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If you’re looking for non-touristy things to do in NYC, check out these routes to crowded, popular attractions.
Must Things To Do In New York
While there’s nothing wrong with tourist attractions—some things you just see—the experience can be memorable for the wrong reasons: crowds, wait times, lack of time to have a lot of fun. If you’re a repeat visitor or a local looking to get off the beaten path, these non-touristy things to do in NYC are for you.
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Visitors to New York flock to famous attractions such as the Empire State Building, Central Park, Chelsea, and Times Square. You can find equally interesting views, beautiful nature, art galleries, and beautiful photography in some of the lesser-known places. These alternative things to do in New York are memorable and less crowded. After you’ve explored these non-touristy routes, dig a little deeper and discover the best hidden spots in NYC.
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It’s as iconic as a country logo gets, but not even the best of note in its immediate vicinity. (This honor is by Top of the Rock.) Still, there’s something to be said for following in Kong’s great footsteps.
Images: By Lauren Diamond / Shutterstock | A beautiful view of the New York City skyline from Sunset Park in Brooklyn
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The amazing thing about the Manhattan skyline is that you can’t really appreciate it from Manhattan. For a truly monumental view of the city, take a trip to the top of this South Brooklyn park. The vista is especially impressive during the day after which the sky is named. Hell, from here, even New Jersey is good.
New York has many prestigious institutions, but the Met can beat them all. The nearby herds trample the exhibits and for good reason. One of the travel sites called it the most beloved hobby in America (and we have to agree).
Located in Fort Tryon Park, the Cloisters – a combination of the Met – art and architecture from ancient Europe. Many historical objects, illuminated manuscripts, and legends fill the hall. Even the building itself – built from European monasteries relocated to America – looks like something out of
This is where people go to escape from the concrete jungle, and because of that, it’s not really a place to escape for some people who are trying to escape from the city.
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This Washington Heights skyline was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., son of one of the men behind Central Park. And in some ways, the son’s work is better than his father’s. Fort Tryon Park offers a much better outdoor experience than Central Park, Prospect Park or most of the designated acres in the city. For some spectacular views, make your way to Linden Terrace near the Cloisters, or take a stroll through the two large gardens.
Hey, we still love Nom Wah Tea Parlor as our next swing fan, but the neighborhood sometimes reaches levels of congestion.
Queens has been a hot spot for non-American fare for a while now, and generally speaking, Asian restaurants offer more variety than those in the lower Manhattan area. All in all, it’s a low-key experience—and it’s hard to go wrong here, so take your pick between Zhu Ji Dumpling Stall, Pho Hoang or the original Xi’an Famous Food.
Between the museums of Gagosian, Andrea Rosen, Anton Kern and many others, this neighborhood is a destination for large-scale art exhibitions and open art. But he is not the only one.
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LIC may lack the number of Chelsea warehouses, but in terms of quality, it more than holds its own. There’s MoMA PS1, which mounts exhibits. During the summer, the museum also hosts Warm Up, its weekly outdoor music series. And if you’re still looking for a cultural fix, hit up nearby attractions like the Noguchi Museum, the Flux Factory or the Sculpture Center.
Everyone wants to see the center of the world, we got it. But we also found out why New Yorkers often scoff at the destination. When you are tired of highways, horns, billboards and complicated restaurants, we have some ideas for you. The M&Ms store doesn’t compare to other NYC locations when it comes to photo ops anyway.
Thanks to The Bushwick Collective and other local artists, this neighborhood’s alleys have become examples of some of the best local street art. Take a stroll through the outdoor spaces of Morgan Avenue, Siegel Street, East Moore Street and other local streets to capture some truly Instagram-worthy photos.
With its magnificent Beaux Arts architecture, beloved bronze clock and star-studded cerulean blue ceiling, Grand Central Terminal is certainly an architectural marvel. But (and here’s a big but) most people don’t need more than a quick walk through the station on the way to the subway to take it all in.
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This secluded spot, guarded by regal marble lions, is among the city’s most beautiful public spaces. The pièce de résistance is of course the Rose Reading Room – who wouldn’t be inspired by all those crystal chandeliers? But if you’re here for the books, you won’t be disappointed: There are some 50 million items spread across these collections.
Nearly 100,000 cars cross the Brooklyn Bridge for free every day, and we’d be willing to bet that daily foot traffic is in the thousands as well. In fact, on a bright, sunny day, you can hardly find space to walk, let alone ride a bike, on the top of the pedestrian walkway. Yes, the granite and stone Gothic towers and views of lower Manhattan are impressive, but is the power of the ocean selfie worth it?
For the same exact view of Manhattan and the best view of the Brooklyn Bridge, take a stroll along the footpaths at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It never feels as crowded as the bridge itself, thanks to 85 acres of waterfront. After taking the obligatory photos, take a spin on Jane’s Carousel or go for ice cream at Ample Hills Creamery.
Thanks to its beautiful location in the former National Biscuit Company factory and its collection of favorite eateries, Chelsea Market has become the city’s restaurant hub. This fact is obvious to anyone who visits on the weekend: The hordes of tourists roaming around the building make it almost impossible to enjoy your street tacos from Los Tacos No. 1 or halva ice cream from Seed + Mill.
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Although as hungry patrons flock to Smorgasburg, the outdoor setting at least makes the crowd manageable. The beloved food festival also attracts as many people as tourists—a distinction that is particularly evident in its location in Prospect Park. The choice of vendors also cuts into long lines, although the best of the year—think 2013’s ramen burger or 2016’s rain—can lead to healthy lines.
We love the Orchid Show as much as the next person, but it can be difficult to appreciate the flora and fauna when you’re pushing your way through crowds of visitors. If you must get your flower fix, head to the Bronx on a weekday or stick to the edge of the 50-acre park to avoid the crowds.
Once a retirement home for sailors, Snug Harbor reinvented itself as an art center and botanical garden in the 1970s. Explore the farm’s nine unique gardens, including the bamboo forest and koi ponds of the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the magnificent wooden pavilions of Connie Gretz’s Secret Garden. Since it’s on the north side of Staten Island, you’ll encounter fewer tourists than you would in any other borough.
Known as the “community showplace,” the Radio House Music Center has hosted everything from Lady Gaga’s concerts to The Rockettes’ Christmas Massacre. The Art Deco decor is beautiful, sure, but the grand marquee is what most tourists come to see. Take a photo or two from the side of the road if you have to, but don’t spend your hard earned money on a show here just to check it off your list.
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You will be blown away by the architecture of the main plaza of the Lincoln Center: The spectacular fountain is framed on three sides by the beautiful glass facades of the Metropolitan Opera House, David Geffen Hall and the David H. Koch Theater. It’s definitely a beautiful scene. And, since it is home to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, the New York Philharmonic, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, you have a variety of shows to choose from.
Supporters staked out positions on the corner of Bedford Street and Grove Street. Why? They were trying to get the right angle for their photo in front of the apartment at 90 Bedford Street, which you might recognize as Monica and Rachel’s exterior. Not only can the meeting be annoying, but the visit is not worth it: you cannot enter the room,
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