nyccheaptravel.com

Category: Sights

  • Free Tours of NYC City Hall

    Tour New York City’s City Hall Building

    City Hall Staircase. Photo by Joe David (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
    Free tours of NYC’s historic City Hall building are available on Wednesdays at noon. The tours are limited to 20 people and are offered on a first-come-first-served basis.

    Tour sign-up is at the NYC Tourism Kiosk at the southern end of City Hall Park (at the intersection of Broadway and Barclay Street). You can sign-up on the day of the tour, from 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m..

    The tour days change occaisionally, so please check the tours page on the City Hall website to confirm dates and sign-up procedure

    New York City’s City Hall is one of the oldest continuously operating city halls in the United States. The building was constructed from 1803 to 1812 and is considered one of the most beautiful public buildings of the time.

    During the tour, you’ll see the beautiful rotunda, City Council Chamber, Governor’s Room, and City Hall Portrait Collection. Tours last about an hour.

     

    NYC City Hall Building Location

    The City Hall Building is located in the center of City Hall Park in lower Manhattan. The park occupies the area southeast of the intersection of Broadway and Chambers (map).

     

    Tourist In Your Own Town #26 – New York City Hall from New York Landmarks Conservancy on Vimeo.

     

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  • Bryant Park Audio Tour – Free

    By Jean-Christophe BENOIST (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

    Bryant Park Audio Tour

    Learn about one of NYC’s busiest and most popular parks with the Bryant Park audio tour. Download the free tour through iTunes for play on a portable device (or you can listen to it at home on your desktop).

    The audio tour is narrated by Mathew Broderick and provides lots of information about the park in a fun, entertaining format.

    The tour is really meant to be listened to while you’re in the park, but it makes good before hand preparation for a trip to the park too. It gives you a good idea of the things you’ll see there and really sets the atmosphere of the place.

    Visit the Bryant Park website for your copy of the audio tour.

     

    About Bryant Park

    Bryant Park is a midtown Manhattan park located adjacent to the New York Public Library’s main branch building (see the location on Google Maps).

    The park is part of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, but is privately funded and managed by the not-for-profit Bryant Park Corporation, which took over restoration and management of the park in the 1980s.

    Bryant Park is a very popular gathering place for residents and visitors. A large lawn provides a green oasis in the middle of midtown Manhattan. There are lots of places to sit and relax, an outdoor reading room with books, newspapers, and periodicals, several places to eat, a putting green, chess, backgammon, and other games.

    Visit the Bryant Park website for details about the park and scheduled activities and events.

     

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  • Free Admission at Queens Botanical Garden

    Free Days at Queens Botanical Garden

    Admission to the garden is free during the winter months (November through March).

    From April – October free admission is available on Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

    Admission is free for active military and up to five family members.

    Regular admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (62+), $4 for students with ID, and $2 for children ages 4 – 12. Children under the age of 3 are admitted free.

    Please visit the Queens Botanical Garden website for hours of operation and admission fee details.

     

    About the Garden

    The Queens Botanical Garden has a history tied to New York’s Worlds Fairs. The garden was originally created part of the 1939 New York World’s Fair. After that fair closed, the garden was enlarged to include a portion of Flushing Meadows Park. Then when the 1964 World’s Fair came to Flushing Meadows, the garden was moved across the street. Today’s garden is 39 acres in size and includes themed gardens, a bee garden, butterfly garden, fragrance walk, arboretum, rose garden, pinetum, and more.

    The garden is located in Flushing, Queens. Nearby attractions include Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the Queens Museum, and the New York Hall of Science. The garden website has directions on how to get there by bus, subway/train, or car.

     

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  • Visit the Metropolitan Opera

    Metropolitan Opera House Free Public Access

    The main public areas of the Metropolitan Opera House are now open free-of-charge to the public on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..

    Visitors can walk up the grand staircase and see the famous starburst crystal chandeliers. There’s also a 50th anniversary exhibit in the lower lobby that features photos from the opera house’s construction, and footage from the opening 1966-67 opening season.

