Free and cheap things to do in New York City 🗽

Free things to do in NYC

New York is known for being expensive for a lot of things, but you can walk a lot of the city and visit/see most of the iconic sites and attractions for free. As a first-timer in NYC, these are the bucket list spots you'll want to tick off, and it's an great way to keep your trip budget-friendly, especially if you're travelling as a family.

Here are the top free spots to see in NYC:

1. Central Park. Taking a stroll through the park costs nothing, you can visit famous film locations, have a picnic and see the skyline from The Lake.

2. Brooklyn Bridge. This is a must-do in New York. Walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn and take in the skyline. It's also a great spot for an Instagram pic.

3. Times Square. Enjoy the bright lights and billboards and get the true NYC feeling. Eating and drinking in this area can be expensive, though

4. New York Public Library. Visit the iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, known for its beautiful architecture and vast collections. Admission is free, and you can explore exhibits and even join guided tours.

5. Grand Central Terminal. See the major transportation hub of New York. You'll be greeted with beautiful architecture and chaotic New Yorkers. You can also see the famous Whispering Gallery where whispers can be heard clearly across the vaulted arches.

6. Dumbo (Manhattan Bridge view point). Across Brooklyn Bridge, you can walk to this view point and get the famous Insta shot with Manhattan Bridge sitting between the buildings.

7. 5th Avenue. Here you'll find incredible shopping and can take a wander into Saks. It's free... until you start shopping.

8. 9/11 Memorial Pools. The pools are set on the original sites on the World Trade Centre buildings and honour all the victims. You can visit them for free without paying to see the museum.

9. Statue of Liberty. You can catch a decent sight of this iconic landmark by taking the free Staten Island Ferry

10. The High Line. Start at The Vessel and venture along this walk way, set above ground in NYC. It's free to walk it, and gives amazing views along the way, with multiple exits so you can stop off at various neighbourhoods.

Save money on attractions

If it's going to be your first time in New York, then you probably want to see some top attractions and view points that aren't free. Our Pirates, who have been to New York, recommend getting a city pass where you save on multiple attractions. There are a few different types available. Our recommendation is the New York: CityPASS® which includes admission to five attractions and saves you 40% on booking separate.

It includes:

Cheap things to do and tips

1. Pizza slices range from about $1-5 per slice, so are great for eating cheap in NYC. Joe's and Little Italy are firm favourites.

2. Look for local coffee shops and restaurants that aren't in the main tourist areas, the prices are significantly cheaper, which can help keep the costs down on food.

3. If you do the walk over Brooklyn Bridge, there are lots of affordable restaurants and food spots in Brooklyn. Make sure to try the Time Out Market, which has loads of amazing vendors for affordable prices.

4. If you head over that way make sure to take the East River ferry back over to Manhattan (get on at Dumbo pier and get off at East 34th St Pier), it costs $4 and will give you the most incredible skyline views of the city and it's much cheaper than a sightseeing cruise.

5. Plan your days out by area so you can walk to most of the sites. If you like a long walk, you can head from Times Square to the 9/11 Memorial, which takes over an hour, but you can hit up a load of sites on the route.

6. If you're not walking, make use of the subway system, you can download an APP called NYC Subway which is really helpful.