Best Cheap or Free Things To Do in New York City
I know firsthand how pricey New York can be since I’ve had to learn the hard way. I once paid $25 for a low-shelf tequila drink at a rooftop club, and that experience forever altered how I perceived New York.
(A few of the links in this article are possibly affiliate links, which means that a little portion of any purchases you make may benefit me. My views will always be my own. Click here to view my disclosure policy.)
If you’re considering a vacation to New York City, you’re probably thinking the same thing.
If you’re thinking about going to New York, do your research first. You can find ways to save money and get great deals along the road without having to forgo the experience or the trip’s quality.
Having a decent travel guide on hand has also been quite beneficial when attempting to stay on a budget or find all of the most outstanding options while traveling.
Your pocketbook will appreciate a few frugal travel tips for New York City.
The Best Cheap or Free Things To Do in New York City
The Best Cheap or Free Things To Do in New York City
There is a tonne of activities you can do in New York that won’t cost you a dime, despite the fact that it might sound a little far-fetched.
You’re in luck if you’re a tourist or are visiting New York to check out the architecture.
Here is a list of things to do or places to visit that are completely free!
Cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot
This location offers panoramic views of both the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines and is open around the clock. Give yourself up to an hour to traverse it all if you’re taking your time to stroll leisurely, snap photos, and take in the scenery.
The options are infinite in New York’s enormous green area. There are many opportunities to take in the lush and lovely surroundings around you, as well as bridges, a tonne of architecture, musicians performing for no charge, rental bikes, and a lot of ground to traverse.
Utilize the Free Museums in NYC
There are a lot of museums in New York, and many of them occasionally or constantly grant free entrance like the museum of natural history. Check out this list of museums that always offer free admission as well as the days and times of numerous other museums that do the same like the museum of art.
In comparison to the Upper West Side, the Upper East Side has one key advantage: Museum Mile, a mile-long section of Fifth Avenue that is home to the city’s renowned cultural institutions.
One of the best places to experience the vast diversity that this city has to offer is Museum Mile, which is home to the famed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Art in addition to El Museo del Barrio and The Jewish Museum.
Ride The Staten Island Ferry
Take the beautiful Staten Island Ferry to get there from the tip of Manhattan. Lower Manhattan, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Governor’s Island will all be visible from here.
Go to Grand Central Station
Among my favorite locations. Standing in the heart of Grand Central Terminal has a certain dreamlike quality. The activity all around you, the buildings, and the cosmic ceiling. It’s unpaid.
Grand Central Terminal is more than just one of the busiest train stations in the world; it serves as a window into the past of New York City, when taking the train was both a luxury for the affluent and a necessity for the working class.
Avoid arriving during rush hour if you aren’t traveling into or out of the city, and take your time enjoying the iconic architecture and exploring the top-notch food and retail options.
The Main Concourse is a lovely location to explore. Built in 1913, Grand Central Terminal is a work of art with a Beaux-Arts style. Don’t overlook this area.
Learn more about the NYC Public Library
Visit the Public Library if you enjoy architecture and history; you’ll be greeted there by Patience and Fortitude (the two giant lions outside of the library). Go at your own pace or join a guided tour.
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Climb The High Line
One of Manhattan’s nicest pathways is free to visit. The High Line begins close to the Whitney Museum, but Chelsea Market is another entrance.
Look at this elevated green walkway, which was once a railroad track but has been transformed into a major tourist destination. There is a tonne of plants throughout the path, as well as beautiful views and places to eat and drink.
Be ready for the sizable crowds that will gather as you stroll down the High Line to enjoy the vistas and scenery.
Go to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
Two reflecting pools that represent the footprints of the Twin Towers are part of the 9/11 Memorial. It pays tribute to the people who perished in the site’s terrorist attacks in 1993 and 2001.
The memorial pools’ edges bear inscriptions with the names of every victim of those attacks. Both the memorial and the museum are free to enter on Mondays from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Investigate the Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Check out this Brooklyn Heights pedestrian promenade for breathtaking views of Lower Manhattan avenue. You won’t ever have to worry about missing out on the fantastic vistas since it is open around the clock (sunrise or sunset is a great time to visit).
