Of course, the city certainly lives up to its reputation for sky-high costs and conspicuous wealth. Some eateries serve $35 chocolate martinis and porterhouses that can top $100. Designer boutiques sometimes hang simple black cotton dresses on sale racks for $820, and an Uber to the airport can reach $135 when demand spikes.
Still, the Big Apple doesn’t have to mean sticker shock at every turn. The city’s culture, history, skyline, parks, people and even many businesses offer abundant experiences a visitor can enjoy without opening their wallet.
20 Free Things to Do in New York City
- IKEA ferry past Statue of Liberty
- 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero
- Queens botanical garden
- Brooklyn Bridge
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- Times Square
- Empire State Building
- Wall Street’s Charging Bull
- Grand Central Station
- Chinatown
- DUMBO
- Central Park
- Trinity Cemetery
- Trinity Church Churchyard
- Birdland Jazz Club
- White Horse Tavern
- General Grant National Memorial
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment
- The “Friends” apartment building
A “Stranger Things” virtual reality attraction in Brooklyn can run about $46 per ticket. Tea at the American Girl Place begins at roughly $40 per person. Many other NYC tours and attractions also carry steep price tags. But genuine tastes of New York — its neighborhoods, parks and landmarks — are often free and can be just as memorable as pricier amusements.
Consider adding these to your itinerary:
IKEA’s Ferry Past Statue of Liberty
You don’t have to shell out $25 to $50 for a harbor cruise to glimpse the Statue of Liberty. You can catch a complimentary NY Waterway ferry that ferries shoppers to the IKEA in Brooklyn’s Red Hook. The ferry departs from Midtown and Downtown Manhattan piers through the day, offering a round-trip to the 6.5-acre Brooklyn Erie Basin Park. The park includes walking and bike paths, outdoor seating and pleasant green space, plus convenient access to the IKEA store.
Ferries leave from Pier 79, 459 12th Ave., and Pier 11 on Wall Street. Trip time ranges from 10 to 25 minutes depending on your departure point.
9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero
Two reflecting pools, each set within the footprints of the original North and South World Trade Center towers destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, sit where those buildings once stood. Each pool is nearly an acre in size and 32 feet deep. The outdoor 9/11 memorial and reflecting pools at 180 Greenwich St. are free to visit, though the museum charges admission.
Queens Botanical Garden
The 39-acre Queens Botanical Garden showcases rose beds, a bee garden, herbs and perennials, plus an art gallery, an arboretum and lots of open areas for kids to explore.
Admission is complimentary on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 to 11 a.m.; it’s located at 43-50 Main St., Flushing, Queens.
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Walkway stretches 1.3 miles and provides spectacular skyline views whether you walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan or the reverse. Sunset is a particularly favored time to cross.
The eastbound pedestrian path and bike lanes begin near City Hall Park in Manhattan; westbound access is at Tillary Street and Adams Street in Brooklyn.
Central Park
Central Park is the city’s largest outdoor playground with countless corners to wander, play and unwind.
- Children can clamber over the Alice in Wonderland bronze sculpture — a giant Alice on mushrooms flanked by the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit — at 76th Street and Fifth Avenue.
- Climb the terraces and balconies of Belvedere Castle for sweeping views of Turtle Pond, the Great Lawn and the Ramble. Midpark at 79th Street.
- Stroll around Turtle Pond to spot turtles, fish, frogs, birds and dragonflies. E. 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.
- The Ramble is a 36-acre woodland with winding paths, rustic bridges, a meandering stream and large rock outcrops. Midpark between 73rd and 79th streets.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Besides scheduled services, the cathedral is open much of the day for quiet reflection. The Roman Catholic church, built between 1958 and 1978, is an elegant and historic place of worship. Notice the altar and the rose stained-glass window designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral sits on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st streets.
Times Square
This world-renowned junction dazzles visitors day and night with enormous billboards, live video screens, street performers and endless people-watching.
Times Square is centered at 42nd Street between Sixth and Ninth avenues.
Empire State Building
Going up to the Empire State Building observation decks costs about $44 and can involve long lines. But it’s completely free to stand on the sidewalk and gaze up at one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The Empire State Building is at 20 W. 34th St.
