Last Updated on February 29, 2024
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Visiting New York City is on every traveler’s bucket list and for a good reason. It’s one of the most iconic and exciting cities in the world, with endless attractions and energy, that is hard to match. Unfortunately, it also happens to be one of the most expensive cities to both live in and visit. Luckily, among all the pricey attractions, there are also plenty of free things to do in NYC. Many of them are some of NYC’s biggest landmarks, that should be on your NYC itinerary anyway, especially if you are a first time visitor.
When you start planning your NYC trip, you’ll quickly notice, that there’s simply no getting away from how expensive the city. Between the cost of accommodations, attractions, entertainment , transportation and food, you are very likely to spend big bucks during the duration of your trip. This is the more reason to take advantage of the free attractions the city offers.
Free NYC attractions on the map
Free things to do in NYC
Visit Central Park
No New York City itinerary would be complete without spending some time in Central Park, one of the most famous parks in the world. It’s also one of the world’s most filmed parks, having appeared in over 240 movies.
Central Park is massive and covers an area of 843 acres. If you are not in a rush, you can easily spend an entire day there. One of the best things about is, that there’s always something to do, no matter what time of year you visit.
Between spring and fall, Central Park is one of the favorite places to run, bike or have a picnic in Sheep Meadow. These activities, just like the access to the park won’t cost you anything, but there are also row boats and bikes for rent. In the wintertime, Wollman Rink opens, where you can go ice skating with the backdrop of New York City skyline.
NY Library
Whether you are an avid reader or architecture enthusiast, you can’t miss NY Library on your trip to the Big Apple. It’s one of the biggest libraries in the country, with an impressive collection of over 50 million items. The main branch, located right in the heart of Manhattan is an impressive building both in and out. The library’s entrance is guarded by two marble lions, while the interior stuns with amazing details and grand appearance.
NY Library also a free Building tour in its main branch, which is officially called Stephen A Schwarzman. You can join the one- hour tour at 11 am and 2 pm Monday – Saturday. There is a limit of 20 people, and you can reserve your spot online.
Where: 476 5th Avenue (between 40 and 42nd Street)
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Walking the iconic Brooklyn Bridge is pretty much on every New York City itinerary, as it should be. The bridge connects Manhattan with Brooklyn and walking across it is the best way to get between the two boroughs, while taking sweeping views of Manhattan’s skyline. It also happens to be one of the free things to do in NYC.
The bridge has 2 levels, lower level for the traffic, the upper one open only to pedestrians and bikers. The 1.1-mile walk won’t take more than 30 minutes, but longer if you stop for photos or just to admire the views, which you absolutely should. Once over the bridge, head over to Brooklyn Bridge Park, for one of the most impressive views of Manhattan skyline.
PRO TIP: Stay in the pedestrian lane or you might get run over by bikes.
Stroll through Times Square
Times Square is one of the first places that comes to mind when you think of New York City. Bright lights, giant billboards and the undeniable energy, make it one of the most iconic places in the city. While most locals avoid it at all cost, you simply have to set foot at Times Square at least once.
A stroll through Times Square is one of those things in NYC, that won’t cost you anything. If you enjoy people watching, this is also one of the best spots to be. Of course, there are also plenty of ways to burn through money, from the overpriced restaurants, flag ship stores or various photo ops. One thing I highly recommend, if you don’t mind spending a little, is seeing a Broadway show. There are so many to choose from, and there’s something to be said about seeing a show on Broadway in New York City.
If you decide to see a show, I suggest you pre-book your tickets, especially if it’s one of popular ones. You can also score some last minute, discounted tickets at TKTS booth, right there in the square. However, make sure to show up early in the morning, as these tickets tend to go fast.
Visit Rockefeller Center
Best known as the location of the most famous Christmas tree in the world, Rockefeller Center is another free attraction to put on your New York City itinerary. And while the place is truly the most magical during the holiday season, it is worth visiting the rest of the year as well.
Rockefeller Center is basically a giant complex, consisting of 19 buildings, between 48th and 51st Street. You’ll find stores, restaurants, offices, NBC Studios and the most famous building 30 Rock. A lot of popular shows like SNL and The Tonight Show are filmed there, and the building is also home to Top of the Rock, one of the best observation decks in the city. While it’s not one of the free things to do in NYC, I highly recommend splurging, as the views are worth the cost. New York City is one of the best cities to be seen from above, and the views from Top of the Rock are spectacular.
If you’d like to learn more about the history and architecture of Rockefeller Center, you might also enjoy Rockefeller Center Art & Architecture Tour.
Where: 45 Rockefeller Plaza
For more ideas what to do in NYC during holidays, read Christmas in NYC – things to do in New York City during the holidays.
St Patrick’s Cathedral
Just steps away from Rockefeller Center you will find St Patrick’s Cathedral, another one of NYC’s landmarks, that is completely free to visit. It’s hard to miss this beautiful church, as it sure stands out with its impressive Neo-Gothic architecture, especially among the modern buildings, that surround it. The magnificent and massive church (it takes up an entire block!), was built in 1879 and recently underwent a restoration.
