Things to Do on an Easter Break to New York

“A long Easter weekend is a great time to visit New York – spring is well underway, rooftops are open for business and the city’s many green spaces are more, how shall we put it, themselves. It’s still also shoulder season, meaning prices that can be more affordable than in high summer. Here’s what to do on an Easter break to New York.

Enjoy the Pageantry of the Easter Bonnet Festival
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Easter has been marked in New York City since the 1880s, and it remains a lively festival over each Easter weekend. The Easter Bonnet Festival is an unofficial parade down Fifth Avenue – expect to see people decked out in all sorts of costumes, haute couture and, of course, 19th century-style bonnets. Many locals even dress up their pets in costume for the occasion.

Attend Sunday Service at St Patrick’s Cathedral
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Whether or not you’re religious, an Easter service at St Patrick’s Cathedral is a wonderful way to commemorate the holiday’s spiritual origins. The cathedral, which is located on Fifth Avenue – where the Bonnet Festival is held – has been celebrating Easter since the Civil War era.

Several mass services are held on Easter Sunday, when 2,500 people at a time crowd into the lofty church. If this sounds like an experience you’re up for, you’ll need to queue for tickets at the cathedral on the day – so arrive early.

© 2009 Steve Kelley, Saint Patrick’s Cathredal in New York City. HDR 9 exposures (Photomatix 3.1) – By Steve Kelley – originally posted to Flickr as midnight mass, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5774295

Linger Over a Long Brunch
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An Easter break to New York wouldn’t be complete without a long, lazy mid-morning meal in the spiritual home of brunch. There seems to be constant disagreement about the best places to have brunch in New York, but you won’t go wrong hitting up a classic like Russ & Daughters Cafe on the Lower East Side, perennial favourite Five Leaves in Greenpoint or, if you fancy branching out, Chinatown stalwart Jing Fong. Staying for more than the weekend? Williamsburg’s Sunday in Brooklyn serves brunch every day of the week.

Stop and Smell the Roses at a Flower Shop
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The Big Apple is absolutely brimming with florists, and what better way to spend time during your Easter break to New York than literally stopping to smell the roses. Check out Putnam & Putnam, an elegant, minimalist, design-forward floral showroom, and Flower Girl NYC, a rustic little shop that bursts with blooms and offers accompanying gifts like candles and incense. It also offers seasonal flower-arranging classes, as well as guided walks through some of New York City’s markets to buy flower supplies.

Take Your Family on an Easter Egg Hunt
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If you’ve got younger travellers in tow for your Easter break to New York, consider incorporating an Easter egg hunt into the itinerary. Many are held all over the city, from small shops to climbing walls to city parks, usually accompanied by street food, live music and an appearance by the Easter Bunny. This is a great excuse to take the ferry out to Staten Island for Spring in Richmond Town, an Easter-weekend carnival with egg hunts, maypole dances and food trucks.

Stroll Around the New York Botanical Garden
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Spring is the best time to visit the New York Botanical Garden, when its wealth of flowers and blossoms are just coming into bloom.

In some years, Easter coincides with the annual Orchid Show, when the gardens are overtaken by an explosion of the towering flowers. You can also stop through the garden’s Edible Academy, which offers classes and informal lectures on organic gardening.

Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx, New York City. – By King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40120992Go Shopping at an Outdoor Market
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In good weather, Easter weekend is the perfect time to get out and explore New York’s amazing line-up of farmers’ and craft markets. Grand Bazaar NYC is one of New York’s largest markets, with hundreds of vendors selling antiques, vintage items, local arts and crafts and food.

Union Square Greenmarket has more of a focus on gourmet foods, while the 67th Street Flea & Farmers’ Market has a little bit of everything and is a particularly good place to scout for jewellery and accessories.

Explore Coney Island on Opening Weekend
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Coney Island typically opens over Easter weekend every year, infusing New York with the hope of a bright summer ahead. Amusements and arcades jangle to life, rollercoasters whoosh with screaming thrill-seekers aboard, and the unmistakable scent of deep-fried food wafts through the air.

_Coney Island as seen from the pier in June 2016 – By MusikAnimal – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54678675_Find somewhere to stay by checking out our hotels in New York.

#### Photo Credits

Cover pic. Dumbo – Credit:Imagebox/TM”