Attractions

Try out your basketball moves on the half-court at the NBA Store where you might be lucky enough to encounter one of the NBA or WNBA players who frequently make appearances. Shop among the world's most comprehensive assortment of NBA and WNBA merchandise or hang out during one of the many free basketball clinics or other special events that occur throughout the year.

When walking around the city, don't miss the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building, classic examples of art deco architecture. The hustle and bustle of Grand Central is worth seeing, as are the skaters at Rockefeller Center in winter.

New York has its fair share of impressive churches. Admire the 16th-century Flemish windows at Riverside Church, tour the gardens of uptown's Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, or enjoy the Gothic architecture of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Get lost in a high-tech wonderland when you visit the Sony Wonder Technology Lab. Talk to robots, watch hi-def movies on massive HD displays, or challenge the latest Playstation games.

Watch lions in their habitat or meet a western gorilla when you visit the Bronx Zoo, free to the public every Wednesday.

Enjoy a relaxing break among the orchids at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This greenhouse is free all day on Tuesdays, and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Or, head over to the Bronx and the New York Botanical Garden for a break at one of the 50 gardens inside. It's free on Wednesdays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. There is plenty to pay for at Chelsea Piers, like bowling, swimming, and workout areas, but you can walk around and enjoy the fresh air and a view of the Hudson River free of charge.

See the Statue of Liberty up close or stare off across the New York Harbor at the Ellis Island National Monument. Also located on Ellis Island is the American Family Immigration History Center which contains searchable records of 25 million immigrants, passengers, and crew members who entered the U.S. through New York Harbor between 1892 and 1924.

At Federal Hall, stand on the spot where George Washington was sworn in as America's first President. Explore numerous exhibits tracing New York's role as America's capital, always free at this national park.

Maritime adventure awaits you at the South Street Seaport Museum. Board the historic schooner Pioneer or watch artisans at the Maritime Crafts Center. The museum is free only on the third Friday of each month. Remember that favorite TV show from your childhood? Well you can probably find an episode at the Museum of the Moving Image. Free admission to the galleries is from Friday evenings from 4 to 8. Admire indigenous art from across the Americas at the National Museum of the American Indian, a branch of the Smithsonian. Tapestries, cave paintings, and artifacts, all thousands of years old, make up some of the displays at this free museum.