Top Five Spring Activities for College Students in New York City
After winter has gone, students have lots of things to do in New York City each spring.
After a long winter, New York City comes into full bloom amid warmer temperatures. It’s time to get outside and enjoy it! Here are five activities for college students to do during the spring:
1. Take a Walk in the Park
With Van Cortlandt Park steps away from Manhattan College, students have the ability to soak up some rays in New York City’s third largest park. Playing fields and playgrounds hug the park's edges, surrounding a richly forested heartland fed by Tibbetts Brook. Van Cortlandt Park is also home to the country's first public golf course, the oldest house in the Bronx, and the borough's largest freshwater lake. You can also rent bikes in Central Park, catch a concert in Prospect Park or take it easy in any of the smaller parks located near campus.
2. Rub Shoulders with the Stars at the TriBeCa Film Festival
Each April, the TriBeCa Film Festival screens nearly 100 feature-length fiction and non-fiction films from more than 40 countries (all world or U.S. premieres).There are also short films, TV series, sports films, interactive programming, and retrospective screenings of film classics. Aside from the movies themselves, you can hear filmmakers and actors speaking about their films during the festival, which takes place in several locations throughout the borough of Manhattan.
3. Stop and Smell the Roses at the New York Botanical Garden
What would spring be without flowers in bloom? Thousands of eye-catching plants and flowers are on display this time of year at the nearby New York Botanical Garden, an iconic living museum that is unparalleled in its celebrated history, and diversity of landscapes and collections. Though the Garden is open year round, springtime heralds the blossoming of orchids, daffodils, azaleas and cherry blossoms, which you can routinely track on the garden’s website, to best plan your visit.
4. Take Me to the River
On a warm spring day, students can feel summer coming. With New York City surrounded by water, the Hudson River is a great place to daydream about upcoming days on the beach. Students can also run or bike along the Hudson River Greenway. Further downtown, scenic venues such as Ellington in the Park and the Boat Basin Cafe are perfect for dining outdoors with a view of the river.
5. Go Out to the Ball Game
Opening Day is one of the annual rites of spring and the Bronx is home to the 27-time world champion New York Yankees. Mets fans can also hop on the subway to Queens to visit Citi Field, and enjoy some Shake Shack cheeseburgers and fries. Both teams offer college students discounted tickets during weekday home games, and Manhattan College’s Office of Student Engagement organizes tickets and buses to games throughout the school year. New York City FC, the city’s Major League Soccer franchise, also plays its home games at Yankee Stadium, beginning its season in April, giving students a chance to watch the world’s most popular sport minutes away from campus.