The Essential NYC Guide: 10 Free Things To Do And See
![Brooklyn Bridge, New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ma0jp7.webp)
When you arrive in one of the most expensive cities in the world, feeling overwhelmed is understandable. With rent prices as high as the Empire State Building and slices of pizza retailing for astronomical sums, it’s hard to know where to get the most for your money. Never fear, New York City has adequately provided for those on any and all budgets. We explore ten of the best free things to do and see in NYC.
1. Tour The Brooklyn Brewery
Brewery, Park
![brooklyn brewery new york williamsburg USA america](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/ewfy3f.webp)
Wander Central Park
Central Park is a tourist haven, but that’s no excuse for missing out on one of the most beautiful, must-see destinations in the Big Apple. Taking up 50 blocks of some of the city’s most prime real estate, Central Park is a perennial oasis nestled amongst the concrete walls of Manhattan’s brick and mortar jungle. Wander through the Conservatory Garden, scale the Belvedere Castle, get lost in Sheep’s Meadow or, if you’re feeling romantic, take a boat out on the lake where you’ll glimpse the Boathouse Restaurant.
![Central Park West, Upper West Side, Manhattan](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/f4k38e.webp)
Central Park, New York, NY, USA +1 212 310-6600
2. The High Line, New York
Park
![](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/images/default_location.webp)
3. Explore The MoMA
Art Gallery, Building, Museum, Opera House
![](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/images/default_location.webp)
4. South Street Seaport
Historical Landmark
![South Street Seaport Historic District in New York City](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/c7017x.webp)
5. Ride The Staten Island Ferry
Building, Ruins
![](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/images/default_location.webp)
Most people fall in love with New York City when they first set eyes on its captivating and unparalleled skyline. Jump aboard the Staten Island Ferry for panoramic views encompassing the Statue of Liberty, and photo opportunities galore. The ferry is available to any and all, free of charge, for a 25 minute journey across Manhattan Bay. The ferry runs all day back and forth, charmingly allowing you to witness the bustling metropolis in all its architectural glory.
Downtown Manhattan
Manhattan’s most wonderful irony is that the greatest thing to do within its expensive borders is to walk, free of charge, around its never-ending network of avenues and streets. Start in Chelsea and head to the West Village before turning east towards SoHo. Saunter through Greenwich and the East Village, perhaps stopping for a coffee to refuel before you move on to Little Italy and Chinatown. Strolling Manhattan’s historic downtown neighborhoods is perhaps the best and most authentic way to take it all in.
![Intersection of Broadway and Spring, Manhattan](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/hhgbjr.webp)
6. Brooklyn Bridge, New York
Bridge
![](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/images/default_location.webp)
7. Watch a Television Show Taping
Building
![Rockefeller Center, NYC, New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/c17f0j.webp)