arts culture
AKC Museum of the Dog
📍 Murray Hill
Art museum all about dogs: paintings, sculpture and interactive digital displays, plus a kids corner and library. Pet dogs are welcome on Fridays.
Official site ↗
✈️ TRAVEL MODE · METRO AREA
New York City Metro Area
Top things to do for visitors, each linked to its official source.
METRO AREA
New York City Metro Area
arts culture
Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn
📍 Downtown Brooklyn
Dine-in cinema with strict no-talking rules, food and drinks at your seat, and themed special screenings.
Official site ↗arts culture
Alamo Drafthouse Lower Manhattan
📍 Financial District
Dine-in cinema at 28 Liberty with food served during the movie and a bar.
Official site ↗arts culture
Alpine Cinemas
📍 Bay Ridge
Bay Ridge's neighborhood movie theater on Fifth Avenue, showing current new releases.
Official site ↗arts culture
Angelika Film Center
📍 SoHo
Classic downtown art-house cinema for independent and foreign films, with a café upstairs.
Official site ↗family kids
Animal Farm Petting Zoo
📍 Manorville
A zoo on Wading River Rd in Manorville. In its own words: “Discover Animal Farm Petting Zoo in Manorville, NY – Long Island's original family petting zoo since 1981.” (official site)
Official site ↗arts culture
Anthology Film Archives
📍 East Village
An East Village archive and cinema for avant-garde, experimental and rare films in an old courthouse.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Astoria Park
📍 Astoria
A big waterfront park under the Hell Gate and RFK bridges, with trails, a track, tennis courts and the city's oldest and largest pool.
Official site ↗other
Avant Garden
📍 Manhattan
A restaurant on Avenue A in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: michelin (per its official site).
Official site ↗arts culture
Avon Theatre Film Center
📍 Stamford
Nonprofit two-screen 1939 cinema in downtown Stamford showing independent films and classics.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Baisley Pond Park
📍 South Jamaica
A South Jamaica park around Baisley Pond, with fishing, a running track, cricket fields, shady picnic spots and natural habitat to explore.
Official site ↗arts culture
BAM
📍 Fort Greene
The Brooklyn Academy of Music, a Fort Greene arts center for theater, dance, opera and independent film across several historic venues.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Barretto Point Park
📍 Hunts Point
A small East River waterfront park in Hunts Point with fishing piers, a kayak launch, lawns and a volleyball net.
Official site ↗other
Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
📍 Pelham Bay Park
A Greek Revival mansion and gardens in Pelham Bay Park with period rooms and walking trails along the water.
Official site ↗arts culture
bergenPAC
📍 Englewood
Bergen County performing arts center with concerts and comedy.
Official site ↗arts culture
Birdland
📍 Theater District
A Theater District jazz club named for Charlie Parker, with big bands, singers and dinner seating.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Blue Heron Park
📍 Annadale
A South Shore nature park with a nature center, a meadow boardwalk, woodland trails and great old trees.
Official site ↗arts culture
Blue Note Jazz Club
📍 Greenwich Village
The famous Village jazz club with two sets most nights and late-night shows.
Official site ↗other
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden
📍 Astoria
New York's oldest beer garden, opened by Czech and Slovak immigrants in 1910, with long picnic tables under the trees and Czech beer.
Official site ↗other
Bolivian Llama Party
📍 Woodside
A modern Bolivian street food spot serving salteñas, smoked brisket and chola sandwiches on 48th Avenue in Woodside. Open seven days. What sets it apart: happy hour (per its official site).
Official site ↗arts culture
Bronx Documentary Center
📍 Melrose
Nonprofit photography gallery and education space in the South Bronx, with documentary exhibitions, film screenings, talks and photography classes.
Official site ↗arts culture
Bronx Museum of the Arts
📍 Concourse
A free contemporary art museum on the Grand Concourse focused on artists of African, Asian and Latin American descent.
Official site ↗other
Bronx Night Market
📍 Fordham
A seasonal Saturday open-air market on Fordham Plaza with local vendors, music and community events.
Official site ↗arts culture
Brooklyn Children's Museum
📍 Crown Heights
The world's first museum built for children, founded in 1899, with hands-on exhibits for young kids in a bright yellow building.
Official site ↗arts culture
Brooklyn Glass
📍 Gowanus
Glassblowing studio with three-hour beginner workshops where you blow your own drinking tumbler, bowl or stemless wine glass. No experience needed.
Official site ↗arts culture
Brooklyn Museum
📍 Prospect Heights
One of the country's largest art museums, with Egyptian art, Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party and themed First Saturday evenings.
Official site ↗arts culture
Brooklyn Steel
📍 East Williamsburg
Big concert venue in a converted steel factory.
Official site ↗other
Bryant Park Grill
📍 New York
A restaurant on West 40th Street in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: rooftop (per its official site).
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Bushwick Inlet Park
📍 Williamsburg/Greenpoint
A waterfront park on the East River with a big multipurpose field, a green-roofed building, a viewing platform and Manhattan skyline views.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Calvert Vaux Park
📍 Gravesend
A Gravesend Bay park built from soil dug out for the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, with a restored waterfront, water views, birds, trails and sports fields.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Canarsie Park
📍 Canarsie
A large park between Paerdegat and Fresh Creek basins, with natural areas and trails, cricket and soccer fields, a skate park and barbecue areas.
Official site ↗arts culture
Center for Architecture
📍 Greenwich Village
AIA New York's storefront galleries with free architecture and design exhibitions, plus talks and events (some ticketed).
Official site ↗other
Center for Brooklyn History
📍 Brooklyn Heights
A Brooklyn Heights library and museum in an 1881 landmark, with exhibitions on the borough's past.
Official site ↗arts culture
Children's Museum of Manhattan
📍 New York
A museum on West 83rd Street in New York. What sets it apart: interactive exhibits and programs built for kids ages 0–6 (per its official site).
Official site ↗other
Churchill’s
📍 Rockville Centre
An American bar on South Park Avenue in Rockville Centre. Open every day but Monday. What sets it apart: live music (per its official site).
Official site ↗arts culture
Cinema Arts Centre
📍 Huntington
Long Island's nonprofit art-house cinema with indie premieres, classics and guest talks.
Official site ↗arts culture
Cinema Village
📍 Greenwich Village
One of the city's oldest continuously running cinemas, showing indie films and documentaries.
Official site ↗arts culture
City Island Nautical Museum
📍 City Island
A small museum in an old City Island schoolhouse covering the island's sailing, shipbuilding and fishing history.
Official site ↗arts culture
City Reliquary
📍 Williamsburg
A tiny, volunteer-run Williamsburg museum of New York curiosities: subway tokens, Statue of Liberty souvenirs and other civic memorabilia.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
📍 Charleston
A 265-acre nature preserve of ponds, wetlands, sand barrens and woods, with hiking and bridle trails and a free nature center. No pets.
Official site ↗arts culture
Clue Chase
📍 Midtown
Escape rooms with themes from a museum heist to a space mission.
Official site ↗arts culture
Cobble Hill Cinemas
📍 Cobble Hill
Neighborhood five-screen movie house on Court Street showing first-run films.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Concrete Plant Park
📍 West Farms
A former concrete plant turned riverside park on the Bronx River, with re-established salt marsh and a kayak and canoe launch.
Official site ↗arts culture
Coney Island Museum
📍 Coney Island
Run by the nonprofit Coney Island USA, with exhibits on the neighborhood's amusement history, plus the Coney Island Circus Sideshow and the Mermaid Parade.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Conference House Park
📍 Tottenville
NYC's southernmost park: 265 acres with four historic buildings, Raritan Bay views, hiking and biking trails and a visitors center.
Official site ↗family kids
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
📍 Bridgeport
Connecticut's only zoo, with a rainforest building and a carousel.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Cooper Park Dog Run
📍 East Williamsburg
A dog run in Cooper Park at Morgan Avenue and Sharon Street.
