Now that my hometown is back on top of the must visit destination list, here’s how to enjoy NYC on the cheap.
Autumn is a great time to be in NYC, including for FREE museum admission, outdoor ice skating returns for the season, holiday crafts markets return, the Studio Museum in Harlem re-opens after three years, the Rockefeller Center Holiday Tree arrives, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, vintage subway train rides, and so much more.
It all helps make New York City the greatest city on the planet year-round, not just in November but year-round.
Nearly everything here is FREE and family-friendly, and nothing is more than $25 per adult unless it is a free program with museum or zoo admission, supports a charity, or otherwise is a noteworthy special event. Some free events require registration.
Pick one, some or all and enjoy the best of New York City FREE or cheap.
This best things to do in NYC on the cheap guide is updated at the beginning and middle of each month, with at least six weeks of events to help you plan how to enjoy the greatest city on the planet.
Graphic courtesy NYC Ferry
NYC Transportation Deal
This fall, NYC Ferry is making it easier than ever to explore New York City by ferry with an Unlimited Two-Day Ticket, for just $15 per ticket. Since individual fares are $4.50, this pays for itself after just three rides.
For a limited time, the Unlimited Two-Day Ticket available for purchase in the NYC Ferry app. Once activated, it is valid for unlimited trips across all NYC Ferry routes and landings for 48 hours, making it easier than ever to plan your ferry trips across the five boroughs.
Each Unlimited Two-Day Ticket is for use by one (1) individual per boarding and may not be used for multiple riders at any time.
All passengers must present a valid, activated ticket before boarding.
Tickets are valid for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase if they have not been activated.
Alongside the introduction of the Unlimited Two-Day Ticket, NYC Ferry continues to offer riders single-ride, one-way tickets for $4.50 per ticket, a 10-trip pass for $29.00, and discounted $1.45 tickets for eligible and approved seniors, people with disabilities, Fair Fares NYC participants, and NYC high school students.
All tickets can be used for a free transfer to another route within 120 minutes of activation. For complete ticketing information and pricing, visit ferry.nyc or the NYC Ferry app on Android or iOS.
For visitors – The NYC Ferry is not the same as the Staten Island Ferry, which is FREE.
Photo: Bryant Park
Outdoor Ice Skating Returns for Season
Rockefeller Center
Ice skating in the iconic Rockefeller Center ice rink returns for the season. Reservations are recommended.
Tickets are $22 to $124 for a one-hour session depending on date and time of day. Peak holiday periods are the most expensive – no surprise. Ticket information here.
Wollman Rink, Central Park
The iconic rink in Central Park is back for the season with daily skating starting at 10am.
Regular ice skating admission tickets range from $10 – $35, skate rental – $10, skate aid rental – $25, locker rental – $7.
Wollman Park Partners is also offering the Wollman Rink Access Program (WRAP) to help provide access for New Yorkers through free and low-cost tickets. For more information on the program, please visit Wollman Rink’s website.
On Saturday, October 25, Wollman Rink is calling on 600 skaters to lace up and help break the standing record of 523 participants set in 2014. The 30-minute lesson will be led by the rink’s Skate School instructors and welcomes skaters of various ages and skill levels.
Registration is required to take part in the record-breaking event.
Sign up on the Wollman Rink website. Early registrants will be entered to win free family skating packages, private party experiences, and Wollman swag.
Participants must be 10 or older, comfortable on skates, and at ease with maneuvering around the ice.
Bryant Park Ice Skating & Winter Village
The popular combination of skating, shopping, and festive cheer is open again for the season, and as always, Bank of America Winter Village dazzles with activities for visitors of all ages.
The Rink is the glistening centerpiece, the only free-admission ice skating experience on one of the largest rinks in the city, plus rental skates, free skating performances, and more. Ice skating is daily through early March.
The Lodge is a lively food hall and bar serving seasonal food, hot beverages, and festive cocktails from two full-service bars.
The Holiday Shops by Urbanspace is an open-air market comprised of nearly 200 vendors offering everything from artisan gifts, crafts, and gourmet treats. Many of the artisans are NYC-based, you are getting handmade gifts for yourself or others, designed or made in New York.
