If you’re a seasoned New York City visitor, or you simply just would rather do something other than seeing the Empire State Building and Times Square, I’ve put together this list of unusual things to do in NYC.
Instead of just going to Grand Central Terminal, why not have a drink in the terminal’s historic bar? And what about venturing further north to Upper Manhattan and the Bronx? I’ve got this covered and more.
Here’s my list of unusual things to do in NYC organized by neighborhood:
Contents
- Unusual Things to Do in Manhattan
- Unusual Things to Do in The Bronx
- Unusual Things to Do in Queens
- Unusual Things to Do in Brooklyn
- Unusual Things to Do in Staten Island
Unusual Things to Do in Manhattan
Upper East Side / Yorkville
1. Gracie Mansion
Gracie Mansion has been the official residence of the mayors of New York City and their families since 1942 with a history dating back to 1799. The home is in Carl Schurz Park along the East River. Tours of the home led by a volunteer are free on select days and times of the week and must be booked in advance.
Read More: How to Visit and What to Expect at Gracie Mansion
2. Albertine Books
There’s the Strand Bookstore (the largest and one of the most visited in NYC with over 18 miles of books), but there’s also Albertine. This French bookstore is located inside the Payne Whitney mansion in the Upper East Side. The building houses the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States, who runs the bookstore. Even if you can’t read books in French, the store is worth a visit to see busts of French figures and a hand-painted mural of constellations on the second floor.
Read More: A Bibliophile’s Guide to the Best Bookstores in NYC
3. Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle
The Carlyle is a luxury hotel on the Upper East Side that’s also home to a few dining options including Bemelmans Bar, named in honor of Ludwig Bemelmans who created the Madline children’s books. He painted large murals in the bar and it’s the only surviving work by him that’s open to the public. You can enjoy the murals over a drink from the bar and nightly entertainment. The hotel has also offered a Madeline themed afternoon tea suitable for all ages.
4. The New York Society Library
The New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue is a must see for it’s impressive architecture and beautiful Rose Reading Room. But, there’s also The New York Society Library founded in 1754 and New York CIty’s oldest library. You must be a member to visit the library and check out books, see the interior of the building and use the reading and study spaces. However, the library offers day passes for $20 so you can use the building for one day.
Flatiron District / Gramercy
5. Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
See the birthplace and childhood home of the first President to be born in New York City, Theodore Roosevelt. Entrance is free and rooms can only be seen while on a guided tour (which is also free) based on first come, first served basis. Or can be made in person on the day of the tour.
6. Gramercy Park
Gramercy Park is one of only two private parks in New York City (the other is in Queens.) You can see through the gate at the well kept plants and walkway, but you won’t be able to go in. That is, unless you’re a resident of surrounding buildings in the Gramercy Park neighborhood, or if you become a temporary resident and stay at Gramercy Park Hotel, where according to the hotel’s website, guests are allowed access into the park.
Financial District / Tribeca
7. Pier 54
New York City plays a part in the history of the Titanic since the passenger liner that infamously sunk, was on its way to New York City from Southampton, England. Along the Hudson River are piers filled with outdoor activities, except for the Cunard White Star Pier or Pier 54, which was where survivors of the Titanic disembarked. There’s not much to see here but there are plans for it to become a public park called Little Island, set to open in 2021.
8. African Burial Ground
In 1991, an office tower was being built and during archaeological research of the area, 15,000 skeletal remains of free and enslaved Africans who lived in colonial New York were found, making this site the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in North America for free and enslaved Africans. The visitor center, which has exhibits and the memorial at African Burial Ground are free to visit.
9. Elevated Acre Park
Elevated Acre is a small one acre park overlooking the East River to Brooklyn. Access this quiet spot hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the city through escalators. The park was built on top of a parking facility and is somewhere to stop by if you happen to be in the area and are worn out and need a break from exploring the sites of the Financial District.