Official site ↗arts culture
Count Basie Center for the Arts
📍 Red Bank
Restored 1926 theater in Red Bank with concerts and comedy.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Crocheron Park
📍 Bayside
A Bayside park on Little Neck Bay with a scenic pond, winding paths, a footbridge to the waterfront and good fall color.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Crotona Park
📍 Crotona
A 127-acre Bronx flagship park with a 3.3-acre lake full of turtles and ducks, 28 tree species, a nature center and the borough's largest pool.
Official site ↗arts culture
Danbury Railway Museum
📍 Danbury
Railroad museum in a restored 1903 station with train rides on a working rail yard.
Official site ↗arts culture
Dizzy's Club
📍 Columbus Circle
Jazz at Lincoln Center's club with a view of Central Park behind the band.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Dyker Beach Park Dog Run
📍 Dyker Heights
A dog run in Dyker Beach Park at 7th Avenue and 86th Street.
Official site ↗arts culture
Escape Room Madness
📍 Midtown
Escape rooms near Times Square with several themes.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Ewen Park Dog Run
📍 Riverdale
A dog run in Ewen Park, south of 232nd Street in Riverdale.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Ferry Point Park
📍 Throgs Neck
A mile and a half of Bronx waterfront with views of the East River, Long Island Sound, the Manhattan skyline and the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges.
Official site ↗arts culture
Film at Lincoln Center
📍 Upper West Side
Home of the New York Film Festival, with daily screenings of new art-house releases and repertory series.
Official site ↗arts culture
Film Forum
📍 Greenwich Village
A nonprofit cinema on Houston Street screening independent premieres and classic film series.
Official site ↗arts culture
Film Noir Cinema
📍 Greenpoint
Small Greenpoint cinema and video store screening cult, horror and noir films.
Official site ↗arts culture
Flushing Town Hall
📍 Flushing
An 1862 Romanesque Revival town hall that now hosts jazz jams, global music and dance performances in Flushing.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Forest Park Dog Runs
📍 Woodhaven
Two dog runs in Forest Park: the K9 Korral and the Overlook Dog Park ("The Barking Lot").
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Fort Greene Park
📍 Fort Greene
A historic hilltop park shaped by Olmsted and Vaux, with sloping hills, majestic trees, a visitor center and the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument.
Official site ↗other
Fort Totten Park
📍 Bayside
A Civil War-era fort on Little Neck Bay, with stone batteries, tunnels and waterfront views. Park rangers lead tours.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Fort Washington Park
📍 Washington Heights
A 160-acre ribbon of cliffs, meadows and woods on the Hudson, with the Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge and views of the Palisades.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Great Kills Park
📍 Great Kills
A 523-acre national park on the South Shore with a beach, a multi-use path, hiking and biking trails and fishing spots.
Official site ↗arts culture
Grey Art Museum (NYU)
📍 East Village
New York University's fine-art museum, showing rotating exhibitions of modern and contemporary art at Cooper Square.
Official site ↗other
Grimm Artisanal Ales
📍 Williamsburg
A Brooklyn brewery's taproom and rooftop in East Williamsburg, pouring creative sours and IPAs brewed on-site.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Herbert Von King Park Dog Run
📍 Bedford-Stuyvesant
A dog run in Herbert Von King Park at Marcy and Lafayette Avenues.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
High Rock Park
📍 Greenbelt
A natural-area park with wooded hiking trails in Staten Island's Greenbelt.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Highbridge Park
📍 Washington Heights
Cliffside woods along the Harlem River, home to the High Bridge (the city's oldest standing bridge) and its water tower, plus the city's first mountain-bike course and a skate park.
Official site ↗other
Hill Country Barbecue Market
📍 New York
A barbecue restaurant on West 26th Street in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: live music (per its official site).
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Hillside Dog Park
📍 Brooklyn Heights
A dedicated dog park at Columbia Heights and Middagh Street.
Official site ↗other
Historic Richmond Town
📍 Richmondtown
A living history village of restored buildings from the 1600s to the 1900s, with costumed demonstrations and seasonal events.
Official site ↗arts culture
Holocaust Museum and Tolerance Center
📍 Glen Cove
A museum on Crescent Beach Road in Glen Cove. In its own words: “Founded over 25 years ago, the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County is the preeminent Holocaust resource on Long Island.” (official sit
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Hunter's Point South Park Dog Run
📍 Long Island City
A dog run in Hunter's Point South Park on the Long Island City waterfront.
Official site ↗arts culture
IFC Center
📍 Greenwich Village
A Sixth Avenue art-house cinema with indie premieres, documentaries and cult midnight screenings.
Official site ↗arts culture
International Center of Photography (ICP)
📍 Lower East Side
Photography museum and school with rotating exhibitions of documentary, art and news photography. Admission is reduced on Thursday evenings.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
J. Hood Wright Park Dog Run
📍 Washington Heights
A dog run in J. Hood Wright Park at Fort Washington Avenue and 173rd Street.
Official site ↗other
Jack's Fire Department
📍 Queens
A pub on Skillman Avenue in Queens, family-run since 1986. Open seven days, until 4 AM on its latest nights. What sets it apart: in business since 1986 (per its official site).
Official site ↗arts culture
Jackie Robinson Museum
📍 New York
A museum on Varick Street in New York. In its own words: “Learn about the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson through artifacts, historical imagery and multilayered storytelling.” (official site)
Official site ↗arts culture
Jacob Burns Film Center
📍 Pleasantville
Nonprofit film center in Westchester screening independent, foreign and documentary films.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Jacob Riis Park
📍 Rockaway
A national park beach with a 1932 bathhouse, picnic area and playgrounds. Lifeguards Memorial Day–Labor Day.
Official site ↗arts culture
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
📍 Lighthouse Hill
A hilltop museum built like a Himalayan monastery, with a meditation garden and Tibetan and Buddhist art.
Official site ↗arts culture
Japan Society Gallery
📍 Turtle Bay
Japanese art gallery near the UN, now showing Gen'ichirō Inokuma's NYC Salon (Oct 6, 2026–Jan 10, 2027). Free First Fridays 5–7 PM (Nov 6, Dec 4, Jan 8).
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Juniper Valley Park
📍 Middle Village
A busy neighborhood park in Middle Village, with a running track, tennis, bocce and shuffleboard courts and wide lawns.
Official site ↗arts culture
Kew Gardens Cinemas
📍 Kew Gardens
Independent neighborhood cinema near the LIRR showing first-run and art films.
Official site ↗other
King Manor Museum
📍 Jamaica
The Jamaica home of Rufus King, a signer of the Constitution and an early opponent of slavery, set in a public park.
Official site ↗other
Kingsland Homestead (Queens Historical Society)
📍 Flushing
Late-1700s farmhouse in Weeping Beech Park, home of the Queens Historical Society, seen on guided tours with Queens history exhibitions. Advance timed tickets only.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Kissena Park
📍 Flushing
A 237-acre Flushing park around Kissena Lake, with weeping willows, trails, and a historic grove of exotic trees that began as a 19th-century nursery.
Official site ↗arts culture
Komnata Quest
📍 Midtown
Escape rooms in Midtown, from beginner puzzles to scarier live-actor games.
Official site ↗other
L&B Spumoni Gardens
📍 Gravesend
A Gravesend institution since 1939, known for square Sicilian slices with sauce on top and tri-color spumoni eaten at outdoor picnic tables.
Official site ↗arts culture
Le Poisson Rouge
📍 Greenwich Village
A Bleecker Street venue on the site of the old Village Gate, mixing concerts, classical music and comedy.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Lemon Creek Park
📍 Prince's Bay
A 105-acre South Shore waterfront park with natural areas, trails, fishing, a kayak launch, a marina and birdhouses.
Official site ↗arts culture
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art
📍 SoHo
SoHo museum dedicated to LGBTQIA+ art, with rotating exhibitions and a free digital guide.
