The 2017 U.S. Open is now well behind us, but by all accounts it was as busy and popular as ever. The renovated grounds at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center appear to be a hit, and the crowd simply seems more enthusiastic with each passing year.
Granted, this year’s tournament had a lot of specific storylines to attract fans. Though Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka (among others) were out due to injury, and Serena Williams missed the action to give birth to her first child, there was plenty to be excited about. Maria Sharapova secured a wild card and played up to her lofty standards; Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were continuing their resurgence; and several young up-and-comers had the opportunity to shine.
The truth of the matter, however, is that there are good reasons to go every year. This is one of the truly remarkable events on the tennis calendar, and as such it’s one of the most popular. That actually means that if you’re planning to go in the future – say, in 2018 – you need to start planning fairly early on to organize your trip, secure tickets, etc. For the most part, the tennis action is so enjoyable that you won’t need to plan for too much aside from watching matches. Then again, spending a full trip at the U.S. Open is a bit of a stretch unless you’ve really been saving up for it. Any given day can be surprisingly affordable (you can get a full day of tennis for about $70). But go for more than a few days and ticket prices, concessions, and transportation to and from Queens is going to start adding up.
So if you’re making plans to travel to New York for next year’s Open, you might want to plan a few activities for off days also. After all, you’ll be in one of the world’s biggest and most interesting cities! So here are a few fun ideas for days and/or evenings off while you attend the Open.
Tour Central Park
This may sound like a bland, touristy option – but that’s only if you’ve never been to Central Park before. You can legitimately spend an entire day in this incredible city park. You can walk the trails, stop and watch live performances, take a paddleboat out on one of the ponds, and even take a peek at the castle nestled into the middle. There are places to eat, shady spots to get away from the late summer sun, and enough hidden corners that you can stumble on spots that almost seem undiscovered. It’s an enormous and incredible place, and certainly part of the New York experience.
Visit The World Trade Center Observation Deck
The World Trade Center is a humbling place to visit these days, both because of its tragic history and because of its stunning revival. The new facilities, including new buildings and monuments to the victims of September 11th, 2001, are simply breathtaking. There are plenty of tours you can take and sights you can see, but the real treat is to ride to the top of One World Trade Center, the highest building in the area, and gaze down at New York from its observation deck. There may not be a better vantage point from which to see the city.
Check Out Broadway
If you’re spending a few days at the Open, you’re going to be ready to get out of the sun (and away from the heat). Late August and early September in New York can be stifling, and for that reason an indoor attraction can be the most appealing thing for an off day. Thus, you should make use of the city’s legendary theater district and catch a show or two on Broadway. It’s generally cheaper than a day at the Open, and it’s something you won’t forget anytime soon. A few hours in a famous theater followed by a stop at a cool restaurant with a well-respected menu can be just the ticket.
Try Atlantic City
New Jersey is a popular day trip from New York, not least because there’s legal online gambling there. Internationally, selections of gaming options are easy to find online, whether your interest lies in slots, poker, blackjack, etc., and some of these selections are accessible within Jersey. But the state is also home to the best alternative to Las Vegas in the United States, and Atlantic City can make for a pretty fun getaway on a day off from the Open. It’s just a short distance south of New York City, and you don’t have to play slots or poker to get the most out of it. You can wander the legendary boardwalk, duck in and out of resorts, and maybe even enjoy some nearby beach time.
Find A Sports Bar
Naturally New York City is home to some excellent bars, so for a last note we’d recommend finding a nice, fun place to sit and watch some tennis on a night when you’re not actually at the Open! New York doesn’t get entirely into the tennis the same way as, say, London during Wimbledon. But the matches will still be on. It’s easy enough to research some of the city’s top sports bars where you can find ample seating, good drinks, and sports on TV. But we’d recommend Rock ‘N Reilly’s, a Chelsea venue and one of the newer noteworthy sports bars in town. It’s a fun place to experience a night out, and particularly if you bring some friends with you, a nice place to watch a match.
