22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022
Planning a trip to the Big Apple and not sure where to start? New York City’s official destination marketing organization – NYC & Co. – has you covered with their list of 22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022, including hotels, attractions, arts and culture, dining, Broadway, and more.
“Summer is one of the best times to visit NYC, when all five boroughs buzz with a special energy and excitement, inviting you to get out and explore our neighborhoods, beaches, parks, and waterfront,” said NYC & Co. President and CEO Fred Dixon. “From outdoor cultural programming and spectacular new art exhibitions to new culinary offerings, a packed Broadway season, and luxury hotel brands making their debut, we are reminding the world that more than ever, ‘It’s Time for New York City.’”
Here are NYC & Co.’s 22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022:
1. NYC Restaurant Week
2022 marks the 30th anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week, which runs July 18-Aug. 21, 2022 (Saturdays excluded).
The biannual event that began in 1992 as a weeklong, lunch-only promotional event has grown to a four-week program across all five boroughs at a variety of restaurants, from neighborhood eateries to high-end dining.
Click here for details.
2. New Places to Stay
NYC may be called the city that never sleeps, but that doesn’t mean visitors shouldn’t book a room at these newly-opened (or soon-to-be-open) hotels.
- Casa Cipriani – Located in the iconic Battery Maritime Building at The Seaport, this new hotel offers views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty.
- The Hard Rock Hotel New York – This new property from the popular Hard Rock brand is now open in Midtown Manhattan.
- Aman New York, Fifth Avenue – Set to open in August, this “urban sanctuary” is located in the heart of Manhattan.
- Ritz-Carlton, NoMad – A new hotel experience inspired by the new Madison Square Park is set to open this summer. Did you know NoMad = North of Madison Square Park?
- Virgin Hotel New York City – This new hotel from the super cool Virgin brand is expected to open this fall.
Click here for information about these hotels and more.
3. NYC Classics
NYC is home to many historical locations ready to welcome visitors in 2022 (and beyond), some so iconic they could be one of the 22 reasons to visit New York City all on their own.
- Bemelmans Bar – For over 90 years, socialites, politicians, movie stars, and moguls have flocked to this bar at the Carlyle Hotel for its extensive cocktail menu, nightly live entertainment, and art deco decor.
- The Palm Court – Located in the iconic Plaza Hotel, The Palm Court is famous for its Afternoon Tea.
- The Rainbow Room – Located atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, the Rainbow Room has been the home of New York City entertainment since 1934.
- Rockefeller Center and Wollman Rinks – Two NYC classics being reimagined for the summer season are the Rockefeller Center Rink and the Wollman Rink. For the first time since 1940, roller skating is back at Rockefeller Center as “Flipper’s at the Rink” brings a 1970s roller rink vibe to 2022. The Central Park-based Wollman Rink is also channeling the spirit of the ’70s with an immersive “DiscOasis” experience featuring art, lights, music, dance, live performances, and of course, roller skating.
4. Sky High Views
New York provides several opportunities for visitors to see the city from above, including Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Plaza (70 stories), One World Observatory (94 stories), and the Empire State Building (102 stories).
In 2020, the city welcomed Edge at Hudson Yards, which recently debuted City Climb, the ultimate skyscraper adventure for thrill-seekers looking to take in the view of the city from 1,200 feet above the ground, and last fall, the immersive Summit One Vanderbilt opened Ascent, the city’s only all-glass exterior elevators.
Finally, for those who prefer to stay a bit closer to the ground, RiseNY is a new virtual attraction that debuted earlier this year and offers visitors a virtual bird’s-eye view of the skyline while suspended “only” 30 feet in the air.
5. Discover International Flavors
NYC is known as one of the most culturally rich and diverse cities in the world.
Visitors can experience many of its international cultures by exploring neighborhoods throughout the boroughs, from Little Caribbean in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Little Sri Lanka in Tompkinsville, Staten Island to Manhattan’s Chinatown and Washington Heights.
Click here for more information.
6. Easier Air Travel
New York’s gateways have undergone extensive transformations, with brand-new terminals at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and La Guardia Airport (LGA), including the new Delta Terminal C at LaGuardia that officially opened June 4, 2022 with ten new gates and one of the newest and largest Delta Sky Clubs.
