Welcome back, summer.
Memorial Day weekend marks the reopening of city beaches, the debut of new park spaces on Governors Island, and the launch of new amusement park rides and outdoor film festivals guaranteed to make winter a distant memory. So slip into a pair of white sandals and celebrate the unofficial start of summer around town.
LIFE’S A BEACH
The city’s 14 miles of public coastline reopen Saturday. Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day. The refurbished Rockaway Boardwalk from Beach 86 St. to Beach 97 St. reopens this weekend for the first time since Superstorm Sandy destroyed it. For more details on each beach, or to take a survey to find your perfect strand of sand, see nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches.
HELLO, GOVERNOR
Governors Island also reopens on Saturday with three brand new play fountains hidden in the Liggett Terrace hedge maze. There will also be guided tours of the next phase of the park, the Hills, which will tower 25 to 70 feet above the Island next year, beginning at noon. Sunday sees a family fest from 1-4 p.m. with live music and games. Bring your own bike to cycle the isle, or enjoy free hour-long rentals on weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. See govisland.com for a complete calendar of events through Sept. 27.
INTREPID ADVENTURES
The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum — the city’s Fleet Week headquarters (the sailors are in town from May 20 to 26) — hosts military demonstrations, ship tours and talks with NASA astronauts. Plus, the Intrepid kicks off its Summer Movie series on Friday with a free 7:30 p.m. screening of “Top Gun.” The city’s other outdoor film festivals begin in June and July, so this should whet your appetite until then. See intrepidmuseum.org.
RIDE ON
So long, wintry Wollman Rink — and hello Victorian Gardens , the seasonal amusement park that springs up in the Central Park hotspot. Kiddie rides include the Happy Swing and Bumper Boats , and there are concessions stands and games like Whac-A-Mole . Unlimited rides are $23 on weekdays, or $26 on weekends. See victoriangardensnyc.com.
Or head to Luna Park , which celebrates the Coney Island beach opening this weekend with new mild thrill rides including the Rockin Tug and the Seaside Swing . Of course, no trip to the People’s Playground is complete without a ride on the Cyclone and Thunderbolt rollercoasters. See lunaparknyc.com for details.
SUMMER BITES
The Brooklyn Flea’s Seaport Smorgasburg brings delicious dishes back to the South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan this weekend through October. Foodie favorites Cemitas El Tigre , Lonestar Empire , Lumpia Shack , Milk Truck , Pizza Moto , Ramen Burger , Schnitz and Red Hook Lobster Pound will make mouths happy in the historic Seaport District daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. See brooklynflea.com.
MAKE TRACKS
All aboard the World’s Fair Train Show at the Queens Botanical Garden this Saturday through Monday, where working G scale model trains wind their way through an elaborate, outdoor display that includes a mini World’s Fair Unisphere. (Free with Garden admission.) Visitors can also ride through parts of the garden on a motorized train for $5 a person. See queensbotanical.org.
CULTURE CLASH
Head to Greenwich Village for the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit , which brings hundreds of artists from New York and around the world under the arch each Memorial Day weekend to showcase an array of paintings, metalwork, ceramics, jewelry and drawings for sale. The artists will line University Place from 13th to 3rd Sts. on Memorial Day weekend, Memorial Day Monday, and also the following weekend. See wsoae.org.
