New York City
1 Governors Island
Since it was abandoned by the Coast Guard in 1995, this 70-hectare islet off southern Manhattan has become a weekend haven for summer sport and culture. Attractions include the Dave Matthews Band Caravan and Jazz Age Lawn Party in August, the Pig Island food festival in September and trapeze courses all summer long. Governors Island is open Friday to Sunday and on holiday Mondays until Sept. 25. See govisland.com.
2 Birreria
There are plenty of sky-high bars in the city. For foodies, however, the only rooftop to visit is Birreria. Found atop Eataly, chef Mario Batali's food emporium near Madison Square, this sprawling beer garden offers spicy house brews and rustic salumi. Details at eatalyny.com.
3 The High Line
The High Line — the elegant, elevated walkway along Manhattan's far West Side — opened its second phase in June. Dotted with gourmet food carts and artworks, the $153 million project now extends from the Meatpacking District to West 30th Street. Along the way, it passes top West Chelsea art galleries and iconic buildings by starchitects like Frank Gehry and Jean Nouvel. More at the highline.org.
4 Hotel Williamsburg
One of the year's hottest openings, Hotel Williamsburg is easily Brooklyn's poshest pad. The 64-room bolt-hole comes with a 12-m backyard pool, 100-seat restaurant helmed by chef Andrés Julian Grundy (a Joël Robuchon protégé) and a signature beer by Brooklyn Brewery. Rooms start at $199. Visit hwbrooklyn.com.
5 America 2.0
Ringed by highways and skyscrapers, it's easy to forget that Manhattan is an island. Remind yourself with a trip on this 32-m replica of a 19th century schooner, which offers both daytime sailing and evening champagne cruises past Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. See sail-nyc.com.
6 New Museum
If the Lower East Side is the center of New York's contemporary-art scene, then the three-year-old New Museum is its creative HQ. Visit not only for its performance-filled Block Party on July 23, but also for "Ostalgia," an exhibition bringing together more than 50 artists from former Soviet-bloc nations, running until Sept. 25. More at newmuseum.org.
7 The Hamptons
Despite the crowds and the commute, the Hamptons remains the city's ultimate summer playground. Get there in style with hotelier André Balazs' StndAIR, stndair.com, a Cessna service whisking you from Manhattan to East Hampton in 45 minutes. Upon arrival, check into Ruschmeyer's, visitruschmeyers.com, a loungey, low-key hotel in surfer-friendly Montauk. Book dinner at Nobu's new Hamptons outpost in the Capri hotel, caprisouthampton.com.
8 Café de la Esquina
New York's Latin-inspired-restaurant invasion shows no signs of abating. This soon-to-open venture will be the Williamsburg outpost of SoHo's ultra-hip La Esquina. Housed in a converted 50s-era diner at 225 Wythe Avenue, Café de la Esquina's Mexican-heavy menu will include Acapulco-style seviche, Baja-style fish tacos and classic margaritas. A hipster haven in the making.
9 The U.S. Open
Sports and society come together at this two-week spectacle that lures not only tennis's top talents to Flushing Meadows, but also famous fans like Donald Trump and Charlize Theron. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 11; usopen.org.
10 Lincoln Center Festival
The Lincoln Center's annual high-culture extravaganza is anchored this year around performances by America's Cleveland Orchestra, Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company and Russia's Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet, but the most intriguing offering is the Royal Danish Opera's Selma Jezková — an interpretation of Lars von Trier's anguish-filled 2000 film Dancer in the Dark. Through Aug. 14; lincolncenterfestival.org.