Ice skating at The Rink is through early March. The Holiday Shops open through January 4, 2026.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
It’s beginning to look a lot like you-know-what. The tree arrived on November 8th and be on view through mid-January 2026.
About the 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
It is being decorated now with more than 50,0000 multi-colored, energy-saving LED lights
It will be topped by a nine-foot, 900-pound star adorned with three million Swarovski crystals
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is on Wednesday, December 3, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Photo: The Shops at Columbus Circle
FREE Holiday Under the Stars Light Show
Through Sunday, January 4 -The iconic Holiday Under The Stars returns bringing festive brilliance to the Upper West Side.
Featuring 300,000 twinkling lights and 44 gi-normous illuminated stars, the display transforms the center into a dazzling kaleidoscope of changing colors. The huge sparkling stars are suspended within the multi-story atrium, called the Great Room.
The mesmerizing color-changing stars perform choreographed light shows every 30 minutes from 5PM to midnight, set against a backdrop of shimmering garlands. Additional glowing stars suspended throughout the Ground Floor, along with sparkling photo moments. You can also watch from nearby, including from the steps and seating at Columbus Circle.
FREE Broadway Under the Stars
On Thursday evenings through Dec. 18, enjoy live, free Broadway performances from renowned shows, including exclusive Q&As with cast members by Broadway alum, George Psomas, at the Shops at Columbus Circle.
This year’s line-up includes new Tony award-winning productions like Maybe Happy Ending and Hell’s Kitchen, alongside beloved Broadway classics like Chicago, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Click here for the weekly schedule
FREE, 5-6pm, on the 2nd Floor Stage at The Shops at Columbus Crcle.
Photo courtesy Hudson Yards
FREE Hudson Yards Holiday Lighting Ceremony
Monday, November 17 – Shine Bright at Hudson Yards presented by @wellsfargo officially kicks off with its inaugural Vessel Lighting Ceremony on the Public Square and Gardens with an evening of entertainment that includes –
Kelsie Watts, pop recording artist and Broadway lead in the TONY award winning SIX The Musical
Sing Harlem Choir, award winning breakout musical group
Orchestra of St. Luke’s, a festive brass band ensemble
Ellie the Elephant, a special appearance of the official mascot of the WNBA’s NY Liberty
The city is on pace to break city records in 2025 during the celebration of New York City’s 400th anniversary, marking a full economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
New York remains the most visited city in the United States and a top destination for international markets and major events.
Not only did “Best Picture” winner Anora put our city on the big screen, showcasing neighborhoods like Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach and Coney Island, but 48 other awards were also received by “Made in NY” productions during the 2025 TV and film award show season.
New York City’s film and TV industry supports 185,000 New York City jobs. Congratulations to all of the New Yorkers whose work was nominated this season — you make us proud
Photo: MTA Transit Museum
FREE Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal
Though January 2026 – Who doesn’t love trains, including miniature trains?
Get ready to be dazzled by our much beloved Holiday Train Show, returning to Grand Central Terminal with FREE admission through January or February.
You’ll see the Museum’s collection of Lionel model trains, including Metro-North, Polar Express, and vintage NYC subway cars travel along a 34’ long, two-level, “O” gauge model train layout, and follow a route that passes through many recognizable NYC sights and on to the North Pole.
The trains have realistic lights and sounds along with dozens of tiny pedestrians, buses, and cars on exquisitely-detailed miniature streets.
This year’s Holiday Train Show will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of In honor of this milestone, the Show will feature work by Poster Program artists James Yang and Erin K. Robinson.
Find the Holiday Train Show at our Grand Central Gallery, in the Main Concourse next to the Station Master’s Office.
Saturday, November 15 – After being closed for construction since 2018, the Studio Museum in Harlem reopens in a bright and airy new seven-floor, 82,000-square-foot building on West 125th Street.
To celebrate the grand opening day, there will be FREE admission and activities for all ages.
Studio Museum will house art exhibitions, educational opportunities, program spaces and an expansive lobby. Its first show features the work of the late sculptor Tom Lloyd, who was part of the institution’s opening back in 1968. Another debut show will draw from the museum’s vast collection, underscoring the museum’s role as a steward of art by artists of African descent.
