New York City is perennial favorite with tourist the world over especially now with the plummeting dollar. When tourists visit New York City, they love to undertake the various sight seeing tours which enable them to see all famous sights like the Empire State building, the Statue of Liberty etc. Though sight-seeing can often be an expensive affair, what with all the various charges and admittance fees which have to be paid in order to gain access to these sights. However there are some attractions in New York City which are always free and they are a must-do on any visit to the Big Apple.
Central Park
New York City’s iconic patch of green – Central Park is an artificially landscaped park which consists of 843 acres of paths, lakes and green grassy spaces. The Park was opened in 1859 and continues to be an integral part of New Yorker’s lives until today. A great way to see the park is to take many free walking tours that are organized daily by the Central Park conservancy. These walking tours give you chance to explore the park and see its many landmarks like the Zoo and Children’s Zoo, Balto ,Conservatory Water, the Hans Christian Andersen and Alice in Wonderland Statues as well as the Loeb Boathouse, Strawberry Fields, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, the Mall, the Dairy, the Carousel and Wollman Rink. The park is a hub of activity especially in the summer months when New Yorkers head to the park to have a picnic or to enjoy the many free musical and cultural events that are organized by the park’s management.
Ride the Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry is a commuter ferry that runs from Battery Park in downtown Manhattan to Staten Island. You can catch the ferry for free from the Staten Island Ferry terminal and enjoy the ride while you take in the gorgeous views of Lower Manhattan and famous landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Governor’s Island
Governors Island is a small island located in the heart of the New York Harbor. It is located at a distance of 800 yards from Lower Manhattan and functioned as military base for the past two centuries. Governor’s Island is opened to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the summer months from May to October. The island has a 92 acre National Historic Landmark District which features 18th century fortifications, pre-Civil War arsenal buildings, Victorian and Romanesque Revival housing, as well as early 20th century neo-classical architecture. The island’s unique park- like setting is ideal for picnicking and bike riding. In the summer many concerts and art festivals are conducted on Governor’s island. You can get to the island by catching a ferry at the Battery Maritime Building which is located at the corner of South and Whitehall streets in Lower Manhattan. The Ferry ride and admission to the Island are both always free.
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is one of New York City’s main railway hubs. The Metro North railway and the subways 4,5,6, 7 and the ‘S ‘ shuttle to Times Square arrive and depart from this major junction which is housed in a truly magnificent building which was built in 1913 and restored to its original glory in 1998. The station also has large Dining concourse which has outlets of many famous New York City restaurants like Ciprianis and Michael Jordan’s steak house. The station also has a fine foods market and several retail stores belonging to popular American brands. A holiday fair is held at the Grand Central Terminal each year during the Christmas Season and the Terminal also has a special holiday light show on its magnificent ceiling for the festive season.
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is a landmark bridge in New York City which is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It is built over the East River and connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Bridge is accessible to pedestrians from both sides and it has a wide pedestrian walkway which is open to both cyclists and walkers. The bridge offers stunning views of Lower Manhattan which present a perfect photo opportunity for any click-happy tourist.
If you liked this post subscribe to our feed to get regular updates.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 7:40 pm and is filed under North America. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
I love New York and thought I knew everything there was to know about it, but I didn’t realize the Staten Island Ferry was free! Nice tip…
October 18th, 2008 at 2:21 am
I love New York city expeacially The Bronx. p.s Bronx is better than Brooklyn anyday haha lol