Places where children have room to move and something to look at, all free. Booking rules matter more with kids in tow, so check each card.
Always free in New York16
Open to everyone, every day they are open. No ticket to buy.
Staten Island Ferry
Lower Manhattan
Always freeGood with kids
A commuter ferry that crosses New York Harbor past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It is the free version of the harbor cruise.
Free when
Always · 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Boats leave every 15 to 30 minutes for most of the day.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed. There are no tickets at all.
Time needed
About 1h round trip
How to get there
Subway 1 to South Ferry, R/W to Whitehall St, or 4/5 to Bowling Green. Board at Whitehall Terminal.
Worth it? Yes.Do it. Stand outside on the right-hand side leaving Manhattan for the statue, and go around 5 pm in fall or winter to come back with the skyline lit up. You have to get off at St. George and walk around to reboard.
843 acres of lawns, woods, lakes and bridges in the middle of Manhattan. Too big for one visit, so pick a section.
Free when
Always · daily 6 am to 1 am
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
2 to 3h for one section
How to get there
Subway B/C to 72 St for Strawberry Fields and Bethesda Terrace, or N/R/W to 5 Av/59 St for the southeast corner
Worth it? Yes.Enter at West 72nd Street, walk to Bethesda Terrace and Bow Bridge, then lose yourself in the Ramble. The southern end near 59th Street is the most crowded and the least interesting part.
A wooden promenade above the traffic, a bit over a mile from end to end, with the stone towers and cables overhead the whole way.
Free when
Always · the promenade is open at all times. Sections can be narrowed during repair work.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 to 45 min one way
How to get there
Manhattan side: subway 4/5/6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall, entrance at Centre Street across from City Hall Park. Brooklyn side: A/C to High St.
Worth it? Yes.Go before 9 am or after dark. At midday the walkway is shoulder to shoulder and you spend the crossing dodging photo shoots. Walking from Brooklyn to Manhattan keeps the skyline in front of you.
An old elevated freight railway turned into a planted walkway, running from Gansevoort Street up to Hudson Yards at 34th Street.
Free when
Always · daily 7 am to 10 pm from April through November, 7 am to 8 pm from December through March
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1 to 1.5h end to end
How to get there
Subway A/C/E or L to 14 St/8 Av for the south end, or 7 to 34 St-Hudson Yards for the north end. Stairs and elevators at several cross streets.
Worth it? Yes.Worth it, but weekend afternoons are a slow shuffle. Start at 34th Street on a weekday morning and walk south so you finish among the restaurants and the Whitney.
A string of rebuilt piers along the East River with lawns, playgrounds and the classic view of Lower Manhattan and both bridges.
Free when
Always · daily 6 am to 1 am. Some areas keep shorter hours.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1 to 2h
How to get there
Subway A/C to High St or F to York St, then a ten-minute walk downhill. Or walk off the Brooklyn Bridge.
Worth it? Yes.The best free skyline view in the city. Sit on the Pier 1 lawn or the steps at Pebble Beach about an hour before sunset. Kids will want the Pier 6 playgrounds at the south end.
Always freeBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kids
The marble library with the two lions out front. Inside is the Treasures exhibition, with a Gutenberg Bible and the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys, and the Rose Main Reading Room.
Free when
Always · Mon and Thu to Sat 10 am to 6 pm, Tue and Wed 10 am to 8 pm, Sun 1 to 5 pm. Last entry to Treasures is 30 minutes before closing.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Free timed tickets for the Treasures exhibition at nypl.org/treasures. The building itself needs no ticket.
Time needed
1h
How to get there
Subway 7 to 5 Av, or B/D/F/M to 42 St-Bryant Park
Worth it? Yes.A good rainy-day hour. Casual visitors can step into the Rose Main Reading Room only from 10 to 11 am, Monday to Saturday, or on a free guided tour, so come at opening.
A working train station with a painted night-sky ceiling over the Main Concourse and a four-faced brass clock above the information booth.
Free when
Always · daily 5:15 am to 2 am. Shops and the food concourse keep their own hours.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 min
How to get there
Subway 4/5/6, 7 or S to Grand Central-42 St
Worth it? Yes.Twenty minutes well spent. Stand on the east balcony for the full view, then go down to the arch outside the Oyster Bar, where a whisper into one corner carries to the opposite one.