St Patrick’s Cathedral is just as stunning outside as it is inside, and a must visit, regardless of your religion. You can explore it on your own with a now required Free Guest Pass, that you can download from the TourPatron App. For a more in-depth experience and to learn more about the history of this iconic landmark, you might want to upgrade to a guided tour. This St Patrick’s Cathedral Official Audio Tour comes with a Fast Pass.
Where: 5th Avenue between 50th/51st Street
Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram
Roosevelt Island is a residential neighborhood, nestled between Manhattan and Queens. Even though there isn’t much there in terms of tourist attractions, visiting the island is worth putting on your NYC itinerary, mostly because getting there is a lot of fun. Roosevelt Island is connected with the rest of Manhattan with an aerial tram.
Roosevelt Island tram runs from Midtown Manhattan to Governors Island, across East River, for just a cost of a subway ride. While it’s not one of the completely free things to do in NYC, I think at just $2.90 it qualifies as one, especially compared with the cost of many other attractions in the city.
Where: The Roosevelt Island Tram station is located in Midtown Manhattan at 59th & 2nd Avenue.
PRO TIP: If you are in New York City for a few days and plan on using the subway a lot, it makes sense to buy the 7-day Unlimited Pass for $34 (add extra $1 for the card itself). It’s good for both subway and buses, as well as the Roosevelt Island Tram, which will make it free after all.
Ride the Staten Island Ferry
If you want to take a closer look at the Statue of Liberty, but don’t want to pay the big bucks for it, hop on the Staten Island ferry. Even though you won’t be able to get off at Ellis Island, as the ferry goes straight to Staten Island, you do get pretty close to it. Close enough to get a perfect picture with the Statue in the background.
The 30-minute ferry ride also offers some of the best views of NYC skyline, particularly on your way back to Manhattan. This is a 24/7 service, so if you want to see Lower Manhattan all lit up, plan on catching a late-night ferry ride.
The time on the water will be especially enjoyable, if you happen to be visiting NYC during the summer months. It can get brutally hot and humid in the city, and there’s nothing better than a boat ride with a cold beer in your hand. Yes, it’s totally fine to drink on the Staten Island ferry, and you can buy beer from the concession stand on the boat or in the Terminal lobby before you board. If that doesn’t make taking the Staten Island ferry one of the best free things to do in NYC, I don’t know what does.
Staten Island ferry leaves from the Whitehall Terminal next to Battery Park and goes to St George Ferry Terminal. It takes 30 minutes each way and they ask you disembark, even if you plan on going right back. This is technically a commuter ferry, used by locals to commute to and from work, so I’d probably avoid it during rush hour.
Where: 4 South Street ( Whitehall Terminal on Manhattan side )
Visit Governors Island
If you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Manhattan for a bit, head to Governors Island. The 172-acre island, a former military base, is one of New York’s favorite summer spots.
The choices of activities on Governors Island are endless. If you just want to relax, there are plenty of spaces to do so. Find a hammock in the Hammock Grove or have a picnic. The island is completely car free, which is perfect for exploring it by bike. You can either bring your own or rent a Citi Bike for the day.
There are also several food vendors on the island, as well as two waterfront restaurants.
Governors Island is accessible by ferry only and you can catch one either from Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn. One way fare is $4 (kids under 12 are free), but it’s free on the weekends, if you take the ferry before 11.30 am. You can bring your bikes free of charge, but keep in mind, that space is limited.
- from Manhattan – ferry leaves from Manhattan’s Battery Maritime Building at 10 South St. (daily)
- from Brooklyn – ferry leaves from the Red Hook/Atlantic Basin ferry terminal (Saturdays and Sundays only).
Walk the High Line
In the city, that is often very accurately described as a concrete jungle, any open green space is much appreciated and enjoyed. One of the newest is the High Line, former train tracks turned into one of the best public parks in the city. The 1.45 mile elevated walkway runs from Gansevoort Street to West 34th, above Chelsea and Meatpacking District. Lots of places to rest and check out some unique art work and architecture along the way.
Visit the Vessel
When you reach the end of the High Line, you end up just steps away from Hudson Yards, the city’s newest development. In the center of it, stands quite a funky addition to the city’s skyline, the Vessel. This original art installation first opened in March 2019 and quickly became one of the top attractions in New York City.
The Vessel’s unique design is good enough reason to include in your NYC itinerary and is also completely free to visit. The open-air structure is made up by 154 interconnected staircases with 80 landings along the way, which gives you the opportunity to stop and admire the unique architecture from different angles.
Where: 20 Hudson Yards
Visiting the Vessel in 2024: Following a series of unfortunate accidents, the Vessel is currently closed, until further notice. You can still see it from the outside, but climbing is no longer allowed.
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