Have you made your Labor Day weekend plans yet? Stay in the city where you can relax, eat the best meals, and enjoy sightseeing that everyone loves. A NYC Staycation is the best kind and we have some suggestions that can put the finishing touches on your summer.
NYC is best for sightseeing:
Circle Line is for tourists and New York City locals who are ready to enjoy iconic sightseeing cruises. For thrill seekers and water lovers who are looking for a fun-filled experience, The Beast is a jet-powered thrill ride for guests to see NYC views in a unique way. The roller-coaster-like speedboat attraction brings guests soaring down the Hudson River from Pier 83 to the Statue of Liberty making wild twists and turns along the way for tons of splashy action.
On Location Tours is an award-winning TV and movie-themed bus and walking tour company, with tours operating in NYC, Boston, and newly launching in Chicago. All of the tours feature filming locations from various series and films, such as Sex and the City, Friends, The Sopranos, Gossip Girl, and more. Some iconic locations include the Friends apartment building, the Ghostbusters firehouse, Carrie Bradshaw's brownstone, the Metropolitan Museum of Art steps, and more! All tour guides are local actors and actresses, who share behind-the-scenes info and fun trivia throughout the tour. Take 20% off any public tour using promo code LABORDAY upon checkout.
Plan your meals for the weekend:
Loreley Beer Garden has brunch, frozen drinks and Margarita Beach Club all Labor Day weekend. The Labor Day Brunch 12pm-4pm Friday 9/2 - Monday 9/5 is best enjoyed in their Insta-ready outdoor garden, currently transformed into a beach haven with a tropical plant and floral wall, large tent to keep things cool and a lifeguard tower from Montauk Brewery perfect for a beachy photo-op or the outdoor patio that has been converted into beach cabanas with white drapes and teal and white striped bench cushions. Brunch will feature Eggs Benedict on crispy house potato pancakes; Eggs Royale with smoked salmon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce over potato pancakes; Chicken Schnitzel & Waffles;Buttermilk Pancakes with fresh berries, baked-to-order Cinnamon Rolls drizzled with cream cheese icing, and more. To go with brunch, there will be no shortage of margaritas that include Margarita on Draft for the perfect thirst quencher, Mango Habanero, Coconut, and Pineapple Margaritas, and a selection of 10 tequilas and mezcals to choose from for a custom Margarita. Their signature Frozen Margaritas will be half off from 5pm-10pm. Guests can also enjoy the Unicorn Frozen Margarita, an Ocean Blue Frozen Margarita with pineapple wedge, cherry and umbrella served in an inflatable Unicorn that guests get to keep as a summer souvenir or the Frosé Flamingo a large frosé made with vodka, rose and strawberry puree and served in an inflatable pink flamingo also to keep.
ICHIRAN: ICHIRAN is one of New York City's top dining destinations when it comes to ramen. The restaurant provides solo dining booths for those who may not be gathering with family and friends, however, for those celebrating the long weekend in a group, these partitions can be removed for guests to enjoy the company of loved ones. ICHIRAN's classic Tonkotsu broth is created with the purest filtered water and pork bones, which normally produce a stronger aroma, but using specific technology and extraction methods, this scent has been eliminated. The broth is rich in natural collagen and ICHIRAN is the first ramen company to use Trans Fat free natural oil. The family-owned business started as a simple ramen stall in 1960 and created the Five Original ICHIRAN principles which are: Original Spicy Red Sauce, aromatic Tonkotsu broth, solo dining booths, order forms and the Kae-Dama ordering system. The Hakata-style homemade thin noodles are prepared daily factoring in the humidity and temperature that day at ICHIRAN's Brooklyn Factory. With locations in Times Square, Midtown, and Brooklyn, ICHIRAN will be open on Labor Day Weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm - 9 pm and on Monday from 12 pm - 8 pm at their Times Square and Midtown locations, and at their Brooklyn location, they will be open Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm - 9:30 pm and on Monday from 2 pm - 9:30 pm, with their menu available for both takeout and delivery.
