Earn Your Freedom And Escape The Room
Solve a series of puzzles and riddles using clues, hints, and strategies to complete the objectives at hand. Get out of the room on time and earn your freedom. You have 60 minutes max, so be quick!
The Escape Rooms of Clue Chase are suitable for everyone and fun is guaranteed! It is rated as one of the top things to do in NYC by Tripadvisor.
What Is The Best Family
Exploring New York with the family is huge fun – I myself have been to our favorite city with my kids numerous times. Among my personal highlights is a trip to the Statue of Liberty, the visit to the One World Observatory, and Central Park with its lakes and playgrounds. Also really exciting is the Museum of Natural History, which will be familiar to many from the movie “Night at the Museum”.
Enjoy A New York Meal
There are plenty of great places to eat in New York City and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on some of the world’s tastiest foods.
Below are our suggestions of where to find the best versions of iconic New York foods, as well as restaurants that will suit your mood, budget, and location.
You might also consider taking one of our food tours of NYC. They are pay-what-you-like.
New York Bagel
You haven’t really had a bagel until you have had a New York bagel. Some say it’s the NYC water that makes them so good.
With hundreds of bagel stores, how to narrow down the choices? With our list of 15 Best Bagels in New York City,
New York Pizza
Here are the best pizza places in New York City. They are organized by neighborhood so no matter where you are, you can find a great food stop.
A few are family-style where the pizza is served in big pies and the family shares. This is a really fun way to enjoy a great meal.
Italian
For an authentic New York dining experience, eat a meal al fresco on Mulberry Street at the best Little Italy Restaurants.
New York Delicatessen
There are very few real delicatessens left in NYC, the kind where you can get a great pastrami sandwich 6 inches tall.
Fortunately, we still have Katzs .
Soul Food
A Harlem institution is Sylvias and for other options check out “Where to Find the Best Harlem Soul Food”.
Chinatown
For inexpensive, delicious food in one of NYC’s most exotic neighborhoods, try these restaurants in Chinatown.
Other great eats
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View The Stunning New York Skyline
Now there is the brand new “The Edge” at Hudson Yards.
Each has its own vantage point, as well as different prices of admission, varying wait times, and opening/closing hours.
Read our post which breaks down the pros and cons of each to help you choose which view is right for you.
You can still get incredible views of the city for free.
Performing Arts And Music
Buffalo is home to over 20 theater companies, with many centered in the downtown Theatre District.Shea’s Performing Arts Center is the city’s largest theater. Designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and built in 1926, the theater presents Broadway musicals and concerts. Other venues include Shea’s 710 Theatre, Alleyway Theatre, Theater of Youth and Canalside, where major acts draw about seven thousand concertgoers. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra was formed in 1935 and performs at Kleinhans Music Hall, whose acoustics have been praised. Although the orchestra nearly disbanded during the late 1990s due to a lack of funding, philanthropic contributions and state aid stabilized it. Under the direction of JoAnn Falletta, the orchestra has received a number of Grammy Award nominations and won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition in 2009.
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Get Free Access To Popular Attractions
OK. Admittedly purchasing a tourist discount pass isnt free, in fact, these passes can seem expensive.
However, the all-inclusive tourist passes include most of the citys popular tourist attractions and tours, including hop-on-hop-off bus tours and boat cruises.
The object of these all-inclusive passes is to experience as many things in a day as you have time for. These passes are sold in increments of days, and the longer the pass the less the daily cost is.
So, if you plan efficiently, you will end up getting free access to several tours and attractions.
Statue Of Liberty And Ellis Island
The top spot on this list may not be a surprise, but theres no doubt that both of these attractions are a must when youre in New York.
The Statue of Liberty is the symbol not just of New York but of America. And Ellis Island represents our nation, too after all, almost half of Americans can trace their ancestry back to this one island.
There are many options for viewing the statue from the harbor, but I recommend taking the time to go to Liberty Island to see it up-close. You can visit the Statue of Liberty Museum and climb the pedestal for incredible views. From there, its a quick ferry ride over to Ellis Island to explore the immigration museum and learn more about this gateway to America.
One of the world’s top 3 cultural experiences Tripadvisor
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Hone Your Secret Agent Skills At Spyscape
Channel your inner supersleuth and dive into the mysterious world of spies at this interactive museum. 007 fans love the James Bond exhibition which includes one of the original cars.
Uncover the truth about codebreaking and discover real-life gadgets used out in the field. You will be tasked with several Skyscape challenges, so get ready to crack clues and tackle laser rooms.