Official site ↗other
Lewis Latimer House Museum
📍 Flushing
The Flushing home of Black inventor Lewis Latimer, who improved the light bulb filament, now a museum about invention.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Little Bay Park Dog Run
📍 Bayside
A dog run in Little Bay Park off the Cross Island Parkway at Utopia Parkway.
Official site ↗arts culture
Loew's Jersey Theatre
📍 Journal Square
Restored 1929 movie palace in Jersey City hosting classic film screenings and concerts.
Official site ↗family kids
Long Island Aquarium
📍 Riverhead
Aquarium with sharks, seals and a butterfly exhibit.
Official site ↗arts culture
Louis Armstrong House Museum
📍 Corona
The Corona home where Louis and Lucille Armstrong lived for nearly 30 years, preserved as they left it, with a center across the street.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Madison Square Park Dog Run
📍 Flatiron
A dog run inside Madison Square Park, between 23rd and 26th Streets.
Official site ↗music nightlife
Magnet Theater
📍 Chelsea
Improv theater and school with low-cost improv and sketch shows most nights.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Manhattan Beach Park Dog Run
📍 Manhattan Beach
A dog run in Manhattan Beach Park, east of Ocean Avenue.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Marcus Garvey Park
📍 Harlem
A Harlem park with the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater for summer plays and concerts, playgrounds built for all kids, a pool and great old trees.
Official site ↗arts culture
Mayo Performing Arts Center
📍 Morristown
Morristown theater with concerts, comedy and family shows.
Official site ↗other
Merchant's House Museum
📍 NoHo
An 1832 rowhouse with its original furnishings intact, home to one family for nearly 100 years and said to be haunted.
Official site ↗arts culture
Metrograph
📍 Lower East Side
A Lower East Side cinema showing 35mm repertory and new releases, with a bookshop and restaurant.
Official site ↗arts culture
Minton's Playhouse
📍 Harlem
The Harlem room where bebop was born, with live jazz and dinner.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Morningside Park Dog Run
📍 Morningside Heights
A dog run in Morningside Park off Morningside Avenue.
Official site ↗other
Morris-Jumel: Uncovering Uptown History Walking Tour
📍 Washington Heights
Guided walking tour of uptown history starting from Manhattan's oldest house. The mansion itself is temporarily closed, but the tours and surrounding Roger Morris Park continue.
Official site ↗arts culture
Museum of Arts and Design
📍 Columbus Circle
A Columbus Circle museum of craft, art and design, with artist studios and a restaurant overlooking Central Park.
Official site ↗other
Museum of Bronx History (Valentine-Varian House)
📍 Norwood
Bronx County Historical Society museum in a 1758 fieldstone farmhouse, with exhibitions on Bronx history.
Official site ↗arts culture
Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)
📍 Chinatown
Museum of Chinese American history and culture, with exhibitions and public programs. NYC residents can pay what they wish in person with residency ID.
Official site ↗arts culture
Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
📍 Battery Park City
Holocaust history museum with core exhibition The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do and Andy Goldsworthy's Garden of Stones. Free admission Thursdays 4–8 PM with an advance reservation.
Official site ↗other
Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS)
📍 East Village
Small storefront museum on the East Village's history of squats, community gardens and grassroots activism, in the historic C-Squat building.
Official site ↗arts culture
Museum of the City of New York
📍 East Harlem
A Fifth Avenue museum about New York's past and present, with a film on the city's history and rotating exhibits.
Official site ↗arts culture
National Lighthouse Museum
📍 St. George
A museum near the ferry terminal on the former U.S. Lighthouse Service depot, telling the story of America's lighthouses.
Official site ↗other
Naumburg Orchestral Concerts
📍 Central Park
A free summer classical series on the Naumburg Bandshell, the stone shell at the end of the Central Park Mall. It is one of the oldest outdoor concert series in the park.
Official site ↗arts culture
Neue Galerie
📍 Upper East Side
A Fifth Avenue mansion museum for German and Austrian art, home to Klimt's Woman in Gold and a Viennese café.
Official site ↗arts culture
New York Hall of Science
📍 Flushing Meadows
A hands-on science museum built for the 1964 World's Fair, with interactive exhibits for kids and a science playground.
Official site ↗arts culture
New York Transit Museum
📍 Brooklyn
A museum on Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn. In its own words: “Founded in 1976, the New York Transit Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of New York’s mass transportation.” (official site)
Official site ↗arts culture
New York Transit Museum Gallery
📍 Midtown
A small gallery and shop inside Grand Central Terminal with exhibits on the city's subways and buses.
Official site ↗arts culture
New-York Historical Society
📍 Upper West Side
New York's oldest museum, on Central Park West, covering American and city history, with Tiffany lamps and Hudson River School art.
Official site ↗arts culture
Nicholas Roerich Museum
📍 Upper West Side
Quiet townhouse museum devoted to the paintings of Nicholas Roerich, known for his vivid Himalayan landscapes.
Official site ↗arts culture
Nitehawk Cinema Prospect Park
📍 Windsor Terrace
Dine-in cinema in a restored 1920s theater by Prospect Park, with new films, midnight shows and themed brunch screenings.
Official site ↗arts culture
Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg
📍 Williamsburg
Independent dine-in movie theater: food and drinks served at your seat during new releases and cult repertory screenings.
Official site ↗arts culture
NJPAC
📍 Newark
New Jersey Performing Arts Center with concerts, comedy and dance.
Official site ↗arts culture
Noguchi Museum
📍 Long Island City
Isamu Noguchi's own museum and sculpture garden in Long Island City, a calm space of stone, wood and light.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Owls Head Park Dog Run
📍 Bay Ridge
A dog run in Owls Head Park at 68th Street and Shore Road.
Official site ↗arts culture
Paramount Huntington
📍 Huntington
Long Island concert and comedy venue in downtown Huntington.
Official site ↗arts culture
Paris Theater
📍 Midtown
The city's last single-screen movie palace, by the Plaza, showing new releases and classic series.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Peter Detmold Park Dog Run
📍 Turtle Bay
A dog run in Peter Detmold Park, just west of the FDR in Turtle Bay.
Official site ↗music nightlife
Pier 25 Mini Golf
📍 Tribeca
Manhattan's only 18-hole mini golf course, on a Hudson River pier, with waterfalls, streams, a pond, bridges, sand traps and a cave. Walk-ins only; kids under 12 need an adult.
Official site ↗arts culture
Pioneer Works
📍 Red Hook
Red Hook art and science center in a former ironworks: galleries, a garden, artist residencies and science talks.
Official site ↗arts culture
Poster House
📍 Chelsea
The first museum in the United States dedicated to posters, with shows on design, advertising and propaganda.
Official site ↗arts culture
Quad Cinema
📍 Greenwich Village
Four-screen Village art house showing new independent and international films plus curated retrospectives, with a bar.
Official site ↗other
Queens County Farm Museum
📍 Floral Park
New York City's largest working farm, a 47-acre site with animals, orchards and seasonal events like a corn maze.
Official site ↗arts culture
Queens Museum
📍 Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Art museum next to the Unisphere, home of the Panorama of the City of New York model. Admission is pay-what-you-wish; reserving a timed ticket is encouraged.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Randall's Island Park
📍 Randall's Island
An island park between Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens, with sports fields, Icahn Stadium and public programs.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Roberto Clemente State Park
📍 Morris Heights
A 25-acre waterfront park on the Harlem River with a riverside promenade, ball fields, playgrounds and picnic areas. No pets.
Official site ↗other
Rosa's at Park
📍 Bronx
A restaurant on Park Avenue in the Bronx. Open seven days. What sets it apart: rooftop (per its official site).
Official site ↗arts culture
Roxy Cinema
📍 Tribeca
Single-screen cinema in the basement of the Roxy Hotel, mostly 35mm classics and repertory, with a bar.
