Free Things to Do in New York City

Why pay to take tours when you can sight see for free?
The Staten Island Ferry is a 5 mile and 25 minute boat ride that's main purpose is to transport people to and from Staten Island. You will be able to take photographs and video of the NYC skyline. You will even get a wonderful view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on your mini voyage.

Times Square can be a little overwhelming if you have never seen it before. Take the Times Square Walking Tour any Friday. You will learn the history, hang outs, and hot restaurants that make up Times Square. Keep an eye open for the Naked Cowboy. Don't worry! He's not totally naked.

Every Friday, there is a free walking tour through Grand Central and the surrounding neighborhood. You will not only tour Grand Central Station, which is a site in itself, but you will learn it's history, and visit the original Lincoln Memorial. What is the Whisper Gallery? You'll have to take the tour to find out! For any part of Manhattan, you will probably find a free walking tour to show you around. Just keep a look out!

Concerts and Music
Central Park has is known for a lot of things. One of those things is free concerts. Rumor has it, artists such as Kelly Clarkson, The Jonas Brothers, The Fray, and Kenny Chesney have performed or will be performing free concerts in Central Park. Sometimes they are at odd hours, but hey, free is free! Also, Central Park SummerStage is a free performing arts festival with performers from all over the world. You will sing, dance, and laugh the day away. Every year the Metropolitan Opera performs in Central Park. Check tour dates of your favorite artists. You just never know who or what you will find.

Every Friday and Saturday, The Brooklyn Academy of Music opens the doors to the public with free music over dinner and drinks. What was once a ball room is now BAMCafe! There is no cover charge at Lucille's Grill in B.B. King's Blues Bar and Grill. If you are in the mood for some blues, Lucille's has free live music nightly!

Have you ever dreamed of going to Juilliard? Now you can. Juilliard regularly gives out tickets to performances throughout the year. Check their schedule on their website for details.

Don't miss the River To River Festival! It is an performing arts festival with hundreds of performers! It was founded to breathe new life into Lower Manhattan through performing arts after the attack of September 11, 2001. It is free to the public all summer, every summer!

Museums
Free Music Fridays at the American Museum of Folk Art. Every Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm you can enjoy live music and check out the gallery. You can check their website to see who will be performing.

The Studio Museum in Harlem offers free tours to see artists as they work are actually at work on their art every first Sunday of the month. They want to involve a variety of people. So, there will be a little something for everyone to enjoy.

Saturday evenings, starting at 5:45pm, The Guggenheim Museum offers Pay What You Wish. This is a pay by donation opportunity. So, where it may not be totally free, you can still enjoy the museum's unique architecture for only a donation.

The Whitney Museum of American Art has a similar event on Friday nights. Pay What You Wish Fridays starting at 6:00pm. Whitney Live will offer a variety of different musical stylings for your entertainment. Seating is first come first serve. Donations make admission to this museum a fraction of it's original cost.

Likely Page Break

The Socrates Sculpture Park is always free. It's and abandoned landfill turned outdoor art gallery with it's lumbering sculptures. It is like a day at the park, with larger than life artwork. Interaction with the public is highly encouraged. Walk through, meet the artists, and enjoy the sites!

The Best Kept Secret
The best kept secret in New York City is kayaking on the Hudson River. Some residents don't even know about this! The New York City Downtown Boathouse offers free access all their activities. There is access to the Hudson River, and Yes! Free use of a kayak!

One Last Thing!
There are so many free opportunities to take advantage of when you are in New York City, if would be impossible to list them all. It is ever changing. Do some research on your own before your trip. You might find something bigger and better than you expected! Also, check online or contact the locations prior to visiting in case their policies have been changed.

Photo credit: G.Matlock