    There are rehearsals on the stage most days, so the main hall isn’t open to the public, but there is a large video monitor screen on which you can view what’s happening on the stage.

    Because of final dress rehearsals and other events, there will be no open public access on the following days: October 14, 25, 27, 28; November 1, 4, 10, 24, 28; December 2, 9, 16, 28, 29, 30;;January 6, 16, 30; February 2, 7, 13, 21; March 3, 13, 17, 19*, 27; April 10, 13, 21, 28.

    The Metropolitan Opera House is located in the Lincoln Center complex, at Columbus Avenue, between West 62nd and West 65th Streets. Map.

    These daily open houses are something new for the 2016/2017 Metropolitan Opera season. No word yet on if this will be continued in future years.

    Please visit the Metropolitan Opera website for details.

     

    Discount Tickets to the Metropolitan Opera

    If you’d like to attend a performance of the Metropolitan Opera, there are several discount options available.

    Rush Tickets: A limited number of $25 same-day rush tickets are sold online daily. The rush tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis and go on sale at noon for Monday – Friday performances, at 2:00 for Saturday evening performances, and four hours before curtain for matinees. Purchase is limited to one pair of rush tickets per person. Details.

    Discount Tickets: We have a list of discounted opera tickets available for purchase through Groupon and Goldstar.

    Ticket Office: For regular-priced tickets, visit the Metropolitan Opera website or visit the Met box office in person in the lobby of the Opera House. .

     

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  • Free “Union Square: Crossroads of New York” Tour

    Free Union Square Walking Tour

    Union Square
    By chensiyuan (chensiyuan) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons
    A free walking tour of the Union Square neighborhood is available each Saturday (except holidays), year-round. The tours start at 2:00 p.m. and lasts an hour and a half.

    On the tour, you’ll learn about the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood and the people, events, and architecture that have influenced the community.

    The tour is presented by the Union Square Partnership in cooperation with Big Onion Tours.

     

    Union Square Park and Neighborhood

    Union Square is located where Broadway and 4th Avenues converge at 14th Street. Union Square Park is a busy public space where you’ll find a collection of statues, a green market (Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays), busking musicians and performers, street vendors, chess players, and lots of visitors and residents enjoying the park. The surrounding area includes bookstores (The Strand and Barnes and Noble), shops, restaurants, live music venues (Webster Hall, Irving Plaza), and more.

     

    Tour Details

    The tour takes place each Saturday (except holidays)  Start time is 2:00 p.m. and tours last an hour and a half. Meet at the Lincoln Statue located on the 16th Street traverse through Union Square. Look for a guide holding a “Union Square: Crossroads of New York sign”. The tour is free and no reservations are required.

    Visit the Union Square Partnership website for details.

     

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  • Free Tour of Federal Reserve Bank & Gold Vault

    Federal Reserve Bank Tours

     

    Copyright: dariohayashi / 123RF Stock Photo

    Taking a tour of a bank might not sound all that exciting, but this isn’t just any bank, this is the Federal Reserve of New York, the largest in the United States’ system of Federal Reserve Banks, and the place where a giant vault stores one of the largest depositories of gold in the world.

    The Federal Reserve offers free guided tours, during which you’ll see the gold vault and learn about what it is the Federal Reserve does.

    Unfortunately, there are no photos allowed within the Federal Reserve, so if you have your heart set on taking a selfie with a gold bar, you’re out of luck.

    See what past visitors have to say about the tour on TripAdvisor.

     

    Federal Reserve Bank Tour Reservations

     

    You have to make advance reservations for the Federal Reserve Bank tours. You can register for a tour online at the Federal Reserve website. Click on the “Tour Experience” section of the Museum & Gold Vault Tour page to get to the reservations section. Space is limited to 25 guests for each tour. The reservation spots fill up fast, so plan on visiting the Federal Reserve website when the tickets are released for reservations, which is at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time 30 days before the tour.

