Things to Do in New York For Under $5!!

Back due to popular demand, here are some more of TimeOut New York's list of things to do that will cost less than $5.

1) Slurp oysters

If you want an old-fashioned aphrodisiac instead, try the standby from the sea. Grand Central Oyster Bar (Grand Central Terminal, Lower Concourse, 42nd St at Park Ave; 212-490-6650, oysterbarny.com) gives you a grandiose spot for enjoying inexpensive briny treats ($1.95–$3.95). Another option is Fish (280 Bleecker St at Jones St; 212-727-2879, fishrestaurantnyc.com). The small, nautically decorated restaurant may be on a tourist-trap street, but the oysters ($1.25–$2) from the raw bar are reliably good.

2) Lick ice cream

As the evenings grow colder, the desire to go out for ice cream declines, so fit in a last few licks this year when the sun is at its apex, with pandan ice cream and sprinkles at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (65 Bayard St between Elizabeth and Mott Sts; 212-608-4170, chinatownicecreamfactory.com; $3.75 per scoop). This unique Asian flavor has a sweet, slightly medicinal tingle and a bright green sheen. Top it with a sugary hit of rainbow sprinkles to offset the bitterness, and the sundae will satisfy your adult sense of taste along with your childlike for fun. If you’re not in the neighborhood, use this map of where to buy ice cream in NYC to locate your closest spot.

3) Dance to big-room electro on a Friday night

One of the most popular regular parties in the city also offers one of the biggest discounts. Girls & Boys at Webster Hall (125 E 11th St between Third and Fourth Aves; 212-353-1600, websterhall.com; Fri 10pm; $25, advance $15), which draws high-profile international acts like Simian Mobile Disco, Justice and Hot Chip, allows you to sign up via the Webster Hall website and receive a Dollar Daze voucher. Print it out, present it at the door before 11pm and gain admission for a buck.

4) Get star-struck

Though observing celestial bodies in New York isn’t easy—all those bright lights tend to muck up views of the stars—it’s not impossible. Each week, the Amateur Astronomers Association leads stargazing ventures on the High Line (enter at Tenth Ave and 14th St; 212-500-6035, thehighline.org; Tue dusk–9:30pm; free; through October). Members of the organization train their high-powered telescopes on the sky and guide your eyes across the heavens.

5) Try the ultimate comfort food: milk and cookies

Revisit your youth (or, more likely, Norman Rockwell’s version of youth) by sidling up to the counter at this outpost of upstate milk farm Ronnybrook Milk Bar (Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave at 16th St; 212-741-6455, ronnybrookmilkbar.com) for two freshly baked cookies and a tumbler of whole, skim or flavored milk for $3.50.

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