The Bronx is at its greenest this Memorial Day weekend, and two of its best destinations — Wave Hill and the New York Botanical Garden — are exactly the kind of places that reward the people who stayed in the city while everyone else drove to the Hamptons. There is a subway disruption to plan around, but the good news is it mostly hits southern Brooklyn and Manhattan, not the Bronx lines. Here is what Bronx residents and visitors need to know for May 23–25, 2026.
Wave Hill: The Best Public Garden You’re Not Going To
Wave Hill in Riverdale is one of the most undervisited great public spaces in New York City. The 28-acre public garden sits on a hill above the Hudson River in the northwest Bronx, with direct sightlines to the Palisades across the water. In late May, the gardens are at full peak — the flower garden, the wild garden, and the Monocot Garden are all blooming, and the views from the upper terraces are among the best in the five boroughs.
Wave Hill is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closing at 4:30 p.m. in early spring — confirm hours for Memorial Day weekend on the Wave Hill website before going). The address is 4900 Independence Avenue, Bronx, at the corner of West 249th Street. Admission is charged for adults; NYC residents pay a reduced rate. Children under 6 are free. Getting there: Metro-North Hudson Line to Riverdale station and a free weekend shuttle van to the gate, or the BxM1 or BxM2 express bus from Manhattan’s West Side.
New York Botanical Garden: Memorial Day Hours
The New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx is open all three days of Memorial Day weekend. The 250-acre garden is in full late-spring mode — the rose collection typically reaches peak bloom in late May, and the Thain Family Forest, a 50-acre old-growth woodland at the center of the garden, is at maximum canopy. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is open as part of general admission.
Getting there: Metro-North Harlem Line to Botanical Garden station — the station is directly at the garden’s main entrance on Kazimiroff Boulevard. The trip from Grand Central is about 20 minutes. The B/D trains also connect to the Bedford Park Blvd station about a 10-minute walk from the garden’s Mosholu Gate entrance. Note that the Metro-North runs on a modified holiday schedule Memorial Day weekend — check times before departing. General admission includes the garden grounds; the conservatory and some special exhibitions are separate.
What the Subway Disruptions Mean for Bronx Riders
The good news for Bronx riders: the major disruptions this weekend primarily hit lines that do not serve the Bronx. The 2, 4, 5, and 6 trains — the main Bronx connectors — are running with only partial changes. The 4 train is suspended between Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall and outer Brooklyn, but the Bronx segment of the 4 runs normally. The 5 is cut back to Grand Central–42 St as the last stop heading downtown, which means if you are riding the 5 from the Bronx into Manhattan, you get off at Grand Central rather than going further south.
The 2 and 6 trains are unaffected. The D train (which stops at Fordham, Kingsbridge Road, Bedford Park, and along the western Bronx) is running normally. Full details in the MTA Memorial Day weekend service guide.
The Bronx Zoo: Open, With Summer Hours Beginning
The Bronx Zoo at 2300 Southern Boulevard is open this weekend — and Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the effective start of the zoo’s summer season, when crowds are large and the outdoor exhibits are in full operation. The zoo is one of the largest in the world, with the Congo Gorilla Forest, the Tiger Mountain, and the Children’s Zoo among the most popular sections. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, with extended weekend hours — verify the specific Memorial Day schedule on the zoo’s website before visiting. Adult admission is charged; NYC residents have member discount options. Getting there: the 2 train to Pelham Parkway, or the BxM11 express bus from Manhattan.
Arthur Avenue: The Real Little Italy
Arthur Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood — centered on the stretch between East 183rd and 189th Streets — is the authentic Italian American retail and restaurant district that Manhattan’s Little Italy used to be. The Arthur Avenue Retail Market at 2344 Arthur Avenue is open Tuesday through Saturday. The surrounding blocks have Italian salumerias, bread bakeries, cheese shops, and restaurants that have been in the same families for generations. A Saturday morning on Arthur Avenue followed by an afternoon at the Botanical Garden (15 minutes away by subway or car) is one of the best Bronx days you can plan.
What You Need to Know
- Wave Hill: 4900 Independence Avenue. Open Tue–Sun, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Confirm Memorial Day hours. Metro-North Hudson Line or BxM1/BxM2.
- NY Botanical Garden: 2900 Southern Boulevard. Open all weekend. Metro-North Harlem Line to Botanical Garden station (~20 min from Grand Central).
- Bronx Zoo: 2300 Southern Boulevard. Open weekends; verify Memorial Day hours. 2 train to Pelham Parkway.
- Subway update: 2, D, and 6 trains are unaffected. 5 train cuts back at Grand Central. Bronx 4 segments run normally.
- Arthur Avenue market: Open Saturday. Best Italian grocery and deli corridor in NYC.
- Alternate side parking: Suspended citywide Monday, May 25. Meters still active.
The Bronx makes a strong case for itself this weekend: two world-class public gardens, a great zoo, and a food corridor with no line and no pretense. For the full Memorial Day weekend citywide guide, see Memorial Day Weekend 2026 in NYC: What’s Open, What’s Closed.
