New York for Free

New York for Free

If you think everything in New York costs too much, well, you're right -- almost. In fact, the city has tons of free attractions and activities; you just need to know where to look for them. Choose from our list of favorite freebies, below.

Outdoor Fun

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge for a spectacular view of the East River and seaport.

Ride the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the southern tip of Manhattan from the water.

Catch a free movie screening in Bryant Park in summertime; bring a blanket and a picnic.

Wander Battery Park City's waterfront promenade; the breeze and passing boats will make you forget you're in the gritty city.

Kayak on the Hudson; the Downtown Boathouse has free lessons and paddling tours.

Watch wannabe trapeze artists swing and soar at the Trapeze School of New York.

Taste the produce at the Union Square greenmarket, where farmers offer samples of their organically grown apples and artisanal cheeses.

Stroll the Coney Island boardwalk for some old-school kitsch (before it's redeveloped into a swanky condo development).

Check out the street performers around New York's parks: break-dancing crews in Union Square, ragtime duets in Central Park, nutty unicyclists in Washington Square.

Smell the cherry blossoms in spring at the Central Park Conservatory; the pathways beneath the blossoming trees are gorgeous, and much closer than the botanical gardens in the outer boroughs.

Music, Theater & Dance

Watch tango dancers and jazz musicians outside Lincoln Center at the annual monthlong Out of Doors festival.

Hit Central Park Summerstage for big-name performers like rap artist Lady Sovereign and Brazilian sensation Seu Jorge.

Catch rising stars in classical music drama and dance at the Julliard School's free student concerts (check www.julliard.edu for a calendar of events).

Educate thyself with a performance at Shakespeare in the Park.

Get gratis giggles at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's comedy shows.

Art, Lit & Architecture

Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art; if you'll believe it, the $15 "entry fee" is really just a suggested donation.

Browse through the galleries in the city's burgeoning art district: the neighborhood of Chelsea.

Marvel at Grand Central Terminal's spectacular main concourse; the ceiling painted with night-sky constellations is one of the city's treasures.

Attend a reading at one of the city's hundreds of bookstores.

Explore the new MoMA on Friday between 4 and 8 PM, when the entry fee is waived.

Pay your respects at the city's cathedral of books and learning: the NYC Public Library's main reading room.