FOOD: Big Apple BBQ -- Tips and Tricks [NYC]

Every year people talk about the Big Apple BBQ and this year I finally made it! I am admittedly not the biggest fan of BBQ--but I am trying new things and am developing a taste for it. And this was the perfect event to give everything a try!

First off--I went Sunday and it was an amazing day weather-wise, even though it did get a bit hot in the sun. But Madison Square Park was the perfect location--lots of trees and benches to sit on so it turned out to be a really great day.

I went with a group of friends and some of them had the Fast Pass. This did make a really big difference! And I'd definitely recommend getting a Fast Pass if you're planning on going next year and staying for a while. Since we were there all day being able to skip the lines was a huge help. The Fast Pass was $125 with a $100 food credit and came with a companion pass so basically you are splitting that. Great deal, if you ask me. And between trying the food ($9/plate) and drinks ($6/beer) it was totally worth it.

Brisket sandwich from Dinosaur BBQ

In this article, I want to highlight some tips and tricks I learned from attending this year for next year!

Consider sharing a Fast Pass--basically for the reasons mentioned above
If it's hot, drink water before you go and maybe even bring some along with you. Later on in the day they ran out of water and since it was in the 80's that day, it was much needed
Make sure the map is accurate. On the back of the Fast Pass I was using, the map was outdated so it made getting around a little difficult. Make sure the map is right!
Walk around and see it all! Don't just pick the closest thing to you or the place with the shortest line. Make the most of it and look around!
Make a day of it--staying all day was really fun! We carved out a little area for ourselves and stayed for almost the whole time which made for a really fun Sunday afternoon
Wear sunblock and comfortable shoes. This one is kind of a no-brainer, but it was kind of a life saver this year!