Free Things To Do in New York City | Best Ways To Spend Time In New York City

The city that never sleeps has everything from the urban oasis of the Central Park to the Statue of Liberty standing as the sentinel. Be it enjoying the skyline or the extravagant lights at the Times (Read More) Square, there are several free things to do in New York City. The lavish metropolitan city has something for everyone with its sculpture garden, botanical garden, scenic bridges and more. Famous for the skyscraping Empire State Building, the US Open and Broadway shows, to name a few, you will be guaranteed exciting outdoor activities in New York City. So, if you are looking for the best things to experience in this city, check below

Here is the list of 44 Free Things To Do In NEW YORK CITY

1. Relax at Central Park

Relax at Central Park
5.0 /5

All of the 349 hectares of central park are free to explore and its location in the middle of Manhattan offers the city peeps a great way to escape the concrete jungles and the chaos of the city.

2. Rose Main reading room

Rose Main reading room
5.0 /5

In midtown Manhattan, near Bryant Park is located the most famous branch of New York public library; he Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

3. High line

High line
4.5 /5

It’s a free urban park transformed from an old abandoned elevated(30 feet above ground) freight rail line and is a major tourist attraction.

4. Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn Brewery
4.5 /5

Founded in the late 1980s, Brooklyn Brewery is the home & pioneer of Brooklyn's famous beer crafting.

5. Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live
4.5 /5

It's a live comedy show that airs on NYC television every Saturday at 11.30 pm. The show is aired from 30, Rockefeller Plaza, and is a 5-minute walk away from the 5thAvenue/53rdStreet Subway Station.

6. Staten Island ferry

Staten Island ferry
4.0 /5

Unlike other ferry tours to Staten island(which costs around $15), the Staten Island ferry is completely free

7. Prospect park

 Prospect park
4.0 /5

It‘s one of the most popular parks in New York City and is situated between 5 busy Brooklyn neighborhoods adjacent to Brooklyn Botanical Garden & Museum.

8. Beaches

Beaches
4.0 /5

Location of New York near the Atlantic offers it a ton of beaches. Most of the beaches are free and allow swimming only during lifeguard hours.

9. Movies under the stars

Movies under the stars
4.5 /5

One of the inexpensive things you can do in NYC is to experience movies under the star. The city has multiple locations that provide free outdoor movies, the best among them being the Brooklyn bridge park.

10. Cultural Exposure in New York City

Cultural Exposure in New York City
4.0 /5

The number of places providing cultural exposure in new york is just astonishing. You can find any number of varieties & scales of the museum here, most of them with free admission.

11. open-air live music festivals of SummerStage and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn

open-air live music festivals of SummerStage and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn
4.0 /5

The state of the art open-air live music festivals of SummerStage and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! have been celebrating music since 1979-80s.

12. The US Open tennis tournament

The US Open tennis tournament
4.5 /5

The US Open tennis tournament takes place every year during August-September in Flushing Meadows –Corona Park, one of the major summer Grand Slam venues of New York City.

13. Walk across the city’s bridges

Walk across the city’s bridges
4.0 /5

The Brooklyn Bridge is the oldest suspension and hybrid cable-tied bridge in New York City lets you enjoy the river view from any of the six lanes.

14. See Shakespeare in the park

See Shakespeare in the park
4.0 /5

Currently run by The Public Theatre, the Shakespeare In The Park was the brainchild of Joseph Papp during 1954 and it had the first performance in 1962 with The Merchant Of Venice.

15. Rockefeller Center of Midtown Manhattan

Rockefeller Center of Midtown Manhattan
4.0 /5

Standing in the Rockefeller Center of Midtown Manhattan, the enormous Christmas tree decoration followed by the Joy of the World singing by the Main Street Gospel choir marks the festive spirits.

16. Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Brooklyn Botanic Garden
4.0 /5

Sprawling over 52 acres within a small walking distance from Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been welcoming around a million visitors annually since its foundation in 1910.

17. Visit film and TV locations

Visit film and TV locations
4.0 /5

From the Grand Central Terminal to the Central Park, the Friends Apartment Building to Times Square –there are numerous locations in New York City that are featured in TV shows and movies.

18. St Patrick’s Cathedral

St Patrick’s Cathedral
4.0 /5

Walking three minutes on foot from the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan will take you to the 100m tall St Patrick’s Cathedral that boasts of the neo-gothic decoration.

19. See outdoor art at Socrates Sculpture Park

See outdoor art at Socrates Sculpture Park
4.0 /5

Open from 9 AM till sunset, Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island offers free admission to visitors throughout the year for ongoing exhibitions and events.

20. Explore Grand Central Station

Explore Grand Central Station
3.5 /5

A U.S National Historic Landmark and a New York City Landmark, the Grand Central Terminal features beaux-arts architectural style.

21. Whitney Museum of American art

Whitney Museum of American art
3.5 /5

Whitney Museum of American art situated between the high line and the Hudson River is a major attraction of the meatpacking district.

