New York City is full of life and adventure! In this big city, there’s a lot of things to do. Within 4 days of exploring, I noticed there’s also a lot of FREE things to do around the city. Yes, FREE! If you’re heading to New York in the future, keep these 10-free-things-to-do in mind!
10 FREE THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK CITY
1. Battery Park
The Battery Park is a 25-acre public park on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. This park faces the New York Harbor and presents a beautiful view! We walked along the park heading to Staten Ferry Island and just couldn’t get enough of the beautiful gardens!
2. Central Park
There’s no other park in the world that will compare to Central Park! This 843 acres of nature int he middle of a bustling city is full of life and welcomes over 40 million visitors every year. With a park so vast, you can’t explore this place in a day. There’s definitely a lot to do and see such as biking at the park, performers, picnic, boat rides, restaurants, and so much more. We visited Central Park two times out of the 4 days we were there and wished we could have explored more. The next time we go back to New York, staying close to Central Park is a must.
3. Chelsea Market
A friend invited us to Chelsea Market and I’m so glad she did! We love the shops and restaurants in the market. There’s a lot of amazing eateries in this indoor, air-conditioned market. If we were staying close to this place, we’d for sure be getting bites and doing some shopping every day. There’s a ton of local foodies and with all the aromas it’s hard not to want to eat at every spot!
4. Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a one-stop shop for all shops, cafes, restaurants, museums, galleries, hotels and more! We were able to visit Ladurée while we were there. I wish we had more time walking through the avenues and checking out the individual shops. It’s free to walk around but if you’re a serious shopper, be prepared leave a serious dent in your pocket.
5. Free Shows
New York is known for its Broadway and if you’re looking to find a financial break, I found just the thing: Free Shows! Did you know you can see free shows in New York? We certainly did not! Check out this website and plan on seeing some shows while you’re in town.
6. One World Trade Center – 9/11 Memorial
The last time I was in New York City and visited the World Trade Center, I was at the very top of the South Tower. It’s crazy to visit this place 15 years later as a memorial. There was a lot of people around the 9/11 Memorial, paying respects and checking out the museum. Remembering a horrific time in our nation’s past but reliving the resilience of the human spirit in a monumental form is an indescribable experience.
7. Staten Island Ferry
If you want to see the Lady Liberty, there are tours that you’re able to buy tickets for. Staten Island Ferry runs every 30 minutes and it’s free to ride. With this ride, it takes you to Staten Island under 30 minutes and during your ride, you’ll be able to see the Statue of Liberty on the right side while en route. Get those cameras ready and take some photos! You’ll also see New York City from the ferry. It’s a beautiful sight of the city!
8. The High Line
On Manhattan’s west side lies The High Line. This place used to be a rail trail which is now an elevated linear park in the city. It’s a nice walk through the park where you can see some local shops and food vendors. While we were there, we stumbled upon a jazz singer and he was amazing! It’s nice to see this old railroad re-used and transformed into a nice park in the middle of the city.
9. Times Square
Big City and bright lights, for sure! Times Square is an experience on its own. Lots of stores and restaurants around but the best part is people watching. During the day, you’ll see business people walking through the city and at night, the city closes the street (no cars allows through) and they set up red stairs for people to sit and watch the city lights. Amazing experience in the city that you can’t miss! Beware, it can get overwhelming with all the people.
10. Washington Square Park
Another park to check out during your time in New York. If you’re looking for a place to relax and have a chill day, this is a perfect place! We went during the weekend and there were a lot of residents, tourists, and university students hanging out at the park. I didn’t realize their were so many parks in New York City!
We hope this helps with your New York planning. Especially with all the free things you can do! If you’ve been to New York before, do you recommend any other free things to do? We’d love to know! Please leave it as a comment!
FREE THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK MAP
1 Comment
Great post!! Self guided walking tours are always a great “free thing to do”. I love lacing up the running shoes and going for long city walks and taking in the city slowly. In particular Brooklyn and the Brooklyn bridge were awesome to explore.