Things to Do in New York in September: Your Guide

Traveling to New York in September is a great idea. The unbearable heat of the summer months in NY is behind you, the days are mild and the nights get cooler and cooler. People are getting ready for the gorgeous colors of fall.

September is already low season, so fewer tourists show up and prices drop on flights and New York City hotels. As you can see, it's a friendlier month for exploring the city, with no crowds, no sweltering heat and no freezing cold either.

Events in New York in September

There are plenty of activities and events during September in New York. Below I run through the details of the biggest annual events, so you can start planning the itinerary for your NYC visit:

1. Broadway Week 2025

During the first half of September, Broadway Week traditionally takes place, days when you can buy 2-for-1 tickets to very popular musicals. These are the cheapest Broadway musical tickets you'll be able to buy.

The dates for Broadway Week September 2025 haven't been announced yet. As soon as they are, I'll let you know so you can buy your tickets on the event's official page. Those tickets fly, so the moment the dates are published, don't hesitate to grab them.

If you don't manage to buy for Broadway Week, don't worry, September is low season and you'll get better seats and cheaper prices for the musicals (there's another Broadway Week in January in New York).

2. September 11 Tribute: Tribute in Light

September 11 marks another year since the attack on the World Trade Center, that tragic day when a plane hit the Twin Towers in Manhattan, leaving hundreds of fatalities. It's a sad day for the city.

To honor the victims, at dusk two huge beams of light shine into the Manhattan sky from the site occupied until 2001 by the WTC's Twin Towers.

Today, the site of the Twin Towers is home to the 9/11 Memorial, an especially moving visit during this month of the year.

On the 9/11 anniversary, the 9/11 Memorial Museum and the World Trade Center observation deck are closed to the public, but you can visit them any other day.

Sad as they are, these are important places to see, especially during September in New York. You'll understand firsthand how this tragedy changed the world forever.

3. Labor Day Sale: September Deals

The first Monday in September is Labor Day. Even though it's a public holiday, most tourist sites operate as usual.

The good news is that between September 3 and 6 the Labor Day sales take place, with up to 60% off at many stores! Check out where to shop cheap in New York.

If your trip doesn't line up with this sale, you can always shop at Woodbury Common Outlets, the famous outlet north of New York where there are deals all year round.

4. 2025 Football Season

Labor Day marks the start of the football season in the United States.

It's your chance to see a New York Giants or New York Jets game live. If you move fast, you can buy tickets from just $30!

5. Feast of San Gennaro 2025

The Feast of San Gennaro is an annual event held every September in Manhattan's Little Italy. This celebration of the patron saint of Naples runs for 11 days.

The 2025 Feast of San Gennaro takes place September 9 to 21 in Little Italy. The grand procession is Saturday the 14th and the solemn Mass is Thursday the 19th. This edition marks 99 years of the festival!

Mulberry Street fills up with music, vendors, games, tons of food and processions honoring the saint of Naples. Very Italian, very New York! On the event website you can check for festival updates.

6. The US Open Tennis Tournament

The US Open tennis tournament wraps up in the first half of September. There's still time to buy tickets online.

It's one of the most famous sporting events in New York, so the cheapest tickets sell out incredibly fast.

7. Baseball Season in New York

The baseball season that started back in April still has games during September in New York.

Go catch a Yankees game or a New York Mets game. If you buy tickets well in advance, you'll find better prices.

8. New York Fashion Week

The September edition of New York Fashion Week runs September 11 to 16, 2025, hosted at the West Edge complex by the High Line.

During those days you'll find runway shows from emerging and established designers, plus side events and after parties.

Couture Fashion Week is a haute couture event held in the world's fashion capitals, and of course, New York is one of them.

It happens twice a year. The first edition took place in February in New York and the second one is now, in September.

You can check all the event details on the Fashion Week official page.

9. New York Film Festival 2025

If you're a movie buff, you'll have the chance to spot one of your favorite stars, attend a premiere or catch a New York Film Festival event.

The 63rd New York Film Festival runs from September 26 to October 13, 2025, at the prestigious Lincoln Center.

It's a great opportunity to attend premieres and exclusive screenings. You can check the full lineup on the festival's site.

10. Guided Tours in New York in September

September is a fantastic time to explore New York on foot or on guided tours led by Spanish-speaking experts.

The New York Contrasts tour, for example, works really well if you're short on time and want to see important spots in the other boroughs of New York and get out of Manhattan.

There are other versions of the Contrasts Tour, like the Contrasts tour with a Gospel service or the Contrasts + Roosevelt Island tour, a trip where you'll ride the Tram, New York's only cable car.

Take a look at the other guided tours you can do in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the surrounding areas.

11. Free Tours in English Around New York

Did you know there are several free tours in New York? They're short guided walks, and at the end it's customary to tip the guide based on how much you enjoyed it 😀.

You can sign up for all of the free tours if you want! The important thing is to book your spot ahead of time (they fill up fast):

🏙️ Free tour of Downtown Manhattan

🇮🇹 Free tour of Chinatown and Little Italy

🍎 Free tour of Midtown Manhattan

🏢 Free tour of Manhattan's Village

⛲ Free tour of Central Park (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 Michael Jackson's life and musical legacy.

🔵 Blue Man Group: an off-Broadway show you should see at least once

🦁 The Lion King: the record-breaking box office musical, perfect for the whole family

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

September Weather in New York

September marks the transition from summer to fall in New York.

The weather this month is close to ideal: warm days around 77 °F, mild nights near 61 °F and about 12 hours of daylight.

It's a perfect time to explore parks, bridges and museums on foot or by bike without breaking a sweat.

Looking for cheap hotels in NYC in September?

Take a look at this selection of well-located, decent and affordable places to stay in Manhattan. They'll stretch your budget on a September trip to New York.

Here's some more info that might help: these are 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 in Chelsea, one of NYC's most iconic neighborhoods.

Traveling to New York in another month?

Check out the recommended activities in New York month by month, so you can decide the best time to visit based on your interests and how much weather you can handle.

If September doesn't work out, October in New York is a similar month. It's also low season, and the bitter cold of New York's winter months hasn't arrived yet.