Heat and humidity getting you down? Short of parking yourself on top of a block of ice, here’s how to beat the heat at NYC parks, outdoor pools and beaches, for FREE, and stay cool without heating up your budget.
Where to find spray showers in NYC Parks
In general, spray showers operate on days when the temperature hits 80 degrees or higher, so you can cool down while having a blast.
This NYC Dept of Parks link lets you search for spray showers by borough or zip code.
Free NYC outdoor pools in Manhattan
Free NYC outdoor pools in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island
Best NYC beaches by subway
Free kayaking and rowing on NYC rivers
Take the ferry to the beach
Seastreak travels from the East Side to Sandy Hook daily.
- Fares are $28 one way, $47 round-trip, $5 for a bike. Kids to age 12 go free on weekdays, and on weekends kids 5-12 are $11.
- The fare includes shuttles to the beach, which has lifeguards.
NYC Waterfront parks with cool breezes:
NYC Cooling Centers
FREE air conditioned cooling centers are open in all five boroughs for those who do not have air conditioning or adequate fans or ventilation.
Find a cooling centers in all five boroughs
Cooling centers include libraries, community centers, senior centers and NYCHA facilities all can be used as potential cooling centers, including wheelchair accessible locations.
Call 311 or visit the NYC Cooling Center Finder at NYC.gov/beattheheat
NYC Heat Wave history
It’s officially a heat wave when the temperature reaches at least 90 degrees for three consecutive days.
Between 1876 and 2011, there were 263 heat waves in New York City, according to the National Weather Service.
New York City’s longest heat wave lasted 12 days. It started on Aug. 24, 1953, and ended on Sept. 4.
Temperatures reached 100 degrees, and then 102 degrees, before waning. On six of those days, the temperature was 98 degrees or higher.
Here’s the National Weather Service page for all NYC heat waves on record.
This article was first posted on NYC on the Cheap in 2016 and is updated annually.
Photo courtesy LA Times
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