This post covers the best things to do in New York City today, tonight, tomorrow, or anytime, written by a local tour guide.
We also have sections dedicated to free activities, what to do at night, family-friendly activities, and what to do in various neighborhoods of NYC. We even list food recommendations!
As local NYC tour guides, we relied on our experiences living here in NYC to put this list together, largely for visitors.
We lead thousands of people on walking tours each week and on every tour we are asked about things to do in NYC.
We also run the popular NYC Travel Tips Facebook group.
We asked our roughly 200k members to share their favorite things about Central Park (and NYC in general).
We used some of their suggestions for this post.
This group consists of locals, like our tour guides, veteran NYC visitors, as well as newbies to the city.
You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and recommendations.
Check out the group when you are finished reading this post. A link to the group is at the bottom of the page.
Whatever the season and weather, Central Park is a marvelous place to visit. There's never a shortage of things to do in Central Park.
For those here in the winter months, the park has a subtle, sentimental beauty. If there is snow, you are in for a treat as Central Park is incredibly photogenic in the winter!
Our pay-what-you-wish Central Park tours are offered year-round so why not join us!
Here's a 32-minute video version of our longer live guided tour
Let a local show you the special sites of this magnificent urban oasis.
We also have a GPS-enabled audio tour so you can explore the park at your own pace.
2. Celebrate the Holidays in New York City
Here's a short list of what's happening in NYC for the Christmas season from November through the New Year and in a few cases, a few days after January 1, 2024.
From mid-November through the New Year, you can shop at NYC's amazing holiday markets.
There's more to do than just shop! Enjoy scrumptious seasonal food from food stalls, stroll through, and feel the warmth and joy found in New York City this season.
Our favorite market is Winter Village at Bryant Park where you can shop, ice skate, and even rent an "igloo" (a clear dome with indoor heaters) to enjoy food and drinks.
4. Ring in The New Year in Times Square
Perhaps the ultimate NYC experience is seeing the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve.
Our guide to New Year's Eve in Times Square has all the details for the event and tips on where to find the best views, what time to go, and how to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime moment!
The guide also offers other fun ways to spend December 31 in New York City!
5. Go Ice Skating
The Rink at Rockefeller Center opens in the third week of October and many more NYC ice skating rinks open up as well.
Ice skating at Bryant Park's Winter Village is hands down one of our favorite free things to do in NYC between late October and March.
This bridge is loved by locals and tourists alike, not just for the incredible views, but also because of the sense of freedom one feels when crossing the bridge.
Check out the great borough of Brooklyn before or after crossing the bridge. See our detailed Things to Do in Brooklyn guide.
16. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met is one of the most prestigious museums in the world and a highlight of many people's trips to New York City.
For those who love historic artifacts, artwork, sculpture, and even fashion, a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a must-do.
The Met is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a neighborhood that isn't visited by many tourists but does have some sights worth seeing.
17. Hear Gospel Music
For a unique NYC experience, see a gospel choir. You'll feel inspired afterward!
Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to go to Harlem to hear gospel (though it is true that some of the best gospel choirs can be found in that neighborhood.)
The High Line, a most unusual city park, is built on an abandoned elevated railroad.
It's lined by interesting architectural structures and has views of the Hudson River.
From stories of the Titanic survivors to the changing cultural landscape of this centuries-old neighborhood in Chelsea, there is so much to know about the High Line.
New York is a city that is a sum of its parts. It's made up of five boroughs with their own personality.
Each borough is made up of dozens of neighborhoods with their own history, culture and sights to see.
For example, this map shows the parts of Lower Manhattan (and some of Brooklyn) that are popular with locals and tourists alike.
Click on the map to be taken to in-depth posts on each neighborhood.
If you want to get a deeper feel for New York City, set aside some time in your sightseeing schedule to explore some of NYC's most interesting neighborhoods.
See our post on 20+ NYC neighborhoods with details of each, including the main sights to see and where to stay.
Below we go over the neighborhoods that have a lot to offer visitors to NYC.
26. Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram
The Roosevelt Island Tram, which some might refer to as a cable car or gondola, provides a skyline view of the city like no other.
It's not quite free -- it's $2.90, the same as a subway ride. But it's possibly the best $2.90 you'll spend while you are in New York City!
Read about the Roosevelt Island Tram and the best times to go, where you can find the tram station, how to get tickets and other tips.
27. Enjoy a Free Museum
NYC has more museums than you can count, and while most have a cost, there are several museums that are always free or have a pay-what-you-like model (just like our tours).
Some of the best museums that are free are the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the City of New York, and the New York Public Library.
Plus, there are lots of museums that offer free hours on specific days such as the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the National September 11th Museum.
Located at Hudson Yards in Chelsea, the Vessel is likely the most unusual staircase you have ever seen.
