There’s no doubt that New York is expensive.

Hotel prices alone are going to set you back a pretty penny. Not to mention that unavoidable cost, food.

Nevertheless, you can still enjoy much of the city absolutely free.

Don’t believe me? Check out the list below for the 23 best free things to do in New York City!

Quick note: This is a list of free things for visitors. There are more free things to do if you’re a New York resident, you have even more options for free things to do (lucky you!), such as free monthly admission to the MoMA.

1. Brooklyn Bridge

Address: New York, NY 10038

One of the most recognizable bridges in the world, the Brooklyn Bridge was an architectural marvel when it opened in 1883. Today, the Brooklyn Bridge offers some of the best views of New York City – without costing a thing. Just be sure to cross from the Brooklyn side to the Manhattan side for the best effect.

To do so, take the A or C train to High Street in Brooklyn. Make your way to underneath the overpass on Camden Plaza. You’ll then see some stairs that’ll take you to the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian path.

Don’t forget to visit nearby Brooklyn Bridge Park for more amazing views of the NYC skyline – it’s also free. If you want great views of the nearby Manhattan Bridge, make a stop at Washington Street for the classic shot.

2. Times Square

Address: Mid-W 40, between 6^th and 8^th Avenues

Times Square is the beating heart and epitome of New York: crowded, overwhelming, spectacular.

While the Broadway shows, shops, and restaurants may cost you an arm and a leg, seeing the bright lights of Times Square (and I recommend you visit at night for the best effect) costs absolutely nothing.

The most famous celebration at Times Square is the world-famous New Year’s Eve ball drop. But even if you’re not around on New Year’s Eve, don’t worry. You can always experience Midnight Moment, where every night, three minutes before midnight, the billboards of Times Square synchronize and showcase artwork in what is the largest digital public art project in the world.

3. 9/11 Memorial

Address: 180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007

The attacks of September 11, 2001 forever changed the world, and New York in particular. The National September 11 Memorial, commonly known as the 9/11 Memorial, commemorates the 2,977 people who perished.

While the nearby 9/11 Museum charges admission, the memorial, with its square reflection pools inscribed with the names of the victims killed in the attacks, is fee-free.

4. Central Park

Address: between 59^th and 110^th Streets and 5^th and Central Park West Avenues

Central Park is one of the most visited attractions in New York. It’s popular with tourists and locals alike – an estimated 42 million people come here each year.

While you’ll need to pay to go boating on the lake or visit the Central Park Zoo, many of the activities that you can engage in in the 843-acre park are completely free – walking, running, biking, picnicking on the lawn, catching a Shakespeare in the Park production at the Delacorte Theater, or visiting Bethesda Terrace.

5. Staten Island Ferry

Address: 4 Whitehall St, New York, NY 10004

Everyone needs to see the city from New York Harbor. If you don’t budget for a harbor cruise or the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, don’t despair – the Staten Island Ferry, a free passenger service between the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island, is here to save the day.

For the cost of literally nothing, you can enjoy views of Lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Jersey City, Governor’s Island, and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The catch is you have to disembark at Staten Island (ok, that’s not a bad thing) before getting back on and returning to Manhattan.

6. Rockefeller Center

Address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

Rockefeller Center is a complex of several buildings in Midtown. Commissioned by the fabulously wealthy Rockefeller family, construction took place in the 1930s. It was the largest private construction during the Great Depression, providing jobs for thousands of workers.

While much of the building is office space and you need to pay to visit the 70-story Top of the Rock observation deck, there’s still plenty of Rockefeller Center you can enjoy for free. There are the iconic statues such as Prometheus and Atlas and, at Christmastime, the enormous Christmas tree, 69 to 100 feet (21–30 m) tall with some 50,000 lights.

7. Grand Central Terminal

Address: 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

Grand Central Terminal is more than just a commuter hub and third busiest train station in North America. It’s also a beautiful Beaux Arts-style building and a landmark of New York City.

Initially opened to the public in 1913, Grand Central Terminal experienced a period of decline in the 1950s, but was thankfully saved from demolition. Not-to-miss are the celestial ceiling filled with constellations and the $20 million dollar Information Book Clock.

