How to spend free or very cheap time in New York

As you know, New York is difficult to call an accessible destination for travelers. Selfmadetrip He defends your wallets and reveals the secrets of the largest city in the USA, telling you how interesting it is to spend time here for free or very cheap.

Museums for one dollar

Metropolitan Museum (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) - one of the largest art museums in the world. Upon entering, visitors see a sign with a recommended entry fee to $ 25. The fact is that in some museums in New York, there is a PWYW system (pay what you wish). In practice, it is considered normal to pay only $ 1 for entry.

A similar system operates in the following museums:

• American Museum of Natural History (American Museum of Natural History) tells visitors about the history of our amazing planet. Here you can see the world's largest meteorite weighing 34 tons, emerald in 632 carats, dinosaur skeletons, fancy minerals and many other imaginative items. To visit the permanent exhibition, there is a donation system.
• Museum The Museum of the Neighborhood completely dedicated to Latin American art. At the entrance it is proposed to pay $ 9, but according to the donation system you can pay the whole dollar. In addition, a visit to the museum on every third Saturday of the month is absolutely free.
• Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn museum) - Another famous art museum in New York with an exhibition of more than a half million exhibits. There is a system of voluntary donations.
• Solomon Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art (Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) - one of the most unusual museums in New York. Every Saturday from 17.45 to 19.45, the PWYW system operates.

Solomon Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art. Photo: Depositphotos

• MOMA Museum of Contemporary Art (Museum of Modern Art) - the third most visited in the United States, perhaps the most famous museum of modern art in the world. Fridays from 16.00 to 20.00 are free.
• Whitney Museum of American Art (Whitney Museum of American Art) - the largest collection of American paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations. On Fridays from 19.00 to 22.00 you can visit the museum through a system of voluntary donations.

Free tours

New York, like many other cities in the world, makes it possible to visit the tours absolutely free of charge or for any amount that seems acceptable to the traveler - using the same system. Pay what you wish, the application of which we have described above.

The most famous company organizing such walks is Freetoursbyfoot, offering more than a dozen excursions per day to various parts of the city: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Central Park, Harlem and many others. In addition, the organizers offer to visit thematic excursions, for example, “Ghosts of Greenwich Village”. Schedule for the coming days can be viewed on the website Freetoursbyfoot.

Wine tasting

In New York, open wine tastings conducted by wine shops are very popular. Often at such events there is a pleasant party atmosphere. Taking the opportunity is definitely worth it, because a glass of good wine at the end of a busy day is great, right?

Here are a few wine shops that regularly hold open tastings:

• 67 Wine (specify the schedule on the site)
• Big Noise Full Body (on Saturdays from 16.00 to 18.00)
• Mister wright (on Thursdays and Fridays from 17.00 to 20.00, on Saturdays from 16.00 to 19.00).

See the city from the water

Non-profit organization The downtown boathouse It offers kayak tours on the Hudson River from May to October. All participants are pre-instructed and receive the necessary equipment. The organizers want everyone to get the opportunity to enjoy kayaking on the Hudson, regardless of income level, so they made this program free. Schedule can be viewed on the website The Downtown Boathouse.

Perhaps every traveler arriving in the USA dreams of seeing the Statue of Liberty. The cost of private ferry tours starts at $ 12. Another, absolutely free, opportunity to see New York from the water can be used by going on a ferry Staten island ferry on the route Manhattan - Staten Island. Ferry timetable can be viewed here. Information on how to get to the place of departure can be found. here.

Visit the zoo and botanical garden

Bronx Zoo (Bronx zoo) - one of the largest in the world, about 6000 animals from all continents live here. By the way, this zoo was the first in the United States to refuse to imprison animals in cages. Its inhabitants live in spacious enclosures that mimic their natural environment. Here you can ride on the back of a camel, see how the penguins or fur seals are fed. The zoo offers a wide variety of entertainment for visitors. Entry on Wednesdays is free.

Фото: Depositphotos

Brooklyn Botanical Garden (Brooklyn Botanic Garden) - one of the most beautiful places in New York, representing 14 gardens with a variety of plants. Among other things, here is a water conservatory with a collection of orchids and a museum of bonsai miniature trees. Special attention deserves a picturesque Japanese garden.

On Saturdays from 10.00 to 12.00 hours admission is free.

Parks new york

Another way to take a break from the hustle and bustle and plan the next few days of your trip is to go to one of the picturesque parks of New York, where you won't have to pay a penny to enter.

• Central Park (Central Park) - The most famous US park, one of the largest in the world. This is not just a few alleys with footpaths and benches: there are several artificial lakes, ice skating rinks, lawns, children's playgrounds and even a zoo.
• High Line Park (High-Line Park) - a truly unique place in Manhattan. The alley of this park is located at the height of the now not working New York electric train line - 10 meters above the ground. The main feature of the design of this park is a combination of industrial style and unique landscape.

• Forest Park (Forest Park) is located in the Queens area. Here is a huge golf course, several tennis courts, playgrounds. However, first of all, the park is famous for its large oak grove.
• Brooklyn Bridge Park (Brooklyn Bridge) located under the same bridge along the coastline. The landscape of the park is magnificent. Another powerful argument in favor of visiting this place is a magnificent view of Manhattan.
• Bryant Park (Bryant Park) is famous for the largest lawn in Manhattan. In the summer, open dance lessons are held here once a week, on Mondays, everyone is invited to attend open-air film screenings, and in winter the lawn turns into a free ice rink.

Swim in the outdoor pool

In summer, free outdoor pools are open in New York. The most popular ones are: Astoria Park Pool, Hamilton Fish Pool, Mccarren park pool, Douglas and DeGraw Pool. It is noted that visitors to swimming pools are not allowed to use electronic devices and bring food with them.

Free events

New York edition Time-out publishes regularly announcements of upcoming free events in the city. Here you can see free concert scheduleand here to see plan free activities for the week.

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