US Open 2015: Tennis-Related Events, Other Fun Things To Do In New York City Between Matches

When the U.S. Open starts Monday, Aug. 31, tennis fans will stream to New York City, where the two-week tournament is being held. Between matches, here are a host of other activities and destinations in the Big Apple that both foreign and local visitors alike can enjoy throughout the event.

The U.S. Open is slated to be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which also promises to have food, kids' activities and music performances, according to the official guide NYC. The center offers six full restaurants, 60 concessions stands and nearly two dozen stores, according to a recent New York Times article, to accommodate the roughly 700,000 fans that come every year.

The tennis-minded may choose to stick close by the stadium and soak up the thrill of the U.S. Open atmosphere. But others may want to venture elsewhere, and beyond the stadium, there is so much to do.

The center is in Flushing, Queens, which means a host of restaurants boasting international cuisine, a full botanical garden and many more attractions are just a short trip away. Directly by the stadium itself is the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the second-largest in New York City.

Queens is also an up-and-coming culinary destination. From Jackson Heights' authentic Indian cuisine to the classic Joe's Shanghai in Flushing, plus Houdini Kitchen Laboratory in Ridgewood, there's no shortage of delicious foods for visitors to taste test.

Saturday is Arthur Ashe Kids Day, a family-friendly event offering face painting and tennis-related activities for children. Kids can spend a whole day watching the real pros practice their game, for instance, or join in activities on the courts to build their own tennis skills. Free concerts are also held during the day.

For first-time visitors to New York, one option is to buy travel packages that include tickets to U.S. Open matches along with visits to iconic sites like the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty, and admissions to museums, allowing them to make the most of their time in the Big Apple.