10. Walk the Length of Broadway (Manhattan)
Broadway isn’t just the name of a type of musical show or the theatre district of New York City or even a road in Manhattan. The road actually stretches all the way from the Financial District around Bowling Green in the south to the Bronx in the north and further north outside of the city into Westchester County. Truly walking the entire length will take many, many hours (some parts in the north aren’t really pedestrian friendly) so choose to walk part of the length of Broadway in Manhattan to see some iconic sites, including the Flatiron Building, Soho and Times Square.
11. City Hall Station
City Hall station was the first subway station in New York City opened in 1904. The track is still being used as a turnaround for the 6 train but no one has gotten off the train to the station since it closed in 1945. But there are still ways you can go underground and step back in time to see the architecture like the first subway riders did over a hundred years ago. You could try staying on the 6 train after the MTA has told everyone to leave and catch a glimpse of the station… or you can try to book a tour with the New York Transit Museum who offers $50 per person tours, which are held throughout the year but they only release tickets three times a year. Tickets sell out fast.
Read More: The Ultimate NYC Subway Guide for Tourists – Tips from a Local
12. Gold Vault at the Federal Reserve Bank
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York stores over 6,000 tons of gold in their gold vault built in the early 1920s. You can see this vault and learn more about the Federal Reserve on a free museum and gold vault tour. You must make a reservation in advance and tickets are available only 30 days in advance at 9 am ET and usually fill up fast.
13. Trinity Place Restaurant & Bar
Speaking of vaults, you can eat and have a drink at a vault at Trinity Place. The vault was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie, with each door weighing 35 tons. It was restored in 2006 into a restaurant where you can have lunch, dinner, brunch or drinks.
14. Governor’s Island
From May 1 to October 31, the ferry to Governor’s Island operates between Manhattan and the island and from Brooklyn to the island on weekends. (Check the full schedule here.) Governor’s Island is just 800 yards away from Lower Manhattan, which means you get great views of Manhattan, plus at The Hills public park, you can not only see the Statue of Liberty but can slide down a 57 feet long slide, the longest slide in NYC.
Read More: A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Lower Manhattan
Central Park
15. Conservatory Garden
Located on the east side of Central Park, around 105th Street, is a 6-acre formal garden. It’s a garden within the park that’s home to the Vanderbilt Gate, which was made in France and was part of the residence of Cornelius Vanderbilt II on Fifth Avenue. It’s also home to several fountains, including Burnett Fountain, commemorating Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author of The Secret Garden and the Untermyer Fountain, featuring a bronze cast of Walter Schott’s Three Dancing Maidens.
16. The Met Roof Garden Bar
On the fifth floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a rooftop bar. This bar opens seasonally from mid April to October overlooks Central Park and the surrounding skyline. Every season there’s a new exhibition on the rooftop so you can enjoy a drink, the NYC view and artwork.
17. Shakespeare in the Park
Watch a performance of a Shakespeare play every summer for free in Central Park. For more than 60 years, the Public Theater has been putting on a free series of shows called Shakespeare in the Park at Delacorte Theater in Central Park around 81st Street. You can try to reserve a seat by giving a gift of support.
Midtown Manhattan
18. Macy’s Wooden Escalators
Macy’s isn’t just a department store or an anchor store in most malls around the United States. It’s also a landmark location in New York City located in Herald Square. The store was originally founded in 1851 and moved to its current location in 1902. It was the first store in America to have wooden escalators, which you can still see the original ones today in the store. To learn even more about the history of Macy’s, take a guided tour for $12 per person.
19. The Campbell at Grand Central Terminal
While you’ll mostly see busy locals running around Grand Central Terminal to catch a train, the building isn’t just home to a terminal, or even to the shops, restaurants and marketplace. There’s also The Campbell, once the private office of Jazz Age financier John W. Campbell, and now a bar furnished with a stone fireplace, a leaded glass window and all under a hand painted ceiling.
20. Roosevelt Island Tram
Whether you want to actually visit Roosevelt Island or not, the Roosevelt Island Tram is one way to get a view of the city by paying with a swipe of your MetroCard, $2.75 each way. It runs frequently, every seven to 15 minutes.
