The Best Things to Do in Manhattan That Won't Cost a Penny
New York can be an expensive city to visit, but having fun here doesn't mean you have to break the bank
In fact, there are plenty of free things to do in Manhattan. You could fill an itinerary with these attractions and annual events without spending a dime, and you can still brag that you've seen the city's most famous sights.
Staten Island Ferry
A young Bob Dylan sang in the early 1960s that if you only had a nickel, you could still ride the Staten Island Ferry. It cost a nickel back then, but now it's free. The times are a-changing, indeed. You can cross the harbor from Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan to Staten Island and back again without paying anything. Just stay on the boat for the return trip. You'll get close-up views of the Statue of Liberty on the way over and back, and you'll see stunning skyscraper vistas from the water. Commercial boat companies charge $30 or more for a ride. You've gotta love public transportation.
TV Shows
"The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert; "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon; "Saturday Night Live"; "The View"; "Dr. Oz"; "The Daily Show"–the list goes on. These popular TV shows and lots more are taped in NYC, and they all need studio audiences. Tickets to these shows are free. Each show has a different method for distributing tickets, so visit their websites to find out more on how to get free tickets.
Museums
New York is home to some of the world's greatest museums. Some charge hefty admission fees, but you don't always have to pay them—you can get into some great museums for free at certain times. Major museums that have free admission hours include the 9/11 Memorial Museum (Tuesday evenings), the Museum of Modern Art (Friday evenings) and the American Folk Art Museum (always free). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, arguably one of the world's greatest art museums, suggests $25 for admission, but you can pay what you want to enter.
Annual Events
It's not Thanksgiving without the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Instead of watching the beloved tradition on TV, enjoy the spectacle of it in person as it passes through Midtown. Pro tip: The inflation of the floats on Thanksgiving Eve is less crowded, and it's just as fun. Other notable parades along Manhattan thoroughfares include the after-dark and always crazy Village Halloween Parade, the Puerto Rican Day Parade (to which "Seinfeld" once devoted an entire episode) and that spine-tingling tribute to servicemen and women, the Veteran's Day Parade.
Grand Tour of Grand Central
Grand Central Terminal is one of those iconic NYC places that most everyone knows about or has seen in movies and on TV. You can take a guided tour of this enormous nexus point of Manhattan without pulling out your wallet. The Grand Central Partnership offers free weekly tours every Friday at 12:30 p.m., and reservations are not required. The tour also covers nearby landmarks such as the Chrysler Building.
Brooklyn Bridge Promenade
A legendary symbol of the city, the Brooklyn Bridge offers a pedestrian promenade above its busy lanes of traffic. It's one of the most spectacular walks in the city. There's no toll or fee and it's considered safe because the well-lit walkway is always crowded with New Yorkers commuting by foot or by bike. The Manhattan entrance to the promenade can be accessed from the east side of City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan.
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