Wall Street’s Charging Bull
Snap a selfie with the 7,100-pound bull — a symbol of the Financial District and Lower Manhattan. The sculpture also honors the many immigrants who shaped the city’s growth. The Charging Bull was created by Italian-American artist Arturo Di Modica, who arrived in New York in the 1970s.
Charging Bull stands in Bowling Green Park on Broadway, just south of the intersection with Morris Street.
Grand Central Station
Built over a decade from 1903 to 1913, this landmark terminal bustles with commuters and visitors from all walks of life. Kids and train enthusiasts enjoy the maze of tracks and the station’s grand central concourse. Don’t miss the famed “whispering gallery” near the Oyster Bar on the lower level — the domed architecture carries a whisper from one corner to another with surprising clarity.
Grand Central Station is located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
Chinatown
The lanes of New York’s historic Chinatown — around since the mid-19th century — teem with sights, aromas and sounds, all free to wander and enjoy. Parts of the neighborhood now fall under the care of the National Park Service. When you need a break from walking, pop into whichever eatery looks tempting — there are plenty to choose from.
The Temple Mahayana, the oldest Chinese temple on the East Coast, at 133 Canal Street, is a fine spot to begin exploring this lower Manhattan enclave.
DUMBO
DUMBO — short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass — is a Brooklyn neighborhood famed for graffiti and striking murals. It’s free to wander, snap photos and pose for Instagram-ready shots in front of numerous brick and concrete artworks.
DUMBO’s borders run from Hudson Avenue to Fulton Street and Prospect Street to John Street along the East River.
Trinity Cemetery
Trinity Cemetery was once part of the estate of naturalist John James Audubon, famed for his bird illustrations, and he’s buried there along with other notable New Yorkers such as Mayor Ed Koch and members of the Astor family, including John Jacob Astor IV, who perished on the Titanic. Clement Clarke Moore, author of “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (commonly known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”), is also interred there.
Trinity Cemetery is uptown at 770 Riverside Drive.
Trinity Church Churchyard
Down in Lower Manhattan, Trinity Church Churchyard contains the graves of Alexander Hamilton, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, their son Philip Hamilton and Angelica Schuyler Church — names made familiar by the hit musical “Hamilton.” The churchyard is open to the public during daylight hours for self-guided visits.
Trinity Church Churchyard is at 74 Broadway at Wall St.
White Horse Tavern
Opened in 1880, this is one of the city’s longest-running taverns. In the 1950s and ’60s it drew writers like Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. Dylan Thomas favored it for its resemblance to the pubs of his native Wales.
It’s free to look around White Horse Tavern at 567 Hudson St., but if you plan to eat or drink, reservations are wise.
Birdland Jazz Club
Jazz lovers can take in the ambiance of Birdland Jazz Club even from the sidewalk. When the club opened in 1949, Charlie Parker headlined; through the years legends like Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and Stan Getz performed there. It wasn’t unusual to spot celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe or Frank Sinatra in the audience. If jazz is your passion, Birdland is a worthwhile stop.
Birdland Jazz Club is at 315 W. 44th St. between Eighth and Ninth avenues.
General Grant National Memorial
Known commonly as Grant’s Tomb, the mausoleum houses the remains of General Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia and is the largest tomb in North America.
The General Grant National Memorial, overseen by the National Park Service, is located at W. 122nd St. and Riverside Drive.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Tiffany & Co.’s flagship on Fifth Avenue is the same store Audrey Hepburn admired in the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Window shopping is free, so stroll in and admire the gems without spending a dime.
Tiffany is at 6 E. 57th St.
Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment
Climb the stoop where Carrie balanced her Manolo Blahniks at the West Village building made famous by HBO’s “Sex and the City,” in which Sarah Jessica Parker starred. Carrie smoked on the steps and shared memorable moments on that doorstep. Fans frequently gather for photos throughout the day.
Carrie’s apartment is at 64 Perry St.
The ‘Friends’ Apartment Building
The building that stood in for Monica, Rachel, Joey, Chandler and Phoebe’s residence is easy to spot in Greenwich Village. The six-story walk-up was built in 1898, long before the show’s characters took fictional occupancy.
Pose for a selfie at the “Friends” apartment building at 90 Bedford St.
While exploring these free attractions, you may also stumble upon local events and pop-ups listed on sites that curate free things to do around the city — a helpful resource for budget-friendly fun.
