New York is expensive, but some of the best things we do here every visit cost nothing at all. Below are 25 free things to do in New York City, from a harbor crossing past the Statue of Liberty to a sunset walk on the Coney Island boardwalk. Each one links to its official site (or our own full guide), so you can check current hours before you go.
1. Ride the Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is free and runs between Whitehall Terminal at the tip of Manhattan and St. George on Staten Island. The crossing takes about 25 minutes and passes the Statue of Liberty, so stand on the right-hand side going out. Everyone has to get off at St. George; walk round the terminal and catch the next boat back for the skyline view. Our Staten Island Ferry guide has more tips.
2. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
The raised promenade of the Brooklyn Bridge is free to walk at any hour. We like to start on the Brooklyn side so Manhattan grows in front of us as we cross. Go early in the morning for space to stop and look up at the Gothic stone arches. Our Brooklyn Bridge guide covers where to start and finish.
3. Spend a Morning in Central Park
Central Park gives you free lawns, lakes and paths in the middle of Manhattan. Start at Bethesda Terrace and its fountain, then walk the Mall under the elms to Strawberry Fields. In autumn the trees around the Lake turn red and gold, and you can spend a whole morning here without spending a cent.
4. Stroll the High Line
The High Line is a free elevated park built on an old freight rail line on Manhattan’s West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District up to Hudson Yards, with wild-looking planting, old rail tracks and views straight down the cross streets. See our High Line guide for the best entrances.
5. Climb Around Little Island
Little Island is a free park sitting on concrete “tulips” in the Hudson River at Pier 55, near West 13th Street. Paths wind up to lookout points with views down to One World Trade Center. On busy days entry can need a free timed reservation, so check the Little Island website before you go.
6. Walk or Cycle Along Hudson River Park
Hudson River Park runs along Manhattan’s west waterfront, with piers, lawns and a riverside path. The stretch at Christopher Street in the West Village is our favorite for a slow sunset walk. You can join it from Little Island or the bottom of the High Line and keep going south toward Battery Park City.
7. See the Statue of Liberty from The Battery
The Battery is the park at the southern tip of Manhattan, with gardens, lawns and a waterfront promenade. From the water’s edge you can see the Statue of Liberty across the harbor for free. Bring a coffee, find a bench, and watch the ferries come and go.
8. Step Inside Castle Clinton
Castle Clinton National Monument is the round sandstone fort inside The Battery. It was built to defend the harbor before the War of 1812 and later became an immigration station. Walking into the courtyard is free; it is also where the official Statue of Liberty ferry tickets are sold.
9. Pause at the 9/11 Memorial
The outdoor plaza of the 9/11 Memorial is free to visit. Two reflecting pools sit in the footprints of the Twin Towers, with the names of those who died cut into the bronze around them. The museum below is ticketed; the memorial plaza is not, and it is a quiet place to spend a few minutes.
10. Stand Where Washington Took the Oath at Federal Hall
Federal Hall National Memorial on Wall Street marks the site where George Washington was inaugurated as the first president in 1789. Entry is free, and the bronze statue of Washington on the steps is the classic photo stop. The New York Stock Exchange is right across the street.
11. Visit the African Burial Ground National Monument
The African Burial Ground National Monument on Duane Street in Lower Manhattan honors the free and enslaved Africans buried here in the 17th and 18th centuries. The outdoor memorial and the visitor center are free; the visitor center is inside a federal building, so expect a security check.
12. Look Up in Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is free to wander. Stand in the Main Concourse under the painted ceiling of constellations, find the four-faced clock above the information booth, then go down to the Whispering Gallery near the Oyster Bar and try talking into the corners. Our Grand Central guide has the details.
13. Read in the New York Public Library
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue is free to enter. Say hello to the stone lions, Patience and Fortitude, then head upstairs to the Rose Main Reading Room. See the NYPL website for current hours and any free exhibitions.
14. Sit on the Lawn in Bryant Park
Bryant Park sits right behind the library, with a big lawn, movable chairs and Midtown towers all around. It is our favorite free place to rest our feet between sights. The park runs free events through the year, so check its calendar.
15. Step Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue is free to enter as a visitor, opposite Rockefeller Center. Inside, look for the rose window and the stained glass along the nave. Please be quiet during services; our guide explains what to expect when you visit.
16. Watch the Street Performers in Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village is home to the white marble arch, a big round fountain and a rolling show of musicians, chess players and performers. Sit on the fountain’s edge and watch for an hour. Leave a dollar in the hat for anyone who makes you smile.
17. Browse Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is free to walk through. The long brick hall in the old Nabisco factory is full of food counters, bakeries and shops, and the High Line passes right outside. You only pay for what you eat; browsing costs nothing.
18. Visit Grant’s Tomb
The General Grant National Memorial, better known as Grant’s Tomb, stands in Riverside Park in Morningside Heights. Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia are buried here, and entry is free. Pair it with a walk in Riverside Park along the Hudson.
19. Tour Hamilton Grange
Hamilton Grange National Memorial was Alexander Hamilton’s country home, the only house he ever owned. The house now stands in St. Nicholas Park in Harlem, and the National Park Service runs it free of charge. Check the NPS page for current hours and ranger tours.
20. Explore Fort Tryon Park
Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan has the Heather Garden, stone walls and big views over the Hudson to the New Jersey Palisades. The park itself is free. The Met Cloisters museum inside it is ticketed, but the gardens and paths around it are not.
21. Picnic in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park stretches along the Brooklyn waterfront on old cargo piers. The lawns look straight across the East River to Lower Manhattan. Walk off the Brooklyn Bridge, buy a slice nearby, and eat it here.
22. Take the Classic Photo on Washington Street in DUMBO
At the corner of Washington Street and Water Street in DUMBO, the Manhattan Bridge fills the gap between two brick warehouses. It costs nothing to stand here and take the photo. Go early in the morning to have the street to yourself.
23. Wander Prospect Park
Prospect Park in Brooklyn was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the same team behind Central Park. Walk the Long Meadow, then find the woodland paths of the Ravine. It feels far quieter than its Manhattan cousin. Our Prospect Park guide has a walking route.
24. Browse Smorgasburg
Smorgasburg is a big outdoor food market with dozens of vendors. Entry is free; you only pay for the food you buy, and walking the rows is a show in itself. Its locations and season change, so check the Smorgasburg website for where it is on your dates.
25. Walk the Coney Island Boardwalk
The boardwalk and beach at Coney Island are free, and the subway gets you there from Manhattan. Walk the boardwalk past the Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone, then out along the pier for a view back along the beach. Rides cost money; the sea air does not.
Making the Most of Free New York
Many of these free things to do in New York City sit close together, so you can string them into one day: ride the ferry, walk up through The Battery to the 9/11 Memorial and Federal Hall, then cross the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park for sunset. For a full plan, see our one-day New York itinerary. Hours change through the year, so check each official site before you set out.
