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Sharing our favorite summer spots

By Kristen V. Brown | Special to amNewYork

4:58 PM EDT, May 20, 2008

Governor's Island (RJ Mickelson)

As the spring rain finally quits coming down and New Yorkers put away their coats for good, Gotham begins a three-month celebration of the sun. Everyone has a special way of honoring the season-long holiday: Restaurants move their tables outside, sun worshippers dot the landscape in Central Park and diehard fans ride the Cyclone one too many times at Coney Island. amNew York hit the streets to chat with New Yorkers about their favorite summer spots:

Suzanne Pergali, 18
Chinatown
Favorite spot: On her bike

"I like riding my bike around New York and exploring. I like to find new places -- just the other day I discovered the Gotham Chamber Opera."
Fact: New York's urban terrain may be challenging (and scary) for newcomers to city cycling, but New York actually boasts several great bike paths. Check out the mountain-bike path in Cunningham Park, Queens, or the more urban trail along the West Side Highway.

Riley Aponte, 45
South Bronx Favorite Spot: Governor's Island
"It's a free, two-minute ferry ride away and it's a good place to sit and read a book. It's probably one of the most relaxing places in New York."
Fact: Last December, New York City announced design firm West 8 the winner for a bid to design Governors Island Park and a two-mile long Great Promenade along the waterfront. No word yet on when the park overhaul will be complete, but for now the island is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning May 31.

Kana and Keigo Yamaguchi, 27 and 28
West Village
Favorite Spot: Central Park
"We love to take our dog off his leash and let him run around Central Park in the summer."
Fact: Come summer, Central Park plays host to tons of outdoor events -- from performances by the New York Philharmonic to the always popular Shakespeare in the Park. This year check out performances by Vampire Weekend and Mavis Staples on the SummerStage.

Isis Martinez, 29
Jamaica, Queens
Favorite Spot: Hudson River Park
"I just discovered it not too long ago -- I love to walk around, have a picnic, see the sunset. It's more intimate than Central Park."
Fact: The New York City Downtown Boathouse, located at Pier 40 in the park, offers free kayaking trips and classes during the summer season. Take a boat out for a quick spin in front of the boathouse's protected embayment, or capitalize on the three-hour kayak tours every weekend.

Yoon Chang, 21
Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Favorite Spot: Union Square
"I just love people watching here. There's a variety because it's the center of everything."
Fact: Last month, a nearly $20 million project to expand and reconstruct Union Square's northern end commenced, with plans to turn the central pavilion into a private restaurant. After much protest, however, a judge halted construction in the park until further notice.

Don Girardi, 78
West Village
Favorite spot: Bleecker Street
"I spend all of my time on this street --[it's] the best people watching street. You don't have to go anywhere else in New York because Bleecker has it all." Fact: Designed in the spirit of a typical Italian piazza, Father Demo Square just reopened last May after a two-year rehabilitation project. Dip your toes in the newly added fountain or hang out on a park bench to enjoy gelato from the famed Italian gelateria, Grom, across the street.