FREE (Non-Food) related things to do in New York

I wanna be like you…
So when we went to New York, I had a huge list (I mean HUGE list) of things to eat. We managed every single one of them except the Ramen Burger – partly because we ran out of time, ate far too many burgers (4 in two weeks is a lot apparently) and friends who had tried it said it was just an over-rated mess. I’m still gutted we didn’t go, but it means we have to go again! And in case you were wondering, we did actually get a few things done that weren’t food-related. Check this stuff out:
Walk The Brooklyn Bridge
It was cold but sunny when we wandered across the Brooklyn Bridge. It was so lovely – snow still covered the sides of the walkway and the views were immense. You can cycle, roller-blade, skateboard, or even just slowly wander across and there’s a great ice cream on the Brooklyn side too. Really cool and FREE thing to do that’s a little bit different to a normal pricey day out in the Big Apple.

Superbowl
If you are lucky enough to be here for Superbowl, get to a sports bar and find a team to support. Our timing was amazing – and the sports bar was fun.
Ground Zero
Pretty crazy to think that two towers used to stand in the area. We wrote more about it here.
Karaoke
Not technically free, but had to put it on the list as it was super cheap. We met up with a load of people we had met in Japan at DUET 35 and all descended into a karaoke booth for singing the evening away. Good price, good drinks and lovely place.
Walk the High Line
This used to be a rail track until 1980 and it’s now been made into a lovely elevated walkway covered in green and with amazing views. I can imagine it being absolutely rammed in the summer months, but in winter it was a calm and quiet place to wander for an afternoon.

Macy’s
You could probably hang out in Macy’s all day long – it’s the world’s largest store!! It’s huge and famous and even has THREE Starbucks inside (they have Matcha Frappachino!). The old wooden escalators are famous and it’s a lovely place to hang out if you’re cold or it’s raining outside.

Times Square
It’s a must-see when you are in New York. I didn’t know whether to even put it on the list, as everyone would go and see the bright sparkling lights, but it’s free after all. The New Year’s Ball is the most disappointing thing I saw in America. It’s absolutely TINY – no idea why they made such a big deal out of it. In the middle of the square there is a Toys ‘R’ Us – it was amazing. They have a ride inside, roaring dinosaurs and some of the coolest stuffed toys ever and all your favourite cartoon friends waiting to get their photo taken with you!


Eat a Big Apple
I know the title says ‘not food’, but you guys know me by now. My life revolves around food and this just has to be done – I always find an apple to eat when I’m in NY – it’s silly but fun and it’s probably the only bit of fruit we ate during the whole trip haha!