Fun Fact: The new LGA terminal features unique, large-scale permanent installations from New York-based artists, including Mariam Ghani, Rashid Johnson, Aliza Nisenbaum, Virginia Overton, Ronny Quevedo, and Fred Wilson.
Later this year, EWR will debut an updated Terminal A with 33 new gates, and will break ground on a new 2.5-mile elevated guideway train system, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ease traffic congestion. In addition, JFK will debut Terminal 8 in December and begin construction this year on the New Terminal One, expected to open in 2026.
7. A Greener New York City
As part of its efforts to be more sustainable, the city recently renovated and expanded the Javits Convention Center, featuring a state-of-the-art seven-acre green roof that has become a sanctuary for area wildlife, including 29 bird species, five bat species, and thousands of honeybees.
Little Island (NYC’s new public park near the Meatpacking District) provides green spaces, venues for live cultural performances and events, and views of the river. Central Park – one of the world’s most iconic green spaces – has created a Central Park Climate Lab in partnership with the Yale School of the Environment and the Natural Areas Conservancy to develop new research and tools to help urban parks manage the severe impacts of climate change.
Click here for more information on ways NYC is going green(er).
8. New Culinary Experiences
Visitors to New York in 2022 can look forward to new restaurants opening across the city and the return of NYC favorites.
- Laser Wolf – This popular Philadelphia Israeli skewer shop by famed chef and restaurateur Michael Solomonov is located on the rooftop of The Hoxton hotel in Williamsburg.
- Le Rock – A new French-leaning restaurant in Rockefeller Center from the team behind Frenchette.
- Lysee – This high-end dessert shop is coming to the Flatiron area later this spring.
- HAGS – The first LGBTQ+ fine dining restaurant will open this month in the East Village.
- Beach Dunes Eats & Arts Café – Opened in Edgemere, Queens by the Campaign Against Hunger has opened is this eatery that will donate all profits toward the organization’s efforts to fight food insecurity in the city.
- Le Gratin – A casual dining experience from Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud on the ground floor of the iconic Beekman Hotel is inspired by the bistros of his hometown in France.
New York’s open-air food markets are back just in time for the summer, including Queens Night Market, Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, and Bronx Night Market, all featuring local restaurants and vendors serving a variety of cuisines.
The city’s nightlife is also bouncing back in 2022 with new nightclubs like Eavesdrop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn; Somewhere Nowhere NYC Lounge and Rooftop Pool in Chelsea; The Q (an LGBTQ+ multi-level nightclub) in Hell’s Kitchen; and Musica Club, the biggest nightclub in NYC by Cipriani.
Click here for more information about dining, and click here for more information about nightlife.
9. Eclectic Exhibits
There are dozens of museums in New York, not to mention many more galleries and exhibit spaces, so it’s no surprise that NYC & Co. includes exhibits as one of the 22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022.
- Jean-Michel Basquiat: King of Pleasure – A look into the personal life of one of the most highly-praised artists of the 20th century, the new exhibit at the Starrett-Lehigh Building includes over 200 never-before-seen and rarely-shown paintings, drawings, and artifacts to tell the story of the Brooklyn-born artist.
- Cecilia Vicuña: Spin Spin Triangulene – The first solo exhibition in a New York museum for the pioneering contemporary Chilean artist, poet, activist, and filmmaker Cecilia Vicuña showcases her multidisciplinary practice from the late 1960s to today, including paintings, works on paper, textiles, films, a site-specific quipu (knot) installation, a one-time performance of a “living” quipu, and new paintings and works on paper created specifically for this presentation. The exhibit will be at the Guggenheim Museum until Sept. 5, 2022.
- Quiet as It’s Kept – An array of intergenerational artists displaying a constellation of present-day art and ideas are on display through Sept. 5, 2022, at The Whitney Museum of American Art in celebration of its 80th Whitney Biennial.
- An Anthology of Fashion – This “lesson in American fashion” is at The Met Fifth Avenue through Sept. 5, 2022, and features women’s and men’s dress from the 18th century to today.
