak. Multiple 90°F+ days. Afternoon thunderstorms are common.
**What locals do (the ones still here):** - **US Open tennis (late August through early September)** — one of the four Grand Slams, held at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. Early-round day sessions are surprisingly affordable ($30-$60) and you see multiple matches. - **Summer Streets (first three Saturdays in August)** — Park Avenue closes to cars from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, 7am-1pm. Walk, bike, roller skate 7 miles of car-free NYC. - **Fringe Festival** — indie theater all over the city. - **Harlem Week** — the city's longest-running cultural celebration, running two weeks in mid-August. - **Rooftop pools** (if your hotel has one) — essential. - **The Met Cloisters** — 15 degrees cooler than the rest of NYC because it's up in Fort Tryon Park by the Hudson. - **Air-conditioned museum hopping** — the Met is your best friend in August. - **Evening walks along the High Line** after 7pm when it cools down.
**What to eat in August:** - **Peak tomato season** — BLT at any good diner, Caprese salad at Italian restaurants, tomato sandwiches - **Corn and stone fruit** at Union Square Greenmarket - **Ice cream tours** — try Morgenstern's, Oddfellows, Van Leeuwen, Ample Hills all in one day - **Lobster rolls at Grand Banks** or Luke's Lobster - **Cold sesame noodles** everywhere
**Best for:** Tennis fans, budget travelers (restaurant reservations wide open), locals and former locals returning, anyone comfortable in humidity.
**Local tip:** For US Open day session tickets, grounds passes ($85) give you access to everything except Arthur Ashe Stadium. With grounds passes you can watch top players on the smaller courts from incredibly close — sometimes 10 feet away. Better than nosebleed seats in the main stadium.