Read a complete preview of the all-new Studio Museum in this NYTimes article.
144 W. 125th St.
Photo: Museum of the City of New York (MCNY)
Íiyach Ktapihna! We Are Still Here at Museum of the City of New York
Saturday, November 22 – MCNY is partnering with the Éenda-Lŭnaapeewáhkiing (Land of the Lunaapeew) Collective for a day honoring the First People of this region and their living traditions.
There will be musical and dance performances, hands-on workshops, and conversations led by Indigenous artists, speakers, and culture bearers. Learn about the Lunaapeew/Lenape communities whose homelands span what is now the five boroughs, and how their stories continue across Turtle Island today.
Visitors of all ages can take part in corn husk doll making, painting sessions, Munsee language workshops, and performances by the Red Blanket Singers and Dancers throughout the day.
We Are Still Here! Lunaapeew/Lenape Celebration Day is included with museum admission. 18 and under are free. East Harlem residents are free. Advance reservation is recommended
St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church (W. 86th St & West End Ave)
Photo: Macy’s
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Thursday, November 27 -The 99th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is scheduled to start at 8:30am with hundreds of gigantic balloons, floats, marching bands and other performers.
New balloons this year include KPop Demon Hunters’ Derpy Tiger and Sussie. Performers include Ciara, Foreigner, Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson, Shaggy, and the NYPD Marching Band.
The parade travels down Central Park West from 77th Street to Columbus Circle, turns onto 59th Street, proceeds to 6th Avenue, and then heads south to 34th Street, ending at Macy’s Herald Square.
Key Locations for Spectators:
Central Park West: From 77th Street down to Columbus Circle (59th Street).
59th Street: The route moves east between Central Park West to Eighth Ave.
Eighth Avenue: The route heads south at 59th St.
Times Square: The route passes by the Time Square area via Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue.
Herald Square: The final destination.
FREE Thanksgiving Eve Balloon Inflation Event
Attend the balloon inflation event the night before in the streets around the American Museum of Natural History.
Watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons come to life, one arm and leg at a time. Be prepared for crowds, but not as large as for the parade, and a strict route marked by barriers.
FREE, 1pm to 6pm (the line opens at 12 Noon).
Enter at 72nd St. and Columbus Ave.
Exit along any block from 82nd to 86th Streets
December Events to Put on Your Calendar
MTA Holiday Nostalgia Train Rides
Every Sunday in December – Take a trip on cars from the 1930s that once served on lettered lines through the late 1970s. These vintage Independent Subway System (IND) cars had rattan seats, ceiling fans and windows that opened for an additional breeze, and were considered cutting-edge in their day.
You can ride them for the same price as a modern fare – $2.90 or less if you have a seven-day or reduced fare pass.
The rides will run every Sunday in December from 10am to 5pm,
The train will depart from 2 Av–Houston St on the uptown F line and 96 St–2 Av on the Q line.
For stops between 2 Av–Houston St and Lexington Av–63 St, board on the F line platform.
Accessible stations along the route include: Broadway–Lafayette St (D, 6), West 4 St–Washington Sq (A/C/E, D/F), 34 St–Herald Sq (D/F, N/Q/R) , 47–50 St–Rockefeller Center (D/F), Lexington Av–63 St (F, Q), 72 St–2 Av (Q), 86 St–2 Av (Q) and 96 St–2 Av (Q).
For stops between Lexington Av–63 St and 96 St–2 Av, board on the Q line platform
The train departs from 2 Av–Houston St on the uptown F line in lower Manhattan at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm
The train departs from 96 St– 2 Av on the Q line at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm.
Learn more about the Transit Museum and the Holiday Nostalgia Train on their website
Car-Free Fifth Avenue
Sunday, December 14th – Pedestrians only along Fifth Avenue, from from 47th to 57th Street to take in dazzling lights and window displays, live entertainment, local food, shopping and more, including the world’s most famous Christmas tree, in Rockefeller Plaza.