Photo courtesy of Museum of Modern Art
- Henri Matisse: The Red Studio – The Museum of Modern Art’s newest exhibit (on display until Sept. 10, 2022) focuses on the French artist’s iconic 1911 painting, and reunites all the pieces Matisse depicted in the painting for the first time in over a century.
- “Windy” on the High Line – This month, New York’s elevated train track turned public park and outdoor art gallery will debut artist Meriem Bennani’s first public sculpture, “Windy” (2022), inspired by the experience of walking on the High Line.
- Living with The Walking Dead – On June 25, 2022, the city will be invaded by an army of zombies thanks to an exhibit hosted at the Museum of Moving Image to spotlight “The Walking Dead” TV series, featuring original costumes and props, concept art, storyboards, scripts, and prosthetic makeup.
Click here for information about these exhibits and others.
10. Beloved Stars and Stories on Broadway
After nearly two years of empty Broadway stages, theatergoers are thrilled to return to New York theaters – and so are the stars, including Hugh Jackman in “The Music Man” and Golden Globe-nominee Beanie Feldstein in “Funny Girl.”
Also performing on the Great White Way this summer is Daniel Craig in “Macbeth” and Darren Criss, Sam Rockwell, and Laurence Fishburne in the revival of “American Buffalo” (all through July 10, 2022).
Click here for more information about how to see your favorite stars on Broadway.
11. As Seen on TV
New York has starred in countless television series over the years, and fans can expect to see the Big Apple in the new “Gossip Girl” and season two of the “Sex and the City” sequel series, “And Just Like That.”
Fans of those shows can walk in the footsteps of Serena van der Woodsen and Carrie Bradshaw with On Location Tours that will take them to see many of the sites where these popular series (and others) were filmed.
Click here for details.
12. Shop ‘Til You Drop
No vacation is complete without at least a little shopping, but when you visit New York City you will want to do a lot of it.
There’s always a reason to shop at NYC’s famous Macy’s Herald Square, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue department stores, but wizards, witches, and muggles of all ages won’t want to miss the chance to step into the Wizarding World for a magical multi-level shopping experience at the Harry Potter New York Flagship Store.
In addition, the New York shopping institution Tiffany & Co. will open its new flagship store on Fifth Avenue in the fall, including the reopening of The Blue Box Café, where customers can enjoy (what else?) breakfast at Tiffany’s.
13. Museums and Cultural Institutions
This fall, the Museum of Broadway – the first permanent museum dedicated to Broadway – will open in Times Square to celebrate Broadway’s history and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating Broadway productions. In the winter, the Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History will reopen with a new exhibition, learning spaces, technology, and access to the museum’s collections.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens, is expected to debut later this year after undergoing a physical and programmatic expansion for a new cultural center, which includes an interactive exhibit, archival collections, a 68-seat jazz club, and a store. The Bronx Children’s Museum is also opening this year after moving to a new home in Mill Pond Park.
14. Festivals and Festivities
NYC hosts some of the largest events in the world, so something is going on at any time of year, making them a natural for one of the 22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022.
- SummerStage Concert Series at Central Park – June 4-Sept. 22, 2022
- Tribeca Film Festival – June 8-19, 2022
- Shakespeare in the Park – June 17 through Sept. 2022
- New York Fashion Week – September 2022
Click here for information on these and other festivals and events.
15. Food Halls
The only thing better than trying one delicious kind of food is trying many in the same place, and thanks to New York’s food halls, that’s precisely what you can do.
Image courtesy of Howard Hughes Corp.
- Moynihan Train Hall – Sample selections from a dozen curated vendors, including Sauce Pizzeria, EAK Ramen, Magnolia Bakery, H&H Bagels, and Jacob’s Pickles (hungry visitors will soon be able to enjoy the entire market, expanded food hall, and three signature restaurants).
- The Tin Building – Opening this summer at The Seaport, a brand-new food hall by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will feature culinary experiences including a French brasserie, an Asian speakeasy, and more.
- Singapore Hawker Center – This Singaporean-inspired food hall will open soon in Midtown Manhattan with authentic, traditional cuisine from 18 street-food vendors, including Douglas Ng of Fishball Story, Chris Hooi of Dragon Phoenix, and Ah Tai, known for his Hainanese chicken rice.
