50 things to do now in New York City

Tour the United Nations
Step inside this 18-acre complex and you'll no longer be in New York City—the U.N is technically international territory under the jurisdiction of member countries. Forty-five-minute public tours pay a visit to the Security Council Chamber and General Assembly Hall, and highlight stunning artwork donated by member nations. Visitors can sup from the vast international buffet in the Delegates Dining Room (advance reservations and business attire are required). Make sure you go before August 1, when the Security Council is closed to the tour route for renovations.

Go to Brooklyn Flea
You'll be spared the sight of sock vendors at this Fort Greene bazaar: The space outside of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School hosts a quirky roster of items, including antiques, vintage clothes, records, art and jewelry. Hungry for more than merch? Blue Marble organic ice cream, Whimsy & Spice cookies and Hot Bread Kitchen should sate your appetite. Lafayette Ave between Vanderbilt and Clermont Aves (Fort Greene); Front St at Washington St (DUMBO).

See the New York Chinese Scholars Garden in Snug Harbor
No matter what your opinion of Staten Island, boat rides are rife with romantic possibility, so hop on the free ferry to the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden. There, you can balance yin with yang while taking in the meditative views. "There is no time that the Chinese Garden is not beautiful," says executive director Rona Cusick. "But it's especially romantic in the evening." 1000 Richmond Terr at Independence Ave, Staten Island (718-273-8200, snug-harbor.org) Cheap dates

Go to the summer barbecues at Pete's Candy Store
It may be pocket-size, but that pocket is full of goodies. Evenings begin with readings, poetry and art. On Bingo Tuesday, blue-haired ladies battle yuppies for 99-cent prizes, and Wednesday's Quizz-Off draws top-drawer TP mavens; Scrabble is on Saturday. After the games, there's free music in the Pullman-car-shaped performance space, with acts on the cusp of wider recognition appearing nightly. When the weather warms, the backyard opens to stargazers. Throw in surprisingly good pressed sandwiches and an El Diablo (tequila, cassis and ginger ale) the size of a Big Gulp. 709 Lorimer St btw Frost and Richardson Sts (718-302-3770, petescandystore.com)

Visit City Island
A small-town vibe pervades City Island (population: fewer than 5,000), the slightly gritty backdrop for films such as Margot at the Wedding and A Bronx Tale. But you won't have to sacrifice big-city tastes for an evening in the quasiburbs—and the trolley takes you everywhere you need to go. Tuck into excellent escargots or truffle-oiled rib eye at waterfront restaurants, visit galleries and import shops, and don't miss the eerie nighttime views of nearby Hart Island, the former site of an insane asylum and missile base. 6 to Pelham Bay Park, then walk or bike (cityisland.com) The perfect Bronx bike ride

Check out Third Ward
Artists, designers and woodworkers flock to this creative compound to produce art, peruse exhibitions and occasionally party. Recent happenings include "Return of the Wizard: a Video Game Challenge" and "Pizza! The Movie and the Party." 195 Morgan Ave between Meadow and Stagg Sts, Bushwick, Brooklyn (718-715-4961, 3rdward.com) Essentially connected New York

Go to Harlem Week
The 35th annual culture-fest makes this year as good as any to head uptown. The 15-day festival starts in August, and it's a vibrant mix of music, theater, fashion, family fun, sports, an auto show and dancing in the streets. (harlemweek.com)

Walk over the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge
It's a long walk from the footbridge at 103rd St (6am-9pm, May 1-Sep 30), but the recently renamed Robert F. Kennedy Bridge offers views of Manhattan and Queens that are as stunning as the bridge itself. Once you've crossed the span, rest your weary legs in the lush park on Randall's Island. (mta.info)

Perform at an open-mike night
In a city of 8 million stories, yours has to be one of the most interesting, right? Even if it isn't, there's a spotlight somewhere waiting to be filled. Open mike events

Visit Flushing, Queens
Boasting the city's second-biggest Chinatown and its largest Korean population, Flushing teems with restaurants and markets. Drop by KumGangSan for Korean barbecue. Find healing for whatever ails you at Shun An Tong Health Herbal Co., where an herbalist prepares ginseng, shark's fin and other traditional Chinese remedies. Catch the monthly Queens Jazz Trail, a trolley tour of the homes of former Queens residents Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and John Coltrane, picked up from Flushing Town Hall, or take a breather and contemplate the 140-foot-high Unisphere, a steel globe from the 1964-1965 World's Fair, from a bench in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. New York's best secondary neighborhoods

INDEX New Places
Get up to speed on the scenes, spots and events you need to be hitting up this summer.