Attending the US Open Tennis in New York City

If you love tennis and New York City, I cannot recommend going to the US Open enough. It truly is a great experience all around.

Being so fortunate to have attended the Open three times over the last 14 years and each time we go, I learn something new.

Before we start, I will share that I lived in Hoboken, NJ and worked in Times Square for two years in my twenties, so I am very familiar with the city but at that time tennis was not really on my radar so I didn’t go to the Open back then.

Let’s be honest, even it if was on my radar, I likely would not have been able to afford it.

Going to the Open is a ton of fun but it will cost you a ton of cash too!

When to go:

The US Open starts the last week of August and runs through the second weekend of September. The earlier you go in the tournament, the cheaper the tickets and the more tennis you will see but you may not see as many top players.

Our favorite weekend to go is Labor Day weekend, mostly because the kids have extra days off of school and the weather is always perfect (thought I probably just jinxed us all for 2022).

Tickets sell out quick so when they open up (usually in July) grab them quickly. I would recommend signing up for US Open emails so you get the updates. Amex Card holders have access a few days early and have more options for ticket bundles.

Buy your Open tickets first then book your flights and hotels. Don’t worry, NYC offers plenty of options, if you book soon after you buy your tickets you won’t have trouble finding either.

Since draws and rankings are not released before tickets go on sale, it’s a bit of a gamble to know who you will see. In the years past, we’ve taken the gamble and didn’t always get to see our favorite players.

This year our #1 goal was to see Novak Djokovic play. He was trying to get the Grand Slam and in all our times going to events in the past, we had never seen him play. To ensure we would see him assuming he advanced to the Quarter Finals (spoiler alert: we did!), we had to buy day and night passes for two straight days. My daughter and I were in heaven, my 16 year old son who doesn’t care of tennis was not so happy!

Where to stay in the City:

The US Open is held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY.

It is common for most to stay in the city and travel via train to the Open. It’s a great way to have fun in the city and experience the Open at the same time.

If you take the subway, you will take the 7 out to the Mets-Willets station in Queens. Another option is taking the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) via Penn Station to the same station.

I cannot stress it enough. Take public transportation to and from the Open. Ride share cars are limited and expensive.

Speaking of the subway, if you are staying for more than 4 days, we found it’s economical to buy the unlimited pass, that way you can jump on and off the subway as much as you want. They now have an app (OMNY) for subway tickets and you can buy your tickets in advance and use your phone or watch to scan your way through.

Either way, my advice is to stay at a hotel somewhere between the Central Park and the upper end of Chelsea. In the past, we’ve stayed in Times Square, at the Empire Hotel on the Upper West Side and most recently at Kimpton Hotel Eventi in Upper Chelsea. All locations are in close proximity to train stations that make it convenient to get to and from the Open.

Keep in mind, if you are staying for a night match, you will be back in the city very late, so you don’t want to have to transfer many times or walk long distances.

Of all the places we’ve stayed, I recommend the Kimpton. The rooms were the most spacious, the service was outstanding and located at 29th and 6th we were walking distance to almost everything we needed. They even have two Peloton bikes in the workout room and a bar/coffee shop in the lobby. Coffee is free for all hotel guests.

What to do in the city:

There is no way that can be answered in one blog post. Definitely check out Pinterest for endless suggestions and ideas. I’ve included some of my favorite pins on my NYC board if you want to start there.

If you are like me, you love an excuse to visit NYC but you also know that there is no way you can see it all when you are there for a long weekend. I suggest you pick a neighborhood or two a day to explore. Some of my favorites are:

Chelsea (Hudson Yards)

Greenwich Village

West Village

SoHo

Upper West Side

Central Park

Lower East Side

Meat Packing District (High Line)

If you give yourself time to explore a neighborhood, you will find a great balance of tourist spots, local restaurants and small business boutiques and shops to roam through. There are always great coffee shops, breweries or rooftop bars to spend time at as well.

I highly recommend making reservations in advance. Most restaurants require them and we found many rooftop bars did as well.