This summer, the James Beard Foundation will open its own 18-stall, 16,000-square-foot food hall at Pier 57, featuring local businesses and offerings from food entrepreneurs.
16. Discover Staten Island
Often overlooked, Staten Island is a just quick hop from Manhattan by ferry.
- Clinton Hall – The acclaimed beer hall opened its sixth New York location at the Empire Outlets alongside MRKPL Culinary Market, offering a selection of craft beer, wine, cocktails, and cuisine.
- Staten Island FerryHawks – This brand-new baseball team is now playing in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball throughout the summer. The team name honors the iconic ferry and the hawks native to the island.
Click here to find out why this hidden gem is one of 22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022.
17. Celebrate Pride
New York City is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and the NYC Pride March – one of the largest annual Pride marches in the world – attracts tens of thousands of participants and millions of sidewalk spectators.
- Brooklyn Pride – June 11, 2022
- Bronx Pride Festival – June 12, 2022
- Harlem Pride – June 25, 2022
- NYC Pride March – June 26, 2022
Click here for information about Pride celebrations across New York City.
18. Performing Arts Take Center Stage
Broadway may be the most well-known New York performing arts experience, but it’s not the only one.
Photo by Kate Glicksberg
Visitors can also catch performances by the Barrow Group theater company, which recently opened a brand new theater in Midtown Manhattan and at The David Geffen Hall – part of Lincoln Center and the New York Philharmonic – that will reopen this October after a complete makeover.
19. Explore the Great Outdoors
It may be surprising that exploring the outdoors is one of NYC & Co.’s 22 reasons to visit New York City in 2022. Still, the cosmopolitan city actually offers many opportunities to experience nature, including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Chinese Scholar’s Garden at Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center (one of two authentic outdoor Chinese gardens in the U.S.)
Visitors can also rent a rowboat at Central Park’s Loeb Boathouse; see a movie under the stars on a 40-foot screen during Roosevelt Island’s annual outdoor summer movie series (late June to late August); shop for locally-grown produce, fresh baked goods, and other specialty items at the New York Botanical Garden Farmers Market (through Oct. 26, 2022); or check out the Treetop Adventure at the Bronx Zoo, where they can swing through the treetops and zipline over the Bronx River.
20. Wellness Experiences
For travelers looking to relax and unwind during their visit, a selection of 20 wellness experiences at QC NY on Governor’s Island include several saunas and massage offerings.
The spa at the new Aman New York hotel, opening on Aug. 2, 2022, will offer three stories of rejuvenating experiences, including a 65-foot-long indoor swimming pool, two spa houses, and an outdoor terrace.
21. A More Accessible New York City
With a mission of making the city more welcoming to all visitors, many New York experiences and attractions have expanded accessibility and addressed sensory concerns.
- Autism-Friendly Performances – Several Broadway shows, including “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” and “Come From Away,” have made adjustments for specific performances, such as reducing jarring sounds and eliminating strobe or spotlights that shine into the audience.
- Contento – This restaurant opened in East Harlem last June and was designed to be accessible for all, with lower bar counters for diners using wheelchairs and a QR code on the menu that people with visual impairments can scan with their phones to have the menu read out loud to them.
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – This attraction offers free access programs for visitors with developmental disabilities on select Sundays throughout the year, alternating between virtual and in-person programming each month.
Click here for additional accessibility information.
22. World-Class Sporting Events
New York City is home to some of the greatest sporting events in the world, so lace up your running (or spectating) shoes for reason #22 to visit New York City in 2022.
- ABB FIA Formula E World Championship – July 16-17, 2022
- U.S. Open Tennis – Aug. 29- Sept. 11, 2022, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens.
- TCS New York City Marathon – Nov. 6, 2022
Click here for information about sporting events year-round in New York City.
Looking Ahead to 2023
I’m sure 22 reasons are more than enough to inspire a trip to New York City, but guess what? There are even more exciting things coming in 2023.
These include the iconic Apollo theater undergoing the first expansion in its history, plus the opening of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, and the American LGBTQ+ Museum.
Click here for details about all 22 reasons to visit New York City – and many more.
