September · New York City
September is April's equal. After Labor Day the humidity breaks. The light turns golden. The tourists of summer go home. New Yorkers return from the Hamptons. Fashion Week takes over downtown. Broadway opens its new season. Restaurants launch fall menus. If April is the best month to visit NYC, September is a very close second.
**The weather:** Average high 76°F, low 62°F. Pleasantly warm, low humidity, perfect walking weather.
**What locals do:** - **New York Fashion Week (mid-September)** — Spring/Summer collections, the biggest Fashion Week of the year. Spring Studios and various venues downtown. Street style scene outside shows is legendary. - **US Open finals (first weekend of September)** — if you can't get tickets, watch at Tavern on the Green or O'Shea's in Hell's Kitchen. - **Feast of San Gennaro (mid-September)** — 11-day Italian street festival in Little Italy. Mulberry Street closes to traffic. Cannoli, zeppoli, sausage-and-peppers, the works. - **Broadway season opens** — new shows debut throughout fall. Fall is the best time for Broadway — big premieres and Tony-contender openings. - **Governors Ball / OZY Fest music festivals** — large outdoor concerts. - **Central Park at its best** — the leaves start turning by month's end. - **Outdoor dining is peak** — every café has its outdoor tables and the weather is cooperating.
**What to eat in September:** - **Apple cider donuts** at Greenmarket stands — the season begins - **Fall menus** at restaurants — mushrooms, squash, braised meats return - **Italian food in Little Italy** during Feast of San Gennaro — for once the tourist neighborhood actually has good food - **Oysters** — R months begin, so seasonality purists start eating oysters again
**Best for:** Fashion enthusiasts, food lovers, theater fans, photography (golden hour light is amazing), romantic getaways.
**Local tip:** Labor Day weekend (first weekend of September) is the last big summer weekend and still packed. Wait until the Tuesday after Labor Day for the calmer, cooler, more "local" September experience.