Official site ↗arts culture
SculptureCenter
📍 Long Island City
A contemporary art space in a former trolley repair shop in Long Island City, with experimental shows in its brick basement galleries.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Seton Park Dog Run
📍 Riverdale
A dog run in Seton Park at 232nd Street and Independence Avenue.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Sherman Creek Park
📍 Inwood
Five small street-end parks on the Harlem River from W 202nd to W 206th St, with waterfront seating, picnic tables, fishing access and a kayak launch.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Shirley Chisholm State Park
📍 Spring Creek
A 407-acre park on Jamaica Bay with 10 miles of car-free bike and hiking paths, piers and skyline views. Free loaner bikes Thu–Sun in season (Apr 30–Nov 1 in 2026). No pets.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Shore Park and Parkway
📍 Bay Ridge
A 58-acre waterfront park and promenade in Bay Ridge, known for sunsets over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Official site ↗arts culture
Smalls Jazz Club
📍 West Village
A small West Village basement jazz club with sets late into the night and a friendly, musician-heavy crowd.
Official site ↗arts culture
Smoke Jazz Club
📍 Upper West Side
Intimate Upper West Side jazz supper club with nightly sets.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Soundview Park
📍 Soundview
The 'Gateway to the Bronx River,' where the Bronx River meets the East River, with waterfront views, fishing, trails, a kayak launch and sports fields.
Official site ↗arts culture
Spectacle Theater
📍 Williamsburg
Tiny volunteer-run microcinema showing rare cult, genre and forgotten films for a few dollars.
Official site ↗arts culture
St. Ann's Warehouse
📍 DUMBO
A DUMBO theater inside a converted tobacco warehouse, known for bold international productions steps from the Brooklyn Bridge.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
St. Nicholas Park
📍 Hamilton Heights
A long, sloping park between Harlem and Hamilton Heights, running from W 128th to W 141st St, with playgrounds, courts and barbecue areas.
Official site ↗arts culture
Staten Island Children's Museum
📍 Livingston
A hands-on children's museum on the Snug Harbor campus with play spaces about bugs, water and the city.
Official site ↗arts culture
Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor
📍 Snug Harbor
Natural science, art and history museum on the Snug Harbor campus, with fossils, local history and art exhibitions.
Official site ↗arts culture
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
📍 Norwalk
A museum on West Avenue in Norwalk. In its own words: “The joy of discovery is at the heart of Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, CT.” (official site)
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Sternberg Park Dog Run
📍 Williamsburg
A dog run in Sternberg Park on Leonard Street.
Official site ↗arts culture
Storm King Art Center
📍 New Windsor
A art center in New Windsor. What sets it apart: large-scale sculpture and site-specific commissions shown outdoors across its landscape, under open sky (per its official site).
Official site ↗other
SummerStage in Central Park
📍 Central Park
City Parks Foundation's outdoor stage at Rumsey Playfield, where the summer season brings concerts in the park, from free shows to ticketed headliners, under the Central Park trees.
Official site ↗arts culture
Syndicated Bar Theater Kitchen
📍 Bushwick
Bar and restaurant with a dine-in movie theater showing second-run hits and classics at low prices.
Official site ↗arts culture
Tarrytown Music Hall
📍 Tarrytown
Historic 1885 theater hosting concerts, comedy and films.
Official site ↗arts culture
Tenement Museum
📍 Lower East Side
Guided tours of restored Lower East Side tenement apartments that tell the real stories of immigrant families who lived there.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Capitol Theatre
📍 Port Chester
Restored 1926 concert hall in Port Chester.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Clairidge
📍 Montclair
Montclair Film's restored cinema showing independent, international and documentary films.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Django
📍 Tribeca
Cellar jazz bar under the Roxy Hotel with live music nightly.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Drawing Center
📍 SoHo
A SoHo museum devoted to drawing, from old masters to contemporary artists.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Jewish Museum
📍 Upper East Side
Museum Mile art museum of Jewish culture in a Fifth Avenue mansion. Admission is free on Saturdays and on Third Thursdays from 5–8 PM.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Museum at FIT
📍 Chelsea
Fashion Institute of Technology's fashion museum, with rotating exhibitions of clothing, textiles and accessories from its collection.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Palace Theatre Stamford
📍 Stamford
Downtown Stamford theater with concerts, comedy and Broadway tours.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Ridgefield Playhouse
📍 Ridgefield
Ridgefield performing arts center with concerts, comedy and movies.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Skyscraper Museum
📍 Battery Park City
Small museum about tall buildings: exhibitions on skyscraper history, engineering and NYC's skyline. General admission is listed as free.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Studio Museum in Harlem
📍 Harlem
Harlem art museum with exhibitions, an artists-in-residence program, events and education programs in its new 125th Street building.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Ukrainian Museum
📍 East Village
East Village museum of Ukrainian art, folk art and culture, with rotating exhibitions, workshops and classrooms. Free entry on the last Thursday evening of each month.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Wellmont Theater
📍 Montclair
Montclair concert venue in a 1920s theater.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Theodore Roosevelt Park Dog Run
📍 Upper West Side
A dog run in Theodore Roosevelt Park on Central Park West at 81st Street.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Thomas Jefferson Park Dog Run
📍 East Harlem
A dog run in Thomas Jefferson Park at 112th Street and the FDR.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Union Square Park Dog Run
📍 Union Square
A dog run in Union Square Park at 15th Street and Union Square West.
Official site ↗other
Van Cortlandt House Museum
📍 Van Cortlandt Park
The oldest house in the Bronx, a 1748 Georgian manor in Van Cortlandt Park that George Washington used during the Revolution.
Official site ↗arts culture
Village East by Angelika
📍 East Village
Movie theater inside a landmark 1926 Yiddish theater, with an ornate main auditorium.
Official site ↗arts culture
Village Vanguard
📍 West Village
A basement jazz club open since 1935, where legends like Coltrane and Bill Evans recorded live albums. Two sets nightly.
Official site ↗other
Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary & Victorian Garden
📍 Murray Hill (Flushing)
1891 Victorian house museum with period rooms, exhibitions and a Victorian garden and bird sanctuary.
Official site ↗arts culture
VR World NYC
📍 Midtown
Large virtual reality arcade with dozens of experiences.
Official site ↗music nightlife
VSHOW Karaoke
📍 Flushing (Downing St)
Private KTV rooms in Flushing for groups of up to 12 to 50, with a food and drink menu. The hourly rate is a minimum spend on food and drinks.
Official site ↗arts culture
Waterfront Museum
📍 Red Hook
A 1914 wooden railroad barge docked in Red Hook, now a floating museum and performance space with sweeping harbor views.
Official site ↗arts culture
Webster Hall
📍 East Village
Historic East Village concert hall with shows most nights.
Official site ↗arts culture
Westport Country Playhouse
📍 Westport
Historic summer-stock playhouse with plays, concerts and films.
Official site ↗arts culture
White Eagle Hall
📍 Jersey City
Restored 1910 hall in downtown Jersey City hosting concerts and comedy.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Williamsbridge Oval Dog Run
📍 Norwood
A dog run at the Williamsbridge Oval on Reservoir Oval East.
Official site ↗arts culture
Williamsburg Cinemas
📍 Williamsburg
Independent multiplex in Williamsburg with reclining seats and first-run films.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Willowbrook Park
📍 Willowbrook
A Greenbelt park with woodland trails and a five-acre lake that draws nesting birds.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
WNYC Transmitter Park
📍 Greenpoint
A small Greenpoint waterfront park on the site of the old WNYC radio towers, with a lawn, nature gardens, an esplanade and a fishing pier with skyline views.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Wolfe's Pond Park Dog Run
📍 Prince's Bay
A dog run in Wolfe's Pond Park off Cornelia Avenue.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
WWII Veterans War Memorial Ice Skating Rink
📍 Clove Lakes Park
NYC Parks outdoor ice rink in Clove Lakes Park with a snack bar and skate rentals. The 2026–27 season opens Saturday, Nov 7 and runs to Mar 28.