Side Door, the popular Midtown gastropub on 151 E. 57th Street, will serve its regular Eastern European accented lunch and dinner menus on Labor Day. They run an intriguing culinary gamut from wings and burgers to flatbreads, house made sausages and roasted chicken to pork schnitzel and pierogi. One of the city's longest happy hours, a whopping eight-an-a-half hours, starting at 11:30 a.m. and going straight through until 8 p.m. will be in play as it is every Monday through Friday. (Happy Hour food specials run from 5 to 8 p.m.) Some of Side Door's eight TVs will be glued to the U.S. Open for tennis fans.
Simply Skirt Steak, an Argentinian pop-up, created to celebrate Rainhas Churrascaria's 10- year anniversary, is located on Rainhas Churrascaria's premise in Corona, Queens where they transformed part of their large private parking lot into a resort like oasis. At a more price conscious $29.95 per person, Simply Skirt Steak offers its tasty Skirt Steak Platter which includes as a starter Caesar salad made with baby romaine and signature Caesar dressing and a side of homemade cheese bread and then finishes with a juicy and tender 6-ounce skirt steak with fresh chimichurri sauce accompanied with hand-cut French fries from Idaho potatoes fried in peanut oil. Simply Skirt Steak offers an extensive beverage program that includes Specialty Cocktails and offers wines by the glass and by the bottle, as well as beers by the bottle. The outdoor dining space is expansive, featuring table seating generously shaded by umbrellas that provide coverage from the summer sun and live plants, as well as a tented lounge with outdoor couches, a miniature putting green, and games like Jenga and Cornhole. Lively music and an outdoor bar complete the resort-like vibe. The pop-up will be open on the long weekend for dinner on Saturday from 5 pm - 12 am, and then on Sunday and Monday from 5 pm - 10 pm.
WoodSpoon: For those wanting to try a new dining experience, WoodSpoon has put together a network of home chefs and made their dreams come true: "I can work from my home kitchen and share my homeland's cuisine that I love with fellow New Yorkers." WoodSpoon's user-friendly service offering cuisines from around the globe, can be accessed directly via their proprietary application or website, sorts by location providing customers with hyper-local options, which allows chefs to build a following within their communities. Customers have the option to schedule an order, order on demand, or place catering and family style orders. WoodSpoon is offering a discount of 20% when using the promo code "laborws" at checkout.
This Labor Day weekend, take a trip to the Bronx to bask in the vibe of the Caribbean at Chocobar Cortés located on 141 Alexander Avenue. While sitting in the brightly colored, yet warm and welcoming atmosphere, you can enjoy some of the restaurant's most popular dishes - such as the Chocoburger (8oz grass-fed beef with sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion on a brioche bun, served with curly fries and our chocolate ketchup), the Mallorca Iberica (serrano ham, Manchego and guava butter), the Chalupitas de Mofongo (roasted pork, pineapple pico de gallo, guacamole with chocolate, mole sauce and chocolate hot sauce) and, of course, their signature Chocolate Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Beverages include their Choco Martini, Chocolate Old Fashioned, and their famous hot chocolate with cheese, or choco frio (frozen hot chocolate), made with their well-known Chocolate Cortés. Labor Day Weekend Hours are Saturday noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 7 p.m. and Monday noon until 8 p.m.
