Catching Blue Jays in New York should be on every fan's bucket list

If you find yourself wearing a Toronto Blue Jays cap in New York this summer, you might get a few obscenities hurled your way.

And you’re more likely to pick them up at the Yankee Tavern, a spot in the Bronx that looks and sounds exactly as you’d expect.

“F*ck you guys,” a man uttered at our group travelling from Toronto the moment we wandered in there a little more than an hour before the first pitch between the Jays and the Yankees, the first baseball game in the Bronx of the year back in April.

Moments later, the same man pulled out his wallet, offering a beer to his new Opening Day pals.

Though I didn’t catch the man’s name, we managed to reconnect briefly during an eighth-inning washroom break, with the Blue Jays leading by a 5-1 score.

“Let’s go, Toronto! Well, not today, I guess,” he laughed.

“F*ck Toronto! F*ck all of Canada!” said another eavesdropping Yankees supporter.

I guess we can’t all be friends, but perhaps he’s feeling a little better about the first-place Yankees now compared to Opening Day, with them now in opposite spots of the AL East standings compared to the last-placed Blue Jays.

Another member of our touring group spent over an hour at Yankee Stadium, lining up for a ballpark hot dog.

Recounting the story upon his return to the seats, it seemed like a few locals weren’t all that surprised by the long wait times.

“Welcome to Yankee Stadium,” he said with a laugh.

It’s a little over two months before the Blue Jays return to Yankee Stadium, as they’re scheduled for a three-game set from August 2 to 4.

And if you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway this summer, perhaps a trip to New York is in order. While you’re in New York, you never really know what you’ll see, and sometimes it reminds you of home.

On a walking yoga tour of Central Park on a Saturday morning by City Fit Tours, I saw two love stories unravelling before 9 am – one proposal and one engagement photoshoot in the works.

Imagine my surprise that our tour was led by a stage performer from Kingston, Ontario, the same city I called home for four years during my time at Queen’s University.

While visiting the Empire State Building, I was surprised to see a photo of current Raptors forward RJ Barrett at the top, shortly after being taken third overall by the New York Knicks in the 2019 draft. In the background, a video of Pickering native Shawn Mendes played.

But there are all sorts of experiences in the city that wouldn’t typically come to mind when you think of New York.

A personal highlight was finishing last in our group at Swingers Crazy Golf, a UK-imported luxury minigolf location where they suggest 90 minutes of checking out their extensive food and cocktail menu. You know, maybe that is the best way to experience a minigolf course.

If you’re searching for a good bar district in the city, perhaps you’ll find yourself on Stone Street, an area that seems more fitting for Dublin than Manhattan.

Or maybe you’ll grab a slice at Rose Pizza, a hole-in-the-wall joint located inside Penn Station that’s known as a go-to spot for commuters and Madison Square Garden patrons alike.

And then, of course, there are the teams themselves that take on the identity of New York. MLS side New York City FC might actually exemplify the city’s character better than any of the other teams around despite being far from the biggest show in town.

This season, they’ve got six home games in Citi Field, 12 in Yankee Stadium, and the ongoing promise of a new stadium in Queens that’s set to open in 2027. What’s more New York than a tantalizing new development mixed in with a mishmash of temporary housing in a historic district?

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Weary-eyed and worn down on my last night in the city, I made my way back to my lodging for the trip: the Marriott Marquis location with a view of Times Square.

It’s the wildest hotel view you’ll probably ever see, with a window overlooking the spot of the annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.

In the first moments after getting to the hotel, we experienced a 4.8 earthquake, the effects of which nobody in our vicinity felt.

But the last moments in the hotel were perhaps just as unexpected.

A local – or perhaps a travelling – marching band chose 12 am on a Saturday as a great time for a performance. No wonder it’s the city that never sleeps, but at least they can hold a good tune.

The next morning, overcaffeinated and underslept, some miscommunication with our driver caused us to get through airport security lines less than 10 minutes prior to our scheduled boarding time. In just five days, it feels like I’ve done enough to fill out five months of social plans.

It sounds like a cliche, but it’s true: wherever you turn in New York, you’re bound to make a memory.

There’s never enough time to fit in everything you want to on a New York trip, which may explain why so many people have moved there.

Daily Hive was hosted by New York City Tourism + Conventions, who did not have any editorial input on this article.