Being in the middle of Manhattan on the ground is one thing; seeing it from the other side of the river is quite another. The city’s image dominates Brooklyn Heights, which is only a few subway stations from the city centre.
The Brooklyn Heights promenade, which floats above the Brooklyn-Queen Expressway, offers arguably the greatest view of the metropolitan skyline. Traffic rumbles below the serene promenade surrounded by trees. From Remsen Street on the southern end to Middagh Street on the northern, there is a promenade. A suspended footbridge that zigzags down to the piers is accessible just around the corner by having pedestrians covertly cross a basketball court.
Free outdoor concerts are available.
Check out the schedule at the many parks in the city if it’s summer and the weather is nice. There are frequently free music concerts to attend with lovely backdrops and surroundings. Best of all, it is free!
Purchase tickets for “The Vessel” at Hudson Yards
This elaborately interwoven set of stairs, which has over 2,500 steps, was completed by Thomas Heatherwick and opened to the public in March 2019. Though they are free, make sure you reserve your tickets online at least a week or two in advance because space is limited.
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Reserve seats for a live television broadcast.
Want to experience what it’s like to work on a TV program set during a live taping? To participate in this activity for free, get tickets before your visit. Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night is on my list of live shows I want to record.
Kayaking is Free—Go!
This nonprofit works to provide free water access to the general public. They are achieving this through open-access kayaking programs, which include many sessions held throughout the week and free public kayaking access. Enjoy!
Even More Free or Cheap Activities in New York City
Cycle Along the Hudson River
The last time I visited the city, I rented a Citi Bike and pedaled all the way down the picturesque trail by the Hudson River after exploring the area around Central Park. It’s quite inexpensive and a fantastic way to see a lot at once. Watch out for other bikes and those who are walking in front of you!
Discounted Broadway tickets
While you’re here, are you interested in watching a Broadway production? Visit TKTS to find INCREDIBLY low-cost tickets for Broadway performances.
Leave the Rooftop Admission out
Rooftops that complement the skyline are literally everywhere in New York. Choose to go to a rooftop bar and grab a small plate or drink while admiring the view rather than paying to go up to a touristy observation deck like the iconic Empire State Building.
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Watch a performance off-Broadway.
Find an off-Broadway live performance that is far less expensive if you are unable to pay for tickets to a show that is currently playing there. For off-Broadway show tickets, visit this website.
Watch a live comedy show.
Get a cheap ticket to a comedy show in Hell’s Kitchen, more particularly to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and prepare to laugh yourself silly.
Visit Rockefeller Center
Both geographically and in terms of its significant position in the history and culture of the city, Rockefeller Center is situated in the centre of midtown Manhattan.
You’re in for a memorable, enjoyable experience whether you want to see a concert on the plaza outside the TODAY show, see the Christmas tree, or hone your skating skills on the ice rink.
You may take in breathtaking views of the city below by purchasing a ticket to Top of the Rock. You will always be pointing and saying, “Hey, look at that!” wherever you are.
How Do I Get to NYC from the Airport?
It can be rather expensive to get from either of the airports (JFK or LaGuardia) if you are staying in Manhattan.
Use public transportation wherever possible rather than build up a hefty charge for an Uber or Lyft (or worse, the dreaded taxi rates).
Choose the metro system if you are flying into JFK. If you’re arriving by plane from LaGuardia, take the bus or arrange a shuttle to take you there.
Where to Find Cheap Accommodation in New York City
To set the record straight, I believe you should be aware that a hotel room in Manhattan itself will likely cost you between $150 and $200 per night.
Simply put, if you’re willing to give up location, get the hell out of Manhattan.
Search for less expensive hotel options in one of the other boroughs or in New Jersey, since these may offer better pricing options with the benefit of remaining close by.
Remember that getting between your hotel and the city will be necessary if you plan to spend a significant amount of time in Manhattan. Depending on how far away you are or how much value you place on convenience, this alternative may become significantly more expensive.
