Best Budget-Friendly Things to Do in New York City
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Museums
The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum
95,281
"The memorial museum is actualy underground within the foundations of the twin towers and is both a haunting yet beautiful tribute to everyone and everything lost.""Such a sombre and humbling experience the museum is well planned and a very moving tribute to people who losts their lives on 9/11 and 1993 and the Memorial pools are amazing i was honoured to pay my respects"
Museums
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
54,587
"Our passions include European paintings from the 15th to early 19th centuries and we were indulged: incredible works by Velasquez, Goya, David, Brueghel, Rembrandt, Hals, Vermeer etc etc.""Go as an adult, child or family for and amazing experience of learning, appreciation, discovery and sheer joy! P.S. Don’t miss the Temple of Dendur built in 15 BC by the Roman Governor of Egypt during the reign of..."
Nature & Parks
Central Park
132,859
"You can rent a bike, row a boat, ride in a horse drawn carriage, visit the zoo, stop for ice cream or lunch, or just wander and take in the various sculptures like Alice in Wonderland, Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Le...""New York's ultimate green space from 59th St to 110th St. Encompassing treasured classics like the Children's Zoo, Boat House & Pond, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Bethesda Fountain, John Lennon's Strawber..."
Sights & Landmarks
Top of the Rock
79,066
"'The Observation Deck has breathtaking 360-degree view of New York City, with three levels of indoor and outdoor viewing access to stunning views of the skyline, Central Park, and Midtown, as well as landmarks and...""Easy ticket and entry system Fantastic unobstructed view of all of Manhattan, Empire state building and central park, Great to see sunset and lights come on, really made our trip to New York, great Value for Money"
Sights & Landmarks
Statue of Liberty
43,430
"The island visit is definitely worth it, we went across from Battery Park on the ferry and went on to Liberty Island, the views of Manhatten are fantastic and seeing the Statue of Liberty so close up is amazing.""We bought our tickets months in advance, if you know you’re going to visit NYC and want to go to the Statue of Liberty then I highly suggest you book as soon as you can and pay a bit extra for the crown tour."
Sights & Landmarks
Brooklyn Bridge
25,192
"Great walk across the epic/iconic bridge great views of the sky line also Ellis island n Statue of Liberty about 30 minute walk each way dress warmly as the wind can be very “biting”""This is one of the most amazing bridges in New York and are definitely in the sea in New York City You can get amazing photographs from the bridge with the architecture in the background this is an amazing day out..."
Sights & Landmarks
Manhattan Skyline
21,258
"You can get an amazing view of the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn or if you jump on the free Staten Island ferry the view is brilliant, it will also go past the Statue of Liberty so you can get some great photos.""The best way I think to see lower Manhattan at it's best is from The Staten Island Ferry and it is Free a great opportunity to take some great photos you also get great views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island..."
Nature & Parks
The High Line
62,310
"A unique experience walking through NY via a disused railway Very nice walk through skyscrapers Very cool and a great way to walk of the best brunch ever at Bubbys which is opposite the start of the Highline""Even in Winter it is a lovely walk you can stop in many places and visit for example la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Chelsea Market, Withney Museum (new), See a sunset in New Jersey, Hudson Yards....."
Sights & Landmarks
Grand Central Terminal
44,254
"... a true NYC gem, offering up over twenty varieties of fresh oysters, a large menu of fresh, grilled and fried seafood choices, and an ambience and history that makes The Oyster Bar a very fun dining experience! ""whispering gallery is a MUST!!! the ceilings is a must!! and please if you happen to go there go to one of the stores there P!Q super fun, excelente service and great prices!!!"
Museums
The Met Cloisters
5,091
"Once there, a quietly serene transportation back to the Middle Ages - like walking through an exquisite monastery - the whole 9 yards, what with winding staircases, tiny chapels, gardens, crypts, and galleries loa...""A cloistered outdoor gardens nested in Washington Heights in Fort Tryon Park is a museum and garden devoted to medieval Europe of Romanesque period filled with paintings, period arches, Gothic arch doors, arch win..."
Sights & Landmarks
Rockefeller Center
25,297
"This is always a favorite place to visit, right by 5th Avenue, St. Patricks Cathedral, Radio City Music Hall, the Tower, the ice skating rink, many shops and restaurants, and of course the beautiful Christmas tree...""Rockefeller center has great architecture, great shops, restaurants, ice skating, movie scenes from Home Alone, murals on the ceilings and an underground passageways to help you get back and forth and stay warm!"
Nature & Parks
Bryant Park
23,464
"I try to visit each holiday season for the Christmas Market, which has something for everyone - great food options, lots of affordable merchandise that is perfect for gift-giving, and ice-skating that is more affo...""Lovely cafes and restaurants but, for me, the range of free activities on offer is very impressive : juggling, table tennis, an open air library from which you can borrow books, boules, yoga, dance, 'learn a langu..."
Transportation
Staten Island Ferry
22,620
"A must of course for a fantastic free view of NYC...but do homework before you plan your time of travel....some ferries are closed decks and some are open....which is much better for photos and experience so check...""The Staten Island Ferry is the best free activity in NYC! From the ferry you will have stunning views of NYC, beautiful photo ops and the best view of the Statue of Liberty in context (with the city behind)."
Museums
New York Public Library
14,364
"... free exhibitions (Salinger and made at the NY Public Library) we easily spent 4 hours here, a definite recommend if you're into books, literature and civic history - they have the original Winnie the Pooh too!""The library has some fabulous reading rooms most of which are accessible to the public and they are free to enter..! The library backs onto Bryant Park which is a perfect spot to relax with a drink or coffee"
Sights & Landmarks
The Oculus
2,529
"The Oculus is very well designed and integrated into the area, connecting with both transportation venues (the PATH station and the Fulton Center) and while there are the usual standard high end shops for visitors...""This is a magnificent piece of modern architecture, a huge atrium set atop a massive floor space surrounded by shops and restaurants set on two floors with train access and viewing platforms at either end, a must..."
