What comes to mind when you think of New York City? The Big Apple? The Statue of Liberty? EXPENSIVE??
No joke, going to the City that never stops can cost you a pretty penny.
Having said that, would you be surprised to learn that some of the best things to do won’t cost you anything? It’s true!!
Shout out to Brandon and Alyssa Peine for many of these ideas. They served missions in New York City and gave us some wonderful ideas that we used in our travels.
Visit The New York City Library.
Did you know that The New York City Library is the 2nd largest Library in the United States (only exceeded by the National Library of Congress) and is the 3rd largest library IN THE WORLD?!
Opened in 1911, this project was backed by funds from John Jacob Astor and Andrew Carnegie. 
There are several branches of this library, but the main one is nestled in Bryan Park.
You all, it’s a masterpiece. I don’t think any of my pictures can do it justice. From plan to opening day, it took 16 years to create.
What makes it a masterpiece? First off, there are books. Lots and lots of books. Old and new books. A bible printed off the Guttenburg press is on display!
Next, the architecture of the building itself is exquisite! The exterior is crafted from Vermont Marble. The style is not one I was familiar with. It’s known as the Beaux-Arts style.
In addition to the architecture, the chairs, tables, lamps and so on are all era appropriate.
Finally, the whole thing doubles as a big, free art museum. Paintings and sculptures abound!
This beauty is considered a National Historic Landmark, and for good reason. Walk inside and you will feel transported to the 19th and early 20th century. In some areas you will feel like you are in New York 110 years ago. In others, Europe, 2 centuries past!
Admittedly, I’m a big nerd when it comes to this sort of thing. And luckily my family is too. You could spend a little or a lot of time exploring this beauty with your family and it will cost you exactly ZERO dollars. Save that cash to ice skate in Bryan Park
Walk the High Line
Have you ever heard of the high line? I sure hadn’t prior to our trip.
What exactly is the High Line? Well, technically it’s a park managed by the city.
The park is built on an old freight rail line that is “elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.” (thanks “thehighline.org” for that description).
This is a fun wander. You will see gardens, art, views of Chelsea, walk across beautiful sundecks and so on. There is even a Highline app you can upload to enhance your experience.
John and I explored this on a nice winter day in early March. It was nothing short of magical. And 100% FREE. Go check it out. Take ½ a day and just wander.
The High Line is open 7-7 daily.
Eat lunch in Grand Central Terminal (AKA “Grand Central Station”)
While there’s no such thing as a free lunch, touring Grand Central Station will cost you nothing.
Grand Central Terminal’s roots date back to the 1800’s. 
What is it, you ask? Well, it’s a “commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown, Manhattan” (thanks Wikipedia).
Grand Central Terminal is just beautiful. Like the New York City Public Library, it’s style is “Beaux-Arts”. The engineers and architects who designed this wonder did an amazing job.
You probably won’t spend a lot of time here, so this is a good time to enjoy some reasonably-priced lunch offerings. There’s all sorts of food, from Classic American fare to Indian to be enjoyed in the most beautiful food court I’ve ever seen.
Explore Central Park
How many free things can you do in Central Park? Geez, I don’t even think I can count the ways! Let me give you a few ideas!
Are you a John Lennon fan? Check out the Imagine Mosaic at Strawberry Fields located across the street from where he lived.
Wander the Belvedere Castle. It’s really beautiful, fun and boasts a great view of the park and city scape!
Find Tavern on the Green and that cool Fountain from Friends. If you look, you will see lots of locations featured in famous movies.
Stroll the Mall.
Eat a picnic on Cherry Hill.
Play on one of the 21 playgrounds in the park.
It’s embarrassing how much bigger this list should be. There are gardens and sculptures and so much natural beauty to be found. Just go enjoy it.
Find out when famous museums have their free days and go!
Want to check out the Museum of Natural History, but don’t want to pay a high price tag? Check out their website and find out when their free days are!
True story: we had tickets that we paid for. We arrived and discovered that everyone else was getting into the museum FOR FREE. You really should check this information out before arriving in New York. It could have saved us A LOT of dinero!
To find out if the museum you are attending has free days, check out their website or call. It never hurts to ask!
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
This is on my bucket list. It was way too cold both times we have visited.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges and was built in 1883.
I hear that the best time to walk it is morning before the crowds get heavy. Walk across and grab a bagel for breakfast!
Traveled to New York? What have you found to do for free with your family? Comment below!