Want to visit New York City on the cheap?
Then follow this Top 23 free tours, museums and activities to do in New York City that we’ve created for you to enjoy without breaking the bank.
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Visit Coney Island for free in New York
Coney Island is the home of New York’s alternative lifestyle. From the annual mermaid parade to hot dog eating contests, this amazing peninsula seems a million miles away from the rest of the city.
You’ll still find plenty of activities to do, right from the moment you arrive.
If you’re a thrill-seeker, don’t pass up a ride at Luna Park, and if you’re still able to spend a few bucks, check out the Coney Island Circus Sideshow.
We’ll leave the surprise to you, but this scary show will make your hair stand on end – or in some cases, just cover your eyes.
Times Square
For over a century, the brightest lights, the biggest concerts, the longest parties and the most famous stars you could imagine took place along the famous Broadway thoroughfare.
Not so long ago, Times Square was a paradise of decadence. Sex shops and peep shows had infested the area until a revitalization effort finally paid off.
New tenants, like David Letterman, moved in, paving the way for a new Times Square. Today, it’s one of the most influential theater districts in the world, and it also hosts the largest New Year’s Eve celebration on the planet.
Half a million people flock to the vast square each year to say goodbye to the past year and welcome the new one in true New York style.
Visit the 9/11 Memorial
There are few places in New York City that are as emotionally, politically and patriotically charged as this place in lower Manhattan.
The memorial consists of the footprints of the two fallen towers of the World Trade Center, in the form of two giant pools, with the names of the victims around their edges.
Another striking monument to the fallen of September 11, 2001 can be found inside St. Paul’s Chapel, the small church, dating from 1766, across from the memorial.
Fans of contemporary architecture should definitely take a look at the new subway station, designed by Santiago Calatrava, which resembles a monumental stegosaurus skeleton.
Visit New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral
It’s not the largest cathedral in New York (that would go to St. John the Theologian, or St. John the Divine), but St. Patrick’s is undoubtedly the most famous and beautiful in the city.
This mesmerizing neo-Gothic structure provides an interesting contrast to the Art Deco Rockefeller Center across the street.
Completed in 1878, the cathedral is one of the most famous and recognizable religious buildings in the United States.
The interior can accommodate up to 2,200 people, and has been packed during Requiem Masses of such luminaries as Babe Ruth, Robert Kennedy, Joe Di Maggio and Andy Warhol.
Don’t miss the majestic Pieta, three times larger than Michelangelo’s in the Vatican, created by Araldo Perugi.
More info at: https: //saintpatrickscathedral.org/
Stroll along the High Line
Running along Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street between 10th and 12th Avenues, the High Line takes its walkers across the city on a route that is far less traveled than the major highways.
Dating back to 1934, the disused freight railroad was transformed into a large public park with lush gardens, art exhibits, and special events such as the Snow Sculpt-Off in winter.
During the warmer months of the year, visitors can opt for free guided tours on Tuesdays and Saturdays to learn more about the history of this legendary walk.
Visit the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York for free
On Friday afternoons from 4 to 8 p.m., UNIQLO sponsors free tours of the Museum of Modern Art, a renowned museum of modern and contemporary art.
The admission, funded by the Japanese apparel company, allows visitors to explore all the galleries, exhibitions and films during their visit to New York.
Located in Midtown, MoMA has a wide range of permanent and temporary collections, featuring works by masters ranging from Monet to Matisse.
We recommend arriving early to the museum, as it tends to get busier by the hour.
More info at: https: //www.moma.org/
Stroll in Central Park
No trip to New York City is complete without a visit to this 2-square-mile public park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.
Its sprawling beauty will make you forget you’re standing in one of the world’s greatest cities.
No matter what the season, Central Park has plenty to offer its visitors, from the Shakespeare Garden to the Strawberry Fields, created as a tribute to John Lennon.
As you stroll through this forested landscape, take a look at the iconic statues of Alice in Wonderland and Balto.
For a more in-depth tour, you can opt for a free welcome tour of parts of the park, mainly the north, south, and center of the garden.
Visit Brooklyn Bridge for free in New York
Once considered the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” Brooklyn Bridge offers the more than 4,000 pedestrians who cross it each day a breathtaking view of the city’s skyline and waterfront.
The nearly two-kilometer walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn (or vice versa) gives you the opportunity to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the World Trade Center, and much more.