Museums
Ellis Island
7,208
"A must visit while in New York !step back in time ----don't miss the immigration video - moving and uplifting - check out your family history on the interactive geneology site - nice cafe - great views -""My visits included the audio tour of all three floors of the museum, participating in the Hard Hat Tour, viewing the film "Island of Hope, Island of Tears", browsing the bookstore and gift shop, along with Fort Gi..."
Sights & Landmarks
St. Patrick's Cathedral
14,932
"While visiting NYC for our son's 12th birthday, we had the great pleasure of attending Sunday mass at the Cathedral, then came back the next day for a formal tour of this beautiful church.""Lots of beautiful catholic icons to see inside and opportunities to light a candle, sit quietly and pray, learn more about the history of the building and Catholicism in New York or just reflect on the amazing des..."
Sights & Landmarks
Broadway
30,571
"The NYC Times Square Hilton is a beautiful, clean and very modern facility with great access to all of the principal activities of NYC, including Broadway, Lincoln Center and the poignant sights of the 9/11 Memori...""We visited the Majestic Theater off Broadway and saw the Fantastic Phantom of the Opera!! What a wonderful Production!! Loved every min."
Other
Times Square
55,978
"Amazing place to visit and so different from everything I am used to, great to see in the day as well as at night, with lots of street performers to make the experience even more enjoyable!""We stayed at Crowne Plaza Hotel on Times Sq; very central; great buzz; you can get discounted tickets to shows at TKT booth on Times Sq. Lots of bright neon lights in Times Sq; and watch out for the Naked Cowboy!"
Museums
American Museum of Natural History
25,581
"... the changing exhibitions are interactive and first class, the Rose Center is a fantastic science museum, and the size of the museum allows for large scale items to be displayed, such as the famous blue whale.""We went to see the Dark Universe Show, it was amazing!! Overall a very interesting museum where you can learn a lot about different country’s cultures and history."
Other
Greenwich Village
3,791
"I did a geeky Dylan walking tour checking out all the spots associated with my hero (best being Jones Street), then walked up by Stonewall to see the legendary Village Vanguard.""Great cafes and unusual little stores, Christopher St, “Alphabet City” to the East, NYU’s campus buildings, Washington Square Park and the grand archway, outstanding comedy clubs, great restaurants, nice boutiques..."
Shopping
Chelsea Market
9,561
"We LOVED the Chelsea Market from the history of the building (old Nabisco factory), art at every turn, delicious food stalls and artisan market we could have spent hours here easily!""A great market with so many different types of restaurants inside : I really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere of this place."
Museums
Gulliver's Gate
2,817
"The museum is amazing, it was the best museum in New York and all our seniors were happy to see such exhibitions, I will be recommended to everybody at all ages.""Besides the cities and towns, the meticulous models include dozens of UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Angkor Wat, the Taj Mahal, Mecca, the Kremlin, and the Panama Canal (featuring the locks system with freigh..."
Museums
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
17,915
"... Gauguin Van Gogh and some massive Monet canvasses Free audio a must Particularly enjoyed the modern architecture exhibitions from Frank Lloyd Wright and Bauhaus Sculpture garden is free and Open to the public""Famous works of art are on display from such artists as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, and my favorite, Vincent van Gogh! Starry Night by Van Gogh is definitely the mos..."
Transportation
The Roosevelt Island Tramway
3,662
"Great experience to see NYC from above and if you have the metro card it’s do free so if you have some time over take the tram to Roosevelt island.""Hey, for 6 bucks round-trip, this has got to be one of the bargain rides in NYC! Get eye-level with the Queensboro Bridge - and see awesome views both upriver and downriver of the East River - and stunning vistas..."
Museums
Frick Collection
8,652
"You can sit in peace in Henry Clay Frick's magnificent mansion, contemplating his extraordinary collection of old masters, all living serenely in a setting filled with Rococo and Renaissance furniture, and accumul...""There is so much to take in from the amazing details of the building and furnishings, (the mansion was originally a home to the Frick family) to the art collection Henry Frick amassed and which the museum has cont..."
Museums
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
3,128
"You can pass through different rooms including the Registry room (where everyone was registered - although you cannot see the names of just about everybody), Hearing room (for less straight forward cases) 4.""We also joined the hard hat tour of the hospital and it was superb, the guide Brett was fantastic, so knowledgable and just brilliant!"
Sights & Landmarks
The Vessel
1,210
"A brilliant structure designed by Thomas Heatherwick, located at the Hudson Yards, if like me you are a photographer you must pay a visit and take some great photographs.""This was a good workout walking up it's a really cool piece of Architecture with great views once you get to the top, Highly recommend and exploring the Hudson Yards community as well."
Other
SoHo
3,834
"SoHo (an acronym for South of Houston Street) So you can grab coffee and a pastry from one of the many Instagrammable cafes and eateries .Walk back in time, along the cobblestone streets.""High-end boutiques, chain stores and art galleries make trendy SoHo a hip shopping destination, especially for tourists as well a locals."
Sights & Landmarks
Chrysler Building
3,045
"... spire.The grand lobby can be visited and features multicoloured marble and granite,a beautifully painted ceiling with scenes of 1920’s transportation,wonderfully decorative elevator doors and art deco metalwork.""There is something so fantastic about the Art Deco era in New York which provided us with some of the worlds iconic building and the Chrysler Building is definitely one of them, a must see."