Fun Things to Do in NYC Today: What's Open Right Now

What's open right now

Worked out from each place's posted weekly hours, checked November 2026. It can't see holidays, private events or storms, and places marked "usually" change their hours by date. Tap a name to confirm before you travel.

Free today

• 9/11 Museum, until the 5:30pm last entry: free. Free Admission Monday tickets go online at 7am that day, first come, first served.

Beyond those, these never charge: the Staten Island Ferry, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and the 9/11 Memorial pools. The free guide has every day of the week.

What to do with the time you have

If you have an hour

Pick one thing near you and walk it. Grand Central, then Bryant Park, is a 9-minute walk and it's all free. In Hell's Kitchen, the walk to Pier 84 and back fills it nicely. If it's dark, go and look at Times Square for 30 minutes: that's long enough, and our block map shows where to stand.

If you have an afternoon

Check last entry, not closing time. The 9/11 Museum's last entry is 5:30pm even though it stays open until 7pm, and the Intrepid's is an hour before closing. If it's after 3pm, a big museum means seeing only part of it, so choose a smaller one or a walk instead. The High Line takes about 30 minutes end to end at an easy pace.

If it's already dark

New York doesn't shut down at sunset. You can go up: observation decks stay open into the evening, and Edge posts today's sunset on its site. You can catch a show: TKTS stays open until 8pm, and most evening shows start at 7pm on weeknights and 8pm on Saturday. You can ride the free ferry for the lit skyline, or take a night walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

If it's raining or freezing

Stick to the rows marked Museum or Landmark. Skip the observation decks if clouds are low, because you'd be paying for a view of the inside of a cloud. If you're not sure how bad it is, here's what a normal winter night is like by month.

If you've got kids with you

The Intrepid has an aircraft carrier, a space shuttle and a submarine, and kids under 5 go free. In winter, the rink at Bryant Park is free with your own skates if you reserve a time.

Fun things that aren't on the board

• A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. About 23 minutes on foot, with no hours to worry about. Start in Brooklyn so you face the skyline. The city says the walkway stays open but can be narrowed for repairs.
• A boat. NYC Ferry is $5 one way, or take a Circle Line sightseeing cruise from Pier 83, about 8 min from our door.
• A show. There are 41 Broadway theaters. If you only decide at 6pm, the TKTS board at W 47th Street is where to go.
• A market or a rink, in season. This season, the holiday shops at Bryant Park run until January 3, 2027, and the rink until February 28.
• A long, slow subway ride to the Cloisters. It takes a while, but the museum at the far north end of the island is very quiet by New York standards.

How to get anywhere from here

Tap a contactless card or phone for the subway, $3.00 a ride. Walking takes about 20 minutes a mile. Our map of the island shows which train goes where, and if it's your first time, try our three-day plan.

Dinner, if you end up on the West Side

We're closed on Mondays, so this one's for another night. Cantina Rooftop is at 605 W 48th Street, about 6 min on foot from the Intrepid and about 7 min from Pier 84. It's Mexican food on a roof with a live DJ, so it's loud and it's casual. Walk-ins are welcome, but we recommend booking. Tuesday to Thursday 5pm to 11pm (last reservation 10pm), Friday 5pm to 3am, Saturday 12pm to 3am and Sunday 12pm to 9:30pm. Closed Mondays.

We're a long way from the subway, about 13 min from the C and E. Here's what's on tonight.