Once you cross the bridge, stop by Brooklyn Bridge Park, a mile-long oasis along the East River.
Discover the Brooklyn Botanical Garden
On Tuesdays, Saturdays (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and selected other days throughout the year, the Botanical Garden is completely free for those wishing to explore the various parks and exhibits.
Located in Prospect Park, the Botanical Garden includes the beautiful Hill-and-Pond Japanese Garden, Cherry Esplanade, Shakespeare Garden and Cranford Rose Garden, and many others.
Brewery Tour
If you’re looking for a behind-the-scenes opportunity to visit one of the city’s famous breweries, this is it.
Brooklyn Brewery, located in Williamsburg, offers a wide range of free tours on Saturdays and Sundays.
All you have to do is grab a free ticket (two per person maximum), between an hour and an hour and a half before the tour of your choice, and be sure to bring your ID.
Outside food is allowed, and you’ll be able to purchase beer tokens during your visit to the facility, which opened in 1988.
Another option is to visit Single Cut Beersmiths in Queens.
Check in at the brewery counter five minutes before 3:00 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays for an approximately 20-minute tour around the manufacturing facility. No reservations are necessary for this Astoria-based brewery.
Visit the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Fashion Museum
Museum fees can be quite expensive in New York City, but fortunately, admission to the Fashion Institute of Technology (more commonly known simply as FIT), a university specializing in fashion technology and design, is free year-round.
Featuring a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits, the museum houses works by designers and stylists such as Dior, Chanel, and Balenciaga.
With over 4,000 pairs of shoes, 50,000 garments and accessories (some dating back to the 18th century), and 30,000 textiles (dating back to the5th century), there’s a lot to discover.
Be sure to stop by the FIT Gallery to admire the work of the school’s future graduates and faculty.
Discover the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Although registration is most often required 30 days in advance, it’s worth exploring the inner workings of the Federal Reserve for about an hour.
During your visit, you’ll have the opportunity to go five floors underground to get a look at the gold reserves – the largest in the world, at over 7,000 tons!
You can learn more about the entire Federal Reserve System on these tours, which are held on weekdays and are free at certain times of the day.
Admire the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in New York City
The construction of this true Manhattan wonder – known as the largest cathedral in the world! – dates back to 1892.
With church services throughout the week, visitors can stop by St. John’s Cathedral to tour its lavish amenities, where Reverend Martin Luther King preached in 1956.
Although official tours require a small fee, you can walk through its 45,000 square feet on your own for free or admire the Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine styles that make up the building.
Board the Staten Island Ferry
Enjoy the 25-minute ride from Manhattan to Staten Island on the Staten Island Ferry.
The ride offers a wonderful view of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the city skyline as it takes you from Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan to St. George on Staten Island.
More than 22 million people use this boat each year, making about 110 trips per day.
With five ships in rotation (four on weekends), you can board the ferry regularly throughout the day.
A ride on the Roosevelt Island Tram
All you need is your MetroCard (which you will have already paid for if you choose a multi-day pass ) to board the Roosevelt Island Tram.
This urban cable car system opened in 1976, and can carry 125 people at a time over the East River.
You’ll reach a maximum height of 76 meters on your ride, which takes only about three minutes, though it covers almost a mile.
You can board one of the cabins at the Manhattan station on2nd Avenue between 59th and 60th Streets.
No view can compete with the one you’ll enjoy from the top of the cable car line!
Admire the Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens
Once a dumping ground and a wilderness dump, the site was transformed into an exhibition space for sculptures and other art installations in 1986.
Located in Long Island City, Socrates Sculpture Park features a rotation of exhibitions and annual events, such as the Kite Festival, as well as a bike parade.
During your visit, you can explore on your own, or decide to learn more by attending one of the artist-led tour programs.
During the summer, you can also enjoy live performances during the Shakespeare in the Park festival, and even, on select dates, the Metropolitan Opera’s summer recital.
Attend a concert in Prospect Park
Head to Brooklyn on a beautiful summer evening to attend a free concert in Prospect Park, offered by the Celebrate Brooklyn! program.
Since its inception in 1979, more than 2,000 artists have performed on Prospect Park’s open-air stage, which attracts 250,000 spectators each summer.