21. Roosevelt Island Hospitals
If you’ve taken the Roosevelt Island Tram and have found yourself in Roosevelt Island, what is there to do? Walk along The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park on the southern tip of the island. It’s a State Park and memorial to the former President and where you can enjoy views of Manhattan. Also, in 1828, the island was purchased by the City of New York for prisons and hospitals. So today, you can see the ruins of the Smallpox Hospital, which was abandoned in the 1950s.
Chinatown / Nolita
22. Mmuseumm
Mmuseumm is a unique museum. It’s a very tiny one too that first opened in a former elevator shaft. There is a $5 suggested donation for admission to see the objects that tell a story about the modern world through Object Journalism.
23. Catacomb Tour at Basilica of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral
Visit New York City’s first cathedral, The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, built over 200 years ago. Apart from seeing the beautiful stained glass windows and interior, you can book a candlelight tour to go beneath the cathedral to the catacombs. This is just one of very few catacombs in the country and the only one in Manhattan. This is the final resting place of important figures in history, including members of the Delmonico family, creator of the iconic Delmonico’s Restaurant in the Financial District.
East Village / Lower East Side
24. Afternoon Tea in a Speakeasy
New York City has several places to have afternoon tea. But instead of the traditional places like The Plaza Hotel or other luxury hotels, try afternoon tea at Janam Tea. The Burgery on the Lower East Side is not just a place to have a burger and shake, it’s also home to a speakeasy, Garfunkel’s on the second floor of the burger restaurant closed off by a bank vault door. In the afternoons, you can afternoon tea here hosted by Janam Tea.
25. The Pickle Guys
The Pickle Guys on the Lower East Side is a pickle store. There have historically been pickle stores on Essex Street on the Lower East Side, and today this is the only pickle store on Essex Street. They don’t just have an assortment of pickles. There’s also olives, pickled fruit (try pickled pineapple!), peppers and other vegetables all in huge buckets in the store.
26. New York Marble Cemetery
The New York Marble Cemetery is a cemetery in the middle of Manhattan started in 1831. The cemetery opens once a month from April to October for visitors. You can still purchase a family-sized vault for $350,000 each.
Upper West Side / Upper Manhattan
27. Pomander Walk
One of many picturesque streets in New York City is Pomander Walk. The street runs between 94th and 95th Street and between Broadway and West End Ave and runs through Tudor style homes and colorful facades now belonging to apartments.
28. The Met Cloisters
Did you know your admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue also gives you access to two other museums by the Met? The Met Cloisters in Washington Heights specializes in Medieval art and architecture. Venture up to Upper Manhattan and explore the building and surrounding park.
29. Fried Chicken and Waffles in Harlem
Harlem is home to a few soul food restaurants, including Sylvia’s, a restaurant founded in 1962 by the Queen of Soul Food, Sylvia Woods. They’re known for their gospel brunch on Sundays for music and mimosas and also to try their fried chicken and waffles.
30. The Morris-Jumel Mansion
The Morris-Jumel Mansion is the oldest house in Manhattan. The house was built in 1765 as a summer house for Colonel Roger Morris and his family. They left during the American Revolutionary War so in 1776, it became the headquarters for General George Washington and Patriot officers. Today, you can go on a self guided or guided tour for $12 and see how life was like in New York City from 1765 to 1865.
31. Hamilton Grange
Hamilton Grange is a federal style country home completed in 1802 and the name of Alexander Hamilton’s house. You can visit the house for free and see the historically furnished rooms located in St. Nicholas Park. You can also do more Hamilton inspired activities in New York City by seeing the Broadway show, Hamilton and also seeing his final resting place at Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan.
Venturing up to Upper Manhattan is usually already unusual, but what about venturing even to other boroughs? You’ll find some nice surprises
Unusual Things to Do in The Bronx
33. Valentine-Varian House
Visit the Bronx’s second oldest house, Valentine-Varian House built by Isaac Valentine, a blacksmith and farmer in 1758. They left during the American Revolutionary War as the home was occupied by troops. In 1965, the house was donated to The Bronx County Historical Society in 1965 and is the home of the Museum of Bronx History. Admission is $5.
