New York may be home to the world’s highest concentration of billionaires, but there are plenty of wonderful things to do and see in here without being a big spender! See for yourself what fun and free things there are to pick from in here!
Brookflyn Flea Market
If you’re in NYC on a Sunday and strongly are longing for all things quirky and antique, go to the Brooklyn Flea Market. If you enter the area via the Brooklyn Bridge (another great free activity) you can easily reach the area, as it is situated under one of the arches of the Manhatten Bridge. Apart from that cool location, it’s a great hide-out for whenever it’s raining too. Browse through the ‘etsy’ kind of stuff in here; old vinyl, hand made jewellery, nick naks, European postcards and pieces of funky furniture. There’s a small food court too (where they sell the BEST fries with truffel mayonaise ever – and this is not as pretentious as it may sound), next to the East River. Take it easy in here and see what gem you might discover!
Free days a the museum
One of the best things in NY – in my opinion – is that you can enter so many top museums for free! To me the idea that you can see a Kahlo, Lichtenstein or Monet for free in this city is really incredible. You just need to know when to go! So make use wisely of this list:
American Folk Art Museum
Free – always.
American Museum of Natural History
Pay What You Wish – always.
Bard Graduate Center Gallery
Pay What You Wish – always.
Brooklyn Museum
Free – first Saturday of every month 5-11pm.
Pay What You Wish – always.
Bronx Museum of the Arts
Free – always.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Free – first Friday of every month 5-8pm.
China Institute Gallery
Free – every Thursday 5-8pm.
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
Free – always.
El Museo del Barrio
Free – third Saturday of every month, every Wednesday for seniors.
Pay What You Wish – always.
Frick Collection
Free – first Friday of every month 6-9pm except January.
Pay What You Wish – every Wednesday 2pm-6pm.
Guggenheim Museum
Pay What You Wish – every Saturday 5:45-7:45pm.
Hispanic Society of America
Free – always.
Japan Society Gallery
Free – every Friday 6-9pm.
Jewish Museum
Free – every Saturday, always 18 & under.
Pay What You Wish – every Thursday 5-8pm.
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art
Free – always
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pay What You Wish – always
Morgan Library and Museum
Free – every Friday 7-9pm.
Museum at Eldridge Street
Free – every Monday.
Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
Free – always.
Museum of Arts and Design
Pay What You Wish – every Thursday 6-9pm.
Museum of Chinese in America
Free – first Thursday of every month.
Museum of Modern Art
Free – every Friday 4-8pm.
Museum of the City of New York
Pay What You Wish – always.
National Museum of the American Indian
Free – always.
New Museum of Contemporary Art
Pay What You Wish – every Thursday 7-9pm.
Noguchi Museum
Free – first Friday of every month.
Queens Museum of Art
Pay What You Wish – always.
Rose Center for Earth and Space
Pay What You Wish – always.
Rubin Museum of Art
Free – every Friday 6-10pm, first Monday of every month ages 65 and over.
South Street Seaport Museum Schermerhorn Row Lobby
Free – always.
Studio Museum in Harlem
Free – every Sunday.
United Nations Exhibits
Free – always.
Whitney Museum of American Art
Pay What You Wish – every Friday 7-10pm.
Check out the entire (up-to-date) list in here!
Visit the food court of Smorgasburg
Okay, technically this isn’t totally free, since you might need to bring in some dough in case you’re hungry. And even if you’re not, you will be once you smell all the different flavours in here. But there’s no entrance fee as far as we noticed, so I’m still putting it onto this list!
Smorgasburg really is one (if not thé) of the best food markets in town and a quintessential NY experience for the hipsters these days. It might be hard to get around the stalls during lunchtime due to the crowds, so therefore it’s perhaps best if you arrive a little before noon or after it. We were there when the sun was settling in, and there were very few people left. Many places gave some discount by then too, great if you’re on a budget. Btw, if you want to experience some gorgeous sunset views on the East River, go around that time as well.
The dishes are comforting and creative in here and star many corners of the world. If possible, the names of the food trucks are even more creative. The area around the food market (Williamsburg) is also great to stick around once the market it over!
Free walking tours
While in New York, we joined two free walking tours – one about the history and soul of Harlem and the other about the street art in both Williamsburg and Bushwick. Both were extremely fun and laid back. Of course it depends on your guide, but because of our positive experience in general I’d recommend doing a tour. The guides are local, know how to juice up a story and will show you some hidden gems and favourite spots along the way too – which is great if you still need to get acquainted with a new neighbourhood.
