Things to Do in Weehawken

Intimate and minimalist in black lacquer and exposed brick, the Canal Room is as comfortable hosting '80s and '90s parties with celebrity impersonators as it is with A-list concerts starring Jay-Z, Elvis Costello, or John Legend. A VIP lounge area lined with palms and ebony booths flank a bright hardwood dance floor, where concerts and parties unfold. The calendar entices families and VIPs alike, and the facility also makes way for private events such as birthday parties and echo contests.

As part of the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex, located at the historic Chelsea Piers, the Golf Club perches over the same port that once welcomed ships into New York City. Now, golfers tee up in the driving range's 52 heated and weather-protected stalls, which overlook the glinting waters of the Hudson River. Automatic tee-up systems position balls for launch across the 200-yard, net-enclosed fairway. A putting green allows patrons to improve their short game, and two Full Swing simulators encourage them to take hacks in virtual environs, transporting them to famous courses across the country or fifth-grade birthday parties where they missed the piñata.

Children and adults alike can enlist in Golf Club at Chelsea Piers’ classes, which stratify students by experience level. The 13-member coaching staff includes PGA and LPGA professionals, and sessions take place in a 2,000-square-foot teaching facility.

Having accrued 15 years of teaching experience, the staff members at Tennis Innovators prioritize exciting instruction and curriculums over barraging students with volley after volley. They appreciate the challenge of holding a child's interest and create fun drills for junior pupils, who can begin to learn racket-swinging techniques as early as age 3. The QuickStart and JuniorExtreme programs act as intriguing introductions to the sport for adolescents and work on improving their coordination, mobility, and athleticism, both on and off the court. In fact, they don't require a court to host their afterschool programs and will adapt lessons to fit any suitable space, such as a gymnasium or the least occupied patch of an in-use baseball diamond.

Classes aren't just for children—the staff hosts adult sessions aimed at improving overall game play and fitness in a supportive environment for fully formed humans of all skill levels. Staffers also lend their management expertise to neighborhood tennis clubs, providing guidance for hiring and training processes, court maintenance, and marketing.

One of SoHo’s premier venues for world music, R & B, and hip-hop, Sounds of Brazil’s storied stage has seen all kinds of acts from Tito Puente to Kanye West since opening three decades ago. Owner and founder Larry Gold prides his combination restaurant-nightclub as being instrumental in bringing some now-renowned performers to a broader audience, hosting musicians such as Common, Drake, and John Legend early in their careers. While big names and rising stars attract music lovers, the flavor-heavy dinner menu excites all tongues more effectively than a bite of Pop Rocks mixed with dynamite.

BumbleBee Tennis's wide spectrum of tennis programs for juniors and adults nurture players at every step of game development. Skilled instructors helm a variety of lessons from Beginner Group Tennis classes to private one-on-one intensives. All teachers are trained professionals and most have played competitively at the collegiate level. While helping students focus on technique and making solid contact with the ball, instructors also attempt to ensure that everyone from youngsters to veterans enjoys the game and knows how to count all the way to love. Adults interested more specifically in the cardiovascular aspect of the game can enroll in Cardio Tennis, a 60-minute class comprised of high-intensity drills and games that elevate heart rates into the aerobic zone and subsequently evaporate calories.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center stands firm as a bastion of live entertainment, opening the doors to its two distinct venues for a wide array of productions. Inside Prudential Hall, 2,700 seats fill the multitiered auditorium where ballets, symphony orchestras, and Broadway shows flourish beneath radiant lights and a domed ceiling. Victoria Theater, meanwhile, beckons visitors to its more intimate 500-seat confines for jazz concerts, contemporary dance performances, and monster-truck rallies.