Part structure, part sculpture, the concrete, and bronzed steel Vessel is 150 feet tall (47 m), with 154 interconnecting flights of stairs with 80 landings that you can stop at along the way.
Currently, the Vessel is not open to the public, but that may change in the future, so keep checking our post about the Vessel.
31. Take a Free, Self-Guided Tour
While we hope you will take many of our pay-what-you-wish guided walking tours, we also have over 30 self-guided walks that are absolutely free.
Each tour comes with step-by-step directions between each stop as well as neighborhood information.
We also offer audio tours, some that are free, and others that cost just $1.99.
Some of our most popular audio tours are:
Central Park
Greenwich Village
The High Line
Harlem
Grand Central Station
and so many more.
32. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
One of the most fun days of the year in NYC is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when the famous giant balloons of popular cartoon characters take over 5th Avenue!
No tickets are required to attend! But we do highly recommend that you dress warm and in layers.
One of the most impressive modern art museums in the world.
MoMA's permanent collection is vast, with over 150,000 paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures, architectural models and drawings, and design objects.
See masterpieces by Van Gogh, Picasso, Matise, Monet, Dali, Basquiat, Warhol, and so many others.
This museum is included for free with most tourist discount passes
Fundreds has a list of 150+ of the best things to do in New York City (including our tours!)
THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS IN NYC
Our top things to do with kids in NYC post includes many of the best activities, the best times to go, and alternatives depending on the age of your children.
When you and your child are tired of concrete sidewalks and noisy cars, head off to one of these green spaces where you can romp and play in New York style.
Visit Governors Island
Governors Island is a small recreational vehicle-free island just 7 minutes by ferry from Lower Manhattan.
You can rent bikes, kayak for free, picnic, visit the various playgrounds, and try out the longest slide in NYC -- three stories high and 57 feet long!
Read our post on Governors Island for information on open hours, how to get there, and what activities are offered.
Climb, Kayak, and Ride a Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Located near Brooklyn Heights, the enormous Brooklyn Bridge Park offers all sorts of athletic activities from rock climbing, roller skating, kayaking, and more.
There are basketball and handball courts, multiple playgrounds, and even a seasonal pop-up pool.
The little ones will love the historic Jane's Carousel.
THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT
There is no lack of things to do at night in NYC. Below are a handful of great things to do at night in the city that never sleeps.
Keep in mind that many of the activities listed throughout this entire post can be enjoyed at night as well.
NOTE:The New York Sightseeing Pass includes admission to the LOL Times Square Comedy Club and 10% off all food and drinks in the establishment.
You can also use this pass to save 20% off admission to both the Broadway Comedy Club and Greenwich Village Comedy Club.
Take a Nighttime Sightseeing Tour
Seeing specific parts of New York City at night with a guide to point out things you might not have otherwise noticed can make for a great and inexpensive way to spend an evening.
Our pay-what-you-wish night tours cover several different neighborhoods, each beautiful at night in its own way.
There are plenty of great places to eat in New York City and you don't have to spend a lot of money to do so.
Below are our suggestions of where to find the best versions of famous New York foods, as well as restaurants that will suit your mood, budget, and location.
For inexpensive, delicious food, head to Chinatown.
Other Great Eats
Our list of Greenwich Village restaurants has a nice variety of ethnic foods as well as kid-friendly food, cheap street food, and restaurants that are good for groups.
One way to organize your trip to New York is by neighborhood. Using our 40+ self-guided tours as well as several GPS audio tours makes it easy!
Of course, you can join us for one of our many pay-what-you-wish walking tours for deeper insight into the neighborhoods shared by one of our knowledgeable and personable guides.
Here are some top neighborhoods with lots to see for those who are new to the city or are visiting for a second time
Midtown is the center of New York City. It's so huge that there are numerous sub-neighborhoods, most notably, Times Square and the Theater District with its Broadway shows.
Little Italy, a popular tourist destination, really is little. It’s now just a few blocks centered around Mulberry Street.
Chinatown has taken over what was historically a much larger Little Italy.
To the north, the neighborhood was transformed into NoLita (north of Little Italy), a trendy area with boutiques, bars, and restaurants of all cuisines.
Fortunately, what's left of Little Italy still has its old New York charm with restaurants and cafes lining the streets.
Located near the Brooklyn Bridge, this is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in New York City, and also one of its oldest.
Its origins date back to 1646 as it was a Dutch Village. In 1776 it was the site of the Battle of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Heights’ history is rich, but it also has a wealth of beautiful streets and brownstones, as well as striking buildings representing several architectural styles.
Below are annual events that occur during the 12 months of the year, and if you click on the link you will be taken to our detailed posts of these events and more.
For those looking for some structure planning a short stay in New York City, we've created several different itineraries so that you can hit the road running.