Some favorite places to wine and dine from our recent trip:

Breakfast/Brunch

Community Food and Juice (near Columbia University)

Brooklyn Bagel & Co (Chelsea)

Friedman’s (Midtown & other locations)

Drinks

Torch & Crown Brewery (SoHo)

Versa NYC (Midtown)

Snacks:

Levain Bakery (Multiple locations in the city)

Milk Bar (Chelsea)

Dinner: (two nights we ate at the Open)

Butter (Midtown)

Piccolo Angolo (West Village)

What to wear to the Open

Proper attire is definitely a “thing” at the Open. Depending on how long you have to walk to/from stations and how long you are staying at the Open each day may influence how you dress for the matches. I will state that there is no specific dress code but there is a culture around the Open that you might want to be aware of.

It is not uncommon to see people dressed up to attend the matches, more so for night matches than day. Women will wear summer dresses, wedges and cute accessories. Think garden dinner party. Bright colors, current trends, preppy dresses. Men will often have khakis, collared shirts, some blazers and shoes like Sperrys or loafers.

That being said you will also see people in casual attire as well. If you are in a box or suite, likely the dressier people will be. Many will be in jeans and t-shirts too.

There is lots of walking on the grounds, to and from the station and up and down stairs. I’m all about looking cute but the mom in me suggests cute shoes that are still comfortable. They are sort of a must in NYC. Thankfully the trend of dresses and sneakers is still going strong so that was a look we saw a lot last week. Smart move IMO.

Day matches can get hot if the roof is open, night matches can get chilly as the sun sets and breeze picks up. My suggestion bring layers and/or sunscreen.

Sunglasses are a must too.

This time around we were there for day and night matches on the same day, 12+ hours, so we opted to go more comfortable but my daughter and I both said, when we go again, if it’s for a AM or PM session only, we’ll dress up more to partake in the fun.

The US Open definitely has an upscale vibe to it and it’s always more fun to feel like you fit in.

What to do between matches

The fun thing about the Open is when the main matches on Ashe or Armstrong are complete, there is still plenty more to do. There are 17 surrounding courts that are open seating and practice courts where you can watch players warming up. You are welcome to go in and out of any of those matches and likely you will see some great tennis from up and coming stars. We got to see Coco Gauff & McNally play in her R3 match of doubles.

In addition to watching more tennis, there is plenty of shopping, eating, people watching and activities to participate in. Often the USTA and other sponsors will set up rooms, games or displays for guests to enjoy. This year there was also a beautiful art exhibit to enjoy.

Eat your heart out but stuff your wallet

There are no restaurants outside the stadium and once you are in, you are there until you leave, which means you are consuming all food and beverages onsite. There are so many options beyond your usual stadium fare. You can find Acai bowls, poke bowls, Korean BBQ, salads and more. There are a few sit-down restaurants from well-known chefs as well as cute outdoor bar areas; our favorite was the Lemon Bar sponsored by IHG.

Food and drinks are ridiculously expensive. It’s my one pet peeve. Wine is $15/glass. Acai bowls run from $15-20 each and even a plate of chicken fingers and fries will cost $18. Lunch for 4 cost us $100 each day and it was far from gourmet!

Most places took credit card only and it all adds up fast, especially if you stay all day.

First time going to the Open? Here’s what else you need to know.

Before you book your tickets; little things that are good to know.

Kids under 8 should stay home. It’s a lot of sitting in one seat and on a few occasions, we heard babies crying in the stands. Parents had to take the child out because it was disruptive to the match. It would be a shame to have to stand outside and not watch a match, especially considering how much the tickets cost.

Watch the weather forecast. It can change instantly. Thankfully the roofs on Ashe and Armstrong will keep most main matches in play but the day before we got there, Hurricane Ida blew through NYC and there were serious problems. I know many people got caught in torrential rain and transportation delays.

Experience the grounds and all they have to offer. I highly suggest you make the most of your time there, after all you did pay for your tickets! Use the US Open app to find out all the things happening around the venue. There truly is a lot to see and do to make the most of your time there.

Let’s talk etiquette at the Open, it is a big deal. Like with golf, Tennis has its own rules and expectations.

I’m not sure why but it seems those are being forgotten more and more and also being less enforced. To help you out, so you are not shamed or feeling awkward, I wrote a blog post dedicated the etiquette of professional tennis matches.

I’ve been to the French Open and Wimbledon as well, and anyone will tell you the NYC crowd is the loudest and most vocal but there still needs to be respect for the players and common sense used despite passion for or against a player.

Click here to learn the basics of tennis etiquette.

As always, if you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below. I’m happy to help in any way I can.