A Smithsonian museum of Native art and history inside the old US Custom House, a 1907 building with an oval rotunda that is worth the stop by itself.
Free when
Always · daily 10 am to 5 pm. Closed December 25.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed. No tickets.
Time needed
1h
How to get there
Subway 4/5 to Bowling Green, 1 to South Ferry, or R/W to Whitehall St
Worth it? Yes.The easiest free museum in the city: no line, no ticket, three minutes from the Staten Island Ferry. Expect airport-style security at the door.
A lawn ringed by movable green chairs behind the public library, with free ping pong, board games and a reading room. In winter it has a rink with free admission if you bring skates.
Free when
Always · daily, 7 am to 10 pm in October. Closing time changes by month.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
30 min to 1h
How to get there
Subway B/D/F/M to 42 St-Bryant Park, or 7 to 5 Av
Worth it? Yes.The best place in Midtown to sit down for free. Pair it with the library next door. The Winter Village opens October 28, 2026, and skate rental is where the rink makes its money.
Quilts, weathervanes, portraits and work by self-taught artists, in a compact space across from Lincoln Center.
Free when
Always · Wed to Sun 11:30 am to 6 pm. Closed Mon and Tue.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
45 min
How to get there
Subway 1 to 66 St-Lincoln Center. The entrance is on Columbus Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets.
Worth it? Yes.A calm 45 minutes and never crowded. Combine it with a look at the Lincoln Center plaza and fountain across the street, then walk two blocks east into Central Park.
New York's second-largest art museum, with a strong Egyptian collection and Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party on permanent view.
Free when
Pay what you wish · Wed to Sun 11 am to 6 pm, general admission only. The suggested price is $20. Closed Mon and Tue. The free First Saturdays evenings have ended for 2026 and the 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Free for whom
Everyone can pay what they can at the admissions desk. Ages 19 and under are free.
Reservation
Do not book online. Online and kiosk tickets charge the full suggested amount; only the staffed admissions desk takes a lower amount. Special exhibitions cost extra.
Time needed
2h
How to get there
Subway 2/3 to Eastern Pkwy-Brooklyn Museum. The station exit is at the front door.
Worth it? Yes.The most generous big-museum policy left in the city, and open to tourists. Walk to the desk, say what you would like to pay, and start on the third floor with the Egyptian galleries.
Billboards, crowds and costumed characters who expect a tip. The one thing worth timing is Midnight Moment, when more than 90 screens show the same artwork at once.
Free when
Always · the plazas are open at all hours. Midnight Moment runs nightly from 11:57 pm to midnight.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
20 min
How to get there
Subway 1/2/3, 7, N/Q/R/W or S to Times Sq-42 St
Worth it? Depends.See it once, after dark, from the red steps at 47th Street, and leave. Do not eat here and do not pose with the characters unless you want to pay for the photo.
A small park raised over the Hudson on concrete tulip-shaped columns, with winding paths, a lawn and an amphitheater.
Free when
Always · opens daily at 6 am. Closes at 11 pm through October 31 and at 9 pm from November 1 to December 31. Performances in the amphitheater can be ticketed.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed for the park
Time needed
30 to 45 min
How to get there
Subway A/C/E or L to 14 St/8 Av, then a ten-minute walk west to the river
Worth it? Depends.Nice for a sunset if you are already on the High Line, which ends five minutes away. Not worth crossing town for: you can walk every path in half an hour.
A contemporary art museum focused on artists from the Bronx and from African, Asian and Latin American backgrounds.
Free when
Always · Wed to Sun 11 am to 6 pm. Closed Mon, Tue and federal holidays. Galleries are closed for installation until the fall shows open on October 9, 2026.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1h
How to get there
Subway B/D to 167 St, or 4 to 161 St-Yankee Stadium and a ten-minute walk up the Grand Concourse
Worth it? Depends.Small, and half the building is under renovation, so check what is on before making the trip. It works well combined with a walk along the Art Deco apartment blocks of the Grand Concourse.
A wide Atlantic beach and a wooden boardwalk running past the Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone roller coaster. The beach and boardwalk are free; the rides are not.