Signing up in front (spaces can fill up quickly) and a decent tip at the end of the tour is all that it takes for a couple hours of fun. Whether you’re interested in local food, art, movies or history, there are so many choices, that one’ll definitely suits your interests!
Click here to read more about the street art tour in Williamsburg!
Walk the High Line
We all know that we’ll have a lovely time at Central Park, New York’s sacred green heaven. But another wonderful slice of nature that is really fun to walk within the urban jungle is the High Line. The park is set up on an old railway, that used to wind along warehouses in the meatpacking district, an area that was pretty run down. A couple of years ago the city decided to make a footpath out of it in a pretty cool way – with lots of natural flora and seating and views both on the Hudson and along the avenues. Although it may feel a bit remote from everything while walking above the streets, there are lots of cafes below the path, in case you’re in need of a drink to warm up. It’s a lovely place to go to if you want to rewind, take a stroll and stop spending money. I unexpectedly met an old friend of mine in here; and I sincerely hope you’ll have a dear memory of this place too once you’ve visited.
Brooklyn Brewery
Ready to escape Manhattan? Visit the Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg to learn about the neat art and science of beer making. Every half an hour on the weekends, there are free tours in this place. But you might want to go there early, since the spots tend to fill up quickly. You do have to pay for the beers, but there’s a discounted price for the samples. Worth a shot, right?!
Take the ferry to Staten Island
Before paying for a boat trip to go to the Statue of Liberty we decided to take the Staten Island Ferry – which is free! Though you’re not able to walk around Lady Liberty, for us seeing the statue like this was close enough. The ride takes half an hour and if it isn’t to busy you can hop straight on the next one to return. Apart from the statue you’ll have the opportunity to the the skyline of New York from its southern side, which is particularly beautiful if you go around sunset (or sunrise I imagine).
If you’ve watched a lot of SatC you might not have the best image of the ferry :), but I’d say give it a try. If you don’t see enough, then you can always pay to go on another boat trip. For me it was a great way to end a busy day of cruising around the city.
Movies in the park
HBO started showing films in Bryant Park in 1992 and ever since, free movie screenings have become an annual summertime tradition in NY. All kinds of films are screened, whether you’re into Hollywood classics, blockbusters, European gems, there’s probably some in it for you. The films are screened at outdoor venues throughout five boroughs that all feature lovely city views. Check out this website of the government regarding the screenings!
View on the city from Rockefellers bar 65
Ready for some drinks with a view? Although this activity isn’t entirely free, since you have to pay for a drink up here and those are more expensive then usual, visiting Bar SixtyFive is a magnificent way to enjoy the City from above, without paying the bigger admissions.
You can enter the bar from within the Rockefeller center. Although a dress code is required, I’ve seen many people entering this place with shorts and other very casual outfits. So in case you’re really limited in time and are not wearing the perfect outfit; give it a go anyway.
Having a drink with a view up here is so much better compared to paying a big admission to one of the other ‘high in the sky’ viewpoints. The ‘top of the rock’ for example is only five levels higher up the same building, but requires you to pay at least $28,- per person.
Another great advantage of the bar is the perfect view on both the Empire State Building and Central Park. No matter the season, bring a warm vest – it can be rather chilly up here!
Chelsea Market
This enormous food court / mall is a great place to visit after you’ve done the High Line walk, as it is nearby the southern end of it. In the middle of the old meatpacking district, this gorgeous old brick biscuit factory has a lot of character on the out- and inside. The many little alleys in it are ever changing as you walk through them.
If you’re hungry beware; it’ll be difficult to choice where to go with all of the different smells floating by! Whether you’re into comforting pizza’s and lobster rolls, or want to opt more high end dishes, you can find them all in here. Apart from the quality, the prices are pretty reasonable too.
It can be a bit hectic in here, especially around lunchtime and in the weekends. This market and all the little stores in it are much more fun when you can leisurely look around, so opt to visit during weekdays a bit before or after noon.
Have a rest at the New York Public Library
Do you know that intense feeling once you walk into a museum? I always feel like entering one it kind of elevates the soul. I’ve got the exact same thing with libraries. The air on the inside feels as if it’s filled with knowledge and history of great books and minds alike.
We didn’t exactly plan a visit to the library, but once you walk pass it you’re instantly drawn to it due to the resplendent building. The interiors are as majestic as the building itself and therefore well worth a break in the busy city centre.
Though the rooms are quite large, the library is usually packed with both serious scholars and tourists. Don’t forget to walk to the third floor, over there you’ll find an amazing reading room! The gift shop is pretty neat too :).
