This article is part of Summer & THE CITY, our weekly newsletter made to help you enjoy — and survive — the hottest time in the five boroughs. Sign up here.
School is starting, the mornings and evenings are getting cool, and the sun is going down earlier. Summer is mostly behind us — but it’s also ahead of us, even if it seems so far away.
One of the best times to think about next summer is now, when our most recent one is still fresh in our minds. And in spite of the long three seasons we have until then, it does creep up.
Here’s a guide to preparing for summer 2025, which just might be your best summer ever:
Learn to Swim
The pools and beaches across New York City are some of the most beautiful free amenities here. If you aren’t a strong swimmer, or don’t know how to swim at all, there are some resources to help you learn by the time everything opens up next year.
Nonprofit organizations do the bulk of the free and low-cost swim lessons in the city, especially for adults. The YMCA of Greater New York offers lessons year round at 21 locations across the city, with financial assistance available. Other organizations include Rising Tide Effect, Asphalt Green, Swim Strong and First Strokes. These organizations offer scholarships and prioritize historically disadvantaged people.
If you can pay, swimming lessons can cost between $150 for classes to several hundreds of dollars at various locations.
If You Get Really Good, Become a Lifeguard
There’s plenty of work available for good swimmers who want to become lifeguards, either at city beaches and pools through the Parks Department, through beaches maintained by the National Parks Service, or at private pools. Last year’s qualifying swim exams through the Parks Department began on Dec. 1. Sign up for updates here.
To qualify to take the test, you must be at least 16 years old by the time you start working — so you can take the course at 15, depending on your birthday — and have at least 20/30 vision in one eye and 20/40 vision in the other, without corrective lenses. The swim test is 50 yards in 45 seconds or less, with proper form, according to the Parks Department.
If you qualify, you are then eligible to enter the Municipal Lifeguard Training Program, which teaches CPR, first aid and how to save a swimmer in distress.
The National Parks Service employs the lifeguards who patrol Jacob Riis Park in Queens and Great Kills on Staten Island, and their exam is a little different, including being able to swim 550 yards continuously in under 10 minutes using a front swim stroke, and also run 1.25 miles without stopping in less than 12 minutes.
Jobs are currently listed for national parks lifeguard positions.
The YMCA, which has 24 locations in New York City, offers free lifeguard training — and you can also try to work at their pools.
Jobs for Young People
The Summer Youth Employment Program, or SYEP, is the city-funded jobs program for young people ages 14 to 24. It’s open to any young New Yorker who is legally eligible to work in the U.S.
But mark your calendar now for application season because, though the program typically runs in July and August, the deadline for applications will open sometime in the early spring of 2025. (This year, applications opened in March and the year prior, in April.)
According to Chalkbeat New York, at least 140,000 people applied this year for 100,000 spots. The city fills the majority of the seats by random lottery.
Prepare for Your Block Party
It’s never too early to plan your next block-busting bash. And if you want to have an above-board, permitted block party, you’ll have to start at least two months in advance. (Buzzkill, we know.) Here’s our guide on how to throw a block party in the city.
See If You Qualify for Air Conditioning Discounts
If your energy bill from this year is draining you and your savings, it’s time to see if you can get some help with air conditioning next summer.
Last summer, the city provided up to $800 per household for a window unit, portable air conditioner, or fan, and up to $1,000 for an existing wall sleeve unit. This also included the cost of installation and any administrative fees. Access to the aid depends on financial need. Here are the eligibility requirements, including if you receive SNAP food assistance or already have HEAP home heating benefits.
The state also offers a roundup of available cooling benefits and incentives to those who are eligible.
Go Camping. Book Now.
You might want to take a little getaway outside of New York City next summer, and maybe that’s camping. You’d better plan soon. The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation allows reservations up to nine months in advance, with popular sites — like Hither Hills out east on the beach in Montauk — going fast.
Get Ready for More Elections
There are primary elections next June for mayor, city comptroller, borough president and many City Council seats.
We have guides to who’s already running for mayor and comptroller, and will be adding more over the coming months. Stay tuned.
Stock Up on Summer Stuff
We love a good sale, and this time of year is when you can find summer necessities at a much cheaper price than in May and June. Summer clothes and beach towels will be on sale. Sunblock can last for around three years, according to the Food and Drug Administration. (The hardest part is making sure you remember where you stored it; send yourself a reminder email.)
