Best Time to Visit The Bronx, New York

May and September: the sweet spots

If you want comfortable walking weather, aim for May or September. Days are mild, around 20°C in May and 25°C in September, and nights are cool enough to sleep well. May has more rainy days than September (13 against 10), but showers tend to pass quickly.

These months suit the classic Bronx trip. You can spend a morning at the New York Botanical Garden, walk the Bronx Zoo without wilting, and then eat your way along Arthur Avenue's Italian delis. Yankee Stadium is also at its best in these months, with baseball in full swing and no heat haze.

October is a close third. It's a bit wetter, but the leaves in Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park turn colour, and the Botanical Garden runs autumn events.

Summer: hot, sticky and lively

June is warm and pleasant. July and August are the hottest months, both with highs near 29°C. They're also sticky, and July has the most rain days (14), often as short, heavy thunderstorms.

Summer is high season for outdoor life. You can swim at Orchard Beach, nicknamed the "Bronx Riviera", and catch free concerts and events around the borough. Travelling with kids? The zoo is easy in the morning, but afternoons can be draining. Plan indoor breaks at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, which is free to enter.

Crowds are never huge compared with Manhattan. Hotel prices across New York do tend to rise in summer, though, so check Bronx options near the subway.

Winter and early spring: quiet, cold, grey

From December to March, expect cold, damp days and little sun, around three hours a day in December and January. Both months have lows well below freezing. It's the cheapest and quietest time, and it suits you if you only want museums, food and a few Bronx Hip Hop sites, such as the 1520 Sedgwick Avenue building where the genre is said to have begun.

The Botanical Garden's indoor conservatory is a warm refuge, and it hosts a holiday train show in winter. Yankees fans should know that the season doesn't start until spring, and March is still raw.

April is the turning point. It's rated Good, with highs around 15°C, though rain is frequent and evenings are chilly. Cherry and magnolia blossom brings colour to the gardens. November is Fair: it's crisp and quiet, and the days are short.