7. Summer Streets

Summer Streets an annual closing off of almost seven miles of streets to traffic for pedestrian use, has become a New York City summertime favorite. This year, the area around Park Avenue from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park will open up to free use for walking, biking, playing, or any other creative forms of exercise for the first three Saturdays of August from 7 am to 1 pm.

The event this month will also feature a multitude of public art installations, activities, and events, like a rock climbing wall, a zipline, fitness classes, and workshops. The celebration is the work of New York’s Department of Transportation, and is modeled on other public outdoor gatherings from around the world.