The NYC Traveler in NYC: 5 Places We Like in NYC
- Nov 9, 2025
- 6 min read
The NYC Traveler in NYC:
The phrase "staycation" got a whole new meaning during the 2020 pandemic. Being confined to our homes for the first couple of weeks created artists, cooks and dancers for social media. But the beginning of the pandemic was March and in New York, we were on the verge of spring. Staying home, especially if you lived in an apartment was not very ideal. So, although our then mayor and governor were notoriously feuding, they agreed on one thing: how to get us out of the house safely and to enjoy the city. It was time to "travel" in our own city, have an NYC staycation.
At this point, if a New Yorker did not know how to have fun in our own city, we were about to find out. Places we did not existed popped up all of a sudden on our social media feeds, trending with hashtags. And people got there with imagination, since many people did not want to take public transportation: bicycling, e-bikes, roller anything (skates, blades, boards), walking.
Since the name of this blog is the NYC Traveler, you may be curious about what the NYC Traveler does when I'm in NYC, my hometown. Below you will find some my picks for visiting New York City (and some of the surrounding areas). If you are a NYC metropolitan area resident, you might find some areas to visit for the first time or worth a re-visit.
But, if you are a New York City resident and you don't get a chance to play the tourist, now is a good time to start.
Hang Out in NYC Like a Local: (5 Tourist Spots We Visit)
PS: They're good for kids, romantic dates, solo travelers and family friendly adventures.
1. The Museums: New Yorkers can either belong to museums as members or have free/discounted access with a NYC ID. Having a membership allows great flexibility, you don't have to feel rushed to see everything in one visit and you can attend special members only events. Take advantage of musical events, workshops, lectures and other events. It's like having a community center. It's hard to pick just one favorite museum but check out the MoMA or the Met for one of your 5 places we like in NYC. Also, many museums have free days. Look on the websites for details. Hint: possibly the Brooklyn Museum!
New York City residents: at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there is a pay what you want policy. Check out the details on the museum's website, bring your ID and enjoy the art for what you can pay. Over at the Museum of Modern Art, save the first Friday of every month.
2. The Highline: This was the recipe - take an old elevated train track, make use of the spaces underneath with great restaurants, add the Whitney Museum at one end and the number 7 train hub (West 34th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues) at the other, mix well and you have a nice way to spend an afternoon (in most weather) just to add to 5 places we like in NYC. You can walk the entire 1.45 miles or you can enter and leave at points along the way. There are elevators at some entry points. It's a walking park, no bicycles or scooters. If you start or end at the 34th Street portion, you can spend some time at Hudson Yards. There's always something happening: a small exhibit in the mall, free activities outside during the spring, summer and autumn seasons, or see the mall all lit up (literally) for the holiday season.
3. The Parks: Tourists head to Central Park but locals hang out in their neighborhood parks. Check out the larger parks in the other boroughs: Journey to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx; Cunningham Park, Alley Pond Park, Kissena Park or Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens; Prospect Park or Carnarsie Pier in Brooklyn (as well as the entire Coney Island area) and Latourette Park in Staten Island. Golf, swim, bicycle or just sit out under a tree. Other parks include Clove Lakes Park (Staten Island), Kissena Park (Queens), and Shirley Temple State Park (fee may be required for cars) in Brooklyn. Each park has a website that will list activities that are usually free or very low cost.
Do you really want to find a place that makes you feel like you're not in New York? Fort Tyron Park and Highbridge Park will let you getaway for a while.
The parks are most likely run either by the City of New York or the State of New York. These are public parks and are usually free to enter when coming in on foot. Follow all of the rules for bicycles, roller skates or blades and skateboards. There will be signs regarding motorized recreational fun: e-bikes, scooters, etc.
If you are entering a state park by car, there may be a parking fee, depending on the time of year. Make sure everyone in the car has their seat belt on and any children are in car seats, if they are the appropriate age and size. Police have a habit of doing checks at areas near the entries of state parks.
What else do you do in parks? Well, many of the larger parks have attractions: zoos in Prospect Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Central Park. These zoos are part of the Wildlife Conservation Society and many levels of membership include admission to these zoos as well as the Bronx Zoo.
There are small waterfalls in Central Park and there's one in Prospect Park. There are too many children's playgrounds to count. And, there are the traditional water sprays for free summer water park fun (keep your shoes on). You can row a boat and in Flushing, you can ice skate.
Check the New York City Parks websites for public pools (there are some rules and regulations, read them before you go so that you don't have any surprises). There's the famous, newly renovated pool at West 110th Street in Central Park. And up on the west side of Manhattan, there's a pool at Riverbank State Park.
Do you want to grill? There are some public parks that have them. And if you are staying in a residential neighborhood, look around.
Bird watching is very popular: New York is a major stop on the bird migration turnpike. Aside from Central Park, head up to the Bronx to Pelham Bay or Van Cortlandt.
There are also performances. Many people are familiar with the famous Shakespeare in the Park plays (Central Park) but there are many, many other events.
The Philharmonic does a concert series, one show in each borough, every spring. Brooklyn has its Celebrate Brooklyn event series. And in Central Park, the Summerstage concert series.
4. Greenwich Village: Below 14th (East and West), Manhattan does not have the square grid design of streets and avenues. Instead, the streets angle in and out, following no set pattern and revealing delightful little nooks and crannies such as church gardens, boutiques, small theaters and sidewalk cafes. Think the old streets of Europe. Just another one of the 5 places we like in NYC. The squares are fun places to start with. Carry a map with you but don't be afraid to wander.
Start at the famous West 4th basketball courts, get inspired to either practice more or admire the skills. Head up West 4th and look at the schedules for the Blue Note or the Village Underground for great shows. Keep walking and wander around trying to decide which of the dozens of places your might want to grab a meal or a snack in.
5. Our Festivals and Street Fairs: Several companies sponsor the street fairs, which makes them seem sort of corporate nowadays with the booths repeating from fair to fair. But, there are also special event festivals that occur: The Feast of San Gennaro; the Coney Island Mermaid Parade; Harlem Week; the Tribeca Festival (which may have some outdoor activities); the Christmas shopping Villages in Bryant Park, Union Square and Columbus Circle; and events at all of the major museums and botanic gardens. Look for smaller gardens, too, such as Jefferson Market Garden, near 10 Avenue and Greenwich Avenue.
So, that's just the beginning of where we like to go in New York City when we want to visit like a tourist.
The NYC Traveler Presents Tips for Your Trips
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