The City of New York operates the Staten Island Ferry 24 hours a day, seven days a week for free. The ferry service was put into place to take people who live on Staten Island into New York City and carries 20 million people per year between St. George in Staten Island to Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan. The five-mile ride takes approximately 25 minutes, with passengers needing to disembark and report to the waiting area before making the return trip. The voyage provides ferry passengers with a view of the New York City skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Before July 4, 1997, passengers were charged a fare to ride the ferry. In Manhattan, passengers board at 1 South St. The St. George Terminal is at 1 Bay St.
Central Park is an 843-acre tract of land in Manhattan featuring something for just about everyone. The park stretches from 59th Street to 110th Street on the north end and Fifth Avenue in the east to Eighth Avenue in the west. The park is open each day from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. Some areas of the park require an admission fee. These include the zoo, winter ice skating and the carousel. Other areas, though, offer events for free. Visitors can borrow a Discovery Pack at the North Meadow Rec Center by showing their identification. The packs contain everything one needs for a day at the park including balls, hula hoops, flying discs and bats. Summertime visitors can also take advantage of free admission at Lasker Pool. Free tickets for the summer Shakespeare in the Park, presented as part of the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, are doled out in the free line at the Delacorte Theater prior to performances. Free performances from the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera can be seen during the summer. Entertainment is also free during the Harlem Meer Performance Festival. The park also hosts a weather station and two full-service restaurants. Extensively landscaped areas and playgrounds can also be found throughout the park.
Once doomed for destruction, Grand Central Station was rededicated Oct. 1, 1998, ending a bid to replace the depot with a skyscraper. Featuring 1913 decor, Grand Central Terminal, as it is properly called, hosts many public events from different types of exhibits to a holiday fair. Throughout the year, the station offers self-guided walking tours for free (see the Resources section for a link). There are also free and "suggested donation" walking tours available Wednesdays and Fridays, respectively, both at 12:30 p.m. Private tours are also available to fit a group schedule for a fee. Grand Central, in midtown Manhattan, is at the corner of Park Avenue and 42nd Street. Many restaurants and shops also call Grand Central home.
Less of a "square" and more of a "bowtie," Times Square is often called The Crossroads of the World. There is plenty to see in Times Square, and much of it is free. Visitors to the area between Broadway and Seventh Avenue between West 42nd and West 47th streets can get a feel for the city in this area where they will see vendors hawking anything from New York-themed souvenirs to hot dogs and other street fare. Shopping will cost tourists money, but browsing in the stores is free. Visitors can see interesting stores from Toys "R" Us, Hershey's to the MTV store. Street performers can also be found here. Bucket drummers, contortionists and magicians can all be found in Times Square. The Times Square Alliance often welcomes special events, including Broadway on Broadway, featuring free numbers from Broadway shows, and the famous New Year's Eve from Times Square.
There are many other things to do for free in New York City. Take in a taping of your favorite show. Many are filmed in New York City, and admission to them is generally free. If you plan to go, check the information on the specific show to determine whether tickets must be requested in advance. If the tickets are given away on a "first-come-first-served" basis, be prepared to wait in line. While in New York, also plan to visit some historic sights including Rockefeller Center, the New York Public Library and the United Nations headquarters. Check with museums to find out their admission prices. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, for example, has a "suggested" admission donation that most people pay. You are not required to do so, however. Other museums have free days or free hours where no admission fee is required or expected. There are also many free museums such as the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Forbes Magazine Gallery. To keep up to date on seasonal events or special events that are free, visit the New York State tourism website or NYCtourist.com (see Resources section).
