NYC Fall Activities: The 15 Best Things to Do in New York City in the Fall

This will be my third year in a row that spending time in New York City during Fall. Growing up in the Middle East and then moving to California for college, I did not get a chance to experience all four seasons until I moved to Washington, D.C. for work. So for 24 years, I had only seen the leaves change color and heard talk of crispness in the air in movies.

Boy, was I missing out!

My favorite time to visit New York City is in the Fall—the humidity is decreasing, I am no longer profusely sweating every time I walk into a subway station, and most of all the streets are so colorful with red, yellow, orange leaves on trees everywhere you look.

Here are ten things you must do when you visit the Big Apple this Fall. I will cover everything from going outdoors, staying inside (when it rains, which it unfortunately will!), and even some of my favorite fall drinks.

In a high-paced and crowded city, finding a bit of public space to relax sometimes seem like a luxury. The High Line, which opened in 2009, is a public park that sits elevated above New York City on a former freight rail line. It’s a unique way to experience this bustling city, with nature, design and even a panoramic viewing deck (on W 17th St and 10th Ave) to allow you to watch the city go by. You definitely need to experience the High Line when visiting NYC, specifically in the Fall when the leaves on the trees change color. It is simply beautiful.

The High Line is open daily from 7:00am-11:00pm. I like to first head to Chelsea Market for a few snacks, before walking up to the High Line and walking towards 34th St to watch the sunset.

Some of the most beautiful sunsets I have experienced in New York City have been during fall. You’ll be especially lucky if you can the sun setting after a thunderstorm and the clouds clearing the sky. There are a lot of places to catch the sunset along the Hudson River, but I highly recommend timing your walk across the High Line Park and walking to 34th St and 12th avenue—there’s an elevated platform overlooking the river, with perfect sunset views.

My neighborhood of choice when I’m in NYC is the Upper East Side of Manhattan—it’s where my bestie Shaine lives and generously allows me to crash in his spare room. There’s a 1.58 mile track around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, which stretches from 86th to 96th street. Since I cannot run anymore, I like to walk around it a few times, especially around sunset. You get such an incredible view of the buildings at golden hour all year round, but it is especially amazing in the Fall when the leaves are changing their colors. 

People in the city, especially those with little kids, take Halloween really seriously, and one of my favorite areas to walk around in during the Fall is the Upper East Side, especially the streets closest to Park Ave. You will see brownstones decked out in Halloween decorations, and some reaaaaally go all out! So grab a coffee, pumpkin spice to be in the Fall mood (here’s a list of my favorite coffee shops in New York City), and head walk around the neighborhood.

There is no shortage of coffee shops in the city, but good coffee can be hard to find. Thanks to the annual New York Coffee Festival, now in its fourth year, you don’t have to go on a wild goose chase throughout the city, hoping to find a satisfying cup of jo. Instead, head to the city’s premier event—which happens for a couple of days every October— and discover a whole slew of coffee shops, roasters and interactive workshops. You will leave extremely caffeinated and ready to take on the rest of the city. 

After living in D.C. for a few years and having access to all the Smithsonian institutions for free, visiting museums in New York City was a shock to my system (and wallet)! After the MET decided to discontinue their pay-what-you-wish admission to tourists and non-NYC residents, I soon discovered that a lot of other museums in the city offered museum free days when admission was free (and for some, almost free).

Also, every Fall during the month of September, Smithsonian Magazine hosts Museum Day where you get free admission for two people to participating museums all around the country. There are 18 museums to choose from in NYC and plenty more in New Jersey.

I have been lucky enough to experience NY Fashion Week when I worked in DC (a colleague hooked us up with tickets), and highly recommend anyone interested in fashion to coincide their trip to the city with fall New York Fashion Week. While the chances of sitting in the front row are slim, you can still attend a couple of fashion shows if you plan ahead— 2 to 3 months in advance is standard. A lot of And, the New York streets turn into catwalks themselves, with street fashion in full swing.

Guest of a Guest always has a guide for NYC Fall Fashion parties. If you’re a fashion blogger, here’s a great article detailing how to attend.

One of NYC’s largest street festivals occurs every September—in fact, this year will be its 44th year—in Brooklyn. Hosted by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation (AALDC), this oldest street festival in Brooklyn runs for ten blocks from Fourth Avenue to the Waterfront and the surrounding community. You can expect to find everything from food vendors, artisanal shopping and live performances.

If you cannot make it to Germany to experience Oktoberfest, your next best bet is celebrating in New York City. The Bavarian festival takes place throughout all five of New York’s boroughs with numerous events being held in public spaces and beer gardens. The largest celebrations include Oktoberfest in Central Park and Munich on the East River, hosted by Bavarian bierhaus Zum Schneider. Find out all about Oktoberfest here.

Set in a former French monastery, the Cloisters is part of the MET museums and focuses on art from the medieval ages. What is great about visiting the Met Cloisters in the Fall is to experience the fall foliage on its lush 4-acre grounds overlooking the Hudson River inside Fort Tyron Park. While the MET no longer offers pay-what-you-wish admission for tourists (however, if you are a resident of New York State, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut you can utilize the suggested admission rule), buying one ticket to the MET also gets you same-day access to the Cloisters and The Met Breuer.

If you have caught on, any of the green spaces in New York City are prime fall foliage locations. An exceptional location is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden located in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. The gardens are expansive—set on 52-acres—and contain numerous exhibits including Japanese-inspired gardens.

Pro TIP —> You can skip the $15 entrance fee every Fridays from 8:00am-12:00pm between March-November

This bustling market—which is open every Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday—located in the popular Union Square is the best way to sample Fall produce from farms in the region. What started as a few farmers selling their produce in 1976 has now impressively grown, with close to 140 producers selling their products ranging from fruits and vegetables, local cheeses, fresh bread, jams and pickles, beverages, ciders and more.

I am all about the NYC skylines (my tips for exploring NYC on a budget details where to go to find the best NYC views for free) and a great location is on Governors Island off-lower Manhattan in the middle of the New York Harbor. With no cars allowed on the island, your only way to get around the 172-acre island is by walking or cycling. In the summer, the island hosts a number of concerts and shows. And, the Fall is more relaxed with movie nights and ice skating. Governors Island is also home to large-scale works of art, a grove full of hammocks and offers incredible views of the Statue of Liberty (from Hills and Play Lawn) and Manhattan skyline at sunset (best viewed from the northern promenade). Find out everything to do at Governors Island on their website.

Halloween is one of my favorite festivals—in college my roommates and I would either host a Halloween party or head to one in our apartment complex. We loved dressing up…and I still do! I love planning my costumes every year and spending hours on my makeup (last year I was a devil dressed in red with some elaborate skull makeup). And, I get a chance to do it again at the renowned Village Halloween Parade which was first started in 1973 by puppeteer, Ralph Lee. With over 50,000 participants, this is definitely one of the best Halloween events in NYC. The parade, which happens in Greenwich Village, proceeds from Spring St on 6th Ave all the way to 16th St and begins at 7:00pm.

Ever wanted to visit a historic building in New York City but discovered it was closed to the public? Well, during Open House New York—which happens for one weekend every October—you just might be able to gain access! The annual event allows New Yorkers and tourists access to snoop at over 200+ historic buildings, renowned landmarks and some of the best monuments New York has to offer.