Translation: Renting out a whole apartment to yourself may not always be permitted, however renting out a private room within an apartment with the tenant present is OK.
Hostels are typically prohibited in New York, so this isn’t always a good choice.
Recommended Low-Cost Hotels:
Murray Hill’s Pod 39 offers small but very reasonably priced rooms as well as a fantastic rooftop!
Moxy NYC in Times Square: Amazing location, nice accommodations, and yet another fantastic rooftop!
Row NYC is in the heart of New York City and enjoys a superb location just a few blocks from the Times Square neon signs.
CitizenM boldly offers guests a totally modern hotel experience where in-room technology is more important than white-glove service and where lobbies are built for lounging and hanging out rather than just checking in guests and keeping luggage.
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How Should I Travel Around New York City?
New York’s traffic is no laughing matter. Not to mention the locals who jaywalk as if it were their job and the cab drivers who weave in and out of traffic and honk their horns like they’ve been doing it their entire lives.
Having lived for a year in Hell’s Kitchen, I can attest that driving around New York is a complete nightmare.
Depending on where you’re from, you might not be accustomed to the way people drive in New York, and even if you do, parking will set you back a lot of money.
Take the bus or train. The subway is a very practical and economical choice.
You can buy an unlimited pass for 7 days for $2.75 one way (plus the cost of a new MetroCard, which is $1), which is definitely the best choice.
Consider using the ferry system as well; it can be a very economical means of transportation.
If using public transportation just isn’t your thing, try Uber Pool, which is my final piece of advice. Joining a group of people traveling in the same direction will help you save money.
Consider Visiting New York City
The cost of getting to New York may be one of your trip’s greatest expenses. How are you going to get out of paying so much to travel to New York?
Find the months or years that have the lowest flight prices by using a website like SkyScanner’s calendar feature.
Find out which months of the year are the busiest for travel and which provide a small discount. For instance, the summer months of July and August are among the most expensive to travel to New York. Try to avoid these crowded hours.
Consider the months that come after the summer, the fall (think: September or October), or, if you can manage it, the winter (think: January or February), as they are less crowded.
If you’re coming from the east coast, you might want to save money by taking the train or bus to New York.
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Restaurants & Cheap Eats in NYC
It would be simple to blow out your entire travel budget dining out at the most luxurious restaurants that NYC has to offer in one of the most diverse cities in the world.
But if you’re on a tight budget, skip the restaurants near the tourist attractions. Select local eateries that are off the usual path. In any case, you’ll have a more genuine experience. If you have any questions about a restaurant’s cleanliness or food safety rating, look for the “A” inspection label in the window.
Getting your hands on an excellent list of happy hour restaurants and eating dinner during happy hour is another fantastic strategy to save money on food. Seriously, make the most of this!
A perfect and my favorite food to try while visiting the city is New York-style pizza. The price of pizza by the slice is incredibly low, and it’s also delicious and, dare I say, life-changing. You may fill up on bagels in the morning and they are also rather inexpensive. Regarding the carbs? In the streets of New York, you’ll still walk them off.
Best Free Walking Tours in New York City
You are not required to purchase the pricey sightseeing package that takes you around New York City. These expensive tours can be replaced with a number of available free options.
Here is a fantastic selection of free walking tours in New York City organized by different neighborhoods, interests, or pastimes. Check out Big Apple Greeters as well.
The library of free walking tours on this website is quite extensive, and there are no set donation amounts.
Conclusion: Free or Cheap Activities in New York City
If you’ve heard that New York is prohibitively expensive, don’t exclude it from your vacation itinerary. If you look for them, you’ll be astonished at how many free things to do and places to visit there are in this area.
You should now have a good sense of what you can do in New York for free or at a reasonable price after reading this list. Being bored is difficult in a city that never sleeps and provides so much all the time regardless of the season.
Happy exploring (and budgeting)!
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About the author: Trent (IMDB | Youtube) has spent 10+ years working on an assortment of film and television projects. He writes about his experiences to help (and amuse) others. If he’s not working, he’s either traveling, reading or writing about travel/film, or planning travel/film projects.