    Tours last one hour and are held Monday through Friday at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.  No tours on bank holidays.

    As you can imagine, there’s a security check before the tour, so plan on arriving early to allow time to get through screening. Visit the Federal Reserve Bank website for details regarding tour procedure and requirements.

     

    Federal Reserve Bank Location

     

    The Federal Reserve Bank address is 44 Maiden Lane. It’s located in Lower Manhattan, between Nassau and William Street.

     

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  • Free Saturday and Sunday Brooklyn Brewery Tours

    Have you ever toured a brewery? Well, here’s your chance. The Brooklyn Brewery offers free tours of their facilities on Saturdays and Sundays. They offer tours other days of the week too, but there’s a charge for those.

    The weekend tours start at noon on Saturday and depart every half hour from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and start at noon on Sunday and run every half hour from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can pick up a tour ticket at the brewery’s Company Store beginning an hour before the tour’s start time. The tours are limited to 40 people and are first-come-first-served. The brewery’s website provides the details on how all of this works.

    You can try the beer, but that’s not free. Beer tokens are $5 each or 5 for $20.

    Please visit the Brooklyn Brewery website to confirm details before heading out to the brewery.

    The Brooklyn Brewery is located at 79 North 11th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue. Directions.

    While you’re in Brooklyn, check out all the shops and eateries in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood.  If you go on a Saturday, Smorgasburg is nearby.

     

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  • Free Walking Tours of Grand Central Neighborhood

    Free Walking Tour of Grand Central Neighborhood

     

    Every Friday, year round, the Grand Central Partnership offers a free walking tour of the Grand Central neighborhood.

    Knowledgeable tour guides lead a 90 minute tour of the neighborhood that includes the Terminal and other neighborhood buildings. The focus is on history and architecture.

    Grand Central Terminal Exterior
    (Copyright: dibrova / 123RF Stock Photo)

    Landmarks included on the tour include Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, the News Building, and more. See reviews of the tour at TripAdvisor.

    The tours take place every Friday, starting at 12:20pm. The tours are free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required. Meet in the atrium of 120 Park Avenue, directly across from Grand Central Terminal, at the southwest corner of East 42nd Street and Park Avenue. See tour information at the Grand Central Partnership website.

     

    Touring Grand Central Terminal

     

    The Grand Central Partnership’s walking tour does not include an interior tour of Grand Central Terminal. You can take a look around Grand Central on your own or with one of the tour options below.

    Grand Station Terminal Interior

    Grand Central Terminal Audio Tour – A self-guided audio tour of the Terminal building is available seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The fee for the audio tour is $9 ($7 for seniors, military, students, and kids). Note: The audio tour is available through Groupon at a discounted price of $5 per person.

    To take the tour, you’ll get your audio device and headset from the Grand Central Terminal Tour window in the main concourse, near customer service. It’ll take 45 minutes to an hour to go through the tour. The audio device and headset need to be returned to the Grand Central Terminal tours window before they close for the day at 6:00 p.m.

    Grand Central Terminal Guided Tour – The official guided tour of Grand Central Terminal is the Municipal Arts Society of New York’s 75-minute docent-led tour. The tour highlights the history, architecture, and operation of Grand Central. The guided tour is offered daily as 12:30 and the fee is $25 ($20 for seniors, military, students, and children under 10). Details.

     

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  • Free Guided Walking Tours of Central Park

    Free Tours Offered by the Central Park Conservancy

     

    central-park-from-aboveThe Central Park Conservancy regularly offers free guided walking tours of Central Park. No pre-registration is required for the free tours, just show up in the specified meet-up location at the specified start time.

    The Central Park Conservancy is the organization responsible for keeping Central Park the beautiful place to visit that it is today. They’re a not-for-profit organization that has contracted with New York City since the 1980s to manage the park. That’s a big job, because Central Park in huge, as in 843 acres huge!

