5 Things to do in NYC This Fall

Fall is, without a doubt, the prettiest time in New York City. The trees are golden, the air is crisp and cool, and everything feels even more romantic than it usually it does. Unfortunately, winter kicks in so soon that the season seems over before it’s begun. So… before we have to start loading on the layers and wading through grey sidewalk slush, here are 5 things to do in NYC this fall:

Drink some cider.

Forget pumpkin spice anything for a moment, and let’s talk about the quintessential fall drink, cider. There are two types of cider: the non-alcoholic kind and the alcoholic kind.

If you grew up in the States, you’re probably more familiar with the non-alcoholic kind, which really just tastes like hot apple juice. There are a million and one places where you can get variations of hot apple cider in the city in the fall (yes, Starbucks included), but my current favorite is from the French Roast restaurant. Their rendition tastes like liquified caramel apples. Dessert in a cup without being sickeningly sweet.

Alcoholic cider, which is similar to beer in fermentation and alcohol content, is a little rarer in the US but growing more popular. October 24 to November 2 was Cider Week in NYC, and there were events happening all over the city to celebrate craft ciders. I attended the “Ciders and Cheeses of the World” event at Murray’s.

We sampled a ton of different ciders, more traditional varieties and some unique blends (apples, ginger, and carrot). I fell in love with the Drouin pear cider from the Domaine Christian Drouin. Clear and sweet with the slightest kick.

Cider Week may be over, but there are still a ton of places where you can get the stuff. Click here for a list or just head over to Murray’s. In addition to grabbing a bottle of cider, you can pick up some cheese to nibble on. Not only does Murray’s have an amazing selection, they have an incredibly informative staff too.

Go for a stroll.

Event though it’s the Concrete Jungle, New York’s got its fair share of beautiful stroll-worthy parks. There’s obviously Central Park and the High Line, but less obviously, there’s Riverside Park along the western Manhattan coastline from 72nd street to 125th street.

As an Upper West Side resident and Columbia student, I’m biased towards Riverside Park because it’s in my backyard. But even if it wasn’t, it would probably be my favorite park. Central Park is full of meandering pathways, so it’s easy to get lost (not necessarily a bad thing), but Riverside has a single path that stretches straight up/down vertically so you can walk with directional clarity. Which is not to say that there’s only one path in the park. Riverside Park is quite large and full of mini landmarks, so there’s plenty of secret nooks to discover. And best of all, because it isn’t as famous as some of the city’s other parks, the foot traffic is always light enough to allow for a calm stroll.

Nom on (many) fall-themed desserts.

This one really deserves its own post. New York City is a dessert lover’s paradise, so I will be doing my fair share of nomming on everything pumpkin, pecan, apple, and cinnamon. When I do, I will make sure to report back with my favorite finds. But in the meantime, here are a few fall dessert gems to kick off your own dessertfest:

1. Doughnut Plant‘s pumpkin with spiced pepitas, pumpkin spice chai, and apple cider doughnuts.
2. Butter Lane‘s pumpkin and apple spice frosting shots.
3. Dominique Ansel‘s Pumpkin Pom Pom.

Pick some apples.

Ok, ok, this one isn’t quite in New York City, but there are so many apple farms near New York City, I thought I’d throw it in.

I recently came home with half a bushel of succulent self-picked Golden Delicious apples from Fishkill Farms. Fishkill Farms is a 1.5 hour drive north of New York City but definitely worth the drive. The farm is lovely, wide, and open, so you can easily find a quiet quadrant of trees to pluck some apples from. Additionally, the farm has a general store of sorts which sells a myriad of homegrown and local food products. The apple cider doughnuts were killer!

You can read more/watch a vlog about my time at Fishkill Farms here.

Go horseback riding.

There was a time when you could go horseback riding in Central Park. But even though Central Park is no longer an equestrian-friendly zone doesn’t mean you have to leave the 5 boroughs of NYC to go horseback riding through golden trees. There are horseback riding trails in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Queens’ Forest Park, and other parks in the Bronx and Staten Island. For more information, including where to find the stables, click here.

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