34. City Island
Take a trip out to City Island. Admire Victorian style homes and eat seafood at one of many seafood restaurants on the island. Have a casual meal at the southernmost tip of the island at Johnny’s Reef for quality food that’s been in business for over 60 years. Enjoy fried scallops, oysters, squids, snapper, clam and more outside by the water.
35. Ferry Point Golfing
Play a round of golf at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point. This Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course was the first golf course built in New York City since 1964. The course offers views of the Manhattan skyline and East River. You can spot the Empire State Building and Freedom Tower also while having a meal at the course’s restaurant The Waterfront.
36. Poe Park
American author Edgar Allan Poe lived in the Bronx. He rented a cottage from 1846 to 1849 on Kingsbridge Road but moved to its current location just 450 feet away in what is now called Poe Park in 1913. He wrote Annabel Lee and Eureka while living in the cottage. For fans of Poe, you can also see a portrait of him at The Bar Room at the Beekman Hotel in the Financial District.
Unusual Things to Do in Queens
37. Gantry Plaza State Park
Gantry Plaza State Park is a park in Long Island City along the East River. Across 12 acres, there’s paths to walk and run, views of Midtown Manhattan with a clear view of the United Nations and an iconic Pepsi-Cola sign due to the site being a former bottling plant for Pepsi (its been designated a New York City landmark.)
38. Long Island City Breweries
Long Island City is just across from Manhattan over the East River and home to several breweries like ICONYC Brewing Co., Big aLICe Brewing and Fifth Hammer Brewing Co. who make their beer in the same building as their bar with an industrial feel. Their taproom is in an old metalworking factory.
39. Chinese Food in Flushing
You can find good food in Chinatown in Manhattan, but you can also venture out to Flushing for even more variety and authentic Chinese food. This is the place to find no frills, m hole in the wall type eateries and dim sum restaurants.
40. Louis Armstrong House Museum
Located in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, the Louis Armstrong House Museum was the home of trumpeter, musician, performer, and figure of jazz music, Louis Armstrong in 1943. You can tour the home that remains much like how he and his wife Lucille lived in the last few years of their lives. You’ll also be able to access exhibits and a garden
40. Forest Hills
Forest Hills is a residential area of Queens where the first US Open was played. Today, there is still a members only tennis club and Forest Hills Stadium, which opened in 1923 and in the 1960s, was where The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and many more musicians performed. Today, the stadium puts on concerts every summer. The neighborhood has also served as a filming location for movies and TV shows, recently The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and is also home to many Tudor style homes.
Unusual Things to Do in Brooklyn
42. Brooklyn Heights
Upon entering Brooklyn through the Brooklyn Bridge, you’ve arrived in Brooklyn Heights. The New York Transit Museum and Brooklyn Historical Society are located here along with several brownstone residences. Spend some time exploring the streets and walk along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and see views of the East River and Lower Manhattan.
43. Cafe Hopping in Greenpoint
Greenpoint is a neighborhood in the northernmost part of Brooklyn bordering Queens. It’s also where you can find lots of cafes to go cafe hopping. You can visit Cafe Alula for Lebanese-inspired food and coffee to be enjoyed in the cafe’s backyard. Also, Bakeri nearby is one of the most Instagrammable places in the neighborhood with a colorful vegetable and plants design and black and white tiled floors.
Read More: 15 Most Instagrammable Cafes in NYC
44. Rainbow Bagels
One of the must eat items while in New York City is a bagel. There are several original bagels you can try, but why not try something a little different, and more colorful. A bagel shop in Park Slope has added a colorful twist to an original bagel. The Bagel Store is the original creator of the rainbow bagel that you can enjoy and even with funfetti cream cheese.
Unusual Things to Do in Staten Island
45. Historic Richmond
Step back in time and discover 300 years of Staten Island history at Historic Richmond, made up of 30 historic structures. This collection of preserved buildings is located on the site that was the center of government for the borough of Staten Island. The complex is also home to Decker Farm, New York City’s oldest continuously working family style farm.
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