Photo: Central Park Conservancy
FREE Medieval Knights in Central Park
Second Saturday of the Month, September-January – Gird your loins for this monthly event featuring nights in full armor fighting it out in the middle of Central Park. It’s fun for kids who may be reading about Ivanhoe or Robin Hood in school, and for adults who watch the Hollywood movies on TCM or another streaming service. And it’s FREE.
Gladiators NYC is NYC’s premiere medieval event, featuring knights in full armor fighting it out in the middle of Central Park, behind the Met Museum.
Bring your own picnic blanket and snacks, or check out Central Park’s grab & go offerings, and get ready to have an amazing afternoon.
Open through December 24, with nearly 200 vendors. Ranked as one of the best holiday markets in the entire USA, not just in NYC, the Euro-style tent-like kiosks feature unique handmade gifts from local artists, including handmade jewelry, winter accessories, art, and global cuisine. There’s also a festive holiday tree and interactive photo booths.
New this year are Coco Bred (Jamaican sandwiches), Rubyzaar Baked (liquid s’mores hot chocolate), and the city’s first cat cafe, Meow Parlour.
Open Monday–Friday: 11am to 9pm, Saturday: 10am t0 9pm and Sunday 11am to 7pm.
Photo: Jewish Museum
Best Current Museum Exhibits
NYC has some of the best museums and museum exhibits in the world, including some you can see for FREE.
If you are driving into the center of Manhattan, including as a passenger in a car service like Uber or Lyft, be aware that so-called “congestion pricing” tolls remains in effect despite a Trump Administration order to rescind it.
The goal is to reduce gridlock, reduce pollution and raise money for public transit.
The toll – which went into effect on January 7 – applies for the most congested part of Manhattan, south of Central Park.
Cost varies depending on the day of the week, the hour of the day, and whether the vehicle is equipped with E-ZPass, the electronic toll collection system used in many states.
Congestion Pricing Costs
$9 for peak traffic hours, 5am to 9pm weekdays and 9am to 9pm weekends.
$2.25 for off-peak overnight hours
Vehicles without E-ZPass will be receive bills by mail, for $13.50 for peak hours and $3.30 for off-peak,
Motorcyclists pay half the amount that cars pay during peak hours but the same off-peak
Trucks, buses and large vans (including airport shuttle vans) pay more, depending on their size.
Wagner Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan adjoining Battery Park, re-opened in July 29 after two years of reconstruction to protect it from rising tides of climate change.
There’s a long list of FREE events celebrating the re-opening, from jazz and salsa dancing to comedy and sunset yoga. The park was created 29 years ago as part of the construction of Battery Park City. It has a picture-postcard view of the Statue of Liberty, along with great sunset views, and it adjacent to two of our favorite museums – The Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Skyscraper Museum.
The upgrades as part of the overall South Battery Park City Resiliency Project. This massive undertaking across all of Lower Manhattan aims to fortify the southern edge of Manhattan island against the catastrophic flooding that wallopped much of the city during Hurricane Sandy.
The park’s lawns have been raised in elevation, while maintaining great views across the river. The pavilion at the park has been upgraded, with a classroom for education and events, a rooftop with outdoor seating and plans for a new restaurant in 2026.
See the full line up — which includes even more activities for families, kids and fitness buffs — here.
No tickets required; just show up ready for a good time.
Photo: The High Line
High Line Partial Closure
After 16 years of heavy use, one of the High Line’s most popular features is undergoing major reconstruction and will be closed to visitors during July and August. The rest of the park remains open. Here’s what you need to know before your next visit –
The section of the park being closed for renovation is known as the 10th Avenue Square, between 16th and 17th Streets.
For stair access, visitors traveling north will need to exit at 16th Street, walk along the street, and reenter at 17th Street. Visitors traveling south will need to exit at 17th Street, walk along the street, and reenter at 16th Street. For elevator access, visitors traveling north will need to exit at 14th Street, walk along the street, and reenter at 23rd Street. Visitors traveling south will need to exit at 23rd Street, walk along the street, and reenter at 14th Street.
Since opening in 2009, the framing beneath the decking requires replacement, and the Square’s original grove of three-flowered maple trees, which have outgrown their planters, will be replaced. An automated irrigation system is being installed, eliminating the need to water the plants in this section by hand and improving water efficiency.
