Things to Do in New York in August: Your Guide

August in New York is peak summer. There are plenty of outdoor events, free festivals, the US Open tennis tournament kicks off, and beach season in New York is at its best.

August in New York: Tennis, Baseball, Music and More

Just like July in New York, there's a lot going for an August trip: it's summer and there's plenty to do.

But there are also a few downsides worth keeping in mind:

🌡️ August is one of the hottest months of the year, and the heat in New York can be stifling!

🧳 Summer is full-on high season, so expect crowds of tourists.

📈 Prices for flights and hotels in New York go up (there are cheaper hotels in New York that can help you stretch your budget)

Personally, I prefer visiting New York in spring or during a New York fall (the city is gorgeous and the weather is perfect!), but if you have to work around school or college vacation dates, August is a solid choice.

You can handle the heat with plenty of water, light summer clothes, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. You'll love this time of year, packed with free events and outdoor activities:

Several summer activities that started in July carry on through August. Plus there are other seriously fun plans you shouldn't miss:

1. Outdoor movies in NYC

Throughout August, the movie screenings under the stars in Manhattan and other New York neighborhoods continue. There are lots of parks where you can settle in and watch a free film while enjoying a picnic. What could be more New York than that?

For example, Paramount+ Movie Nights at Bryant Park will keep going with free Monday night screenings. On August 4 they're showing «Blades of Glory» and on August 11 «The Godfather».

Gates to the lawn open at 5 p.m. so you can set up your picnic, and the movie starts at 8 p.m.

2. SummerStage Festival

The free outdoor concerts of the SummerStage Festival run all through August. It's more than music: there's also theater, poetry and dance.

In August 2025, the SummerStage Festival will offer a range of free concerts in parks across New York.

Highlights include performances by artists like The Roots and Jessica Pratt. It's a great chance to enjoy live music outdoors. You can check the lineup on the official event page.

If your trip lines up with any of these shows, don't miss them. These events capture the cultural spirit and the joy of New York in summer.

3. Shakespeare in Central Park

The Shakespeare in the Park theater festival returns in 2025 with «Twelfth Night», directed by Saheem Ali.

Performances run from August 7 to September 14 at the newly renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Tickets are free. Read up on how to get your tickets to the most famous theater festival of the NYC summer.

4. NYC Restaurant Week

NYC Restaurant Week runs from July 21 to August 17, 2025. During this period, top restaurants offer prix-fixe menus at affordable prices. Book ahead, it matters.

Starting in July 2025, the participating restaurants will be posted on the official event site and you'll be able to reserve.

5. NYC Summer Streets

In August 2025, Summer Streets takes place on Saturdays the 3rd, 10th and 17th in Manhattan, and on the 24th in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

On those days, more than 7 miles of streets close to car traffic so people can walk, run or bike.

It's a great chance to discover all the New York that exists beyond Manhattan.

See the full details of the August 2025 «summer streets» on the official event page.

6. The US Open Tennis Tournament

The 2025 US Open runs from August 24 to September 7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Tickets are already on sale and it's smart to buy them in advance.

It's one of the biggest international tennis tournaments and for many it marks the end of summer in New York.

7. Harlem Week during August in New York

Harlem Week 2025 takes place from August 1 to 18, with more than a hundred events celebrating the neighborhood's cultural diversity. Highlights include outdoor concerts, fashion shows and film festivals.

Harlem is an iconic neighborhood in northern Manhattan that's well worth getting to know. This event is a great excuse to explore it.

You can see the event calendar on the website.

8. Beach season

Beach season in New York is still going. Walking the boardwalk or taking a dip at one of the city beaches is a must. Pick your favorite New York beach 🙂

My pick: Coney Island in Brooklyn and its fun Luna Park amusement park.

9. Baseball season

Baseball season is in full swing in August, so you can catch a Yankees game or a New York Mets game.

10. Walking or biking tours

August is a great time to explore New York by bike.

There are also walking tours through different parts of New York. Plenty of guided tours are available on the Civitatis search tool, a reliable platform specializing in Spanish-language activities.

11. Taking free Spanish-language tours of New York

Did you know there are free Spanish-language tours in New York? They're short guided walks, and the custom is to tip the guide based on how much you enjoyed the experience 😀 (at least $10 is standard).

You can sign up for all the free tours! Just be sure to book your spot a few days ahead (they fill up fast during August in New York):

🏙️ Free tour of Downtown Manhattan

🇮🇹 Free tour of Chinatown and Little Italy

🍎 Free tour of Midtown Manhattan

🏢 Free tour of Manhattan's Village

⛲ Free Central Park walking tour (it's new!)

12. See a Broadway Musical

No trip to New York would be complete without seeing a Broadway show:

Here are a few recommendations:

🧙‍♀️ Wicked: you'll find out what happened in the land of Oz before Dorothy showed up from Kansas.

👞🎶 At MJ the Musical you'll get to know the life and musical legacy of Michael Jackson.

🔵 Blue Man Group: an off-Broadway show worth seeing at least once

🦁 The Lion King: the box office record holder, perfect for a family outing

🎩🇺🇸 Hamilton: the famous Lin-Manuel Miranda musical told through hip-hop.

13. Catch the Breeze at a Waterfront Park

New York is a city surrounded by water, with plenty of public parks along the waterfront.

Heading to one of these parks is a great way to cool off with the sea breeze on the hottest summer days. Beyond the breeze, several of them are excellent viewpoints over the New York skyline.

Whether it's the Hudson River parks or the parks along the East River, north and south of the city, there are plenty of waterside oases in New York to cool off in. A few I'd recommend:

1. Little Island in Chelsea, Manhattan
2. Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City, Queens.
3. Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

August Weather in New York

August in New York is still summer and the weather is a lot like July, though the thermometer starts to dip a little.

Temperatures are still high (between 19°C and 27°C) and so is the humidity. Come prepared for the heat!

Bring an umbrella, because along with July in NYC these are two of the rainiest months.

The days are still long, with sunset around 8 pm, so you can make the most of them.

One good idea is to stay at a New York hotel with a pool so you can beat the heat before bed and wake up fresh as a daisy the next day.

Or how about a hotel with a jacuzzi for a little luxury? 🛁

Looking for where to stay in New York in August?

Take a look at this selection of central, good and cheap hotels in Manhattan that will stretch your budget when traveling to New York in August, which, like July, is one of the priciest months of the year.

Here's more info that might help: the 5 most booked hotels by the NewYorkando travel community 😉:

📍 West Side YMCA on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

📍 HI New York City Hostel also on the Upper West Side.

📍 NY Moore Hostel very well located in Brooklyn.

📍 Pod Times Square in the heart of Manhattan.

📍 Holiday Inn Chelsea in one of NYC's most iconic neighborhoods.

Traveling to New York at another time of year?

Read what to do in New York month by month, so you can make an informed decision about the best time to visit based on your interests and how well you handle the weather.

If August doesn't work out, July in New York also has plenty of free outdoor activities.

If you can swing a trip to New York in September, that's a fantastic plan too. Flight and hotel prices drop by then (and so does the temperature, though not by much).