NEW THINGS TO DO IN NYC FREE

You'll find plenty to keep you entertained in and around Times Square © Alexander Spatari / Getty Images 12. Planning tip: For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge and unbeatable views, take a helicopter tour. And in Queens, go to Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City and Astoria Park. In Brooklyn, head for Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, East River State Park in Williamsburg and Transmitter Park in Greenpoint. Harbor cruises are a fantastic way to enjoy it, but there are also numerous land-based vantages along the East River. Manhattan's tumble of buildings is a mesmerizing spectacle, changing in natural and artificial light, particularly at dusk and night. Check out the waterfront, glass-enclosed Jane's Carousel and multiple revitalized pier-based leisure and activity areas. Today, a walk along its pedestrian passageway delivers delightful Manhattan and Brooklyn skyline views.īrooklyn Bridge Park, the 1.3-mile, 85-acre green space on Brooklyn's East River shoreline, prolongs the pleasure (and the Manhattan views, see below).

Undoubtedly NYC's most beautiful river crossing, the 1596ft-long, stone-towered Brooklyn Bridge was a world-first steel suspension bridge when it opened in 1883. Walk across Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge Park Planning tip: Walk to nearby Brighton Beach for classic Russian/Ukrainian eats.Ĩ. Popular attractions include the family-friendly New York Aquarium, Nathan's Famous hot dogs, Deno’s Wonder Wheel and thrill-filled Luna Park, featuring the wooden Cyclone rollercoaster, a city and national historic landmark. Jutting like a Brooklyn thumb out into New York Harbor's Lower Bay, Coney Island boasts a wide beach, seaside boardwalk and lively amusement park, all easily reachable by subway about an hour from Midtown Manhattan. Have family-friendly seaside fun at Coney Island

NEW THINGS TO DO IN NYC FREE

For something much more contemporary and free of hordes, try Brooklyn's Bushwick Collective Street Art. Somewhat smaller and less crowded, though definitely comprehensive, is the Brooklyn Museum. Planning tip: The memorial is free museum tickets are best bought online in advance.ĭirectly across Central Park from the Met is another significant museum with broad scope (34 million artifacts!): the American Museum of Natural History, where your ticket grants you access to more than 50 exhibits.Īrt lovers will find modern masterpieces from Warhol, Pollock and more in the Museum of Modern Art but should book ahead to skip the line, particularly at weekends. Adjacent to the memorial is a profoundly moving museum with remnants and reminders of the tragic day. It features sobering tributes to the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, most poignantly two sunken pools with cascades of water pouring into the fallen towers' footprints. The National 9/11 Memorial is located where the World Trade Center Twin Towers once stood. Pay tribute to lost lives at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum Planning tip: Timed-entry tickets should be bought in advance.

Up top, three levels of distraction, including a restaurant, bar and interactive guided tours, are no match for the truly incomparable panorama. Sky Pod elevators with LED walls depict time-lapse animations of NYC's 500-year evolution during the 47-second, 102-story ascent to One World Observatory. The journey begins on the ground level of One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower, which at 1776ft is the tallest building in the western hemisphere. Go up One World Trade Center to the One World Observatory Go up One World Trade Center for some of the best views of NYC © Tony Shi Photography / Getty Images 3. Planning tip: Buy tickets in advance and give a moment to the second-floor Story of an Icon museum. Look northeast at the art deco Chrysler Building, another spired, once-world-tallest wonder (dethroned by the Empire State). Vistas from the outdoor, 360-degree view, 86th-floor deck and indoor 102nd-floor observatory are breathtaking, particularly at sunset. The tallest building in the world when it opened in 1931, the 1454ft Empire State Building has lost none of its prominence in the NYC skyline.

Soak up the views from the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings Planning tip: Both monuments are often visited on a combined ticket and best booked well ahead, especially for time in Liberty's pedestal or crown. Still symbolic today, they together served as an uplifting gateway through which over 12 million immigrants passed from 1892 to 1924. The dramatic, iconic and copper-green Statue of Liberty dominates a small island in New York Harbor and casts its protective shadow over neighboring Ellis Island, the site of a stirring Immigration Museum. Visit the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Discover the world's most intriguing experiences with our weekly newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.

New things to do in nyc