Lonely Planet Names 10 Essential New York Fall Activities, From Central Park to Green-Wood Cemetery
In the September 2026 edition, Chamidae Ford from Lonely Planet highlights ten top autumn activities across New York City's five boroughs. Noteworthy mentions include the vibrant foliage of Central Park, the New York City Marathon scheduled for November 1, and the historic Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden in Astoria, which dates back to 1910. Storm King Art Center, established in 1960, boasts over 100 sculptures. For nightlife, options like Ornithology Jazz Club, Monkey Bar, and Tiny's & The Bar Upstairs are available. Circle Line's Oktoberfest cruise operates on weekends from late September through mid-November. The Met Cloisters, focused on medieval art, offers joint tickets with the Met. Flushing presents Happy Lamb and Chongqing Lao Zao for Mongolian hot pot and Sichuan broths, while Rockaway Beach features Tacoway Beach and seasonal events at the Rockaway Hotel. Green-Wood Cemetery, founded in 1838, showcases 7,000 trees along its paths.
Key facts
- Lonely Planet published the roundup in September 2026, compiled by Brooklyn-based digital editor Chamidae Ford from staff picks
- The New York City Marathon runs Sunday, November 1, with the men's professional wheelchair division starting at 8 a.m.
- Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden in Astoria was built in 1910, with its outdoor bar and garden finished in 1919, and once numbered among more than 800 city beer gardens
- Storm King Art Center was founded in 1960 by Ralph E. Ogden and H. Peter Stern and spans about 500 acres with more than 100 large-scale sculptures
- Ornithology Jazz Club opened in Bushwick in 2021, founded by Rie Yamaguchi-Borden and Mitchell Borden, who had previously founded Smalls and Fat Cat
- Circle Line's Oktoberfest cruise travels 50 miles up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain State Park, departing Pier 83 on weekends from late September to mid-November
- The Met Cloisters, built in the 1930s, is the only US museum dedicated to medieval art, and its ticket also admits visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Green-Wood Cemetery, founded in 1838, holds 7,000 trees and was once the second most-visited location in the country after Niagara Falls
Entities
Artists
- Chamidae Ford
- Ann Douglas Lott
- Aqsa Shahzadi
- Ralph E. Ogden
- H. Peter Stern
- Alexander Calder
- Isamu Noguchi
- Andy Goldsworthy
- Rie Yamaguchi-Borden
- Mitchell Borden
- Ed Sorel
- Frank Sinatra
- Dorothy Parker
- Ana Abramcyk
- Matt Abramcyk
- Jack Abramcyk
- Andrew Field
Institutions
- Lonely Planet
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Cantor Roof Garden Bar
- New York City Marathon
- Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden
- Bohemian Citizens' Benevolent Society
- Storm King Art Center
- Dia Beacon
- Melzingah Tap House
- Ornithology Jazz Club
- Smalls
- Fat Cat
- Monkey Bar
- Hotel Elysée
- Tiny's & The Bar Upstairs
- City Cruises
- Classic Harbor Line
- Circle Line
- The Met Cloisters
- Happy Lamb
- Chongqing Lao Zao
- Tacoway Beach
- Rockaway Beach Surf Club
- The Rockaway Hotel
- Green-Wood Cemetery
- Slimák
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Brooklyn
- Queens
- Manhattan
- Central Park
- Bethesda Terrace
- the Ramble
- Astoria
- Hudson Valley
- Beacon
- Bushwick
- Midtown East
- Tribeca
- Hudson River
- Bear Mountain State Park
- Pier 83
- George Washington Bridge
- Mario Cuomo Bridge
- Fort Tryon Park
- Flushing
- Rockaway Beach
- Beach 86
- Green-Wood Cemetery
- Niagara Falls
Sources
- Quartz —