Spend the last weekend of summer at the Serafina Rooftop (400 W. 42nd Street). In addition to enjoying some of Serafina's classic dishes, such as the Cacio e Pepe, Pizza Margherita, Oven Roasted Chicken Cartoccio, Sirloin Steak and more, guest will enjoy breathtaking views from an L-shaped rooftop lined with cozy sofas, high-top and low-top dining tables with wicker chairs, flowers, greenery and a full-service bar. The cocktail program features The Kiss (Stoli vodka, elderflower, raspberries, prosecco float), V is for Vittorio (jalapeno-infused tequila, agave, lime, cucumber and tajin) as well as Rum Punch and Mango Sangria. What sets this location apart from other Serafina restaurants - in addition to it being the only one with a rooftop - is the clubby vibe in the seductive 50-seat lounge with crystal chandeliers, vaulted, decorative ceiling, inviting deep, green-colored velvet sofas and upholstered chairs, rich rust-colored ottomans and cocktail tables. Large floral arrangements of white roses line the walls. Serafina Rooftop is open Labor Day Weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Parma Nuova is a new, casual fine dining Italian restaurant from Owner Manager Giorgio Manzio, who has partnered with La Masseria Group, Giuseppe "Peppe" Iuele, Vincenzo "Enzo" Ruggiero and Executive Chef Giuseppe "Pino" Coladonato of La Masseria Group. Together, they have taken over the space of Parma an Upper East Side stalwart that opened in 1977. Parma Nuova, meaning the new Parma, will retain the trademark fine dining quality service of La Masseria with a focus on the flavors of Parma, Italy in a more relaxed environment. Rather than recreate the original Parma, Giorgio has chosen to use flavors that emphasize staples from the city of Parma in a modern interpretation using local staples like Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, and handmade pasta. To complement the cuisine, the restaurant has an extensive wine program with more than 400 different labels, with approximately 90 percent of the catalog coming from Italy and the other 10 percent from around the world. On Labor Day Weekend, Parma Nuova will be open for dinner on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 5 pm - 10 pm. Diners can enjoy also enjoy favorite menu items via takeout and delivery.
Masseria dei Vini, the second Manhattan restaurant from La Masseria Group, is named for the pugliese word for fortified farmhouses that also serve as hotels or restaurants that use only farm fresh ingredients to create classic Italian dishes. The 9th Avenue restaurant is a more contemporary take on its predecessor and features daily crudos, a large selection of house made pasta, traditional dishes from Puglia, where Executive Chef Pino Coladonato was born, and a large selection of wines mainly from Italy. The restaurant will be open on Labor Day Weekend the Saturday from 12 pm - 12 am, and Sunday and Monday from 12 pm - 10 pm with their menu available for takeout and delivery.
Great places for your overnight:
Moxy Times Square offers an energetic alternative to the typical hotel experience in the city that never sleeps. The hotel proves that affordability doesn't mean sacrificing style or comfort. It's for those who want a hotel to be a fun and coherent experience, not a sequence of formalized rituals. Moxy offers clever design, a buzzing atmosphere, co-working spaces, fast and furiously free Wi-Fi, and free access to streaming apps. Four dining venues by Tao Group Hospitality include the largest all-season indoor / outdoor hotel rooftop lounge in New York City - featuring an "urban amusement park" concept and epic skyline views. Moxy Times Square has an innovative design and a playful soul-at rates that make it accessible to all. Located just south of Times Square, Moxy finds itself at the epicenter of New York City's distinctive electricity - where uptown and downtown converge.
The Concorde Hotel New York and BonSaii Café and Tapas Bar: The Concorde Hotel New York is a four-star boutique luxury hotel located in the Park Avenue Plaza district. The intimate, modern structure recently underwent an extensive transformation of its 122 minimalistic rooms, elegant lobby and expansive use of public space. The building's architectural captures the brilliancy of natural light that enters the rooms and takes advantage of the exceptional North-South perspective, capitalizing on the glittering panoramic views of the New York City skyline. The design creates a Zen-like encounter with all rooms being light and airy, minimally decorated with furniture that appears to be floating, and some of the most spacious bathrooms available in Manhattan hotels. Each floor houses a maximum of four guest rooms granting near private access to the rooms, with a residential feel. From the 5th to the 14th floor, each has one front facing suite including the Terrace One Bedroom Suite on the 10th floor, which offers sweeping views of the city. Inside the Concorde Hotel's lobby is BonSaii Café and Tapas Bar, serving breakfast and lunch that transforms into a tapas and wine bar at 5pm. In the vicinity of the hotel is the world-renowned 5th Avenue Shopping district, Central Park and Park Avenue corporate offices making the Concorde Hotel New York a destination for a wide variety of travelers; from diplomats and business executives, to shoppers, families, and those who want to have a true New York experience. The hotel has been a favorite among luxury brand executives such as Rolex and Sotheby's auction clientele, as well as designers participating in New York Fashion Week.
Photo Credit: Freeimages
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