The best things to do in NYC for a first visit are the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, a view from an observation deck, the Met and a Broadway show. Many of the top things to do in New York are free, including Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line and the Staten Island Ferry.
This list has 35 ideas in 4 groups: the top 10, free things to do, fun things to do and things to do in NYC when it rains. Prices are for 2026.
Top 10 things to do in NYC
1. Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
The only ferry that lands on both islands leaves from Battery Park. Tickets cost $25.50 for adults and $16.50 for kids aged 4 to 12 in 2026, and include both museums. Book ahead if you want pedestal or crown access.
2. Walk through Central Park
Start at the south end near 59th Street, then walk north to Bethesda Terrace, the Bow Bridge and Strawberry Fields. It’s free, and you can rent a bike to cover more of the park’s 843 acres.
3. See the city from an observation deck
Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building both cost about $45 to $50 for adults. Top of the Rock has the better photo, because the Empire State Building is in it. Go near sunset for day and night views on 1 ticket.
4. Spend a morning at the Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art costs $30 for adults, and kids under 12 get in free. Your ticket also covers The Met Cloisters uptown on the same day. The main building is closed on Wednesdays.
5. See a Broadway show
The average Broadway ticket was about $131 last season, but prices vary a lot by show and seat. Same-day discount tickets and digital lotteries can cut the price.
6. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
The walk across takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Start on the Brooklyn side, in DUMBO, and walk toward Manhattan so the skyline is in front of you. Early morning is the least crowded.
7. Walk the High Line to Chelsea Market
The High Line is a free park built on an old elevated rail line, running from the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards. End at Chelsea Market for lunch from dozens of food stalls.
8. See Times Square at night
Times Square is at its brightest after dark. Look at the lights, then walk 1 block in any direction for better-value restaurants than the ones on the square itself.
9. Visit the 9/11 Memorial
The 2 memorial pools stand where the Twin Towers stood, and visiting them is free. The 9/11 Museum next to them is ticketed and takes about 2 hours.
10. Visit the American Museum of Natural History
General admission is $37 for adults, with dinosaur halls, the blue whale and the Rose Center for Earth and Space. The planetarium Space Show costs extra.
Planning your first visit? Our NYC travel guide for first-timers covers the airports, the subway and how many days you need.
Free things to do in NYC
Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line, Times Square and the 9/11 Memorial pools from the top 10 are all free. These 10 are free too:
- The Staten Island Ferry, a 25-minute ride past the Statue of Liberty, with harbor and skyline views, from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan
- Grand Central Terminal: look up at the painted ceiling in the main concourse, then find the Whispering Gallery near the Oyster Bar
- The New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue: the Rose Main Reading Room and the marble lions out front
- Bryant Park: lawn chairs in warm months and holiday shops and a free-admission ice rink in winter
- MoMA PS1 in Queens: this contemporary art museum has been free for everyone since January 2026
- The art galleries of Chelsea, between 10th and 11th Avenues, most of them free to walk into
- Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO, for the classic view of the Manhattan Bridge framed by old brick buildings
- Washington Square Park and a walk through Greenwich Village
- Little Island, a small park on pillars in the Hudson River, near the High Line
- The National Museum of the American Indian, a free Smithsonian museum at Bowling Green
Fun things to do in NYC
- Stand on the glass floor at Edge, the outdoor sky deck at Hudson Yards, for about $40
- Walk the boardwalk at Coney Island, eat a hot dog, and ride the Wonder Wheel when the rides are open from spring to fall
- Eat your way through Smorgasburg, the outdoor food market in Brooklyn on weekends from spring to fall
- See stand-up at a Greenwich Village comedy club, where famous comics often drop in unannounced
- Hear live jazz in a basement club in the Village
- Ride a Citi Bike along the Hudson River Greenway, a flat bike path with river views
- Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway over the East River for the price of a subway ride
- Watch the Knicks or Rangers at Madison Square Garden in winter, or the Yankees or Mets in summer
Things to do in NYC when it rains
The Met and the Natural History Museum from the top 10 are good rainy-day picks. For more things to do in NYC when it’s raining:
- MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art: $30 for adults, free for anyone under 16
- The Guggenheim, for the spiral building as much as the art, about $30
- The Intrepid Museum, an aircraft carrier on the Hudson with a space shuttle and a submarine
- A Broadway matinee, usually on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Summit One Vanderbilt, an indoor observation deck with mirrored rooms next to Grand Central
- Essex Market on the Lower East Side, a covered food hall for a long, dry lunch
- The Tenement Museum, with guided tours of restored immigrant apartments on the Lower East Side
Things to do in NYC for families, teens, couples and solo travelers
- Families: the Natural History Museum, Central Park, the Staten Island Ferry and the Intrepid
- Teens: Edge, Times Square at night, Smorgasburg and a Knicks or Yankees game
- Couples: the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise, live jazz, Little Island at sunset and a Broadway show
- Solo travelers: the Met, Chelsea galleries, food halls like Chelsea Market and Essex Market, and a comedy club
Where you stay decides how many of these you can walk to. See our guide to where to stay in NYC.Things to do in NYC today or this weekend
For last-minute plans, check these the same day:
- The TKTS booth in Times Square sells same-day discount Broadway tickets
- NYC Parks and the city’s official tourism site list free concerts, markets and events by date
- Many museums stay open late on Friday evenings
- Observation decks sell timed tickets for the same day; book a sunset slot by midday
- Check the weather and switch to the rainy-day list if it turns wet
FAQ
Standing on the glass floor at Edge, the Coney Island boardwalk, Smorgasburg’s food market, a comedy club in the Village and a Knicks or Yankees game.
Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line, the Staten Island Ferry, Grand Central and the 9/11 Memorial pools. MoMA PS1 in Queens has also been free since January 2026.
Museums such as the Met, MoMA and the Natural History Museum, a Broadway matinee, Summit One Vanderbilt and indoor food halls like Chelsea Market and Essex Market.
3 to 4 days covers the top 10 with time for a few free and fun extras.
Final takeaway
For a first trip, mix the top 10 things to do in NYC with free sights to keep costs down: the Statue of Liberty and the Met in the morning, then Central Park, the High Line or the Brooklyn Bridge in the afternoon. See how much a trip to NYC costs to plan your budget, and our guide to Christmas in New York if you’re visiting in December.
Sources: Statue of Liberty ferry prices 2026 · Met Museum tickets 2026 · MoMA tickets and MoMA PS1 2026 · BroadwayWorld: 2025–26 season · Decks NYC: Top of the Rock tickets 2026
