10 Free Things To Do In New York City As A Family
10 Free Things To Do In New York City As A Family
New York City can be one of the most expensive vacations you’ll ever take! Food and hotel rooms are extremely expensive there. However, there are also a ton of great spots in NYC that don’t cost a dime! Instead of wasting your hard-earned cash on entertainment, consider checking out some of the free attractions first! Here are 10 free things to do in New York City as a family.
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Take a stroll in Central Park
Central Park is a great place to go for a walk or enjoy a picnic. They have amazing views and landmarks, but they also have over 800 acres of gardens, water, and other pathways to explore. There are also playgrounds that the kids will love, boat rides, a zoo, and so much more!
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
While cars have to pay a fee to cross, pedestrians and bikers don’t have to pay! If your kids aren’t up for a long walk, consider biking instead! This is a great place to get a shot of the NYC skyline!
Visit the Museum of Modern Art on Friday Evenings
If you are wanting to visit the Museum of Modern Art at no cost, consider waiting until Friday evening. From 4 pm until 8 pm, you can get free admission! If you are interested in seeing the sculpture garden, you can visit for free in the mornings for 30 minutes at 9:30 am.
Catch the Staten Island Ferry
If you want a great view of the Statue of Liberty, you can see it at no cost and get a great view by riding the Staten Island Ferry!
Visit Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is really an experience like no other! You can take in some of the amazing architecture and this is a great place for people watching too! If you go, make sure to stay away from rush hour times otherwise this place will get pretty packed.
Children’s Museums and free admission
There are quite a few kid friendly museums in New York City and many of them have select times for free admission. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is free from 2 -6pm every Thursday. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan offers free admission every first Friday of the month from 5-8pm. The Children’s Museum of the Arts is free every Thursdays between 4 pm and 6 pm!
And it’s not just children’s museums either. Typically, The Bronx Zoo is not free, but every Wednesday they do not charge admission.
The High Line
The High Line is a fantastic public park on the West Side of Manhattan. This very cool outdoor space was built on an abandoned elevated rail line. The park includes gardens, public art, performances, and various options to purchase food.
Coney Island fireworks
You can view fireworks at Coney Island in the summertime without having to be in the park! You can see them on Friday nights at 9:30 pm from the boardwalk from June all the way until Labor Day.
Tour the Federal Bank of New York’s Gold Vault
The Financial District’s Federal Bank of New York has almost 7,000 tons of gold! Some of which dates as far back as World War 2! You can tour the gold vault for free to see a piece of history.
Times Square and Rockefeller Center
One of the most iconic things to see in NYC is Times Square. The scale of people, lights, street performers, and stores is breathtaking. Make sure you go at night to see everything lit up! There are also a number of fun stores for kids in or near Times Square like The Disney Store, FAO Schwarz, M&M World, the Hershey Store, and the LEGO Store.
Also, if you are in mid-town Manhattan, pop into St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It really is an impressive cathedral, and it is completely free!
As you can see, you don’t have to spend any money to have a great time and see amazing sites in New York City! If you are planning a trip, remember to add these free activities and spots to your list before you go!
Check out these family travel ideas too!
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