This construction project is by the Friends of the High Line team, which oversees planning, construction, and design efforts for the High Line and fundraises 100% of the budget for the park’s construction.
Rendering: Central Park Conservancy
Harlem Meer Re-Opens After Renovation
The new Davis Center at the Harlem Meer has re-opened after a four-year, $160 Million renovation and re-invention.
The new facility features an all-new public pool which will convert into an ice rink in the winter, “and in contrast to the old Lasker pool and ice rink it replaces, it will also transform into the Harlem Oval – a public green – in the shoulder seasons, ensuring year-round community access,” according to a press release.
The new Davis Center is hosting a variety of FREE or affordable programs throughout the year, including wellness and fitness classes, nature programs, ice time for youth sports, and swim programming, managed by the NYC Parks Department.
Move over, High Line and Little Island you’ve got competition.
Pier 97, the northernmost pier in Hudson River Park is now open, following a $47.5 million transformation from a parking lot and Dept. of Sanitation storage facility into a gleaming and appealing public park with multiple facilities.
Pier 97 – at 57th St. and the Hudson River – has 2.5 acres of public open space, complete with a playground, athletic field, sloping sun lawn, and more—all surrounded by over 16,000 square feet of vibrant flowers and plants. A new building with restrooms and concessions is expected to open this winter.
Constructed between 1921 and 1934, Pier 97 served as a hub of the Swedish America Line and remained an active dock through the 1970s. Then it became a parking lot used by the city’s Department of Sanitation until 2011.
Pier 97 features include –
The playground features a 26-foot-high rope climbing structure, a ship’s hull, and seasonal water spray features.
The 120-foot-long synthetic turf field can accommodate a range of sports and activities, while the 7,600-square-foot sloping lawn offers a relaxing green space, providing a shady place of respite on the pier.
A granite slide for guests of all ages connects the new elevated overlook and shaded belvedere section on the pier’s northern edge with the main pier below.
The sunset deck, equipped with bistro tables, chaise lounges, and two-tiered walls with seating, offers breathtaking views of the Hudson River and skyline.
Flexible gathering areas framed by flowers and plants offer tranquil spaces for socializing, and a walking promenade along the pier’s southern edge invites visitors for a relaxing stroll.
Work on a new park building directly north of Pier 97 containing public bathrooms, concessions, and a small maintenance area will open this winter. Solar panels will be installed on the roof, and the Hudson River Park Trust will issue a request for proposals (RFP) to select a food concessionaire. The Trust also plans to attract a historic vessel for docking on the south side of Pier 97.
Construction of the pier was primarily funded by $40.8 million from the NY State capital budget, plus $6.7 million in proceeds from a Transferable Development Rights Sale completed by the Trust in 2018.
Who is a real New Yorker? It depends on who you ask.
The photography museum has closed its location at 219 Park Avenue South to move to a new, larger space. It is expected the museum’s well-regarded restaurant Verōnika and the Chapel Bar will re-open in the new space.
According to Crain’s, the architecturally stunning building is being put on the market. The property was last listed in 2022 for $135 million.
Constructed between 1892 and 1894 for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church, the ornate building features a Flemish Renaissance Revival style and a striking limestone facade. The building, known as the Church Missions House, was part of an area formerly known as “Charity Row.” It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
No details of a new location for the museum have been announced yet.
Michelin Guide Adds 12 NYC Restaurants
Fine dining just got more fine with the addition of 12 NYC restaurants to the famous Michelin Guide, bringing the number to 142.
The new additions include French, Italian, seafood, Thai and Filippino choices
On Sept. 15, 1654, a group of 23 Sephardic Jews arrived on the shores of New York — then called New Amsterdam — and created the first organized Jewish community in the city. Today, 350 years later, NYC is home to the largest Jewish population of any city in the world.
The City Council has voted on a resolution to honor both, turning Landing Day from an event marked by a few Jewish leaders into an official date on the city’s calendar. That’s just short of making it a holiday, like Juneteenth.
The resolution aims to “commemorate the arrival of the first Jewish community in New Amsterdam in 1654 and to celebrate the continuing importance of the Jewish community in the City of New York.”
