New York In September Guide - Weather, Events & Things To Do

Last Updated on 24th January 2026

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Are you planning to soak up the last of the summer sunshine with a trip to NYC in September? My huge guide below includes everything you need to know about visiting New York in September!

The month of September marks the end of the summer months in NYC, so it’s a great time to visit if you want to enjoy cooler temperatures, while still soaking up the last of the summer sun.

With the help of the epic New York holiday ideas inspired by Original Travel, I’ve rounded up the some of the best New York City September events, best things to do, and advice on what to wear in New York in September!

Do you still need some help with planning your trip to NYC? Get a copy of my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide Ebook and join my New York Facebook Group for FREE daily updates, travel tips, and more!

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Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / Agoda
Transport: Flixbus / Rentalcars.com / Big Bus Tours
Activities/tours: Get Your Guide / Viator / Klook / Go City
Travel insurance: SafetyWing
Hotel reviews: TripAdvisor
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New York Passes: Go City Pass / New York CityPASS
USA eSIM: Airalo

Wondering what New York is like at other times of the year? Check out my other monthly guides here:

Is September a good time to visit New York?

September is a great time to visit New York City if you want to experience the last of the warmer weather, without it being too uncomfortably hot. There is a chance of rain throughout the month of September, but overall, the weather is generally pleasant with plenty of sunshine thrown in for good measure!

Hotel and flight prices start to increase in September, but they’re still cheaper than October, November, and December, so if you’re planning a trip to New York and want to do it as cheap as possible, it’s probably a good idea to visit in September before the busy festive months commence!

September offers the perfect balance of late summer and early autumn, so it’s an absolutely gorgeous time to visit. Original Travel have an awesome guide to visiting New York in autumn, if you need any more persuasion to book a trip!

New York weather in September

Despite marking the end of the summer months, the temperature in September in New York is still very pleasant, with highs of around 27°C (80°F) at the start of the month and 21°C (70°F) towards the end of the month.

The temperature in New York in September rarely drops below 14°C (57°F) , even at the end of the month, so while a jacket would be advisable to bring with you, especially on an evening, you probably don’t need to dig out your winter gear just yet!

The chance of rain in September is fairly high, with an average of around eight days of rain throughout the month, according to Weather Spark.

Best things to do in New York City in September

There are so many awesome things to do in New York in September; here are just a few of my personal favourite recommendations!

Walk the High Line

The High Line is a 1.45-mile-long elevated park that runs along the west side of Manhattan, from Gansevoort Street to Hudson Yards. During the summer months, the High Line is packed with visitors, but the stunning park area is a little quieter in September, once the summer crowds have thinned.

Top tip: stop at Chelsea Market along the way and grab some snacks for the walk. My personal favourite stalls to visit in Chelsea Market are Doughnuttery, Berlin Currywurst, and Los Tacos No.1.

Take a helicopter tour over the city

A helicopter tour can be enjoyed at any time of the year in NYC, but September might just be one of the best months as the weather is still relatively mild, which is great for open-door helicopter tours!

Here are some of the best helicopter tour providers in NYC:

Manhattan Helicopter Tour – from $259 pp
New York City Night Skyline Tour – from $275 pp
Big Apple Helicopter Tour – from $289 pp
Manhattan All-Inclusive Helicopter Tour – from $304 pp
City Lights or Skyline Helicopter Tour from New Jersey – from $334 pp

Take a hop-on hop-off Bus Tour

A hop-on hop-off bus tour is a great way to get around New York City, especially for first-time visitors, as it allows you to see many of the city’s most iconic sights, such as the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and Fifth Avenue.

The best thing about a hop-on hop-off bus tour is that you can stay on the bus for as long as you like, or you can jump on and off at every stop to take in the sights!

Spend the day in Central Park

Central Park is one of the most iconic urban parks in the world and for good reason; it’s absolutely amazing! There are so many things to see inside Central Park; you could easily spend an entire day there and still not see everything, but I would highly recommend allocating a few hours of your New York itinerary in September to this magnificent outdoor space.

Go on a food tour

New York City is renowned for its iconic pizza slices, lox bagels, and pastrami sandwiches, and a food tour is the best way to experience many of the city’s incredible cuisines!

New York in September events

While September is one of the quietest months of the year in terms of events happening throughout the city, there is still plenty going on throughout the month that you can enjoy during your time in NYC!

Celebrate Labor Day weekend – 7th September 2026

If you have a trip planned to New York City at the beginning of the month, you might be able to take part in the Labor Day weekend celebrations!

Labor Day is a national holiday in the United States that is celebrated on the first Monday of September to honour the American labor movement and commemorate the workers of the country.

It’s one of the biggest holidays of the year in America and many locals head to the nearby beaches and enjoy a full weekend vacation with their families. Most restaurants and attractions (such as the city’s observation decks) will remain open on Labor Day, but opening hours may be affected, so double-check before you book.