Official site ↗other
Wyckoff House Museum
📍 East Flatbush
New York City's oldest building, a Dutch farmhouse from around 1652, with tours, a garden and farm programs in East Flatbush.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
African Burial Ground National Monument
📍 Civic Center
A memorial and visitor center honoring the free and enslaved Africans buried here in the 1600s–1700s.
Official site ↗arts culture
All In Adventures West Nyack
📍 West Nyack (Palisades Center)
Five 60-minute themed escape rooms, including Treasure Island, Zombie Apocalypse and Sherlock's Library.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Alley Pond Park trails
📍 Douglaston
Marked woodland and wetland trails in northeast Queens.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
American Girl Place New York
📍 Rockefeller Center
Doll store with a doll hair salon and a café.
Official site ↗family kidsFREE
American Museum of Natural History: pay what you wish (NY State residents)
📍 Upper West Side
General admission is pay-what-you-wish for NY State residents with ID. Special exhibits cost extra.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Apple Fifth Avenue (the glass cube)
📍 Midtown
The glass cube on 59th St, open 24 hours. Free Today at Apple sessions.
Official site ↗arts culture
ARTE MUSEUM New York
📍 Chelsea
Immersive digital art halls of waves, flowers and light projected floor to ceiling.
Official site ↗arts culture
ARTECHOUSE NYC
📍 Chelsea Market
Room-sized digital art in an old boiler room under Chelsea Market. Now showing: Twilight Zone, an ocean show.
Official site ↗food giveawaysFREE
Arthur Avenue Retail Market
📍 Arthur Avenue
LaGuardia's 1940 covered Italian market in Bronx Little Italy: cheese, cured meats, cigars, a beer hall and Gene Bean's ices. Free to wander.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Bear Mountain State Park
📍 Bear Mountain
Hessian Lake loop, the Perkins Drive overlook and Hudson Highlands trails. Walking in is free; the park charges a car fee on some dates. Trailside Museums & Zoo keep shorter daytime hours.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Big Apple Greeter
📍 All five boroughs
A free volunteer "greeter" shows you a neighborhood like a local. Request online in advance.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Books of Wonder
📍 Flatiron
NYC's classic kids' bookstore, with original illustration art and Oz rarities.
Official site ↗arts culture
BrainXcape
📍 Manhattan
Manhattan escape rooms for groups.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Branch Brook Park
📍 Newark
America's first county park, famous for its cherry blossoms in April.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Briarcliff-Peekskill Trailway
📍 Briarcliff Manor to Peekskill
A 12-mile unpaved county hiking trail.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Bronx Park & Bronx River paths
📍 Bronx River
Riverside paths along the Bronx River between the Zoo and the Botanical Garden.
Official site ↗family kids
Bronx Zoo
📍 Bronx Park
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗family kids
Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights: Opening Weekend
📍 Bronx Park
An after-dark walk through illuminated wildlife displays and interactive seasonal features. Opening weekend is Sat Nov 21 and Sun Nov 22; lights switch on at 4:30 PM.
Official site ↗family kidsFREE
Bronx Zoo: free Wednesdays
📍 Bronx Park
Free general admission every Wednesday with an advance date-specific ticket.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Brookfield Place Winter Garden
📍 Battery Park City
A glass atrium with 16 palm trees overlooking the Hudson marina. Free to enter.
Official site ↗arts culture
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
📍 Prospect Heights
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge
📍 Long Island City
A climbing gym in LIC with bouldering and roped walls. Beginners are welcome; sign the waiver before your first visit.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Brooklyn Bridge Park
📍 DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights
85 waterfront acres of piers and lawns with the best Manhattan skyline views.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse: free kayaking
📍 Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park
Free kayaking in the calm water between Piers 1 and 2, under the Brooklyn Bridge. Book a slot two weeks ahead or try walking up.
Official site ↗arts culture
Brooklyn Escape Room
📍 Industry City
Themed puzzle rooms in Industry City.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
Brooklyn Go Karts & Mini Golf
📍 Gravesend
Outdoor go-kart track and mini golf.
Official site ↗arts culture
Bruce Museum
📍 Greenwich
Art and natural history museum with free parking, for all ages.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Bruce Museum: Free Tuesdays
📍 Greenwich
Art and natural history museum in Greenwich, free for everyone on Tuesdays. Free parking on site. 1 Museum Dr.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Bryant Park
📍 Midtown
Midtown's lawn and reading room behind the library, with free programs most of the year.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
Bryant Park Winter Village Ice Skating
📍 Midtown
Skate in Midtown at Bryant Park's seasonal rink, where admission is free and you can bring your own skates or rent a pair. The 2026–27 season runs Oct 28 to Feb 28.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
CAMP Flatiron
📍 Flatiron
A "family experience" toy store with a secret door and themed play areas.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Carl Schurz Park Dog Runs
📍 Yorkville
Two fenced runs along the East River, from E 84th to 89th Streets near East End Avenue.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Castle Clinton National Monument
📍 The Battery
An 1811 fort in The Battery. Walk in free; it is also where Statue of Liberty ferry tickets are sold.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve
📍 Lloyd Harbor
Hiking and walking trails across a former estate on the North Shore. No pets allowed.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Central Park
📍 Midtown to Harlem
843 acres of lawns, lakes, bridges and paths. Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge and the Ramble are free anytime.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Central Park off-leash hours
📍 Central Park
Dogs may run off-leash in designated areas early morning and late night; leash them 9 AM–9 PM. Some spots, like the Ramble and Conservatory Garden, are always leash-only.
Official site ↗family kids
Central Park Zoo
📍 Central Park
Sea lions, penguins and snow leopards in the middle of Central Park. Sea lion and penguin feedings run through the day. Kids 2 and under free.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Chelsea Market
📍 Chelsea
A food hall in the old Nabisco factory. Free to browse; food is extra.
Official site ↗music nightlife
Chelsea Piers Bowling
📍 Chelsea
Lanes plus a bar and music; a classic date.
Official site ↗music nightlife
Chelsea Piers Golf Club
📍 Chelsea
Play-focused night out: games, golf or pinball.
Official site ↗tours walks
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
📍 Hell's Kitchen
City views from up high (or on the water). Tickets are timed, so book a slot.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Clove Lakes Park
📍 West Brighton
Lakes, waterfalls and woodland paths, a short bus ride from the ferry.
Official site ↗drinks tastings
Confetti Ristorante (Piermont)
📍 Piermont (Ash St)
Family Italian kitchen in riverside Piermont village, a short walk from the Piermont Pier at sunset.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Conservatory Garden (Central Park)
📍 East Harlem
Central Park's only formal garden: Italian, French and English gardens behind a gilded gate.
Official site ↗arts culture
Cradle of Aviation Museum
📍 Garden City
Real planes and a lunar module in hangar-size galleries, with a planetarium dome.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Cunningham Park Dog Run
📍 Fresh Meadows
A fenced run on 193rd Street between Aberdeen Road and Radnor Road.
Official site ↗family kids
Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
📍 Coney Island
Rides and boardwalk-style fun. Seasonal hours.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Disney Store Times Square
📍 Times Square
Disney's two-floor Times Square store.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Domino Park
📍 Williamsburg
A waterfront park beside the old sugar refinery, with a long elevated walkway and skyline views.
Official site ↗family kids
DreamWorks Water Park
📍 East Rutherford
Rides and boardwalk-style fun. Seasonal hours.
Official site ↗painting crafts
Earth Arts Long Beach
📍 Long Beach
Walk-in paint-your-own pottery a block from the beach.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
East Rock Park
📍 New Haven
Red-rock cliffs with a summit view over New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound; trails up from the park.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
East Rumbrook Dog Park
📍 White Plains (Greenburgh)
A one-acre fenced dog run at 600 Dobbs Ferry Rd, with separate small-dog and all-dog areas and a wooded trail for leashed walks.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
📍 Fordham
Poe's last home. No one is turned away.