New Food Hall in Former Lord & Taylor Building
NYC’s newest food hall, Shaver Hall, is set to open in the iconic former Lord & Taylor building on Fifth Avenue between 38th and 39th Sts., now housing Amazon. According to a press release, it will “celebrate the rich heritage of the iconic Lord & Taylor building and promises to redefine the culinary landscape of Midtown Manhattan.”
Shaver Hall is named in honor of Dorothy Shaver, the trailblazing president of Lord & Taylor and first woman to head a multimillion-dollar business.
The first two announced tenants are Chick Chick, featuring Korean-inspired chicken, and Taqueria Al Pastor, with Mexican cuisine.
About the Lord & Taylor building –
Originally constructed in 1914, the Lord & Taylor Building is an 11-story commercial masterpiece in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, designed by renowned architects Starrett & van Vleck.
The building’s granite, brick, and limestone facade and copper cornice have symbolized elegance and sophistication for over a century, including for its famous and famously inventive holiday windows.
Photo courtesy Hudson Yards
The Vessel at Hudson Yards Re-Opens
The famous honeycomb sculpture has re-opened after shutting down in 2024 following three suicides, but it is no longer FREE to visit.
The 150-foot Vessel now has safety netting to safeguard visitors, and the once-free architectural sculpture now costs $10 per person.
Visitors must buy at least two tickets and will not be allowed to visit alone.
Hudson Yards is “installing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline signage and messaging” and increasing security, CNN reported.
NEW – New York City residents with ID can visit for FREE Thursdays.
Tickets are available at 9am on the last Friday of every month at 9am for the following month.
A limited number of free, day-of tickets are available every Thursday on that same website.
Citi Bike Rate Increase
Lyft, the ride share company which now owns and operates the bike share program, has raised rates again, especially for the popular battery-assisted e-bikes.
Unlocking a Citi Bike now costs $4.79.
E-bike fees are now approximately $10 for 15 minutes.
Hart Island is now open to the public. Since 1869, more than 1 million New Yorkers have been laid to rest on the island.
NYC Parks is now offering visits twice per month so New Yorkers can learn about its important history and see the beauty of the island and enjoy picture postcard views of the city.
This NYC Best Things to Do Calendar is updated at the beginning and middle of each month.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter, a native and lifelong New Yorker, also is the author or editor of numerous NYC guidebooks and apps, including for Fodor’s and Rand McNally.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President Emeritas of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA), after serving two years as President.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA) and a former Board Member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
Thanks for visiting ecoXplorer. Stay up to date with the latest news about green travel, green cars, smart spending and frugal living by subscribing. It's free. RSS feed.
Welcome back to exoXplorer. Stay up to date with the latest news about green travel, green cars and smart spending by subscribing. It's free. RSS feed.
This is such a helpful and timely list! As someone planning a trip to NYC on a tight budget, I’m especially excited about the free ferry ride to Staten Island. What would you say is the single best “cheap” activity for getting a real, local feel for the city away from the main tourist crowds?
The Staten Island Ferry has been free for more than a decade – it’s one of the best deals in my hometown. There are plenty of free and cheap activities in this list – it’s up to you to pick your own favorite.
[…] 9/11 Memorial and Museum — Throughout Salute to Service — November 7 through 11 — active and retired U.S. military, veterans, Blue & Gold Star families get free admission. […]
Now that my hometown is back on top of the must visit destination list, here’s how to enjoy NYC on the cheap.
Michelin Guide Adds 12 NYC Restaurants
See Also
FREE – Late Night Shows Taped in New York City
FREE Weekly & Monthly Museum Admission
This is such a helpful and timely list! As someone planning a trip to NYC on a tight budget, I’m especially excited about the free ferry ride to Staten Island. What would you say is the single best “cheap” activity for getting a real, local feel for the city away from the main tourist crowds?
The Staten Island Ferry has been free for more than a decade – it’s one of the best deals in my hometown. There are plenty of free and cheap activities in this list – it’s up to you to pick your own favorite.
Free Stevie Wonder concerts? Count me in.
This is great! I love exploring my city and being made aware of what’s going on and where to go!