Free when
Always · the boardwalk is closed only from 1 to 5 am. Swimming is allowed from Memorial Day weekend through the Sunday after Labor Day, 10 am to 6 pm, when lifeguards are on duty.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
2 to 3h plus about 1h each way on the subway
How to get there
Subway D, F, N or Q to Coney Island-Stillwell Av, the last stop
Worth it? Depends.Worth the long ride on a warm day. Off season the amusement parks are mostly shut and it is a windy, empty walk, which some people like. Walk east to Brighton Beach for the Russian food shops.
Mostly museums. The free window, who it applies to and the booking rule are on each card.
Whitney Museum of American Art
Meatpacking District, Gansevoort Street
Free on certain daysBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kids
Twentieth-century and contemporary American art, including Edward Hopper, in a Renzo Piano building with outdoor terraces over the Hudson and the High Line.
Free when
Free · every Friday 5 to 10 pm, and all day on the second Sunday of each month (10:30 am to 6 pm). The ground-floor gallery is free at all times. Closed Tuesdays.
Free for whom
Everyone on Friday nights and second Sundays. Visitors 25 and under are free on any day.
Reservation
Reserve a free timed ticket on whitney.org before you go. Walk-ups are possible but you may wait.
Time needed
1.5 to 2h
How to get there
Subway A/C/E or L to 14 St/8 Av, then ten minutes on foot. It sits at the south end of the High Line.
Worth it? Yes.The best free museum night open to visitors. Arrive after 7 pm, when the first wave has thinned, and start on the top floor terraces.
Free on certain daysResidents onlyPay what you wishIndoorGood with kids
Five thousand years of art in one building, from the Egyptian Temple of Dendur to European paintings and the American Wing.
Free when
Pay what you wish · Sun, Mon, Tue and Thu 10 am to 5 pm, Fri and Sat 10 am to 9 pm. Closed Wednesdays. Residents and tri-state students only.
Free for whom
New York State residents, and students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with ID. The minimum is $0.01. All other adults pay $30. Children 12 and under are free.
Reservation
Not needed. Buy at the desk with a New York ID, library card or bill. Online pay-what-you-wish needs a New York State billing address.
Time needed
3h
How to get there
Subway 4/5/6 to 86 St, then a ten-minute walk west to Fifth Avenue. Bus M1, M2, M3 or M4.
Worth it? Yes.The pay-what-you-wish rule ended for tourists in 2018, and that is still how it works. If you qualify, the same-day ticket also covers The Met Cloisters uptown.
Free on certain daysBooking requiredGood with kids
One of the largest city zoos in the country, 265 acres of woods with tigers, bison, sea lions and giraffes in big outdoor habitats.
Free when
Free · Wednesdays all year, 10 am to 5 pm through October 31 and 10 am to 4:30 pm from November 1. The free ticket is Limited Admission only.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Advance ticket required. The Wednesday ticket store opens online the Monday before at 5 pm and closes Wednesday at 2 pm or when the day sells out. Maximum 4 tickets per order. Do not show up without one.
Time needed
4 to 5h
How to get there
Subway 2 or 5 to West Farms Sq-E Tremont Av, then a five-minute walk to the Asia Gate
Worth it? Yes.A full free day, as long as you book on Monday at 5 pm sharp. Congo Gorilla Forest, JungleWorld and the other star attractions are not included and cost $7 each, so decide which one you want and skip the rest.
A car-free former military island eight minutes from Manhattan, with old forts, hammocks, artificial hills and a close view of the Statue of Liberty.
Free when
Free · Saturdays and Sundays on ferries before 11 am. At other times the round trip is $5. The island is open every day, all year.
Free for whom
Everyone before 11 am on weekends. At any time: adults 65 and over, children 12 and under, IDNYC holders, NYCHA residents and military.
Reservation
Not needed. Pick up a free ticket at the terminal for a morning sailing. The return trip is included.
Time needed
3h
How to get there
Ferry from the Battery Maritime Building, 10 South Street, next to the Staten Island Ferry. Subway 1 to South Ferry or R/W to Whitehall St.
Worth it? Yes.The cheapest escape from the city. Bring food, because what is sold on the island is pricey, and walk to the top of Outlook Hill for the statue. The cutoff used to be noon and is now 11 am.
