Boomeresque:Definition
1. Adj.: Describing a person born between 1 Jan. 1946 and 31 Dec. 1964
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Five Free Things to do in New York City

by Suzanne Fluhr on August 7, 2018 · 5 comments

The Manhattan, New York skyline from the Brooklyn Promenade

Every respectable travel blog needs a credible post about free things to do in New York City, but I have a problem. I live in Center City Philadelphia, the 5th largest city in the United States, a mere 100 miles south of the Big Apple. However, when it comes to New York City, I’m a weenie very intimidated.

It’s ridiculous bizarre strange. I’ve visited many of the world’s megapoli, finding my way around London, Istanbul, Singapore, Tokyo, and Mexico City, to name just a few. However, the hustle and bustle, and the skyscraper canyons of New York City, leave me feeling overwhelmed.

The Manhattan, New York skyline from the Brooklyn Promenade

The skyline of lower Manhattan looks only slightly less intimidating from The Promenade in Brooklyn.

Fortunately, I’ve been rescued by New York resident, Talek Nantes, an author, digital content creator, and founder of the travel blog Travels with Talek. She is a passionate travel enthusiast, having visited 110 countries! Talek enjoys sharing her extensive travel experiences. In addition to on her own website, Talek’s travel writing appears in several travel publications, websites.  Her latest book is a Cuba travel guide. (Affiliate link). You can also find Talek on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

In her own “voice”, here are Talek’s recommendations for free things to do in New York City:

FREE THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK CITY

New York City has a well-deserved reputation for being outrageously expensive. Now, I’m not just talking $32.00 for a bagel-lox-and-cream-cheese expensive. I’m talking $15,000 a night for a suite at a fancy-schmanzy hotel in mid-town with an adjacent hotel room so guests can store their shopping sprees. But believe it or not, there are tons of free, fun things to do in what we New Yorkers modestly and humbly refer to as “the greatest city on earth,” and “the crossroads of civilization” or simply “The City.”

New York City has about 113 museums, give or take.  You can indulge your inner culture vulture about everything from fine art to Japanese bonsai (miniature) trees to steam engines, and everything in between, in this great cultural center.  Pick a museum you like and check the days and hours the museum offers free or pay what you wish admission.  Some gems include:

1)  The Museum of Modern Art, more commonly known as MOMA.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Alsandro

Outdoor garden at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, Alsandro, C.C. Lic. 3.0)

The museum offers special exhibits by contemporary artists, shows current films, and maintains permanent exhibitions. It is a beautifully laid out space that is just as much fun to hang out in as it is to visit the exhibits. They don’t shy away from controversial exhibits which makes them all the more intriguing. The museum is free every Friday evening from 4 to 8 pm. Get there early and prepare to wait on long lines as it seems everyone else had the same idea to go to MOMA on a Friday evening.  But it’s worth it.

2) The Frick Collection is a wonderful museum on 70th street and 5th Avenue. It is the former home of the industrialist Henry Clay Frick, one of the more interesting characters from the Gilded Age. The museum has three things that appeal to me. The first is that it was a real home. Residents really slept in the luxurious bedrooms and strolled the interior fountains and rose gardens. It’s all right smack in front of Central Park, as if this magnificent feat of landscaping were the front lawn.

Frick Collection facade in New York City

The facade of the Henry Clay Frick mansion, (Photo: Talek Nantes)

The second attraction is the amazing art collection it houses. Be dazzled by works by Renoir, Gainsborough, Rembrandt, Titian, El Greco, Manet and, count them…3 paintings by Vermeer, the really good ones you will recognize from art history class. It also houses my single favorite work of art, Sir Thomas Moore by Hans Holbein. You can actually see the details of his chin stubble – a 5 o’clock shadow from the past. The red velvet of his sleeve is so realistic you can almost reach out and feel it. It’s a slightly giddy feeling to know you are looking at exactly what the artist was seeing 500 years ago.

The third attraction is that all this glorious, spiritually uplifting beauty is accessible for pay-what-you-wish on Wednesdays from 2 to 6 pm and is totally free on the first Friday of every month from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., except during September and January. Regular admission is $22 for adults, $17 for 65+.

Most New York City museums offer a free day or pay what you wish admission policy, including the 9/11 Memorial Museums (Tuesday 5-8), The China Institute (Thursdays 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.), The Morgan Library and Museum (Fridays, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.) and many more.