8. Charging Bull

Address: Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004

Located at Bowling Green, near Wall Street, the Charging Bull was created in the wake of Black Monday, the largest single-day drop in the New York Stock Exchange’s history. Bulls are known for their tenacity, and the popular statue – which was originally meant to be temporary – has come to represent the strength of the American economy.

Getting a picture with the Charging Bull is a favorite activity of tourists. The line to take photos with the bull’s behind is longer than the one to take photos with the front of the bull, likely for good reason – rubbing the bull’s balls is said to bring good luck.

9. New York Public Library

Address: 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018

With a catalogue of some 55 million items, the New York Public Library is one of the largest libraries in the world. And books aren’t the only valuable items in the library’s collection. The library also has Charles Dickens’ favorite paper knife (the handle is the embalmed paw of his favorite cat), Emily Brontë’s hair, and pieces of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s skull.

If after entering the library you’re wondering where all the books are, I’ll tell you: they’re kept in 125 miles of shelves beneath the library and the adjacent Bryant Park.

Want to find out more interesting facts about the New York Public Library? Check out 10 Fascinating Facts about the New York Public Library!

10. St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Address: 5th Ave between 50th/51st Streets, New York, NY 10022

Among the luxury stores and impossibly tall buildings of Fifth Avenue, you’ll find St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral and the seat of the Archbishop of New York, and the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America. It is named after St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, in part due to the large number of Catholic Irish immigrants, who came to New York City in the 19^th century and helped finance its construction.

11. High Line

Address: Gansevoort Street to W 34^th Street, between 10^th and 11^th Avenues

The High Line is one of New York City’s most unique parks, but it wasn’t always that way. It started life as an elevated rail system to transport freight into the city. In fact, you can still see some of the old rail tracks as you meander along.

The old rail trail was converted into a park in 2009. It’s a popular with both locals and tourists and can get quite crowded, especially on weekends. Some 8 million people come to walk all or part of the 1.45 mile (2.33 km) park every year.

12. The Battery

Located at the southernmost tip of Manhattan, The Battery is a 25-acre park with lots of paths to walk and places to relax. It was named for the artillery batteries that were built in the 17^th century by the British to protect the island from invasion.

The park’s most significant attraction is Castle Clinton. It was built as a fort just before the War of 1812, though no shots were ever fired from the structure. It later became a customs house, then an aquarium, and is now where tourists heading to the Statue of Liberty pick up their tickets.

13. Federal Hall

Address: 26 Wall St, New York, NY 10005

Did you know that the first U.S. President, George Washington, was inaugurated in New York? He was, and the momentous event took place here, in Federal Hall, on April 30, 1789. A bronze statue of Washington on the front steps of the building commemorates the event.

While you’re in the area, don’t forget to walk the few steps and see the outside of the New York Stock Exchange Building, home of the largest stock exchange in the world.

14. Bryant Park

Address: between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and 40^th and 42^nd Streets

One of my personal favorite parks in New York, Bryant Park is the perfect place to relax in the heart of Midtown. The summer offers free movie nights while in winter there’s a delightful holiday market and skating rink – which is also free (as long as you bring your own skates; rentals are available for a fee).

Bryant Park can be enjoyed no matter the season. The park even offers free guided tours every Wednesday at 10am throughout the year.

15. African Burial Ground National Monument

Address: 290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007

While working on the construction for a new federal building, the burial site of 15,000 Africans from New York’s colonial period was discovered. New light was shed on the history of Africans in early New York, where at the time of the American Revolutionary War, those of African descent made up to a quarter of the population.

Burials at the site date from the 1630s to 1795. Declared a U.S. National Monument in 2006, it is the oldest and largest African burial ground so far discovered in the U.S.

16. Washington Square Park

Address: Washington Square, New York, NY 10012

Located in Greenwich Village, the 9.75-acre Washington Square Park is a favorite among locals and visitors looking to splash in the fountain, watch performances, play a game of chess, or simply unwind.

