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14 Things To Do In NYC When You're No Longer A Tourist

Even if you think you've done everything, there still is so much more to discover.

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14 Things To Do In NYC When You're No Longer A Tourist
Danté Vincent Fattoruso

First couple times of visiting New York City, you probably had a To-Do list. Go see the Statue of Liberty, go to Times Square, go to the top of the Empire State Building, hang out in Central Park, go see a Broadway show, or walk across the Brooklyn Bridge... Seeing something you had been seeing only on TVs and in the movies in real life is one of the most exciting experiences and New York City is filled with it.

Now, you've been to the city many times and you feel like you've been there, done that. You might start hating on how slow people walk near Times Square or walking by The Empire State Building might not give you excitement anymore.

However, that doesn't mean that you hate the city itself or you think the city itself isn't exciting. Now that you have completed the list of things you wanted to do, the city is for you to explore and adventure. These are some of my favorite things to do in New York; The City of Dreams.

1. Walk Around to See Street Arts and Murals

The city is filled with art. Hop on a subway and you'll probably see a quartet singing. Get off the subway and you'll probably see a group of people break dancing. Same with visual art! What's so cool about the street arts and murals is that they are always so creative and never disappointing. Some of those murals are drawn by famous artists such as Banksy. They say that nothing is free in New York but this is free, inspirational, and you can get a cool profile picture for your Twitter or Facebook!

2. Go See Improv and Comedy Shows at UCB!

Do you enjoy watching Whose Line Is It Anyway? The best thing about improv is that anything could happen so it's always unpredictable and hilarious! UCB has bunch of shows every night and they are usually $5-$10. Some famous comedians show up unexpectedly and surprise the audience once in a while! Hang out and have a small dinner in Chelsea Market, walk on the High Line while watching the sunset and eating ice cream, and get to UCB for a funny show was one of my favorite date night in NYC.

3. Dance with Quiet Events!

Have you ever been to a bar or a club and you had to scream what you were saying because the music is so loud and your friends couldn't hear you? Well, in headphone parties/silent disco that Quiet Events hosts, you and your friends can take off your headphones and talk whenever you want. There are three DJs spinning at the same time, you can switch anytime and dance to your favorite song!

My favorite is when they do mobile parties. People usually look confusing when they see the group of people wearing headphones and dancing together in the middle of the city. They might even take a snapchat video but I promise you won't care. You might even let the person wear the headphones for a little bit and they'll start dancing:) It is one of the friendliest and safest events in New York.

4. Go To Brooklyn Bridge Park At Night For The Most Beautiful View In The City


Sure, the view from Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building observatory are pretty darn good, but they cost money, you have to stand in line for so long and you will never have a private feeling there. The view from Brooklyn Bridge Park is not just gorgeous, but it doesn't cost anything and is one of the most quiet places in the city.

There are many places in New York that will make you feel like you have to rush but this is definitely not one of them; you could stay here just relaxing for hours. Going to Empire State Building observatory once is enough but here, you can come back and you will always love it.

5. Find Hidden Restaurants and Bars

There are so many reasons why I love New York City, but the biggest reason would be that you can find any kind of food and any kind of drink. New York is the best place to look for fun restaurants or fun bars but unfortunately, not everything is easy to find. These are some of the hidden restaurants and bars that are difficult but so fun to find:)

Beauty and Essex


Beauty and Essex is a restaurant that is hidden behind a working pawn shop in the Lower East Side (146 Essex St. New York). They serve American food and upscale cocktails.

6. The Garret

The Garret is located at 296 Bleecker St. at the corner of 7th Ave and Barrow St. Don't look for the bar because you won't find it, but look for the FIVE GUYS. Go in, walk through everything and get all the way to the back of the store and then you will find the stairs that will lead you to The Garret. Enjoy their original cocktails and the burgers from down stairs.

7. Please Don't Tell



PDT is located on 113 St. Mark's pl. East Village, NY. Find an old phone booth in a hot dog shop called Crif Dogs and that is where you enter from! It is probably the most well-known hidden bar in NYC and because it is so popular, you probably won't get in without a reservation!

8. Frying Pan

This is not so hidden, but can be mistaken as a boat, because it is a boat, and the boat itself is a floating restaurant/bar! You can find this big red boat at 207 12th Ave, New York NY. It is only open from May-October.

9. Go To South Street Seaport

South Street Seaport has this atmosphere that is so different from the rest of the city, fun and exciting but kind of relaxed. Seaport has so many places to shop, eat and drink. This place is also interactive and inviting.

In the warmer weather, this place is filled with food trucks and vendors, they show outdoor movies and have music events, and in the colder weather, they have a skate rink! From here, you'll see the beautiful views of the East River and Brooklyn and a lot of puppies because a lot of New Yorkers walk their dogs here. If you like having fun but also relax at the same time, some good food and puppies, this is a place for you!

10. Find Iconic Film Spots


"Ghostbusters,"The Devil Wears Prada,"Sex and the City,"Breakfast at Tiffany's,"Spider-Man 2,"The Intern,"Elf,"The Wolf of Wall Street,"The Godfather." There are so many movies that were filmed in New York City. I recommend you to watch the movie the night before you go look for its filming spots, it's way more exciting that way!

11. Visit The Botanic Garden in Brooklyn

They have a beautiful collection of gardens. Don't miss out on seeing gorgeous cherry blossom trees in the spring!

12. Hear Up and Coming Musicians

Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall are obvious concert destinations: big rooms, big names, big ticket prices. In their shadow is the Juilliard School.

The performers you would see there will not disappoint you. They provide about 650 music/dance/theater performances a season and they are almost all free!

13. Take A Subway Down to Rockaway Beach

New York has so many beautiful beaches around it and most of them are just a subway ride or two away! Keep going further down Rockaway Beach in the summer to find Jacob Riis Park. You'll encounter cool food vendors, bars and music on the beach!

14. Learn History of The City at Tenement Museum

Not all tours are touristy, go ahead and take the tour at Tenement Museum, Lowe East Side! The tour focuses on America's urban immigrant history.

Whether you love history or not, you will enjoy the tour because it's not just historical and educational, but also cultural. You will get a real sense of how it was to live in the tenements, and what challenges the residents faced as immigrants.

Even if you think you've done everything, there's so much more to discover in New York City. The city keeps changing and there is always something new for us to see, taste and experience!

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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