3)  The Conservatory Gardens.  This is a collection of three gardens between 104th and 105th streets and 5th Avenue inside Central Park. The Conservatory houses three gardens, each with its own distinct style; a French garden, an Italian garden and the traditional English garden. People come here to stroll among the fountains, exotic imported plants and delightful sculptures. They also come here in search of the perfect backdrop for a wedding so don’t be surprised if your stumble across a wedding party.  My favorite part of the Conservatory is the famous Vanderbilt Gates, guarding the entrance to the gardens. These gates were made in Paris in 1894 at the request of Cornelius Vanderbilt to decorate the entrance to his mansion. The mansion once stood on the corner of 5th Avenue and 59th street where the Bergdorf Goodman building stands today, across the street from the Plaza Hotel.  When they tore down the mansion the gates were rescued and transported to the Conservatory.

The conservatory is always free. Although the gardens are especially impressive in the warmer months, winter and fall have their own unique charm. The gardens make for a great break from the museums across the street and up and down 5th Avenue. It’s also a great entry or exit from Central Park.

4) And talk about Central Park! It’s probably the mother of all free attractions in New York City. With good reason, it is the most visited park in the United States, conveniently located in Manhattan.

Central park, New York City

Central Park is an oasis in the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. (Photo: Talek Nantes)

The park houses an eclectic collection of interesting attractions, including Belvedere Castle, a Romanesque and Gothic structure on a lake; the Central Park Zoo (not free); The Carousel, a fully functional vintage carousel stocked with seats representing whimsical animals you can ride; a skating rink; a summer theatre playing Shakespeare (free if you can get in); lakes walking paths; meadows; Victorian gardens, and much, much more. Throughout the year there are free concerts and festivals.

One of my favorite parts of the park is the entrance on 59th street. You can enter right behind the Monument to the battleship Maine and walk straight north towards the Children’s Zoo stopping at the Delacorte Clock. Every day, every half hour between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., the Delacorte Clock plays nursery rhymes while the animals on the clock rotate and spin to the music. The animals include a hippo playing the violin, a penguin on the drums, and a kangaroo playing pipes. It is magical and it’s not just for kids. The whole charming experience; the dancing fanciful animals, the music and the general happy atmosphere of the park when the music plays, makes you want to dance.  People do and, this being New York City, nobody cares, much less notices, the middle-aged adults happily prancing and twirling like ballet dancers in public to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Of course, there’s a bar right next to the clock which might have something to do with the happy dancers.

5) Here is a fun thing to do for a couple of hours around midtown Manhattan. Take a free tour of Grand Central Terminal with Free Tours by Foot. The tour lasts about 2 hours and is pretty comprehensive. I recently took one on a lazy Saturday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Even though the tour is “free”, the tour guide was pleasant, knowledgeable and reminded us repeatedly that tips are appreciated.

Facade of Grand Central Terminal in New York City

No, they don’t make train stations like they used to. The facade of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. (Photo: Talek Nantes).

This iconic station was opened to the public in 1913. Its original opulence and sheer size was representative of the industrial might of the age and the man behind it, Cornelius Vanderbilt. The soaring celestial ceiling displays the constellations. The chandeliers are gold plated and the massive columns give the impression of a colossal palace. All this for a train station?! The builders wanted to send a message to all who passed through the station, “you are someplace very special”.

Even a native New Yorker like myself who has been there hundreds of times can’t fail to be impressed by the graceful feat of engineering that is Grand Central Terminal.

So, there you have it. New York City is not THAT expensive after all.  This is just a little taste of free things to do in The City. Come and find your own unique little adventures. Enjoy!

Can you add anything to Talek’s suggestions for free things to do New York City? What’s your favorite free thing to do where you live?

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Debbra Dunning Brouillette August 7, 2018 at 8:57 pm

I’ve never been to New York City but these free options are going to be on my list when I make it there! I love museums and also enjoy visiting gardens so I am glad to know there are things to do in the big city that don’t require admission.

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Doreen Pendgracs August 7, 2018 at 9:40 pm

Talek has included some great free options when visiting NYC. I really love MOMA, Grand Central Station, and Central Park.

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Kemkem August 8, 2018 at 11:45 am

I’ve been to New York several times as l lived in Boston years ago and l am surprised l have only done a couple. Next time we’re stateside might need to revisit New York. Times Square is always fun for free people watching in addition.

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Irene S. Levine August 8, 2018 at 11:56 am

Even born and bred New Yorkers can’t keep track of everything to see and do in New York City. Thanks for this post!

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Mike Vogler August 16, 2018 at 11:01 pm

I love the shot of those flowers, Suzanne! From this list I would pick Grand Central Terminal! 🙂

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