Best Hostel In New York City The Local Nyc
If, like us, budget travel is more your style dont fret. Staying in a fabulous budget friendly hostel in NYC is an option. The Local NYC is likely the best hostel in New York City. The Long Island City hostel is located right across the East River from Midtown and is only a 10 minute subway ride away from 5th Avenue in Manhattan.
The hostel has a lovely rooftop patio with skyline views of Manhattan, large and immaculately clean rooms with lockers and uber comfy mattresses, and an onsite bar for mingling or to enjoy live music and locally crafted brews on tap. For the cheapest prices at The Local NYC click here.
As always, happy travels, and well see you on the road!
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Things To See In New York
Things to do in New York City include more than trekking through the streets all day. You can certainly relax, be entertained, and take break from the hustle and bustle while you enjoy some of the best sights and sounds. Start by taking in a show in the theater district. Once you give your regards to Broadway, walk through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and stop to smell the roses at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Of course, you should always bring your camera to New York so you can snap pictures of the architecture, landmarks, and community gardens.
Seasonal Activities For Kids
Summer in NYC keeps the kids busy with water activities, outdoor movies, playgrounds, and theatrical performances.
The fall has the Halloween Parade, Thanksgiving Parade, and pumpkin-related events galore, like the Great Pumpkin Flotilla in Central Park.
In winter, they can go ice-skating and see the holiday lights, including the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.
Spring has Easter egg hunts, Governors Island opens for the season, and baby animals abound at the Bronx Zoo.
See the Seasonal/Monthly section below for more information.
Be sure to look at the monthly posts for the time you are visiting, as they have a section dedicated to things to do with kids, including some free events
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Enjoy Free Skyline Views
New York is known for its skyline. You don’t need to pay any money to get spectacular skyline views day or night.
One of the most impressive free views is from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, located just across the East River from Lower Manhattan. Make sure to have that camera ready!
Read our post on where to find the best free skyline views.
Hunt Ghosts At The Ghostbusters Firehouse
Are you a fan of the mythic Ghostbusters saga? You may want to check out the Ghostbusters HQ then. Hook and Ladder 8, the building used for the exterior shots, is a working firehouse that has been around for more than a century. The firehouse is located at 14 North Moore Street at its intersection with Varick Street in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan.
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Encounter Residents Of The Marine Kingdom
For one of the most fun things to do in NYC, head to the famous New York Aquarium on Coney Island and come face to face with sea lions, sharks, and even a giant octopus.
Let your imagination run wild at the Lost City of Atlantis-themed Long Island Aquarium, or enjoy an immersive ocean odyssey in virtual reality at the National Geographic Encounter in Times Square.
Have Fun In Central Park
No visit to New York is complete without popping over to Central Park, the iconic green hub sitting pretty in the middle of Manhattan. The grounds are a great place for a picnic or horse-drawn carriage ride, and the wild inhabitants of Central Park Zoo are a favorite with families.
Feeling energetic? Then jump in the saddle for a guided bike tour around the park and nearby sights.
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Walk Through Little Italy And Soho
Head to Soho and Little Italy on a relaxed walking tour for a dose of authentic New York life. Keep an eye out for celebrities as you stroll past cast-iron buildings in fashionable Soho, and hear stories of immigrants and gangs in Little Italy.
You will visit iconic sights like Spring Street, Mulberry Street, and Columbus Park on this journey through history.
How Many Days To Spend In New York
Spend at least five days in order to see New York like a local. Manhattan is the ultimate walking city, densely packed and not very long or wide. You won’t have to go very far and you’ll find Broadway plays to see, districts and restaurants to explore, drinks to be had, bookstores and botanical gardens to browse. And dont miss a walk on the Highline or the Brooklyn Bridge!
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Watch A Free Practically Professional Basketball Game
The West 4th Street Basketball Courts, known informally as The Cage is famous for its high-quality players. NBA scouts regularly come by looking for the next Michael Jordan.
You can join the audience standing along the fence on 6th Avenue and West 4th Street in Greenwich Village. You can also join in a pick-up game…if you dare!
While in the Village, use our post about things to do in Greenwich Village. You might enjoy our pay-what-you-wish tours of Greenwich Village.
Other Great Ice Cream Shops In Nyc:
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Tipsy Scoop: Boozy ice cream? Yes, please! Tipsy Scoops claims to be the perfect blend of artisanal ice cream and a hand-crafted cocktail. Choose from classic flavors like Chocolate Stout & Pretzel and Strawberry White Sangria Sorbet.
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OddFellows: Come here for super unique ice cream sandwiches and really good coffee. Their flavors rotate often, but youll find options like Caramel Cashew, Buttermilk Honey Blueberry and Ricotta Plum & Thyme.
