2010 Concierge Choice Awards WInner

The NY See It All! Tour from OnBoard Tours has been the highest rated bus tour in NYC for the past three years on both TripAdvisor.com and Viator Tours. OnBoard New York is proud to be a 2010 Concierge Choice Awards Winner. Our NY See It All! Tour is the best way to see all New York City's best attractions. This NYC Tour combines a bus tour, a yacht cruise, and short guided walks to see the attractions up close. Your tour guide will hop off with you at each stop, so it's great for kids and adults of all ages. The NY See It All! Tour is extremely popular, and routinely sells out. Please book early if you plan to take this tour. Click the link below to reserve your seats.

Steampunk Haunted House

(October 23- October 31, 2010; Abrons Art Center at the Henry Street Settlement; 466 Grand Street (Grand/Pitt); $10–$25; for more information, visit www.thirdrailprojects.com)
The Steampunk Haunted House is a created by award winning performers Third Rail Projects and features a haunted creation with punk aesthetics in a mod setting. For more information, visit www.thirdrailprojects.com.

Fashion Institute of Technology Fashion Talks

(October 21 – November 18, 2010; Fashion Institute of Technology, Katie Murphy Amphitheatre; Seventh Ave at 27th St; Free; for more information, visit www.fitnyc.edu)
The Fashion Institute of Technology is hosting two wonderful events that will showcase some of fashion’s hottest insiders. British designer Matthew Williamson will be featured in a panel discussion with FIT’s director Patricia Mears and Harpar’s Bazaar’s Laura Brown. In November, fashion director and senior vice president of Barney’s New York, Julie Gilhard will be providing visitors will a lecture on how to make a distinct impression on the fashion world. To get more information on these great discussions visit www.fitnyc.edu.

NYC August Events

Bryant Park Movie Festivals
Tired of fighting movie theater crowds? Bring your date down to Bryant Park on Monday night now through August to enjoy a free film on the lawn. Spread out a blanket and uncork a nice bottle of vino from 8p.m.-10:30p.m. and enjoy classics like Goldfinger, The Goodbye Girl and Rosemary’s Baby. For more information and a movie schedule, check out www.bryantpark.org.

New York International Fringe Festival
(fringenyc.org)
The New York International Fringe Festival is an exciting time for New Yorkers and tourists alike to enjoy huge performances in music, comedy and acting. The festival boasts a surplus of 1,000 performances from all over the world. Join the parade of events which span a period of two weeks for these great shows. Visitors can also purchase a multi-day pass to spend the entire day soaking in the amazing atmosphere.

New York Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
(Flushing Meadows–Corona Park; www.hkdbf-ny.org)
The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is a celebration of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. This year is no exception to the amazing dragon boat show that takes place on Meadow Lake where more than 100 boats compete alongside one another. Stop by with friends and family to enjoy Chinese arts, crafts, dance, cuisine and more.

Lincoln Center Out of Doors
(lincolncenter.org)
“Out of Doors” at The Lincoln Center is an outdoor dance and music festival in Damrosch Park. Take friends or family to watch riveting performances from talents like Centrifugal Force, Asphalt Symphony and more. The festival will be running from July 28th- August 15th so come by for the free shows.

Summer Streets
(www.nyc.gov)
There is hardly a time when New York City is known for a quiet, peaceful environment but during Summer Streets from 7a.m. to 1p.m. on August 7th, 14th, and 21st, the city will be consumed with sounds of dancing, strolling and bicycle rides. This year’s third annual Summer Streets is being sponsored by NYC Dot who will be closing off the infamous Park Avenue for three consecutive Saturday mornings in August. Be sure and stop by to enjoy the fresh air void of honking and car accelerators for a few hours.

Enjoy Before Summer's Over

Swell
(July 1- August 6, 2010; Nyehaus; 358 W. 20th St. at 9th Ave.; Manhattan, NY 10011)
The beautiful seacoast life has long been an inspiration to artistic impressionists everywhere. Metro Pictures, Nyehaus and The Freidrick Petzel Gallery are showcasing the amazing talents of artists that connect their love of the coastal waters with their lives and artwork. The works hail from both coasts and feature artists who created some of the first Surf art in Venice Beach. Be sure and check out this amazing exhibit now through August 6th. For more information, visitnyehaus.com.

Summer Nights at El Museo
(Every Thursday evening in July)
New York City’s El Museo del Barrio, the haven of Latino art, is presenting Thursday night concerts which feature various artists and musicians whose backgrounds range in geographical locations from Cuba to Venezuela and more. Reserve a space for these free performances or view more information at www.elmuseo.org.

Lincoln Center Festival
(July 7–25, 2010)
The Lincoln Center Festival’s astounding forty-five performances attract a fair amount of attention and this Summer’s shows are about to come to an end so take advantage of the amazing theatrical, musical and dance concerts that are still to come. This year, the festival will include artists from over 12 countries worldwide. For more information, see www.lincolncenter.org.

Broadway in Bryant Park
(July 8–August 12)
If lunchtime is the only hour you can spare from your busy schedule to enjoy the quickly passing summer days, then stop by Bryant Park during midday for hour long performances on the lawn for shortened Broadway shows. Pack your lunch and head to Bryant Park for these midday, hour-long performances featuring some of Broadway’s most popular shows. For more information, check out www.bryantpark.org.

OnBoard Tours NYC by Night Itinerary

One of the best ways to tour The Big City is under the stealthy cover of the night which allows careful avoiding of the massive crowds of tourists. Why not plan an evening tour of NYC where visitors can bask in the glory of the bright city lights, cool breeze and the amazing nightlife that New York City is renowned for? Try out some infamous restaurants with amazing dinner menus including the likes of Serendipity, Balthazar or Mario Battali’s eateries Lupa or Babbo.

Take a nighttime stroll through Central Park for The American Museum of Natural History’s Evening Bar Walks where bat experts will point out various species of bats present in the park. (American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St.; www.amnh.org; Fri 16, July 23, 30 8:30–9:30pm; $30). Afterwards, join The Amateur Astronomer’s Association to gaze at the beautiful stars and planets through advanced telescopes in the High Line. (The High Line at 10thAve. & 14th St.; Tuesdays now through October, 8:30p.m.–10p.m.; free; www.thehighline.org). Another great nighttime activity is joining Time Up sponsored Moonlight Rides in Central and Prospect Park where visitors can enjoy the scenic natural beauty of the parks without the distraction of daytime crowds. (Central Park: Meeting place at Columbus Circle, southwest corner of Central Park & 59th St.; First Friday of every month, 10p.m.; free • Prospect Park: Meet at Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park West at Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn. Second Saturday of every month, 9pm; free; www.times-up.org).

Or perhaps you are better suited for a trip to Coney Island for their Full Moon Ride which entails a pitch black roller coaster ride in the dead of the night during the full moon of the lunar cycle. (Coney Island Cyclone, 834 Surf Ave at 8th St, Coney Island, Brooklyn; coneyislandcyclone.com). Book a private night time tour with Onboard Tours and plan your own itinerary or enjoy a few of the above activities. For more information, visit www.onboardnewyorktours.com.

Bastille Day 2010

(Free; 12pm-6pm; Located at 60th Street from 5th Ave. to Lexington Ave; Visit bastilledaynyc.com for more information)
Celebrate Bastille Day in the heart of New York City and get a taste of France without ever leaving The Big Apple. Stop by 60th St with the entire family for this cute street fair filled with mouth watering French cuisine, charming little market stalls and more. Finish off with a stroll through the arts and crafts stations and enjoy performances to French music. For more information, visit www.bastilledaynyc.com.