Art and ceremonial objects spanning 4,000 years of Jewish culture in a French Gothic mansion, plus strong temporary shows of modern art.
Free when
Free · every Saturday 11 am to 6 pm, and on select holidays. Closed Tue and Wed, and on some Jewish holidays in September and October.
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed
Time needed
1.5h
How to get there
Subway 6 to 96 St or Q to 96 St, then walk west to Fifth Avenue. Bus M1, M2, M3 or M4.
Worth it? Yes.A whole free day rather than a squeezed evening, and no line. Regular admission is $24. Check the calendar in early fall, when holiday closures can land on a Saturday.
Free on certain daysPay what you wishBooking recommendedIndoorGood with kids
Frank Lloyd Wright's white spiral, with one long ramp of temporary exhibitions and a side gallery of Impressionist and early modern paintings.
Free when
Pay what you wish · Tuesdays and Sundays 4 to 5:30 pm. This replaced the old Monday and Saturday slot. The museum is closed Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Free for whom
Everyone. Children under 12 are free at any time.
Reservation
The museum recommends reserving online in advance. Tickets are also sold at the door, and the last ones are issued about 15 minutes before closing.
Time needed
1 to 1.5h
How to get there
Subway 4/5/6 or Q to 86 St, then walk to Fifth Avenue. Bus M1, M2, M3 or M4.
Worth it? Depends.Ninety minutes is tight but enough, because the building is the main exhibit. Take the elevator up and walk the ramp down. If the rotunda is closed for installation, skip it and keep your money.
Free on certain daysResidents onlyBooking requiredIndoorGood with kids
The Museum of Modern Art: Van Gogh's Starry Night, Monet's Water Lilies, Picasso, Warhol and five more floors.
Free when
Free · Fridays 5:30 to 8:30 pm, New York State residents only
Free for whom
New York State residents with proof of residency. Tourists pay $30. Children 16 and under are free at any time.
Reservation
Free tickets must be reserved in advance on moma.org.
Time needed
2h
How to get there
Subway E/M to 5 Av/53 St, or B/D/F/M to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center
Worth it? Depends.Visitors from out of state cannot use this, despite what older lists say. If you qualify, go to the fifth floor first. If you do not, MoMA PS1 in Queens is free for everyone.
250 acres of gardens, a rose garden, a rock garden and a stretch of old-growth forest along the Bronx River.
Free when
Free · Wednesdays, grounds only. NYC residents get in free all day. Everyone else is free only if they enter between 10 and 11 am. The garden is open Tue to Sun 10 am to 6 pm.
Free for whom
NYC residents with proof of address, all day. All other visitors who arrive between 10 and 11 am.
Reservation
Not needed. Ask for the free grounds pass at the gate. It does not include the Haupt Conservatory, special exhibitions or the tram.
Time needed
2 to 3h
How to get there
Subway B, D or 4 to Bedford Park Blvd, then the Bx26 bus or a 20-minute walk east to the Mosholu Entrance
Worth it? Depends.Good in spring and in late October for fall color, thin in winter. Tourists must be through the gate by 11 am, so leave Midtown by 9:30. The zoo is free the same day, but doing both is too much.
Free on certain daysPay what you wishIndoorGood with kids
The city's oldest museum, telling the story of New York and the country through Tiffany lamps, Audubon's bird watercolors and changing history exhibitions.
Free when
Pay what you wish · Fridays 5 to 8 pm
Free for whom
Everyone
Reservation
Not needed. Pay what you like at the admissions desk.
Time needed
1.5h
How to get there
Subway B/C to 81 St-Museum of Natural History, or 1 to 79 St
Worth it? Depends.Best for people who like American history; others will get more from the Whitney on the same evening. Go straight to the fourth floor for the room of glowing Tiffany lamps.
If you spend on one thing in New York, make it this.
Top of the Rock at sunset
No free viewpoint puts you above Midtown with Central Park on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ferry and the bridges show you the skyline from outside; this is the one place that shows it from the middle. Book a slot about 45 minutes before sunset and stay until the lights come on.
Everything above is free. This is the only paid pick on the page, chosen because no free option replaces it.