    Because the park is so large, it’s fairly easy to get yourself turned around and a little lost without a guide. The folks with Central Park Conservancy probably know the park better than anyone else, making them a great choice for guided tours. Conservancy tour guides give both free and paid tours. To see the full list of tours available, please visit the Central Park Conservancy website.

     

    Free Central Park Tours

     

    The Southern Welcome Tour – An introductory tour of the southern portion of the park including Grand Army Plaza, the Chess and Checkers House, Wollman Rink, Gapstow Bridge, The Pond, and the Dairy Visitor Center.

    Mid-Park Welcome Tour – An introductory tour of the middle portion of the park including the Lake, Belvadere Castle, the Ramble, Oak Bridge at Bank Rock Bay, and Balcony Bridge.

    Northern Welcome Tour –  An Introductory tour of the northern portion of the park including Harlem Meer, the Conservatory Garden, and the North Woods.

    Secrets of the Southwest Park – Explore and learn little-known facts about one of the most-visited sections of the park. Highlights include the Maine Monument, the Children’s District, Sheep Meadow, Tavern on the Green, and Strawberry Fields.

    Heart of the Park Tour – This tour through the middle of the park includes Bethesda Fountain, Cherry Hill, The Lake, Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, Conservatory Water, Loeb Boathouse, and Strawberry Fields.

    Visit the tours section of the Central Park Conservancy’s website for a current list of available tours.

    The free tours last 60 to 90 minutes and start at various meeting places throughout the park. Check the individual tour descriptions and schedule for tour length and meeting places.

    Tours take place rain or shine, except in extreme weather conditions (heavy rain, sustained winds of 30 mph or more, heavy snowstorms, wind chill below 25 degrees F, or heat index above 95 degrees F.  Cancellations will be noted on the online calendar at the Conservancy’s website, so if the weather seems iffy, check there.

     

    Free Self-Guided Tours

     

    If you’d rather explore on your own, the Conservancy has a nice selection of self-guided walking tours available for free download in PDF format. Tours available for download include a North End Tour, Mid-Park Tour, South End Tour, and Woodland Tour, plus a Monthly Mile Tour that covers a different mile-long walk in the park each month, and a series of Tree Walks that help you learn about the many types of trees in Central Park while you explore the Great Lawn, the Bethesda Terrace area, 59th Street, the East Meadow, or the Upper West Side. Download self-guided walking tours of Central Park here.

    The Free Official Central Park App is also useful for self-guided explorations. The GPS-enabled app provides an interactive map that will show you where you are located with in the park and what is nearby. The app also includes the Celebrity Audio Guide.

    There’s also a free audio guide that provides celebrity commentary of some of the park’s most famous locations. You can access the audio guide with the Official Central Park App or via a special phone number. Lean more about the audio guide here.

     

    Paid Tours

     

    The Central Park Conservancy pays for 75% of the park’s annual operating budget plus all maintenance and capital improvement costs, so if you enjoy Central Park and want to help support its continued maintenance, you might consider taking one of the paid tours or becoming a Central Park Conservancy member.

    Paid tours provide in-depth explorations of specific areas of the park or about specific topics. See a full list of available tours here.

     

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  • Free NY Museum Admissions with Bank of America Card

    Thanks to the Bank of America’s “Museums on Us” program, your Bank of America card or Merrill Lynch card can score you free admission the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, American Museum of Natural History, Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, and several other NYC museums on the first full weekend of each month (Saturday & Sunday).

    To get your free admission, you’ll need to present your Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card and a photo ID. Free admission is limited to the cardholder and excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows, and fundraising events.

    2017 participating NYC museums include the American Museum of Natural History, Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Met Cloisters, The Met Breuer, the Museum of Arts and Design, Museum of the Moving Image, and Brooklyn Historical Society, and Staten Island Zoo.

    The list of participating museums changes annually, so please visit the Bank of American website to confirm the current list of participating museums.

    See details of the Bank of America “Museums on Us” program.

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art always operates on a suggested admission policy. The suggest admission is $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $12 for students. You can pay less if you wish.

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