There's no need to spend your time figuring out how to squeeze it all in. Our itineraries take care of that for you.
These itineraries can also be used enhanced with our pay-what-you-wish two-hour guided walking tours or enhanced with our self-guided tours and GPS-enabled audio Tours.
When planned well, you can see an awful lot of New York City in just one day. Our One Day in NYCtour is a lot like the 1890s song "Sidewalks of New York!"
We've got you going to the "East side, West side, all around the town". How's this for one day?
Morning: A stroll in Central Park, seeing the world-famous Rockefeller Center followed by lunch in Grand Central Terminal.
Afternoon: Catch your breath and gear up for a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, exploring Wall Street and the oldest streets of New York City, a free ferry ride with amazing views of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, finished with a visit to the 9/11 Memorial Plaza.
Evening: Dinner at one of the many eateries in the Oculus, the newest part of the World Trade Center. Or see a Broadway show instead. You can also take one of our pay-what-you-like New York Night Tours.
"Bright Lights, Big City - Throw yourself right into the heart of the city in Midtown Manhattan starting at Times Square, the gorgeous and historic New York Public Library, and the stunning Grand Central Terminal.
You'll visit Rockefeller Center and visit the Top of the Rock, one of the city's three observatories.
The 360-degree views will take your breath away.
After looking down on Central Park from above, you'll then spend some time exploring its most well-known parts.
Afterward, if you can muster the energy, see a Broadway show!
Day 2
"Historical New York" - Find out where it all began by strolling some of the oldest streets of the city.
Start off at Trinity Church, built in 1846 but with a congregation that dates back to colonial days.
Head over to Wall Street with the world-famous New York Stock Exchange Building and Federal Hall, where George Washington was sworn in as the first president.
Walk down to Battery Park, where the Dutch colonized 'New Amsterdam" in 1624.
Ride the free Staten Island Ferry for fantastic vistas, see the solemn and moving 9/11 Memorial, and go to the top of One World Observatory and be blown away by just how much and far you can see.
End your day with a relaxing walk along High Line Park.
Day 3
"Live Like A Local" - Having seen the big sights, it's time to relax and spend the day doing what New Yorkers do on their days off: walk, shop, and eat.
Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge is a great way to start your day and you will certainly work up an appetite.
Lunch in Chinatown fits right in. After your meal, you can explore the old streets and shop for souvenirs or knock-off bags.
Wander up through Little Italy and over into SoHo. Round out your day in Greenwich Village with an inexpensive meal and people-watching that is priceless.
Just click here to get all the details on this itinerary.
This itinerary is a variation of the above, with more emphasis on the places kids enjoy like the American Museum of Natural History and the Bronx Zoo.
It's not so overly child-focused so it is an itinerary that will keep the whole family entertained.
Because some of the most popular sights among the young ones (and adults too) are a bit pricey, we include tips and advice on how to get discounts or even pay nothing at all!
There's no reason you can't see a heck of a lot in a few hours. This post recommends different tours and activities that won't take all day and won't take a bite out of your wallet.
The post also includes details on the quickest ways to get to and from the major airports and where you can store your luggage.
Itineraries with a tourist pass
One way to add some structure to an itinerary is to purchase one of several tourist passes that offer savings on activities and ticket prices while offering you the flexibility to decide which of those activities or attractions to see.
Having a tourist pass is like being a kid in a candy shop! So much to see and it's already included in your pass -- but where to even begin?
The New York Pass has some great suggested itineraries on their website that make the most of your time and save a fair amount of money when using their pass.
Day 1: Start the morning off with a Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour. Get oriented to the city while seeing major sights from an open-top bus. Then midday, visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum. In the late afternoon, spend some contemplative time at the 9/11 Memorial. Then step inside the 9/11 Museum to learn about the events of that day through pictures, videos, and artifacts.
Day 2: Wake up and head up to the Empire State Building to admire the 360-degree views of the city. A great way to start your day. Then take a relaxing Circle Line Cruise and see the city from an entirely different perspective. Finish your day with an easy bicycle tour in leafy Central Park.
Day 3: Begin your last day with a voyage on the unique bus tour called The Ride. You’ll see some major sights and get some surprises too. Then go see your favorite celebrities at Madame Tussauds wax figure museum. Afterward, go to the Top of the Rock observation deck for panoramic views of the city. Finally, spend your evening enjoying a taste of New York on a food tour.
If you were to visit all these places without a New York Pass, you'd pay $400. With a 3-Day New York Pass, you would save $141 on admission!
They also have suggested a 5-day Itinerary and a 7-day Itinerary. Definitely consider looking into buying a pass to create an itinerary.
That's it! And don't forget to join our NYC Travel Tips + Hacks Facebook group and get ideas from visitors to NYC.
And much, much more
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