Many people would say that New York City is one of the best cities in the world; millions of people call it home and thousands of people are willing to spend hours on a flight just to enjoy a long weekend in the Big Apple. Although it’s a beautiful destination for many, it isn’t always the best place when the weather starts to warm up.
It’s not uncommon for New York City to see temperatures of around 86°F (30°C) in the Summer, which can make it extremely sticky and humid – especially if you’re spending a lot of your time on the subway or other methods of public transport. With recent air quality concerns and global warming making the summers here even more extreme, here are some tips on how you can survive your first NYC heatwave.
1. Discover Some New At-Home Hobbies
Just because you’re in the Big Apple, doesn’t mean that you have to be out exploring every day. It’s fine to take a day to spend inside cooling off rather than getting sweaty amongst all the crowds, just make sure you’ve got a fun hobby to keep you occupied. Luckily, even if you don’t have access to a desktop computer or laptop, you can play a lot of online games on your phone. If you want to keep your mind agile and play a fun strategy game, there are lots of options for you.
If playing games isn’t your thing, you could also use your time indoors to read some of the newest book launches – extra points if you read a book based in NYC. This is a great way to learn more about the city you’ll be exploring and can help you come up with some more ideas about what you can do during your trip.
2. Stick To Air-Conditioned Spaces
If the temperatures are rapidly rising, it probably isn’t the time for you to walk from the top of Manhattan to the bottom as you’ll end up getting extremely tired and dehydrated under the blaring sun. We’d recommend coming up with a walking route around the city where you can stop off at various air-conditioned spaces on your way.
New Yorkers know that the city can get hot in the summer, so you won’t be short of places to keep cool. Start your day at an air-conditioned coffee spot to get an iced coffee and a light breakfast to fuel the rest of your day. Then make your way through the various air-conditioned shops that you can go in and out of for some escape from the heat.
There are also plenty of indoor activities that you can plan your trip around, some of the best museums in NYC are perfectly air-conditioned in the summer. Soak up some of the cultures from the world’s best artists and creatives while you seek some relief from the outside world.
3. Dress For The Weather
If you’ve looked at the weather in advance of your trip, you’ve probably got a good idea of how hot or cool it’s going to be. If you’ve seen that the temperatures are going to be reaching the peak of 86°F (30°C), make sure you’re packing the appropriate clothes to wear in this weather.
Dressing for heatwaves is all about wearing minimal layers and light, flowing fabrics that won’t leave you feeling suffocated and sweaty after a few minutes outside. Think long breathable skirts, lots of linen, and comfortable sandals that will help you feel cool when you’re walking through SOHO or sitting in one of the city’s many parks.
Although you may want to recreate some of the fashionable street styles looks you’ve seen online, it’s always better to be dressed weather-appropriate than feel hot and sticky in a stylish outfit.
4. Always Be Prepared
If you do want to make the most of your time in the city, there are various things that you can do to make sure you can enjoy the day without getting heatstroke or sunburn. Firstly, you need to pack ahead some of the usual hot weather essentials like a hat, sunglasses, and plenty of sunscreens to use throughout the day.
Make sure to fill up a bottle of cool water to keep in your bag and sip on throughout the day, the hot temperatures mean that you can get dehydrated very quickly. You also might want to bring some snacks in your bag – feeling hungry in the heat is really not very fun and could end up bringing your day to a close earlier than you’d like.
Surviving a New York City heatwave may seem like a struggle, but if you follow all of our tips you’ll be able to keep cool and still enjoy the city to its fullest.