There isn’t a bad seat in the house. When the lights turn vibrant colors, the dramatic music and the dancing on air begins, every person is pulled into the thrilling two-hour ride that is Cirque du Soleil. While it is usually better to be right up front in the action, beneath the Grand Chapiteau on Randall’s Island, the nosebleeds will do just as well. Save your extra penny for the chicken club panini.
Kooza is like stepping inside the mystical world of Narnia, except there are no Hollywood tricks, no superimposing, and the mostly adult crowd is whispering, “This reminds me of when I was a kid.” Between the Wheel of Death, the three contortionists, a Unicycle Duo, and the waggish charm of clowns, there is no time to check blackberry emails or worry about paying the bills.
The real magic of Cirque du Soleil is making a recession disappear for a night. Less than 10 minutes later, when you’re off the bus and back in Manhattan, the conversation is still about the tiny tattooed man who balanced on 10 chairs, the flying stilt-strapped performers, the peeing dog, the juggler…
The show runs through June 21. When was the last time you went to a place where grown men shrieked, “Oh my God! Oh my God!” like little girls?
How to get there: Take the X80 buses that will leave exclusively for Randall’s Island from Lexington Avenue and East 125th Street. Hop on the 4, 5, or 6 on Lexington Ave line to get to 125th. Buses will run from at least 70 minutes before showtime to 30 minutes following the performance, approximately every ten minutes. Round-trip bus fare is $5.00 and make sure to bring a pay-as-you-go Metro Card.
New York Water Taxi is an alternative way to get to Randall’s Island. It departs from the E. 35th Street Pier in Midtown and E 90th Street Pier in the Upper East Side. Ferry Price: $15 one way, $20 round trip.
Visit Cirque du Soleil’s website for more details and ticket info.
Photos: Courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram