New York on a Budget: The Best Free and Nearly Free Things to Do

New York has a reputation as one of the most expensive cities on earth, and hotel bills can certainly prove it. But some of the city's greatest experiences don't cost a cent. A boat ride past the Statue of Liberty, a walk across the most famous bridge in America, a park built on an old elevated railway and some of the most beautiful interiors in the country are all open to anyone who shows up.

Here are our guides' favorite free and nearly free things to do, along with a few simple habits that stretch a New York budget a long way.

People walking across the Brooklyn Bridge — Walking the Brooklyn Bridge costs nothing and never gets old

Staten Island ferry at Whitehall Terminal — The Staten Island Ferry at Whitehall Terminal

1. Ride the Staten Island Ferry

The big orange boats leave Whitehall Terminal at the southern tip of Manhattan around the clock, and the ride is completely free. In roughly 25 minutes each way you'll glide past the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Lower Manhattan skyline. Stand on the right side (starboard) heading to Staten Island for the best Statue views.

One thing to know: the ferry sails past Liberty Island without stopping. If you want to stand at the foot of the statue, go inside the pedestal or visit Ellis Island, you'll need a ticketed Statue City Cruises ferry, which our Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour includes.

2. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it was completed, and its Gothic stone towers are still breathtaking up close. The elevated promenade is free and open to pedestrians. Start on the Brooklyn side, taking the subway to DUMBO or Brooklyn Heights, and walk toward Manhattan so the skyline grows in front of you. Go early in the morning for fewer crowds, and stay on the pedestrian side of the path.

A view down the High Line park in NYC — Looking down the High Line

3. Stroll the High Line

This park on a former elevated freight rail line runs for about a mile and a half from the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards, with gardens, rotating art installations and framed views down the cross streets. It's free to enter; check seasonal opening hours before you go.

Walk it north to south in the late afternoon for the best light over the Hudson, then drop down into the Chelsea galleries, most of which are also free to browse. Our history of the High Line tells the story of how locals saved it from demolition.

4. Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial

The twin reflecting pools set in the footprints of the original towers are free to visit and open to the public. The names of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks of 1993 and 2001 are inscribed around their edges. Nearby, the soaring white Oculus transit hub and St. Paul's Chapel, which served as a relief center for recovery workers, are also free to enter. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is ticketed; check its website for any free-admission times.

5. Look up inside Grand Central

Grand Central Terminal's Main Concourse, with its celestial ceiling and four-faced clock of milky opal glass, is one of the finest public rooms in America. Don't miss the Whispering Gallery outside the Oyster Bar, where a whisper into one corner of the tiled arch carries clearly to the opposite corner.

The Main Concourse at Grand Central Terminal

6. Explore the New York Public Library

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue, guarded by the marble lions Patience and Fortitude, is free to enter. Peek into the magnificent Rose Main Reading Room when it's open to visitors, then relax in Bryant Park behind it.

7. Get lost in Central Park

All 843 acres are free. Walk the Mall under its elm canopy, find Bethesda Fountain and Bow Bridge, and climb to Belvedere Castle. Summer brings free performances, including Shakespeare in the Park, with tickets distributed at no cost (expect lines and check current distribution methods).

8. Free museums and history in Lower Manhattan

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, in the grand Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, is free. So is Federal Hall on Wall Street, on the site where George Washington took the oath of office in 1789. Trinity Church's churchyard holds the grave of Alexander Hamilton.

9. Hunt for free and pay-what-you-wish hours

Several major museums offer free or pay-what-you-wish admission at certain times, and some are always free. Policies change, so check each museum's website before you go. Note that the Met's pay-what-you-wish policy applies only to New York State residents and certain students; other visitors pay general admission.

Nearly free: worth a few dollars

Roosevelt Island Tram: an aerial cable car over the East River, paid with a standard subway fare.
NYC Ferry: commuter boats between Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, for a little more than a subway fare, with spectacular views.
Governors Island: car-free lawns, hammocks and harbor views, a short and inexpensive ferry ride away.
A slice of pizza: New York pizza by the slice is still one of the best-value meals in the city, and a slice and a soda remains a classic cheap lunch.

Check current fares and seasonal schedules for all of these before you go.

Close up of lions and entrance to New York Public Library during Midtown Walking Tour — The lions outside the New York Public Library

Budget habits that add up

Walk and use the subway. A single fare takes you anywhere in the system, and OMNY tap-to-pay caps your weekly spending once you hit a set number of rides. Check the MTA website for current fares and cap details.

Eat like a local. Bagels, halal carts, dumpling shops and slice joints are cheap and delicious. Save sit-down meals for lunch, when many restaurants offer better-value menus.

Choose your paid experiences wisely. Spend where it counts, on the one observation deck or guided tour that will define your trip, and fill the rest of your days with the free stuff above.

Free New York bucket list

Ride the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan
Stroll the High Line end to end
Visit the 9/11 Memorial pools and the Oculus
Test the Whispering Gallery at Grand Central
Say hello to the lions at the New York Public Library
Find Bethesda Fountain and Bow Bridge in Central Park
Stand where Washington was sworn in at Federal Hall

Spend smart on the experiences that matter

A great guide can turn a free sight into an unforgettable one by showing you the stories you'd never find on your own. Our NYC in a Day Walking Tour packs the city's icons into one outing, our 9/11 Ground Zero Insider Tour brings the Memorial's history to life, and our Wall Street Insider Tour uncovers the Financial District. See all our walking tours.

New York Experience is run by ExperienceFirst, a New York tour company founded in 2009.

New York on a budget FAQs

Yes. The Staten Island Ferry is free and runs 24 hours a day between Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St. George on Staten Island, passing the Statue of Liberty on the way.

You can see it from the Staten Island Ferry, Battery Park and the Brooklyn waterfront for free, though the Staten Island Ferry sails past without stopping. Landing on Liberty Island and visiting Ellis Island requires a ticketed Statue City Cruises ferry, which is included on our Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour.

The outdoor Memorial pools are free and open to the public. The 9/11 Memorial Museum requires a ticket; check its website for current hours and any free-admission times.

Yes. The High Line is a free public park. Check its website for current opening hours, which vary by season.

Yes. The National Museum of the American Indian and Federal Hall are free, and several other museums offer free or pay-what-you-wish times. Policies change, so check before you go.

New York on a Budget: The Best Free and Nearly Free Things to Do

1. Ride the Staten Island Ferry

2. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

3. Stroll the High Line

4. Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial

5. Look up inside Grand Central

6. Explore the New York Public Library

7. Get lost in Central Park

8. Free museums and history in Lower Manhattan

9. Hunt for free and pay-what-you-wish hours

Nearly free: worth a few dollars

Budget habits that add up

Free New York bucket list

Spend smart on the experiences that matter

New York on a budget FAQs

Worth every penny

NYC in a Day Walking Tour

9/11 Ground Zero Insider Tour

Wall Street Insider Tour

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour

More money-smart planning

How to Ride the NYC Subway

Walking the High Line: A Mile of Rail History Above Manhattan

First-Timer Mistakes to Avoid