Official site ↗tours walks
Edge
📍 Hudson Yards
The highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere, with a glass floor 100 stories up. Oct 21–27, 2026 a McLaren Formula 1 show car is on display, with no separate surcharge found. Sunset slots sell out first.
Official site ↗arts culture
Edge at Hudson Yards
📍 Hudson Yards
An outdoor sky deck 100 floors up with a glass floor and views across Manhattan.
Official site ↗drinks tastings
Egidio Pastry Shop (Arthur Ave)
📍 Belmont (Arthur Ave)
The oldest pastry shop on Arthur Avenue: cannoli, sfogliatelle and espresso in Bronx Little Italy.
Official site ↗family kids
Empire State Building Observatory
📍 Midtown
The 86th-floor open-air deck and museum floors. 102nd floor costs more.
Official site ↗drinks tastings
Enzo's of Arthur Avenue
📍 Belmont (Arthur Ave)
Old-school red-sauce dining room on Arthur Avenue in Bronx Little Italy, open Monday nights when most of the block is dark.
Official site ↗arts culture
Escape the Room NYC
📍 Flatiron
Eight themed rooms, from a spy mission to a submarine, with unlimited hints. Book the whole room if you want it to be just the two of you.
Official site ↗arts culture
Escapology Rockefeller Center
📍 Midtown
Private escape rooms near Rockefeller Center.
Official site ↗food giveawaysFREE
Essex Market
📍 Lower East Side
A city-run market hall since 1940 with 30+ vendors: Dominican produce, cheese, dumplings and free community events.
Official site ↗arts culture
Exit Escape Room NYC
📍 Garment District
Four private one-hour rooms, so your group never plays with strangers.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
FAO Schwarz
📍 Rockefeller Center
The classic toy store with the giant floor piano from "Big."
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Federal Hall National Memorial
📍 Wall Street
Where George Washington took the oath of office. A National Park Service site with free entry.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
📍 Flushing
The Unisphere and 1964 World's Fair grounds, with lakes and lawns.
Official site ↗drinks tastings
Foods of NY: Greenwich Village Food Tour
📍 Greenwich Village
A 3-hour walking tour with tastings at old-school Village shops, from pizza to cannoli, plus neighborhood history.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Ford Foundation atrium garden
📍 Tudor City
A 12-story glass-walled indoor garden, with a free art gallery next to it.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Forest Park trails
📍 Woodhaven
Wooded hiking trails in the eastern part of the park, one of Queens' biggest forests.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Fort Tryon Park
📍 Hudson Heights
Heather Garden, cliffside views of the Hudson and free year-round programs from the park conservancy.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Fort Tryon Park Dog Run
📍 Hudson Heights
A fenced run on Margaret Corbin Drive. Combine it with a leashed walk through the park.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park
📍 Roosevelt Island
A quiet granite memorial at the tip of Roosevelt Island with a head-on view of the UN.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Gantry Plaza State Park
📍 Long Island City
Old rail gantries, the Pepsi-Cola sign and a wide view of Midtown across the river.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
General Grant National Memorial
📍 Morningside Heights
The largest mausoleum in North America, overlooking Riverside Park.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Grand Central Terminal
📍 Midtown
Free to walk in: the celestial ceiling, the Whispering Gallery and holiday displays. Guided tours cost extra.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Green-Wood Cemetery
📍 Sunset Park
A 478-acre National Historic Landmark with hills, ponds and famous graves. Admission is always free.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Greenacre Park
📍 Turtle Bay
A 25-foot waterfall and shaded terraces between two buildings.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Guggenheim: Pay What You Wish
📍 Upper East Side
The spiral by Frank Lloyd Wright. Pay any amount in the late-afternoon window.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
📍 Hamilton Heights
Alexander Hamilton's only home, in St. Nicholas Park.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Harry Potter New York
📍 Flatiron
Three floors of wands, robes and Butterbeer, plus paid VR experiences.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Hispanic Society Museum & Library
📍 Washington Heights
Goya, Velázquez and the Sorolla room uptown, always free.
Official site ↗arts culture
Hudson River Museum & Planetarium
📍 Yonkers
Art, a restored 1870s mansion and a planetarium on the Hudson in Yonkers. Weekend planetarium shows.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Hudson River Museum: Free First Fridays
📍 Yonkers
Art, a restored 1870s mansion and Hudson views. Free on first Friday evenings.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Hudson River Park
📍 West Side waterfront
Four miles of piers, bike paths and sunset views along the Hudson from Battery Park City to 59th St.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Hunter's Point South Park
📍 Long Island City
A 30-foot cantilevered overlook facing the UN and Midtown.
Official site ↗family kids
Intrepid Museum
📍 Hell's Kitchen, Pier 86
An aircraft carrier with planes on deck, the space shuttle Enterprise and a submarine.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Inwood Hill Park
📍 Inwood
Manhattan's last natural forest and salt marsh, with hilly trails at the island's northern tip.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Jefferson Market Garden
📍 Greenwich Village
A free, volunteer-run flower garden behind the old courthouse library. Last day this season: Fri Oct 30.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Jersey Shore Premium Outlets
📍 Tinton Falls
An open-air outlet center near the Shore, about an hour south by car. Pair it with Asbury Park or Sandy Hook for a full day. 1 Premium Outlet Blvd, Tinton Falls, NJ.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Jones Beach State Park boardwalk
📍 Jones Beach
Two miles of ocean boardwalk and 6.5 miles of beach. Walking in is free; a parking fee applies on some days.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Kennedy Dells Park dog run & trails
📍 New City
A 179-acre county park at 355 N Main St with an enclosed off-leash dog run (the county says it is for residents) and a creekside hiking trail along Crum Creek.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
LEGO Store Fifth Avenue
📍 Midtown
Big LEGO NYC builds, a Pick & Build wall and a minifigure factory.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Lehman College Art Gallery
📍 Lehman College
A free contemporary art gallery in a Marcel Breuer building on the Lehman College campus.
Official site ↗arts culture
Liberty Science Center
📍 Jersey City
Hands-on science halls and the biggest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, in Liberty State Park.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Liberty State Park
📍 Jersey City
A huge waterfront park facing the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan.
Official site ↗arts culture
Long Island Children's Museum
📍 Garden City
Hands-on exhibits for younger kids. A family outing rather than a date.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Louis Valentino Jr. Park & Pier
📍 Red Hook
A quiet Red Hook pier facing the Statue of Liberty, good at sunset.
Official site ↗music nightlife
Lucky Strike Chelsea Piers
📍 Chelsea Piers
40 lanes on the Hudson, plus an arcade and laser tag. Weeknight unlimited bowling is the best deal.
Official site ↗family kids
Luna Park in Coney Island
📍 Coney Island
Rides and boardwalk-style fun. Seasonal hours.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Marine Park & Salt Marsh Nature Center
📍 Marine Park
530 acres of grassland and salt marsh with a nature-center trail run by Urban Park Rangers.
Official site ↗family kids
Maritime Aquarium
📍 Norwalk
Long Island Sound aquarium with seals, sharks, jellyfish and a 4D theater. Good for families and all ages.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
McCarren Park Dog Run
📍 Williamsburg
A fenced run at North 12th Street, Driggs Avenue and Union Avenue.
Official site ↗arts culture
Mercer Labs
📍 Financial District
Immersive art-and-technology rooms of light, sound and mirrors near the WTC.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Mianus River Park
📍 Stamford
Wooded river trails on the Stamford–Greenwich line, about 10 miles of paths.