Try to arrive early enough to sit in one of the 2,000 available seats, or stretch out on the lawn for a nice picnic.
Visit Chelsea’s art galleries
The best way to see a wide range of art at no cost is to explore the many art galleries in the Chelsea neighborhood.
Mostly located between 22nd and 27th streets, west of 10th Avenue, you can satisfy your cultural and artistic cravings in a relatively small space.
For an exclusive experience, attend one of the Thursday night openings with a complimentary glass of wine.
The galleries offer new exhibitions on a regular basis, so you’re guaranteed a new adventure every time you enter.
Free guided tours in New York
There are many ways to explore the city for free with the help of a guide.
If you’re more interested in a purely local perspective, you can sign up for a tour organized by Big Apple Greeter.
Since 1992, the company has been pairing tourists with locals, who are responsible for introducing them to the city’s various boroughs and institutions.
The program is run by more than 300 volunteers, who welcome about 7,000 visitors each year. You can also opt for the Crossroads of New York Walking Tour, a 90-minute journey to discover Union Square and its surroundings.
Tours depart every Saturday at 2 p.m. from the Abraham Lincoln statue on 16th Street.
If you want to delve deeper into a particular place, you can regularly find free guided tours of New York’s major sights.
Brooklyn Bridge Park, for example, provides its visitors with guides, responsible for presenting the history of the park and the development of the environment during regular guided tours.
Watch a taping of a television show
From Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show to Live with Kelly and Michael, you’ll be spoiled for choice if you want to catch a TV show by getting a free ticket to the studios in advance.
The sooner you get it the better, but you can always find last minute seats if you can’t book in advance.
For Late Night with Seth Meyers, tickets are available starting at 9 a.m. at the NBC Experience Store near Rockfeller Plaza. Tickets for The Tonight Show go on sale at 9 a.m. near the NBC Studios marquee.
Line up for Live, with tickets for Kelly and Michael’s show available starting at 7 a.m. at 67th Street and Columbus Avenue.
Tickets for Good Morning America are available at 44th Street and Broadway, and David Letterman’s Late Show is available at 11 a.m.
Tip: You can also watch Seth Meyers or Jimmy Fallon rehearse their speeches the afternoon before the show. Head to the NBC Experience Store around 12:30 p.m. to get tickets for Seth Meyers, or book online for Jimmy Fallon.
Swim in a public pool
During the summer months, it’s easy to find a place to swim. Stop by the Astoria Park Pool in Queens for a day of lounging in the city’s largest and oldest pool, built in 1936.
Once you’re done swimming, you can stroll through Astoria Park along the East River.
You can also try the Hamilton Fish Pool in Brooklyn, which is more popular than ever after its recent renovations, or the quieter Douglas and DeGraw Pool in Brooklyn, which has a wading pool suitable for younger children.
Quick tip: New York City’s public pools don’t allow patrons to enter with food, electronics or newspapers, so plan to leave your snacks and other reading material at home.
Discover Grand Central Terminal
After officially opening its doors in 1913 (the station welcomed a gigantic crowd of 150,000 travelers on its first day), Grand Central Terminal has become an iconic New York City landmark, featured in numerous movies, such as North by Northwest, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
More than 750,000 people pass through the station every day, whether to catch a train or to admire the imitation French limestone that adorns its walls and the starry constellations painted by Paul Helleu that cover the ceiling of the main hall.
Enjoying the outdoor cinema
There’s probably no better way to enjoy a good movie than with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop.
During the summer, New York City offers a number of free outdoor movie screenings at various locations around the city.
You can enjoy delicious popcorn and candy along the Hudson River with River Flicks, lounge on a deck chair (if you get there early enough!) on the lawn near the South Street Seaport, or even watch a French film with Film on the Green, in one of the city’s parks.
Rooftops Films offers American films and world premieres (usually followed by discussions with the filmmakers) in several locations, including on the beach at Coney Island, or on the roof of the JCC in Manhattan.
Kayaking on the Hudson River
From May to October, you can take a trip on the Hudson River in one of the Dowtown Boathouse’s complimentary kayaks on weekends and on select days throughout the week.
With the facility providing all the necessary instruction and equipment, it’s easy enough to enjoy this water activity, located at Pier 26, just north of Battery Park.
If you’re interested in learning more, the Dowtown Boathouse also offers paddling technique and safety classes, which are always free.
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