22. Bird watching at Central Park

Bird watching at Central Park
3.5 /5

This National Historic landmark is a popular destination for migrating birds and bird watchers alike.

23. Pay your respect to the 9/11 memorial

Pay your respect to the 9/11 memorial
4.0 /5

Remember the victims, the survivors, and the loss which humanity suffered due to the bomb blasts in 2001 and 1993.

24. Walk across the Brooklyn bridge

Walk across the Brooklyn bridge
3.5 /5

This 137-year-old & 1800 meter long bridge across the east river connecting Manhattan & Brooklyn.

25. Take a Free walking tour

Take a Free walking tour
3.5 /5

As a visitor There are multiple attractions to see in New York and taking a walking tour is the best way to cover as much as you can.

26. Hang with farm animals at Queens County Farm Museum

Hang with farm animals at Queens County Farm Museum
3.5 /5

This 323-year-old colonial-era farm spanning 47 acres in the neighborhood of Glen Oaks in Queens is New York City's largest area of undisturbed farmland.

27. Tour an Ice cream museum

Tour an Ice cream museum
3.5 /5

Learn the art of ice cream making from the museum of ice cream New York city.

28. Kayak at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Kayak at Brooklyn Bridge Park
3.5 /5

Enjoy the Summer with stunning views of lower Manhattan And the Statue of Liberty while paddling on a sit-on-top kayak in the East River.

29. Take a Tour of the New York Public Library

Take a Tour of the New York Public Library
3.5 /5

The Beaux-Arts-style architecture of Stephen A. Schwarzman Building along with the front gate's famous marble lions named “Patience” and “Fortitude” attracts thousands of visitors each month.

30. Check Out a Free Comedy Show

Check Out a Free Comedy Show
4.0 /5

In this city of hustle and bustle take a break to tickle your funny bones at a free comedy show

31. Tour the Federal Bank of New York’s Gold Vault

Tour the Federal Bank of New York’s Gold Vault
4.0 /5

Get to know about the working of the federal reserve on this tour. Take an elevator 5 stories down to the vault (in the basement) containing the world's largest deposit of monetary gold.

32. See Alexander Hamilton’s Harlem Estate

See Alexander Hamilton’s Harlem Estate
4.0 /5

Alexander Hamilton was a leading figure in creating the United States’ financial system. He was also one of the United States' founding fathers.

33. Stargazing at High Line Park

Stargazing at High Line Park
4.0 /5

Every Tuesday at dusk, April through October, the High Line at the 14th Street in New York hosts stargazing. It has some of the most beautiful views of the night sky in all of New York City.

34. Watch a Movie at Bryant Park

Watch a Movie at Bryant Park
3.5 /5

Located between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City, Bryant park screens a Netflix movie every Monday around sunset.

35. Jazz at Barbès

Jazz at Barbès
3.5 /5

Barbès is a bar and performance space located in the 9th Street in the South Slope part of Brooklyn in New York City.

36. American Folk Art Museum

American Folk Art Museum
4.0 /5

The American Folk Art Museum is an art gallery in Manhattan, Lincoln Square, at 66th Street, New York City.

37. African Burial Ground

 African Burial Ground
3.5 /5

African Burial Ground National Monument is a historic monument between Duane and Elk Street in the Civic Center section of Manhattan, New York City. It is a beautiful monument that highlights the history of African-Americans.

38. Bushwick Collective

Bushwick Collective
3.5 /5

Bushwick Collective is an open-air street art gallery located in Troutman St, Brooklyn, in New York City.

39. Bronx Museum of the Arts

Bronx Museum of the Arts
3.5 /5

The Bronx Museum of the Arts also known as the Bronx Museum is an American cultural institution located in Concourse, Bronx, in New York City. It showcases contemporary art from all over the world.

40. City Hall

City Hall
3.0 /5

New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is a colonial-style building that is the seat of the New York government.

41. Chelsea galleries

Chelsea galleries
3.0 /5

The Chelsea art district is located between West 18th and West 27th Streets, and 10th and 11th Avenues. It has many art galleries and is well known throughout the art world.

42. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum

 Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum
3.0 /5

The museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology displays collections of clothing, textiles, and accessories. It is located on 7th Avenue at 27 Street in New York City. It is well known for its collection of contemporary avant-garde fashion.

43. Socrates Sculpture Park

Socrates Sculpture Park
3.0 /5

Situated in the neighborhood of Astoria, Queens, Socrates Sculpture Park is the best park in New York City to enjoy art.

44. Eat at Smorgasburg

 Eat at Smorgasburg
3.5 /5

Located in Brooklyn, New York, Smorgasburg is the largest weekly open-air food fest in the United States, with over a hundred vendors selling a variety of food.

Above was the list of free outdoor activities to do in new york city. A person would be surprised to know about such a huge number of Free things to do in New York city. The places listed above are not the only places where you can enjoy for free. There are many wallet friendly places in the city of Dreams. Every part of New York is unique and famous for its own identity.

This post was published by Rachana Jain

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