Official site ↗arts culture
Mission Escape Games
📍 Garment District
Private 60-minute rooms, so it's only your group. A cyberpunk room and a bank heist are the favorites.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Mmuseumm
📍 Tribeca / Chinatown
A tiny museum of odd everyday objects in a former elevator shaft. Free; donations welcome.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
MoMA PS1
📍 Long Island City
Contemporary art in a former public school. Admission is free for all.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
MoMA: UNIQLO Friday Nights (free for NY State residents)
📍 Midtown
Free Friday nights for NY State residents. Reserve tickets ahead.
Official site ↗family kids
MoMath (National Museum of Mathematics)
📍 Chelsea / Flatiron
Hands-on math exhibits, including a square-wheeled tricycle. Under 2 free.
Official site ↗arts culture
Montclair Art Museum
📍 Montclair
American and Native American art in a 1914 museum. Pair it with a walk in nearby Presby Iris Gardens.
Official site ↗arts culture
Museum of the Moving Image
📍 Astoria
Interactive film and TV galleries where you can dub a movie scene or make a stop-motion clip, then catch a screening in the theater.
Official site ↗arts culture
Nassau County Museum of Art
📍 Roslyn Harbor
Art museum in a Gold Coast mansion, with free sculpture grounds.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Nassau County Museum of Art: sculpture garden & trails
📍 Roslyn Harbor
Outdoor sculptures, an arboretum and walking trails around the museum. The grounds are free.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Neuberger Museum of Art
📍 Purchase (SUNY Purchase)
A big modern and contemporary art museum on the SUNY Purchase campus. Admission is currently free.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Neue Galerie: free First Fridays
📍 Upper East Side
Klimt's gold "Woman in Gold" portrait for free once a month. Expect a line.
Official site ↗family kids
New York Aquarium
📍 Coney Island
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗arts culture
New York Botanical Garden
📍 Bedford Park
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Newark Museum of Art (free for Newark residents)
📍 Newark
New Jersey's largest museum. Check the site for other admission.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Nintendo New York
📍 Rockefeller Center
Nintendo's flagship store, with game demos and a display of vintage consoles.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Noguchi Museum: Free First Friday
📍 Long Island City
Isamu Noguchi's own museum and garden, free the first Friday of each month. No reservation needed.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
North County Trailway
📍 Eastview to Baldwin Place
A 22-mile paved rail trail for walking and biking through northern Westchester.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Nyack Beach State Park
📍 Upper Nyack
Flat riverside trail under the Hook Mountain cliffs, good for walking, biking and fishing. Walking in is free. 663 N Broadway.
Official site ↗tours walks
NYC Ferry (scenic East River ride)
📍 Wall St / Pier 11 and other landings
The cheapest boat ride with a view after the free Staten Island Ferry. The East River route passes under three bridges between Wall St, Dumbo, Williamsburg and Long Island City.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
📍 Midtown
The lions, the Rose Main Reading Room (public visiting hour Mon–Sat 10–11 AM) and free docent tours.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Old Croton Aqueduct Trail
📍 Yonkers to Croton
A flat 26-mile trail on top of the 1842 aqueduct, through river towns like Dobbs Ferry and Irvington.
Official site ↗arts culture
Old Westbury Gardens
📍 Old Westbury
Formal gardens and a Gold Coast mansion, for all ages.
Official site ↗family kids
One World Observatory
📍 Financial District
The top of One World Trade Center, with a fast elevator ride and views of the whole harbor.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Orchard Beach promenade (Pelham Bay Park)
📍 Orchard Beach
The "Bronx Riviera": a crescent beach and promenade on Long Island Sound, quiet and breezy off-season.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Overpeck County Park dog run
📍 Leonia
A Bergen County off-leash dog run in Overpeck Park’s Henry Hoebel Area, off Fort Lee Road in Leonia.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Paley Park
📍 Midtown
A tiny pocket park with a 20-foot waterfall that drowns out traffic. The water is off in January.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Palisades Long Path (cliff-top trail)
📍 Fort Lee to Alpine
11 miles along the top of the Palisades from the George Washington Bridge north, with aqua blazes. Mostly easy to moderate, with stone-step climbs near State Line. Hop on at Fort Lee Historic Park, Allison Park or State
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Palisades Shore Trail (riverfront)
📍 Edgewater to Alpine
12 miles along the Hudson at the foot of the cliffs, with white blazes. Easy near the picnic areas, then rocky farther north. The Giant Stairs scramble section is currently listed as closed.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
📍 Paterson
A 77-foot waterfall in the middle of the city, birthplace of industrial Paterson.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Pearl River Mart
📍 SoHo
An Asian-American emporium of lanterns, ceramics, slippers and snacks since 1971.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Pelham Bay Park
📍 Pelham Bay
NYC's largest park, with Orchard Beach, trails and shoreline.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Pelham Bay Park Dog Run
📍 Pelham Bay
A fenced run by the Middletown Road parking lot, off Stadium Avenue, with an off-leash area nearby.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Pelham Bay Park trails
📍 Pelham Bay
NYC's largest park, with hiking trails, bridle paths and about 13 miles of shoreline.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
Pier 2 Roller Rink
📍 Brooklyn Bridge Park
Family-friendly outdoor roller rink under the Pier 2 canopy with skyline views.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Pier 57 Rooftop Park
📍 Chelsea, Hudson River Park
A free 2-acre rooftop lawn over the Hudson. Enter by the south gate, then take the stairs or elevator.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Piermont Pier
📍 Piermont
A walkway about a mile long that juts into the Hudson, popular for birding, fishing and sunsets. Village parks are free; non-residents need a day permit to park on the pier itself.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Poe Park (Poe Cottage grounds)
📍 Poe Park
The small park around Edgar Allan Poe's last home, with the 1797 cottage and a bandstand.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
📍 Upper Montclair
No admission fee to stroll the iris collection. Peak bloom is in late May.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Prospect Park
📍 Park Slope
Brooklyn's big park: Long Meadow, the lake, the Ravine and the boathouse.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Prospect Park off-leash hours
📍 Prospect Park
Dogs can run off-leash on the Long Meadow (not the ballfields), the Nethermead and the Peninsula during off-leash hours. Leash them the rest of the day.
Official site ↗family kids
Prospect Park Zoo
📍 Prospect Park
A small, easy zoo for little kids: sea lion training sessions, a barn with farm animals and red pandas. Kids 2 and under free.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Public art: Camille Henrot, "Dogs"
📍 Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Central Park
A free Public Art Fund sculpture at the southeast corner of Central Park.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Public art: Woody De Othello, "Guardian Spirit"
📍 Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park
A free Public Art Fund installation on the Brooklyn waterfront, with the bridges behind it.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Queens Botanical Garden
📍 Flushing
39 acres of gardens next to Flushing Meadows.
Official site ↗family kids
Queens Zoo
📍 Flushing Meadows
A small Flushing Meadows zoo of North and South American animals, from bison to sea lions (fed at 11:15, 2 and 4), with a walk-through aviary dome and a petting zoo.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Riverside Park
📍 Upper West Side
A long waterfront park from W 72nd to W 153rd St, good for walks and sunsets.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Rockland Lake State Park
📍 Valley Cottage
A 3.2-mile paved loop around a lake on the ridge above the Hudson. 299 Rockland Lake Rd.
Official site ↗tours walks
Roosevelt Island Tram
📍 59th St & 2nd Ave ↔ Roosevelt Island
A cable-car ride over the East River to Roosevelt Island; pay with OMNY or a MetroCard.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (grounds)
📍 Oyster Bay (Nassau)
Theodore Roosevelt's estate. Walking the grounds and trail to the beach is free; the house tour has a fee.
Official site ↗arts culture
Sandbox VR Times Square
📍 Times Square
Full-body, free-roam VR for up to six people per room. You book a game for your group. Opened in October 2026.
