Tripadvisor
1 / 30#30. Mirror Lake
- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,079 reviews)
- City: Lake Placid New
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Highest-rated free things to do in New York by visitors
路爆料TV
Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.
Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in New York.
From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in New York using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!
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Tripadvisor
2 / 30#29. Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,395 reviews)
- City: Poughkeepsie New
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3 / 30#28. Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (3,364 reviews)
- City: Brooklyn New
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4 / 30#27. Niagara Falls State Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (4,627 reviews)
- City: Niagara Falls New
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5 / 30#26. Dyker Heights
- Rating: 4.6/5 (656 reviews)
- City: Brooklyn New
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6 / 30#25. Macy's Herald Square
- Rating: 4.0/5 (4,956 reviews)
- City: New
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7 / 30#24. Roosevelt Island
- Rating: 4.4/5 (950 reviews)
- City: New
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8 / 30#23. Brooklyn Heights Promenade
- Rating: 4.7/5 (3,489 reviews)
- City: Brooklyn New
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9 / 30#22. Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
- Rating: 4.2/5 (4,090 reviews)
- City: Central Valley New
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10 / 30#21. SoHo
- Rating: 4.4/5 (3,874 reviews)
- City: New
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Tripadvisor
11 / 30#20. The Vessel
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,539 reviews)
- City: New
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12 / 30#19. Coney Island
- Rating: 4.1/5 (4,969 reviews)
- City: Brooklyn New
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13 / 30#18. Fifth Avenue
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8,603 reviews)
- City: New
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14 / 30#17. Greenwich Village
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,845 reviews)
- City: New
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15 / 30#16. St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Rating: 4.6/5 (15,396 reviews)
- City: New
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16 / 30#15. Dumbo
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,985 reviews)
- City: Brooklyn New
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17 / 30#14. Manhattan Skyline
- Rating: 4.8/5 (21,511 reviews)
- City: New
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18 / 30#13. Niagara Falls
- Rating: 4.7/5 (8,267 reviews)
- City: Niagara Falls New
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19 / 30#12. The Oculus
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,759 reviews)
- City: New
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20 / 30#11. Bryant Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (24,003 reviews)
- City: New
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Tripadvisor
21 / 30#10. Rockefeller Center
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25,697 reviews)
- City: New
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22 / 30#9. Chelsea Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (9,948 reviews)
- City: New
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23 / 30#8. Staten Island Ferry
- Rating: 4.6/5 (23,124 reviews)
- City: New
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24 / 30#7. New York Public Library
- Rating: 4.6/5 (14,739 reviews)
- City: New
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25 / 30#6. Broadway
- Rating: 4.6/5 (32,403 reviews)
- City: New
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26 / 30#5. Grand Central Terminal
- Rating: 4.6/5 (44,847 reviews)
- City: New
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27 / 30#4. Brooklyn Bridge
- Rating: 4.7/5 (26,279 reviews)
- City: New
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28 / 30#3. Times Square
- Rating: 4.3/5 (57,102 reviews)
- City: New
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29 / 30#2. The High Line
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63,344 reviews)
- City: New
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30 / 30#1. Central Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (134,336 reviews)
- City: New
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.
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