10 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in New York
From Galleries to Gardens, Visit the Odd and Unusual
New York City is a gateway to hundreds of hidden places, abandoned subway tunnels, decommissioned hospitals, secret gardens, and other unforgettable experiences off the beaten track. You can walk a neighborhood of Tudor houses right in the heart of the city, visit a museum-style shop with natural history inspired goods gathered from all over the world, see vast public gardens, and even visit pieces of the actual Berlin Wall.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, New York will surprise you again. Check out unusual and hidden places the city has to offer by exploring some of the best things to do off the beaten track in New York.
1. Elevated Acre
The secret garden high above the streets
Good for: Budget, Couples, Unusual
Elevated Acre is a hidden New York garden situated a full story above street level and offering a boardwalk, gorgeous views of the city, and a serene escape. To reach it, you’ll need to take the escalator or climb the stairs in a building. This hidden gem has been around since the 1970s and is a quiet and serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
In this gorgeous park, you’ll find a 7-tiered amphitheater and a large tended lawn. You can walk around the edges to look over at views of the East River and Brooklyn. In the warmer months, a seasonal beer garden is held here. It’s located right downtown along Water Street.
Location: 55 Water St, New York, NY 10041, USA
Open: Daily from 7 am to 10 pm
Phone: +1 212-747-9120
Elevated Acre
2. Whispering Gallery
Even a whisper can be heard above the crowds
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Unusual
The Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal is a mysterious natural phenomenon that allows you to hear the quietest whisper even above the noise of crowds. Just press your ear up against the tile work to hear a whispered secret, song, or message, even at the most crowded times.
It’s located downtown within Grand Central Terminal and occurs because of the perfect arches comprising the gallery. The gorgeous Guastavino tile work is also an attraction here, a patented method and material that contributes to the acoustic phenomenon. The gallery isn’t that rare, and similar galleries can be found all over the world, but it’s still a really fun way to spend an afternoon.
Location: 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, USA
Open: 24/7
Whispering Gallery
3. Smallpox Memorial Hospital
The historic former hospital now full of cats
Good for: Families, History, Budget
Smallpox Memorial Hospital offers the chance to visit a historic abandoned building where people were housed during a deadly outbreak of smallpox in the late Victorian era and early 20th century. It was designed by famous architect James Renwick Jr., and it opened in 1856. In 1972, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
It’s located on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island in Manhattan’s East River, and served as a triage for smallpox patients and as a training hospital. Today, it’s famed as the home of a massive cat colony. It has also been featured in media presentations such as the book City of Bones, the video game Grand Theft Auto, and the 2002 movie Spider-Man.
Location: E Rd, New York, NY 10044, USA
Open: Wednesday–Monday from 9 am to 7 pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Smallpox Memorial Hospital
4. The Graffiti Tunnel
A subway tunnel filled with legal street art
Good for: Families, Photo, Unusual
The Graffiti Tunnel is a hidden gem of New York City that allows you to explore some of the most stunning work by local up-and-coming street artists in their element. This tunnel was once dark and filthy, but it was revitalized by artists who received authorization from the city.
Today, it’s an Instagram-worthy site for photographers and visitors. The site is also unknown to many in the city, passed over by visitors daily, but known as a landmark to the residents of the Washington Heights neighborhood. It’s located in the old 191st subway tunnel in the heart of the neighborhood.
Location: 191st St Station Entrance Tunnel & Elevator, New York, NY 10040, USA
The Graffiti Tunnel
5. Piece of the Berlin Wall
A reminder of a seminal moment in history
Good for: Families, History, Budget
Three pieces of the Berlin Wall reside throughout New York City and allow visitors a chance to encounter one of the most important and seminal moments in world history. These pieces of the Wall are located at Kowsky Plaza in Battery Park, at United Nations Park, and at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum in Times Square.
As you explore the city, you can get up close and personal to these structures, which are representative of a time of great strife, when the Western world was starkly divided between democracy and communism. They also speak of a time of great hope, when communism fell and the future looked bright. Best of all, they’re free to view.
6. Old City Hall Station
The very first subway station in New York
Good for: Adventure, Families, History
Old City Hall Station offers visitors the chance to see the first-ever station of the iconic New York subway system with its stunning architecture and important history. It can be accessed as part of a tour from the New York Transit Museum, book ahead to ensure access.
The station’s opening in 1904 was a major event in New York, and it served for nearly 40 years before being abandoned due to changes in the way the subway worked. Today, modern subway trains are too long to fit into the station, but the downtown 6 train does loop through it as it wraps around after its final stop. Old City Hall Station is right underneath the Brooklyn Bridge at City Hall.
Location: New York, NY 10038, United States
Open: Varies by event
Old City Hall Station
7. The Evolution Store
Gifts and souvenirs inspired by natural history
Good for: Families, Luxury, Shoppers
The Evolution Store is a museum-style shop that offers collectibles, gifts, and furnishings that are all influenced by science and natural history. The store is dedicated to the idea that the items with which you surround yourself should be every bit as unique as your own personality.
Not only does the store focus on natural history, it also takes special orders and is willing to travel the globe looking for that bespoke special gift, souvenir, or piece of art. This unusual shop is located right on Broadway in downtown.
Location: 687 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +1 212-343-1114
The Evolution Store
8. Pomander Walk
A downtown neighborhood with a suburban vibe
Good for: Budget, Families, Unusual
Pomander Walk is a truly hidden gem that was inspired by a popular play and offers a stunningly suburban-looking byway formed of historic Tudor-style homes dating to the 1920s. The Walk requires finding a gateway that looks like it leads to a service alley, but instead opens up to a set of 28 homes designed as miniature versions of luxurious downtown mansions.
The unique architecture of these homes features wood, brick, and stucco wrapped around steel frames, and interesting hues of blue, green, and red paints are alternated to distinguish each residence. Today, these buildings in the heart of the Upper West Side stand almost exactly as they were when originally constructed. Tours are available from the Historic District Council.
Pomander Walk
9. Wave Hill
Stunning views of the Hudson and New Jersey
Good for: Budget, Families, Photo
Wave Hill Public Garden & Cultural Center offers horticultural gardens along the slopes overlooking the Hudson River, along with spectacular views of the New Jersey Palisades. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many notable people lived on Wave Hill, including George Walbridge Perkins, Arturo Toscanini, and members of the UN British Delegation.
Today, it consists of 10 different garden areas and hosts visual arts exhibits, concert series, and other cultural events. It’s a New York City designated landmark on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in the Hudson Hill section of the Bronx. Top tip: it’s free to enter on Thursdays.
Location: 4900 Independence Ave, The Bronx, NY 10471, USA
Open: Daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm
Phone: +1 718-549-3200
Wave Hill
10. Ford Foundation Atrium
A serene reflecting pool
Good for: Budget, Couples, Unusual
The Ford Foundation Atrium offers striking architecture and a vast section of green space that blends into Tudor City Park and stretches 160 feet into the sky. You can take a staircase that connects 3 different sections of tiered garden terraces and leads to a square pool edged with concrete as a central focal point.
The atrium was completed in 1967 and today offers a quiet green space escape for anyone who wants some meditative time in peace. It’s located downtown on 42nd Street, just a few blocks from Grand Central Terminal.
Location: 320 E 43rd St, New York, NY 10017, USA
Open: Monday–Friday from 11 am to 6 pm (closed Saturday–Sunday)
Phone: +1 212-573-5000
Ford Foundation Atrium
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