Official site ↗family kids
SEA LIFE New Jersey Aquarium
📍 East Rutherford
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗drinks tastings
Sidewalk Bistro (Piermont)
📍 Piermont (Piermont Ave)
Classic French bistro in Piermont village with a garden, Wednesday wine nights and Thursday trivia.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Silver Lake Park Dog Run
📍 Silver Lake
A fenced run on Victory Boulevard below the pavilion, across from the Parkview Apartments.
Official site ↗arts culture
Sloomoo Institute
📍 SoHo
A slime museum: hands-on slime bars, a slime-rain room and a DIY slime station.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Snug Harbor grounds & gardens
📍 Livingston
83 acres of historic buildings and gardens. The outdoor grounds are free and need no reservation.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Socrates Sculpture Park
📍 Long Island City
An outdoor sculpture park on the East River with rotating large-scale art.
Official site ↗arts culture
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
📍 Upper East Side
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
South County Trailway
📍 Southern Westchester
A 14-mile county trailway for walking and biking.
Official site ↗arts culture
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
📍 Stamford
Farm animals at Heckscher Farm, 80 acres of trails, a nature playground and galleries. Family friendly.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Staten Island Ferry
📍 Whitehall Terminal
A free 25-minute harbor ride past the Statue of Liberty and the downtown skyline. Ride over and back.
Official site ↗family kids
Staten Island Zoo
📍 West Brighton
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗tours walks
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (Statue City Cruises)
📍 Battery Park
City views from up high (or on the water). Tickets are timed, so book a slot.
Official site ↗arts culture
Stone Barns Center
📍 Pocantico Hills
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site
📍 Stony Point
Revolutionary War battlefield on a rocky Hudson peninsula, plus the 1826 Stony Point Lighthouse, the oldest on the river. Entry to the battlefield is free. No dogs or bikes allowed. 44 Battlefield Rd.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Strand Bookstore
📍 Union Square
"18 miles of books," plus the bargain carts outside.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Studio Museum in Harlem: Studio Sundays
📍 Harlem
Free admission and family programs every Sunday at the new building on 125th St.
Official site ↗arts culture
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
📍 Midtown East
Mirrored rooms and glass ledges above Grand Central.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Sunset Park (the hill)
📍 Sunset Park
A hilltop with views of the Manhattan skyline, the harbor and the Statue of Liberty.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Tallman Mountain State Park
📍 Sparkill
Wooded Palisades trails with views over Piermont Marsh. Route 9W.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Teatown Nature Preserve trails
📍 Ossining
Woodland trails around Teatown Lake. The nature center is under construction; trails stay open.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
The Adventure Park at Long Island
📍 Wheatley Heights (Suffolk)
Climb, balance and zip through 14 treetop trails and 49 zip lines. General admission is three hours of climbing plus about 30 minutes of orientation and harnessing.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
The Bronx Museum (always free)
📍 Grand Concourse
Contemporary art with a Bronx focus; admission to the museum and its exhibitions is always free.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Escape Game New York City
📍 Midtown
Solve puzzles against the clock in a themed room.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Frick Collection
📍 Upper East Side
Old Masters (Vermeer, Rembrandt, Holbein) in a restored Gilded Age mansion. First Fridays turn it into a free evening out.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
The Frick Collection: First Fridays
📍 Upper East Side
Old Masters in a Gilded Age mansion, open late once a month.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Great Escape Room Queens
📍 Rego Park
Story-based escape rooms for groups.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
The Met: pay what you wish (NY State residents)
📍 Upper East Side
NY State residents pay any amount (min.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
The Mills at Jersey Gardens
📍 Elizabeth
New Jersey’s largest outlet center, all under one roof, with daily buses from Port Authority. No sales tax on clothing and shoes in NJ. 651 Kapkowski Rd, Elizabeth, NJ.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
The Morgan Library & Museum: free Fridays
📍 Murray Hill
J.P. Morgan's library (three tiers of books) is free on Friday evenings.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
The Oculus (World Trade Center)
📍 Financial District
Calatrava's white-ribbed station hall. Free to walk through and look up.
Official site ↗arts culture
The Puzzle Parlour White Plains
📍 White Plains
Private 60-minute escape rooms for 2–8 players in downtown White Plains, a short walk from the Metro-North station.
Official site ↗food giveawaysFREE
Time Out Market New York
📍 Dumbo
A Dumbo food hall with a rooftop that looks straight at the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. Free to go up; food is extra.
Official site ↗arts culture
Timeline VR
📍 Bayside
Free-roam VR arcade and game rooms.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Tompkins Square Park Dog Run
📍 East Village
A busy fenced dog run near E 9th St and Avenue B, one of the city's best known.
Official site ↗arts culture
Top of the Rock
📍 Rockefeller Center
Open-air decks with the Empire State Building and Central Park both in view.
Official site ↗arts culture
Unreal Escapes
📍 Charleston
Staten Island's escape rooms. You get 60 minutes to beat a disco-club heist or a battleship mission, and it's never dark or scary.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Untermyer Gardens
📍 Yonkers
A restored Gilded Age garden above the Hudson, with a walled Persian-style garden, a temple and columns, and river views. No dogs allowed. 945 N Broadway, Yonkers.
Official site ↗music nightlife
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
📍 East Village
Stand-up shows most nights. Expect a cover and usually a drink minimum.
Official site ↗food giveawaysFREE
Urbanspace Vanderbilt Market
📍 Grand Central
A food hall a block from Grand Central with pizza, tacos, sushi and a bar. Free Wi-Fi, free to sit.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Van Cortlandt Park
📍 Van Cortlandt
The Bronx's great woodland park: the Parade Ground, Van Cortlandt Lake and forest trails.
Official site ↗arts culture
Vanderbilt Museum, Mansion & Planetarium
📍 Centerport
A Gold Coast waterfront mansion with natural-history halls and a planetarium. Good for families.
Official site ↗tours walksFREE
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
📍 DUMBO to City Hall
The 1883 bridge's raised promenade is free to walk. About 30–45 minutes each way at a stroll.
Official site ↗outdoorsFREE
Washington Square Park Dog Run
📍 Greenwich Village
A fenced run on the south side of the park, between MacDougal and Thompson Streets.
Official site ↗arts culture
Whitney Museum of American Art
📍 Meatpacking
A well-known museum or garden worth a few hours.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Whitney Museum: Free Friday nights & second Sundays
📍 Meatpacking District
American art with terraces over the Hudson. Book free timed tickets ahead.
Official site ↗markets shoppingFREE
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
📍 Central Valley
A huge open-air outlet village about an hour north of the city, near Bear Mountain. Free to walk around; buses run from Port Authority. 498 Red Apple Ct, Central Valley, NY.
Official site ↗fitness wellness
Xanadu Roller Arts
📍 Bushwick
A roller rink on a hand-painted maple floor with a serious sound system. Saturday Day Disco is all ages.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Yale Center for British Art
📍 New Haven
The largest collection of British art outside the UK, in Louis Kahn's last building. Free. 1080 Chapel St.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Yale Peabody Museum
📍 New Haven
Dinosaur hall with a Brontosaurus and Torosaurus, plus minerals and ancient worlds. Free, no tickets. 170 Whitney Ave.
Official site ↗arts cultureFREE
Yale University Art Gallery
📍 New Haven
America's oldest university art museum — Van Gogh's Night Café, Trumbull's Declaration of Independence. Free, no tickets. 1111 Chapel St.
Official site ↗drinks tastings
Zero Otto Nove (Arthur Ave)
📍 Belmont (Arthur Ave)
Salerno-style wood-fired pizza and pasta in a room built to look like an Italian piazza, steps from the Arthur Avenue Retail Market.
Official site ↗other
169 Bar
📍 New York
A bar on East Broadway in Manhattan. Open seven days, until 4 AM on its latest nights. What sets it apart: in business since 1916 (per its official site).
Official site ↗other
19 Cleveland
📍 New York
An Israeli and Mediterranean restaurant on Cleveland Place in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: michelin (per its official site).
Official site ↗