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Morgensterns Finest Ice Cream: Known for its unlikely flavor combinations like salt & pepper pine nut and cardamom lemon jam. They were best known for their coconut ash, which featured activated charcoal. This black ice cream was all over Instagram until the Department of Health recently banned all foods with activated charcoal in the city. But even though the days of this ultra-popular ice cream is gone, there are plenty of other unique flavors to choose from.
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Mikey Likes It: Small shop with creative flavors named after references to pop culture, like Ice Ice Baby and Pink Floyd .
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Grom: This Italian gelato shop was my obsession when I studied abroad in Florence. When I found out they have a shop in New York I was devastated we missed it.
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Soft Swerve: Calling all soft serve lovers! This small shop serves colorful ice cream and has fun topping choices like toasted coconut, sprinkles or Fruity Pebbles. These cones are an Instagram favorite!
Still not satisfied? Check out this huge list of ice cream shops in NYC.
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Meet A Tyrannosaurus Rex At The Museum Of Natural History
Come face to face with dinosaurs at the American Natural History Museum one of the most fun things to do in NYC. See real Night at the Museum exhibits and size up to an enormous blue whale.
It is not often you can travel to the depths of the Pacific Ocean and visit far-off galaxies all in the same building!
A Quick & Cheap: Staten Island Ferry
If youve got limited time and youre on a budget, the best way to see the Statue of Liberty is by hopping on the Staten Island Ferry. This is free and will bring you quite close to the iconic statue.
Ferries leave every 30 minutes from the South Ferry terminal in Manhattan, and all you have to do is show up! Since its free theres no need to buy tickets.
As the ferry is about to board everyone heads to the exit in one massive crowd.
Insider Tip: If you want to see the Statue of Liberty, you will need to be on the right-hand side of the ferry when you are leaving Manhattan.
Enter the ferry through the left doors which are less crowded and immediately head up to the third floor, then cross over to the right side and snag a spot on the railing. This will help you get ahead of the crowds. As you approach Staten Island, go down to the first floor so you can be at the front of the crowd when getting off the boat.
The ferry ride takes about 25 minutes, and when you dock at Staten Island you will need to get off the vessel, walk around the corner and get back on the same ferry .
Have more time? If you have time to kill, weve heard there are great Sri Lankan restaurants in Staten Island not far from the ferry terminal. Lakruwana and New Asha look good!
Cost: FREE
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Visit The 9/11 Memorial + Museum
Located in a simple, spacious wide-open plaza in Lower Manhattan, this memorial to the lost lives of 9/11 is an essential feature of New York City. The memorial is free to visit.
The National September 11th Museum, which covers the tragic events of 9/11 through artifacts, documents, and films, does have a cost.
TIP: Admission to the 9/11 Museum is included with some 9/11 Memorial tours, and it’s also available with some tourist passes.
Little Italy And Chinatown
One of the many wonderful things about New York is its diversity, and that is what youll experience when you visit Little Italy and Chinatown. The best part? These two completely different neighborhoods are right next door to each other. Thats the beauty of New York: You get to enjoy two equally fascinating but totally different neighborhoods within mere blocks of one another.
Lots of people visit both these neighborhoods in the same trip. We do for our neighborhood tour, adding in SoHo as well. Since theyre so close, you can get a taste of each in under an hour.
Of course, you can stay a lot longer if you want to have lunch or dinner here. Little Italy has seemingly endless options for pasta, pizza, and pastries plus a few annual celebrations that really bring the neighborhood to life. Coming from the Italian flavors of Mulberry Street, youll cross over Canal Street, the heart of Chinatown. Chinatown is like a city within a city. Chinese food, shopping, medicine, decor youll find it all here.
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Ice Cream At Ample Hills Creamery
There is always room for ice cream. This is my life motto and I stick by it, especially when there are as many ice cream options as there are in New York City.
Before our trip, we got messages from several readers with recommendations for NYC, and one place we kept seeing over and over again was Ample Hills Creamery.
There are a few locations around the city one being conveniently located right next to one of the entrances to the High Line. And let me tell you, it was every bit as delicious as people told us. So good, in fact, that we returned the next day and ordered the same exact flavors. A big thanks to Carmela from No Wrong Turns for the awesome recommendation.
Flavor Tip: Sample em all, and order whichever you like best. But if you want a recommendation, our very favorite was Ooey Gooey Butter Cookie. It was DIVINE. Like, Im drooling as I type. And we loved it paired with Oatmeal Lace Cookie. But honestly, I dont think you can go wrong here.
Cost: $4.35 for a single | $5.75 for a double