What to do on Saturday in New York City: 50 great ideas

Fill up on free samples at the Union Square Greenmarket

At this outdoor produce mart, you’ll find yourself shopping elbow to elbow with top chefs, perusing regionally grown culinary pleasures from more than 140 different producers each week. You’ll want to keep coming back until you’ve sampled them all.

Relax on the High Line

• Free

Opened in 2009, this outdoor park sits on the elevated infrastructure built on Manhattan’s West Side in the 1930s. Today, sumptuous gardens and outdoor sculpture adorn the magnificent walkway, which is also an excellent place to enjoy views of the Hudson River, plus public art projects scattered along the route. In the warmer months, top-notch NYC food vendors ply their wares above 15th Street; grab a hot dog from Bark, coffee from Blue Bottle or an artisanal Popsicle from La Newyorkina. Keep an eye out for the opening of the final section of the park, between 30th and 34th Streets, sometime in 2014. Check out our complete guide to events on the elevated park, plus things to do nearby.

Shake it at the Soul Clap and Dance-Off

If all-night house, techno or bass music sessions aren’t your thing, try DJ and nightlife impresario Jonathan Toubin’s monthly affair for a decidedly nonelectronic mix of rare 45s that range from rip-roaring rock to soul movers and groovers. The shindig also includes a late-night dance contest at 1am—as good a reason as any to join the drunken shimmy-shake antics. newyorknighttrain.com/soulclap. $6.

Go to Wave Hill House for free

This city-owned garden in the Riverdale section of the Bronx retains the same horticultural traditions as when it was a private estate. You’ll find some of the area’s most meticulously groomed gardens, plus stunning, sweeping views of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades. Wake up early to take advantage of free admission between 9am and noon every Saturday.

Hoist a stein at Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden

Prost! There are plenty of mingle-friendly picnic tables at this authentic Czech beer garden, where you can sample cheap, robust platters of sausage and a rotating selection of beers from around the globe ($6 for a mug or $16 for a pitcher). Though the huge, tree-canopied garden is open year-round (in winter, the area is tented and heated), summer is the prime time to soak up some rays over a cold one.

…or Berry Park

This Williamsburg beer hall is a bi-level behemoth, with a 3,500-square-foot ground floor and a roof deck that’s almost as large. Choose between one of the 15 brews on tap (mostly German and Belgian drafts), then take in outdoor views of Manhattan and nearby McCarren Park. Thanks to a retractable hood, the roof deck is open year-round.

…or Loreley

The well-shaded biergarten in the back is a day-drinking mecca, lined with communal wood tables that provide ample opportunity to chat up strangers. On spring and summer weekends, the tightly packed garden stays buzzing throughout the day and night. A dozen German drafts are served in bulky liter steins ($14–$16), though slower drinkers might sip their way through 11 Kranz Kölsches served in 0.2-liter glasses on a traditional tray ($30). Its sister location in Williamsburg offers a similar list of Teutonic brews on draft and by the bottle. 7 Rivington St between Bowery and Chrystie St (212-253-7077) • Loreley Williamsburg, 64 Frost St at Meeker Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-599-0025) • loreleynyc.com.

Fly through the air at the España-Streb Trapeze Academy

Bored of the treadmill? Get a full-body workout and an adrenaline rush at Brooklyn’s first indoor trapeze school, where students can learn how to perform high-flying maneuvers. Several classes are offered, including the open-level adult fly class. A beginner session will set you back only $37.50—not bad for taking your first step toward becoming the next Dick Grayson. See website for schedule and rates.

Kayak for free

New York City isn’t surrounded by water for nothing. During the warmer months, organizations across Gotham offer gratis kayaking time to any and all, from Red Hook to Long Island City. We’ve put together a list of spots where you can swing a paddle by your lonesome or go out on group treks, all free of charge.

Sip the best coffee in the city

The perfect cup of joe: It’s one of NYC’s most coveted titles. New York’s dizzying landscape of coffeeshops, baristas and cafés may make you want to give up and settle for a bodega-sourced buzz, but we’ve cut through the noise to bring you this list of the best java joints and espresso bars in town. Click here to read more.