Even when we don’t consider the frustrating AUD to USD exchange rate, New York City ain’t cheap. But when Qantas’ direct flight from Sydney to New York set to launch next year, the city will have never been more accessible for Australian tourists. So you’re going to have even more reason to make the trip all the same.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the city without spending a cent. Here are just five things you can do when you visit the city that will cost you nothing but time.
Attend a Late Night TV taping
Perhaps one of the best kept secrets in New York is how many iconic shows you can – with enough lead time and persistence – experience for free.
Tickets for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (and others) can be requested through 1iota.com.
As Jon only hosts the show on Monday nights, these are the hardest tickets to get your hands on, with reservations flying out the door each week – usually a month or so ahead of filming. Today, for instance, you can book up to April 3rd, however all Monday shows are sold out.
As I was lucky enough to attend such a Monday taping last year, I will say if this of interest, bookmark the 1iota page and keep checking back daily until the tickets are released. Other nights – whose hosts include Australia’s own Ronny Chieng, are usually a little easier to get your hands on, but still book out in advance.
And then there’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the iconic Ed Sullivan Theatre. Tickets for this are usually booked a couple of months in advance and also available at 1iota.com. Back in the days of David Letterman using the space, they would interview every audience member before they were approved. While I’m unsure if they still do this, being in that room is truly an honour; one everyone should tick off their bucket list. As of today’s date, the month of March is completely sold out, but April tickets have recently been posted and are available for up to four nights a week.
NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon both generally film four nights a week at 30 Rock. Tickets to these shows can be requested at 1iota as well – with Meyers available HERE and Fallon available HERE. These are two shows I’ve never done personally – however I’ve visited The Tonight Show studio as part of the NBC Studios tour – which, while not free, is another great experience in the city.
Without question the hardest filmed show to get a ticket to is Saturday Night Live. Though for the lucky few each week, it is very much a free experience.
Now in its 50th year, and still under the stewardship of its founder, Lorne Michaels, this iconic sketch show has launched the careers of countless comedians. The only way to get guaranteed tickets – unless you “know someone” (and even then I’m told the wait list is extensive) – is through an annual ballot initiative.
This happens through the month of August, with parties to e-mail their interest before the season starts. To give some perspective of how competitive this is – I first entered this ballot in 2006, and only was successful as of 2022. I received a little more than two weeks notice to figure out flights and accommodation. I remember being told on the aforementioned NBC Studios tour, that the best seat for SNL is in your living room – and they certainly weren’t wrong. But the joy of being in that room was worth it all.
Many of these shows, including SNL, will also offer standby queues, which they’ll use to fill any seats of guests who don’t show up. For SNL, people are usually lining up from the early hours in the morning at 30 Rock for their chance to get a seat to the show. For others, you might just get lucky by popping by the studios in the late morning or early afternoon. Never hurts to try! SNL is also unique in that they have two shows a night – the dress and the live show. And they welcome an audience to both, both through the standby queue, guestlist and the annual ballot.
And finally, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is another show that only films once a week, with ticket reservations selling out more than a month in advance. You can get tickets to this HBO series at lastweektickets.com. I’ve done this one as well and we were originally put on a waitlist, rather than given immediate confirmation, and then someone called us the day before asking if we could attend. So sometimes you’ve got to be flexible on the day to make it happen.
The other caveat I’ll mention is that a free ticket to some of these shows won’t actually guarantee entry. I had a ticket to The Daily Show back in 2015 – for one of Stewart’s final shows of his original run. But because I didn’t have a “priority ticket”, I was part of a group where only a small number of people were let in – and I had arrived too late to be part of that. It ended up being quite the waste of an afternoon. And these are generally full afternoon commitments, with lengthy waits in queues and holding areas. But the experiences are well worth it for any fans of the series. Just be aware of the time it takes and the fact that sometimes it may not work out as you have hoped!
Free Concerts in Central Park (and more!)
SummerStage put on a regular series of free concerts every Summer, with 2025 set to be its 39th season. Its signature stage is the 5,000 capacity outdoor venue in the heart of Central Park, though there are other stages across 11 other parks across all five boroughs of New York City. Amongst this series, on the Central Park stage, is the annual THE AUSSIE BBQ, which sees six Australian artists hit the iconic stage for a free afternoon showcase. If last year is in indication, the next installment would be expected to take place mid June 2025.
While no details have been announced yet – for this or any of the 2025 free programming – last year THE AUSSIE BBQ lineup included Jebediah, Last Dinosaurs, Thelma Plum and more.
Not every SummerStage show is free, and details for the coming season will be found at their official website.
And while you’re there, be it Central Park or one of the 11 other parks they use throughout the city, be sure to explore the area by bike or foot – the latter won’t cost you anything and no trip to New York is complete without a visit to its most famous park.
Also look out for free “picnic performances” in spring and summertime in Bryant Park, with details for that series HERE.
Visit a 1962 Airport Terminal and Museum
Out at JFK Airport, the 1962 TWA Flight Center was reopened in 2019 as the incredible TWA Hotel. While nights at the hotel are pricey, the doors to the terminal – now the hotel’s lobby and exhibition space – are open to all. You can see the history of the now defunct airline’s uniforms, visit the room the Pope rested in while he was in the terminal, and step foot in a 1958 Constellation airplane named Connie that now operates as a cocktail bar.
There’s a mountain of photo opportunities, including exhibitions of life in America in the 60s, Howard Hughes’ office (pictured above), and even a photo booth that will dispense black and white or colour photos, completely for free.
The hotel and former terminal can be accessed from Terminal 5 at JFK in Queens. So it’s well worth getting to JFK early – or sticking around after you arrive – to explore the space. And though it’s not free, even if you’re not staying at the hotel, you can use the on site infinity pool or gym for US$25.
Head HERE for more details on their official website, and you can read my full review of the hotel HERE.
Take the Staten Island Ferry
Given the tours to the Statue of Liberty usually sell out far in advance, for those who still want the chance to get onto the river and enjoy some incredible views of Manhattan – and a distant shot of the Statue of Liberty – look no further than the Staten Island Ferry. This has been a free service offered between Manhattan and Staten Island since 1997.
For schedules and more details, head HERE.
Explore the best of the city on foot
Whether you’re walking The High Line, Central Park, Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Hudson Yards, Little Island (pictured below) or the Hudson River Park, there’s no shortage of incredible walks to enjoy throughout the entire city. And it feels like there’s always something new being added along the way.
And while it’s not free, if you need to do expedite your arrival anywhere, it costs US$2.90 to ride the MTA Subway – with many lines running 24/7 – and you can just tap on with your credit card now. And the maximum you’ll spend in a 7 day window is US$34. After that, all rides are free until the 7 day period is completed.
NYC Tourism have also published a guide on the best things to do in the city on a budget. Check that out HERE.
Photos by the author except the header, the Staten Island Ferry and Little Island, which are stock images. SNL50 logo provided by NBC.
