The last weekend of March is packed. Two NHL games, a major museum opening, Coney Island waking up for the season, and Broadway moments you will not get back. If you are on Long Island and wondering whether the trip into the city is worth it this weekend — it is.

Here is what is happening and what you need to know about getting there.

New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers at Madison Square Garden

Sunday, March 29 at 1:00 PM

The Rangers host the Florida Panthers at MSG on Sunday afternoon — and with both teams in a tight playoff race, this is not a casual regular-season game. Penn Station will be busy before puck drop, and the midtown blocks around Seventh Avenue will be wall-to-wall after the final buzzer.

Driving in and parking near MSG on a Sunday is always an exercise in frustration. The lots near the arena run $50–80 for events, and most of them fill up long before game time. If you are coming from Nassau or Suffolk, the better move is to skip the parking headache entirely. We drop clients at the Seventh Avenue entrance and pick up wherever they land after the final buzzer — no circling the block, no meter running.

If you are planning a trip to the game, build in time. The LIE on a Sunday afternoon heading into Queens and then into the city is generally manageable, but it is not a guarantee. Give yourself a buffer.

New York Islanders vs. Florida Panthers at UBS Arena

Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 PM

The Islanders host Florida at UBS Arena in Elmont the same weekend — which means Long Island hockey fans have two chances to see a playoff contender this weekend. UBS Arena is easy to reach from Nassau County, but that ease is deceptive. Parking on site is limited and expensive, and the roads around the arena during a Saturday afternoon game back up faster than most people expect.

UBS Arena sits just off the Hempstead Turnpike near Belmont Park. For anyone coming from the South Shore or eastern Suffolk, a car service makes more sense than most people think. You are not fighting the Cross Island or Atlantic Avenue gridlock after a game when the arena empties all at once. We handle the pickup timing — your driver is there when you walk out, not five minutes after you ordered a rideshare.

This one is genuinely a home game for Long Island. The crowd will be loud.

Coney Island Opening Weekend

Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29

Coney Island comes back to life this weekend. Luna Park opens Saturday, March 28, and on Sunday the legendary Cyclone roller coaster celebrates its 99th birthday — the first 99 riders get a free ride and a free egg cream. Deno's Wonder Wheel is also hosting its 71st Annual Palm Sunday Opening and Blessing of the Rides.

This is not a corporate event or a stadium concert, but it is a regional moment. Families from all over the metro come out for opening weekend at Coney Island, and the area around Surf Avenue and the boardwalk gets genuinely chaotic. Street parking is limited. The Belt Parkway heading toward Brooklyn on a Saturday can be slow, and the Prospect Expressway does not help if you are coming from the other direction.

For families with kids who want to make a day of it — drive down, avoid the parking fight, and have someone pick you up when the energy runs out. The Cyclone at 99 is worth the trip.

Raphael: Sublime Poetry at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Opens Sunday, March 29 — on view through June 28, 2026

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens one of its biggest exhibitions of 2026 this Sunday. Raphael: Sublime Poetry brings together more than 200 works — drawings, paintings, tapestries, decorative arts — spanning the full career of one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. The show runs through late June, but opening weekend at a major Met exhibition draws a serious crowd.

The Met is on Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street in Manhattan. There is no good parking near it on a weekend. The transverse roads through Central Park are not a shortcut on a busy Sunday afternoon. If you are making the trip up from Long Island, the easier approach is to be dropped on Fifth Avenue and picked up from the same spot when you are done — whether that is two hours later or four.

This one skews toward a particular kind of client: the art-collector type, the executive who takes clients to cultural events, the family with teenagers who actually want to go. All worth planning proper transportation for.

Broadway Weekend: Just in Time Final Performance

Sunday, March 29

Jonathan Groff closes out his run in Just in Time on Sunday, March 29 — his final performance as the legendary crooner Bobby Darin. Broadway closing nights have a specific energy that does not exist at regular performances, and this one has been generating serious buzz since it opened.

If you have tickets, you already know how the theater district works on a Sunday evening. Eighth Avenue and 46th Street area fills up with show traffic, and getting a cab or rideshare after the curtain is a wait you did not plan for. We drop clients at the stage door side and coordinate pickup timing so there is no standing on the sidewalk after an emotional final bow.

Also running this weekend: Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Marquis Theatre has Saturday matinees, and The Lion King at the Minskoff is always reliable for family trips into the city.

Getting Into the City This Weekend

March weekends heading into the city are generally smoother than summer, but do not take that for granted. Here is what actually matters this weekend:

For Saturday: Two major events — the Islanders game in Elmont and Coney Island opening — mean elevated traffic on the Southern State, Belt Parkway, and roads around UBS Arena from late morning through early afternoon. The Van Wyck will be the Van Wyck.

For Sunday: The Rangers afternoon game means midtown west is busy from noon through mid-afternoon. The Met opening adds Fifth Avenue foot traffic. Plan pickups accordingly.

If you are using a car service from Long Island, coordinate with your driver ahead of time on where you are going and when you want to be picked up. The events this weekend do not all end at the same time, and knowing your pickup window matters more than most people realize before the game ends.

Ready to plan your weekend? We handle the driving while you focus on the game, the show, or the exhibition.

Request a quote and book your ride for this weekend. We have done hundreds of runs to MSG, UBS Arena, and midtown — the car will be there.

Best Things To Do in NYC This Weekend — March 28–29, 2026