New York City is known as a fast-paced city that never sleeps. With many activities, sightseeing and dining available, you rarely have enough time or money to experience everything. Yet, New York City offers a lot of free activities and sights that are worth your time.
Big Apple Greeter
First-time visitors to New York City should definitely take advantage of the Big Apple Greeter. Volunteer New Yorkers offer free walking tours of your favorite neighborhood. The bonus to this program is being able to experience parts of New York City that popular tours don’t offer with insight from a local. Tours take you to local popular sights, restaurants and shops of different neighborhoods. The two- to four-hour tours fill up quickly and should be made three weeks in advance, because the office works diligently to match the visitor’s neighborhood preference with an available greeter.
Parks
New York City is filled with parks, found on the edges of the island or hidden between buildings. Central Park offers free walking tours. While there, pick up an activity kit at the visitor's center, which includes a ball, Frisbee and a jump rope. Bryant Park, near midtown, is the site of the famous Fashion Week, but during summer months, visitors can find free concerts and movies played on a big screen. On the west side, near the shore of the Hudson River, Riverside Park visitors can take a four-mile walk along the waterfront or make a stop at one of the numerous sporting facilities, including tennis, baseball, basketball, handball and running tracks. Free kayaking lessons and rentals are offered from May to October. Visit Prospect Park in Brooklyn where the Audubon Center is free, offering nature trails and a human-sized bird's nest.
Staten Island
Visit Staten Island via the free Staten Island Ferry to catch a great view of the Manhattan downtown skyline, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Once on the island, visit Conference House Park. In addition to being the southernmost point in the state, the 267-acre park includes a self-guided walking tour of historic buildings, including the Conference House, which was built in 1680 and is the site of the unsuccessful Revolutionary War peace conference. If history is not your interest, take a stroll along South Beach boardwalk, a two-mile stretch offering a view of fountains, a gazebo, a beach, and access to Ocean Breeze fishing pier, one of the longest in the city. Bloomingdale Park on Staten Island is 138 acres of jogging trails, soccer fields, a basketball court and a playground.
The Grand Tour
Every Friday afternoon, take a free 90-minute guided walking tour of Grand Central. It is rated by AAA as the best walking tour in the city; historian Justin Ferate takes visitors on a tour of the midtown area, including secrets about Grand Central terminal, stories about the Chrysler Building, Pershing Square and visiting the original Lincoln Memorial.
Adventure Course
Travel to Queens and visit the Alley Pond Park. This park has New York City's first and largest public ropes and adventure course. The ropes course has either low or high ropes. Open on Sundays and free to the public, the adventure course includes zip lines, a climbing wall, suspended swings, a 45-foot fall station and balance platforms. Sample activities with instructions are provided for free.
Biking on Governor's Island
On Fridays, take a free ferry ride from Manhattan or Brooklyn to Governor's Island and rent a bike for one hour. Bike the 172-acre island (22 city blocks) and explore the historical military side of the island, former home to the Army and the Coast Guard bases for nearly two centuries. Take the two-mile promenade and enjoy great views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Guided bike tours of the island and beach shows and concerts are offered in the summer.
Member Comments