Experience Broadway Week – dates tbc

If you’ll be in New York City during the first two weeks of September, you can take advantage of discounted tickets for many of the top Broadway shows during Broadway Week! Ticket sales go live from the 19th of August, so set a calendar alert to remind you!

Here are just some of the shows participating in Broadway Week in September!

The Lion King
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Chicago
Hadestown
Back to the Future

See the full list of participating shows and get 2-for-1 tickets on the NYC Tourism website.

Smorgasburg – multiple dates and locations

If food is your thing, look no further than the weekly Smorgasburg open-air food market! You’ll find hundreds of incredible food and drink vendors across three locations in NYC, serving everything from BBQ to bagels, Japanese dishes to jerk chicken, and pizza to po’ boys!

Fridays at the World Trade Center, Downtown Manhattan.
Saturdays at Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Sundays at Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

All three NY Smorgasburg markets run from the first weekend of April through the last weekend of October, from 11 AM to 6 PM. Find out more on the Smorgasburg website.

US Open – dates tbc

The US Open is held in the borough of Queen. While many tickets for the tournament have now sold out, there are still some tickets available to select events on the US Open website.

Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum – 11th September 2026

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a poignant and solemn place dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001, and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the tragic events, so if you’re in New York City on this day, you can visit the Memorial and Museum to pay your respects.

Read more: 30 Best Museums In NYC

The Feast of San Gennaro – dates tbc

The Feast of San Gennaro is an incredible 11-day food and drink festival, held in the Little Italy neighbourhood of Manhattan. The festivities date back to 1926 when the Neapolitans held a one-day block party to celebrate the patron saint of Naples; San Gennaro.

Almost 100 years later, the Feast of San Gennaro is one of the most prestigious food festivals in New York City that stretches throughout 11 blocks in Little Italy. If you want to enjoy traditional Italian cuisine, be sure to add the Feast of San Gennaro to your New York September itinerary!

Find out more about the event and the exact locations on the San Gennaro website.

Oktoberfest NYC – dates tbc

Despite its namesake, Oktoberfest is one of the best September events in New York that runs from mid-September to the end of October 2026. Here you’ll find all the Oktoberfest traditions of Germany at the Watermark Bar at Pier 15, right in the heart of New York City!

Drink German beer, eat authentic cuisine, and join in the merriment of the NYC Oktoberfest celebrations!

Get free general admission tickets and find out more about the event on the Oktoberfest NYC website!

Celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day – 20th September 2026

While it might not be an official USA holiday, National Pepperoni Pizza Day is something that should be taken very seriously (in my opinion!) and if you happen to be in NYC on the 20th of September, you can take full advantage of this awesome day!

Celebrating National Pepperoni Pizza Day is undoubtedly one of the most fun things to do in NYC in September as it gives you an undeniable reason to eat as much of the city’s best pizza slices as possible. I’ve personally tried and tested many NY pepperoni pizza slices in my time and the link below shows just a few of my favourites!

Watch the New York Jets at the MetLife Stadium – multiple dates

The American football season officially begins during the first week of September, so if you’re heading to NY in September, you might be able to watch one of the New York Jets fixtures at the MetLife Stadium.

There are several home games at the New Jersey stadium in September and you can purchase tickets for the games via Ticketmaster or Seat Geek (use the code IMJUSTAGIRL16 to get $20 off tickets at Seat Geek).

New York Jets vs Pittsburgh Steelers – 7th September
New York Jets vs Buffalo Bills – 14th September

What to pack for New York in September

Packing for New York in September weather can be a little tricky as temperatures range from lows of 14°C (57°F) at night to highs of 27°C (80°F) during the day. Therefore, you’ll likely need to pack layers, such as t-shirts, jeans, jumpers, and a light waterproof jacket, so that you can stay cool during the day and then layer up to keep warm on an evening. It’s not quite cold enough for hats, scarves, and gloves in New York in September, but clothing that you can layer is definitely a good idea.

As always, I recommend packing a bumbag to carry all your daily essentials such as your phone, wallet/purse, hotel keys, etc. I’ve loved and used my Eastpak Doggy Bumbag since 2019 and I wouldn’t travel without it! I’d also recommend a day backpack (I’ve used my Osprey backpack in over 50 countries since 2019 and it’s one of my favourite travel purchases ever!).

You’ll also want to pack the most comfortable footwear you own as you will almost certainly be doing a lot of walking!

Conclusion – New York in September

I hope this guide to visiting New York City in September has given you plenty of inspiration for the best things to do, the best events to attend, and what to pack for an early-autumn trip to NYC!

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Do you have any more recommendations of the best New York September events or things to do? Let me know in the comments or in my New York Facebook Group!

New York In September 2026 – Weather, Events & Things To Do