It’s a change of pace for Bay Ridge Nights.
Labor Day weekend is here, and we are choosing to honor the workers of this country by doing as little work as possible. There is very little rock in the Ridge during this long weekend, but a staycation in the nabe can still feature plenty of leisurely activity.
Start the weekend off with a relaxing stroll — or spin for you rollerblading speed demons — along the three-mile stretch of Shore Road. Along the way stop off at the Narrows Botanical Garden (Shore Road at 70th Street) and peruse the green space’s monarch butterfly sanctuary, Zen garden, and other bucolic attractions.
End your amble at the American Veterans Memorial Pier (Shore Road at 69th Street) and watch the ships sail into the harbor. Fishing is popular along the pier, and if you bring a rod and some bait, you can make this a fishing trip. But no one wants to spend time gutting and cleaning their lunch, so bring your own food and have a picnic on the rolling hills of Owl’s Head Park (Colonial Road and 68th Street). And if you still haven’t managed to get your summer tan on, roll out a beach towel, take a cat nap, and soak up the last rays of summer.
After your spa-like morning, get your blood fired up with a march to the city’s only military museum, the Harbor Defense Museum (Sheridan Loop near Sterling Drive), to learn about the history of the city’s coastal defense. Its collection includes artifacts ranging from the Revolutionary War to World War II. The museum is open on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
Cap off your calm weekend by heading just outside the Ridge, to the sprawling Dyker Heights Golf Course (86th Street at 10th Avenue). A golfing session starts at $46.50 per person — just $2.58 per hole if you play 18. Then you can aim for the mythical 19th hole, and pop into the course’s bar and grill for a relaxing, well-deserved cocktail.
