From The Miron Blog

Summertime in New York City can be a mixed bag. On the one hand there is the dreaded summer subway ride, waiting on the platform in suffocating heat, or the relentless throngs of tourists who incredulously seem to move even more slowly than usual. Then again, there are some great spots within Manhattan that help make the sunny season that more pleasant.

The Cloisters 
A branch of the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters is dedicated exclusively to the art and architecture of the European Middle Ages. The museum is perched on a hill in Fort Tyron Park at the northern tip of Manhattan, with a beautiful view of the Hudson River. Even if Medieval religious sculpture is not your thing, the trip is worth even just a picnic on the Cloisters' four acres of  greenery.

High Line Park 
Although the High Line has been a major NYC attraction since it reopened in June 2009, the elevated park is definitely worth a visit, albeit a congested one. An added perk is that the warmer weather brings local vendors from the Chelsea Market onto the High Line. Two scoops from L'Arte del Gelato with a side of Manhattan vistas? Yes, please. 

The Met's Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden
The newest installment in the Garden's annual rooftop sculpture series is Doug + Mike Stam on the Roof: Big Bambú. The monumental exhibit was meant to resemble a cresting wave, and the jutting bamboo poles stand in sharp contrast to the roof's picturesque view of Central Park. Big Bambú is both interactive, visitors are invited to walk through the base of the sculpture on a guided tour, and evolving, as it will be continuously constructed through the fall.

Pier I
Located on West 70th Street and the Hudson River, Pier I offers summer concerts, free fitness classes, as well as kayaking on the River nearby.