Fall in New York is officially in its group-chat era, and staying home simply isn’t on the agenda. Think skyline selfies, boozy painting sessions, adorable pups in Halloween costumes, whiskey tastings and plenty of excuses to round up your favorite people. Whether you’re planning a bestie date, a full-blown squad outing or just need something better than another “we should hang soon” text, these six experiences are worth getting everyone out of the house for.
1. Edge: Take Your Friendship To New Heights
Your group chat called, and it’s demanding better views. Round up your crew and head to Edge at Hudson Yards, where jaw-dropping panoramas, a glass floor and an outdoor sky deck suspended 100 stories above Manhattan make for one seriously unforgettable outing. Pose for skyline selfies, dare your bravest friend to look straight down and soak up those crisp fall views from one of the city’s most spectacular vantage points. Matching outfits optional, iconic group photos practically guaranteed.
2. Peanuts x Best Friends Animal Society: Good Grief, This Is Cute!
Join Best Friends Animal Society for their Peanuts Pet Adoption pop-up for photo ops with Snoopy’s siblings, giveaways, exclusive merch, and adoptable dogs and cats! Don’t miss out.
3. Painting Lounge: Sip, Paint & Unleash Your Inner Picasso
Who needs another ordinary happy hour when you could be sipping wine and creating questionable masterpieces with your besties? Painting Lounge turns your next group hang into a BYOB art party, complete with guided instruction, canvases, paints and plenty of opportunities to discover who’s secretly an artistic genius. Bring your favorite bottle, channel your inner Picasso and prepare for a few hilarious creative interpretations along the way. The best part? Everyone goes home with a masterpiece, or at least a very entertaining conversation piece.
4. The Great PUPkin: The Cutest Halloween Plans Ever
Forget the runway! Fort Greene Park is where the real fashion icons are strutting this Halloween. The 28th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest brings together New York’s most fabulously dressed four-legged residents for a ridiculously adorable celebration of creativity, costumes and canine charisma. Grab your friends, bring your pup if you’ve got one and prepare to lose your mind over tiny vampires, furry superheroes and dogs dressed as things dogs absolutely shouldn’t be dressed as.
5. Kings County Distillery: Whiskey Business With Your Besties
Fall calls for whiskey, and Brooklyn’s Kings County Distillery knows exactly how to serve it. Gather your favorite sipping companions for an intimate tasting class inside New York City’s oldest operating whiskey distillery, where you’ll sample five whiskeys while learning the delicious details behind every pour. Think rich flavors, fascinating distilling secrets and just enough whiskey knowledge to make you dangerously confident at your next cocktail bar. Consider it the sophisticated alternative to your usual round of drinks, with a little extra kick.
6. PopUp Bagels: Because Best Friends Don’t Let Friends Brunch Alone
Join PopUp Bagels for their grand opening in Times Square! Come by for a limited Katz Deli schmear, an iconic NY strawberry cheesecake cream cheese, beverages from their friends Saint James Iced Tea and lots of fun surprises!
Fall plans? Sorted. Now all you have to do is get everyone to agree on a time.