Things to Do in Englewood

Stepping into New World Stages is like stepping into a cultural retreat. Outside, Times Square bustles with international energy, but inside, away from the travelers and giant screens, an oasis of blue and yellow waits. From a lobby that speaks strongly of industrial architecture, five stages branch off to host Tony- and Pulitzer-winning performances as well as spectacles outside any expectation. Before or after each show, the Time Out New York lounge quenches thirst and conversational cravings with a full bar.

Presiding over the south side of the Lincoln Center's main plaza, the David H. Koch Theater is undergoing a 10-year renovation to keep it as stunning as the day it opened during the 1964 World's Fair. Even without restoration, the theater's 7,875-square-foot promenade creates a magnificent backdrop to the plaza's fountain—particularly at twilight, when the floors of inlaid travertine marble glow in golden harmony with 40-foot ceilings filigreed with gold leaf. Classical statuary bookends the lobby, and four balcony levels give visitors plenty of vantage points during intermission.

For decades, patrons of the New York City Ballet (and, until 2008, the New York City Opera) have ascended the spiral staircases and bathed in the light of the auditorium's spherical chandelier, the luminous center of the ceiling's ornate flower pattern. The David H. Koch Theater also plays host each year to a variety of local and international dance troupes, such as the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Shen Yun Performing Arts, and the Nederlands Dans Theater.

NYSee Tours explores renowned sights in New York City with three combination bus-and-walking tours, each led by effusive guides who flavor the sights with history, anecdotes, and their distinct personalities. Under the direction of owner and lifelong New Yorker Fred Pflantzer, they lead tours to prominent destinations including Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, the Southstreet Seaport, Lower East Side, and parts of Brooklyn, including Williamsburg and Red Hook. The Brooklyn Grand tour shepherds tour-goers through notable Brooklyn neighborhoods and landmarks, including Prospect Park, Greenwood Cemetery, and Williamsburg, stopping for lunch at Fairway Market in Red Hook along the way. On the Get Acquainted East Side tour, passengers take in New York City history with stops at South Street Seaport, Chinatown, the Lower East Side, Union Square, and the New York Public Library.

For 34 years, artists, gallery owners, and publishers have travelled from all over the world to showcase their talent and favorite work in Artexpo's large exhibition space during an event lauded by the L.A. Times, Fine Art magazine, Wall Street Journal, and NBC. A diverse palette of renowned artists and their masterpieces have shown at Artexpo, including Robert Rauschenberg, Keith Haring, and Andy Warhol, whose work was overshadowed by the much-anticipated appearance of his beloved soup can. Today, Artexpo New York serves as an innovative marketplace where artists can garner attention and generate buzz.

Harlem’s illustrious past and multifaceted present open up to tourists courtesy of Welcome to Harlem’s knowledgeable guides, all of whom are residents of the neighborhood. Day and evening tours are organized by interest, showcasing culinary hot spots, historic jazz venues, stunning architecture, shopping destinations, or rollicking church services. Landmarks such as the legendary Apollo Theater, Columbia University, and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine open up to guests, providing a casual, intimate view that can’t be attained on an unaccompanied stroll or while being chased by a clown car.

Collecting from the darkest depths of the ocean, beneath layered bedrock, or from the farthest reaches of space, the American Museum of Natural History catalogues, studies, and shares the latest knowledge about the natural world. The Museum's famed permanent halls explore an array of topics, from human ancestry throughout the ages to deep history of lands ruled by dinosaurs. The Museum’s far-reaching educational programs extend beyond the permanent exhibits and the confines of the building, reaching into middle and high schools to fund and conduct hands-on, student-driven experiments. The Museum also supports scientific expeditions around the world, providing archeologists and paleontologists with essential supplies and Indiana Jones Halloween masks.