The park’s dominant feature is the Washington Square Arch. Designed in 1891 by Stanley White (who was also responsible for designing the second Madison Square Garden), it commemorates the 100^th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration as the first President of the United States – which took place in New York.  

17. Grant’s Tomb

Address: W 122nd St &, Riverside Dr, New York, NY 10027

Officially known as the Grant National Memorial, this is the final resting place of Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia. Grant served as the 18^th president of the United States, prior to which he was general in the U.S. army who led the Union forces to victory in the American Civil War.

18. Chrysler Building

Address: 405 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10174

Briefly the tallest building in the world from 1930 to 1931 (it lost its title to the Empire State Building), the Chrysler Building is an art deco masterpiece of a building.

Its most famous feature is its steel crown, with its seven arches and sunburst pattern. The crown is best viewed from a distance, but the building interior is also well worth a look.

The Chrysler Building is still a functioning office building, so visitors are only able to enter the lobby. If you choose to do so, you’re greeted with the very best of art deco style – exotic woods and marbles with designs influenced by Egyptian and Assyrian art and an intricate mural, Transport and Human Endeavor, an ode to the Golden Age of Aviation and the Machine Age, gracing the ceiling.

19. Trinity Church

Address: 89 Broadway, New York, NY 10006

Trinity Church was founded in 1697, when New York was still under British rule. An Episcopal church, founding fathers George Washington and Alexander Hamilton worshipped here. Hamilton and his wife are buried in the churchyard.

20. Fifth Avenue

Address: Fifth Avenue, New York

While Fifth Avenue extends from Greenwich Village in the south to Harlem in the north, when you’re talking about “Fifth Avenue,” you’re generally referring to the area between E 50^th and E 59^th Streets where you’ll encounter one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world. Even if you’re not going to buy anything, it’s still fun to stroll along and window shop at the likes of Harry Winston, Tiffany’s (featured in the Audrey Hepburn movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s), and Louis Vuitton.

Further up on Fifth Avenue, between 86^th and 110^th Streets, is “Museum Mile.” Here you’ll find world-class museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Though not free to enter, you can at least admire them from the outside, especially the Guggenheim Museum, which was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

21. Fort Tyron Park

Address: Riverside Dr. to Broadway, New York, NY 10040

Up at the very tip of Manhattan lies Fort Tyron Park. A bit of a hidden secret known mostly to locals – it was one of my favorites when I lived in the city – it’s rarely visited by tourists, except to visit the Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art containing a large portion of their medieval European art collection, housed in a building that incorporates several real medieval cloisters. (Entrance to the Cloisters is not free.)

For those interested in history, Fort Tyron Park was the site of the Battle of Washington, a battle of the American Revolutionary War. Philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. bought the land to make the park and eventually donated it to the city. The park opened in 1935.

22. Little Island

Address: Pier 55 in Hudson River Park at, W 13th St, New York, NY 10014

This artificial island was opened in 2021. Built on 132 pot-shaped concrete structures, called “tulips,” Little Island is popular with New Yorkers and tourists alike for the greenery, public art, and views, as well as cultural events.

23. Governors Island

Just a short distance from lower Manhattan lies Governors Island. Originally used by the Dutch when they arrived in the early 17^th century, the island became the home of the governor (hence the name) after the British took over less than a century later.

Today, the island is a popular destination for New Yorkers looking to spend some time away from the city and enjoy the lush greenery and biking paths. History lovers will enjoy visiting the former defensive structures or Fort Jay and Castle Williams.

Access to Governors Island is only by ferry, a service you normally have to pay for. But on Saturdays and Sundays before 11am, the ferry service is free of charge – perfect for budget-minded visitors.

Bonus

I’m cheating a bit here, but you can always admire some of New York’s most iconic buildings from the outside, without having to pay to enter. Some buildings that also look great (or even better) from the outside, apart from those mentioned above, include:

• Empire State Building
• One World Trade Center
• New York Stock Exchange
• Flatiron Building

There you have it! No matter your budget, I hope you enjoy some of the free things New York has to offer!