So freedom is a funny thing right now, isn’t it. We don’t have the freedom to gather together, to leave our homes without covering our faces, to return from 16 states that we might want to visit, to hug, to share secrets, to relax and spend time with our friends.

But there is still a reason and plenty of ways to celebrate our freedom, and how far we’ve come as a city during this pandemic. Show your PRIDE this weekend and celebrate safely with friends. Join one of these marches and feel the necessary, hopeful change that these demonstrations are bringing. And find ways to safely appreciate living in this amazing place, by staying here or getting safely out of town, below.

Celebrate in the City, Carefully

Spend the Days (finally) at Nowadays

Because until the days finally arrive when dance parties are a thing again, let’s all spend our nowadays together by congregating safely in the massive, magical backyard with our friends at Nowadays. They’ll have music and food trucks and cocktails and human beings staying apart but feeling together. Reserve your spot right here and let’s get through these days in the best ways we know how (for now)

Stop Hearing No’s with House of Yes

Because we’ve all been hearing a lot of “no’s” lately, come celebrate the (partial) reopening of House of Yes this weekend! Yes, they’ll have seating outside! Yes, there will be music! Yes, you’ll get live performances! Yes, (as always) expect the unexpected! And… no, there will be no sweaty, crowded indoor dance parties there yet… but YES, let’s all remember the good times until we can crowd together again. Reserve a spot HERE.

Party (safely!) on the Rooftop at Elsewhere

Because there aren’t really many other places we can go, head elsewhere to Brooklyn’s best rooftop where you’ll have to remain distanced (I know, I know… sucks but do it so we don’t end up like Florida) but they will be pumping out the amazing tunes you’ve come to expect from this multi-tiered party Mecca, and we can all jive together in our seats and feel better about feeling almost normal. Plus, fireworks! Reserve your spot here right now.

Dinner and a Romantic Stroll, with fireworks

Le Fanfare and the new waterfront park just 3 blocks from it want you to #savethedates and have a very romantic dinner in their charming backyard. Because let’s be honest- this whole parking-space dining thing is fine but not very intimate. Call ahead to make sure a table is available and then wine and dine and walk it all off together along the water. And yes, there will be fireworks. If not from the city then from its inhabitants that are taking it upon themselves to light things up, nightly.

Join the Good Room 3 Day Virtual Party

Whether you are partying with your quarantine partner or having people over, tune into Good Room’s 3-day virtual party, all to help Good Room staff and some of the amazing artists they support. Tune in here and turn it up, give that disco ball a spin and make a good party even better.

Make Some Sneaky Cocktails

Are you entertaining (safely) this weekend? Impress your guests with these amazing Summer cocktail recipes, from the Sneaky Spirit Social Club (in collaboration with our bubbly friends at Topo Chico!)

Want to learn more? Join Us for a Custom Cocktail Class via the Sneaky Spirit Social Club. Learn more here. 

Get Out of Town

Camp and Swim at Harriman State Park

Because why choose between the mountains and the beach when you an have both? Within an 1.5 hour drive of the city, Harriman State Park has ample camping without too much hiking to access it, plus this amazing beach area with grills too. Get there EARLY early to claim a spot and grill at the beach. Worry about pitching the tent later. Info here.

Bike and Swim at Shirley Chisholm Park

Bike around (you can bring yours or rent one of theirs!) have a cookout on a private(ish) beach area, and feel miles away from the city in this amazing and still fairly undiscovered park. Oh, and just forget all about the whole biggest-landfill-in-the-US part. Really, forget about it. After 60 years of cleaning and stabilizing and endlessly monitoring the land and water around it, this might be one of the safest places in the nearby area to enjoy nature. Info here.

Camp in a Teepee in Cape May

Yeah. I mean, they’re likely all booked up this weekend but sometimes there’s a gap between stays… but at least now you know this is a thing- teepee with AC’s on a campground with tons of activities in a charming little beach town that’s just 2.5 hours from the city. Book now. Or, just channel your inner Native American and burn someone out of their teepee and claim it as yours. (I don’t actually mean this.)

Camp on Governor’s Island

Yep, you can glamp on Governor’s Island. Which, yes, is a little pricey but given the fact that most fun things in the city aren’t available right now, they’re taking every precaution to keep you safe and distanced while having a community experience and being able to roam the island virtually free of tourists. Reserve your fancy-ass tent here.

Mountain Creek Water Park and a stay at the Quality Inn

Water Parks in New Jersey are open and mega-chlorinated. So find yourself a waterproof mask (that isn’t a joke, and it isn’t all that hard to find) and keep your distance from the limited number of other thrill-seekers that they are admitting daily- tickets available here. Get yourself a room at the nearby Quality Inn (just $84/night!) so you can partake in the provisions at the bar at the park. Because nothing goes better with chlorinated water than a little risky-whisky.

Book a Bungalow and Explore the Delaware Beaches

Head to this amazing Airbnb, and experience the hidden beaches (that DO exist!) to avoid the crowds in Delaware. We rented a pontoon boat for the day from Dewey Beach Water Sports to keep ourselves distanced and free from judgement from the obscene amount of White Claws we were all consuming. Check their availability here and book your stay.

Brooklyn Barge, Greenpoint. 

The Diamond, Greenpoint.  

i can’t deny that 4th of july makes me a bit nostalgic for home. long hot nights and backyard barbecues, tubing down the james river and taking in all of the beauty of a virginia summer. and well, the diamond is pretty much as close as you can get to all of that magic. tuesday they’ll be hosting a little ‘cue on the backyard with grillmaster nicole cooking up some burgers and dogs and (maybe!) some chickens. oh yeah, and you know they have the best beer selection in town. and the best bartenders in the whole world. and, that gondola. they open at 5pm. 43 franklin ave. 

Berry Park, Williamsburg. 

Midnights, Williamsburg. 

 

Host your own Fourth of July Cookout at the waterfront- here’s how!

buy america bandanas at Cato’s Army & Navy in Greenpoint (654 manhattan ave) for your whole tribe. you need to look like a team out there, and who knows if these cookouts will be supplying napkins. and beer drinking can be inhibited by sweat burning your eyes. just trust me, get one. and then you can join my tribe.

buy meats at meat hook. all of the meats. and charcoals. and a styrofoam cooler from 711, who make the best styrofoam coolers in the biz. (sorry, deblasio!) fill aforementioned cooler with brooklyn summer ales and rose.

elect someone to supply the bluetooth speaker.

<3L.