London: 5 best July values

Baseball and fireworks by the beach For a classic summer night out, head to Coney Island, where you can root for the home team, the minor league Brooklyn Cyclones, as they take on rivals like the Staten Island Yankees. The stadium has an intimate, old-time feel, with fluorescent rings around the lights and landmarks like the rickety 83-year-old Cyclone roller coaster in the background. Nineteen new rides opened earlier this summer at Luna Park. Help yourself to one of Nathan's famous hot dogs, and stick around after select baseball games for fireworks—at the stadium on Saturdays (July 3, 10, 31) and along the boardwalk on Fridays (July 9, 16, 23). Baseball games, $8-$16, 1904 Surf Ave., Brooklyn; Siren Music Festival, free, July 17. Opera in the outdoors The Metropolitan Opera is hosting six free concerts in all five boroughs. The Summer Recital Series kicks off at Central Park SummerStage on July 12, 8 p.m., with performances by baritone Nathan Gunn, soprano Susanna Phillips, tenor Michael Fabiano, and pianists Jonathan Kelly and Julie Gunn. You'll hear several pieces over about an hour (not a full-length opera). Additional shows are all at 7 p.m.: July 15 at the Bronx's Crotona Park, July 20 at the brand-new Brooklyn Bridge Park, July 22 at Staten Island's Tappen Park, July 27 at Queens Bridge Park, and July 29 at Manhattan's Jackie Robinson Park. Pack picnic gear and show up early to claim your patch of grass. A Bastille Day fête Americans aren't the only ones celebrating revolution this month. From noon to 6 p.m. on July 11, the French Institute throws its annual Bastille Day on 60th Street, a three-block party devoted to all things French. That means not only mimes, accordion players, cancan dancers, and an Edith Piaf tribute, but also Haitian and Moroccan singers and a francophone rock band Les Sans Culottes. There are market stalls for gorging on nutella crêpes, and kid-friendly activities like pétanque (lawn bowling) and face-painting. 60th St. between Fifth and Lexington Aves. Actors and authors at Bryant Park Break for lunch and a dose of culture at this midtown Manhattan park. Thursdays feature Broadway stars—from In the Heights, Wicked, South Pacific, and more crowd-pleasers—on the lawn's center stage, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The Word for Word series on Wednesdays puts the spotlight on author readings, 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. The FUNny Writers event on July 14 brings together Sloane Crosley, Tom Shillue, Larry Doyle, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, and Simon Rich. Catch Jennifer Egan and Jane Mendelsohn on July 7, Sebastian Junger on July 14, and Gary Shteyngart on July 28. Between 40th and 42nd Sts., Fifth and Sixth Aves. Fine dining for less Three-course, prix-fixe meals are $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner at about 275 restaurants during the latest Restaurant Week, July 12-16 and 19-23, plus Sundays at select restaurants. The promotion helps put the city's fanciest, trendiest, and highest rated restaurants in reach; Gotham Bar and Grill, Maialino, Dévi, Telepan, The Modern, Asiate, and Perry Street all caught my eye. But be warned that these fixed rates don't include drinks, tips, or taxes, and you'll typically be stuck ordering from a very limited portion of the regular menu. (The last time I tried Restaurant Week, I broke down and went for the dish I really wanted—at full price.) One ongoing deal: the family-style Southeast Asian Sunday Nonya Dinners at Double Crown, also for $35 per person. MORE SUMMER FUN IN NYC Manhattan's Best Museum Parties 3 Harbor-Area Experiences New York's Street Food Trucks Go Gourmet

We dug through our files to find photos—from readers and pros—that are so spectacular they're bound to get you dreaming and planning a new adventure. See the slide show.

At the antique market in Nice, France, with the cutest vendor around. EARLIER We're still looking for your photos of bridges and California. Upload your photos now!

Sure, you've heard of the Japanese Tea Garden, the de Young, and the California Academy of Science, all located in Golden Gate Park's 1,017 acres (larger than New York City's Central Park—so there!) But the Golden Gate Park has a slew of other, lesser known activities, ideal for summer. Check out these five often overlooked attractions. Boating Renting a rowboat at Stow Lake, the largest lake in the park, is perhaps the most romantic activity on offer here. The lake itself is stunning, with a waterfall and a pagoda-style gazebo surrounded by reeds and trees. Strawberry Hill, an island in the middle of the lake, is a popular picnic spots for couples. Boating on the lake is also a family-friendly activity—life vests are available for kids, as are paddle boats. 50 Stow Lake Dr. (between Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy Drives, near 19th Ave.), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, 415/752-0347. Paddle boat, $20/hour, row boat $15/hour, one hour minimum. Swing dancing Each Sunday, those light of foot flock to Lindy in the Park, a popular swing dancing meet-up that has become a weekend tradition in the last decade. The totally free afternoon starts off with a beginner lesson, then breaks into a huge dance party with a mix of jazz, blues, and swing music. The diverse crowd ranges from dancers who are completely green to professionals. Solos and couples welcome. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., weather permitting, JFK Drive between 8th and 10 avenues. Fly fishing Even without fish, Golden Gate Park's fly-casting pools are considered some of best places in the country to practice casting. Located near the buffalo paddock, near JFK Drive and 36th Avenue, 415/386-2630 Remembering The National AIDS Memorial Grove is a somber yet peaceful memorial garden where visitors are encouraged to contemplate and pay tribute to loved ones who have passed away. The serene seven-acre sanctuary is filled with benches, various native plants, and trees, including California's famous Redwoods. Because the grove is off the beaten path, it's usually pretty empty, offering up a tranquil spot for remembrance. At the intersection of Bowling Green and Middle Drive East. Playing The country's oldest public playground, the Children's playground (now officially called Koret Children's Quarter after a recent $3.8 million renovation), is great for kids of all ages. There's tons to do: spinning cups, a 50-foot climbing tower, rope structures, slides, and ziplines. It's perhaps the most popular playground in the city, so it gets crowded; mornings are definitely the best time to go. The adjacent carousel, built in 1912, is a real classic, with organ music and a range of ornate animals to ride, like camels, ostriches, and heavily decorated horses. $2 per ride, children ages 6-12, $1; free children under 5, 10 a.m.–4: 30 p.m. 320 Bowling Green Dr., between John F. Kennedy Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Note: There is now a shuttle bus from the free Ocean Beach parking lot to various locations inside the park; it's just $2 for an all-day round trip pass.