Free Things To Do in New York City

4. Love sculpture

Take a cheesy, but adorable picture in front of the love sculpture at 6th Avenue and W. 55th.

5. Naked Cowboy

The Naked Cowboy can typically be spotted on the corner of 45th and Broadway in Time Square right before lunchtime! Grab a picture!

(Image via)

Get free tickets to live tapings of TV shows

6. Be a part of these live New York City audiences for free:

1. The Daily Show
2. The Dr. Oz Show
3. The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
4. The Voice
5. Saturday night live ticket lottery: Send an email to: [email protected]
6. Late Night with Seth Myers
7. The Rachel Ray Show
8. Good Morning America – Visit their Times Square studio, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Broadway and 44th Street, and be a part of our live audience!
9. Live with Kelly and Ryan

Don’t Miss Kid Friendly Activities in NYC

Most activities on this list can be done with kids in tow, but the following 5 things are my very favorite free kid activities.

7. Sony Wonder Technology Lab

Free Admission! This is a kid must do. Call (212) 833-8100 to reserve tickets at least 7 seven days in advance. You ca reserve tickets Tuesday- Friday 9-2pm. The address is 550 Madison Ave. at 56th St.

8. Bronx Zoo

9. Roosevelt Island Tram

Roosevelt Island is a tiny island between Manhattan and Queens. The tram from Manhattan to the island is a 4 minute ride and has awesome views! An adult ticket is $2.75 one way, but up to three 3 children 44 inches tall and under can ride for free when accompanied by a fare paying adult! If your kiddo loves all things transportation, this is a don’t miss inexpensive activity! Be sure and visit the FDR Four Freedoms State Park while you are there. It’s always free, but closed on Tuesdays. 

 

10. Hudson River Park

This is one of our go to spots in the Manhattan, it’s a huge 550 acre park, with 400 acres of river front property! We like to grab a few slices of pizza and hang out on the grass. The views are beautiful and Maxwell loves smelling the flowers and making new friends. Oh and the people watching is great too. There is a lot more to do than picnic on the grass. I wrote another post with 10 free things to do with kids in downtown Manhattan with more details about the Hudson River Park!

11. Downtown Boathouse

Free Museums and Tours in NYC

12. One World Trade Center

Visit the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and and Museum. Memorial Plaza is free to visit, but you can also take a guided tour from a staff member for $15. The 9/11 Museum is free on Tuesday evenings from 5-8, the last entry is at 6pm. Below is a picture from 2008 that I took of the 9/11 site when it was still being built.

 

13. St. Paul’s Chapel

Not only is it Manhattan’s oldest building in use, it also withstood September 11th, and played a huge role in hosting recovery workers after the attacks. St. Paul’s Chapel sit directly across the street from One World Trade Center. Inside, there is a 9/11 Chapel of Remembrance that reflects on the role the church played in the aftermath of the attacks.

 

14. MoMA

Admission is free every Friday from  4-8pm. Get there early because the line can wrap around the block!  If you are not there on a Friday evening, adults tickets are $25, but kids 16 and under always get in free. MoMa hours and admissions info here.

15. Whitney Museum of American Art

Adults tickets are $25, and kids under 18 are always free.

16. Spark Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Free admission on Thursdays from 2-6pm. Closed on Monday and Tuesdays. Kids under 1 year old are always free.

Free Things To Do in Central Park

Central Park is 843 acres, and was established in 1857. It is 2.5 miles long between 59th Street and 110th Street, and is 0.5 mile wide between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West. Central Park is also a great place to walk and explore with kids.

18. Play Grounds

Central Park has 21 playgrounds for kids! Here is an awesome list with descriptions of all 21! Don’t miss the Heckscher Playground oringially built in 1926, but recently updated in 2006. The playground has separate play structures for preschoolers and older kids, a climbing boulder, a giant sandbox, and in the summertime, awesome sprinklers.

19. Camp For Free

That’s right, with the Urban Park Rangers you can camp for free with your family in parks across New York City. S’more’s included!

20. Hans Christian Anderson Storytelling Center

Since 1956, children have gathered around Hans Christian Andersen’s statue at the Conservatory Pond in Central Park to hear fairytales from around the world. Storytelling happens every Saturday at 11am June, July, and August.

21. Shakespeare in the Park

23. Rent Bikes

This isn’t free, but it is personally one of my favorite things to do in Manhattan and Central Park, and it provides hours of fun! There are 3 parts to the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway: We like to ride on the Hudson River greenway because it is the longest, and the entire path follows the river and is separated from traffic. Check Groupon for a good deals on bike rentals, we typically get bikes for $20- $30 for the day.

Awesome Parks and Free Gardens in NYC

24. Brooklyn Botanical Gardens