Not only is New York City among the top places to visit in the US, It’s also among the most unique US tourist destinations. Although it is popular all over the world for its famous landmarks, New York is more than just the bright lights and waves of tourists. It is full of hidden gems that are just waiting to be found. Away from the more mainstream attractions, the city’s unique areas are home to hidden gems that provide a genuine experience.
Finding hidden gems in NYC serves as a rare opportunity to look past the shiny facade of the city, take in its dynamic culture, learn about its complex past. Get off the beaten track, avoid the buzzing tourist crowds, and get ready to discover the other side of New York City that not even many of its citizens can fully appreciate.
17. Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Ruins
The Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Ruins, wrapped in mystery and rich in history, provide a unique window into New York City’s past. The skeletal remains of this collapsed hospital serve as a sad yet beautiful reminder of the city’s enduring struggle and resiliency. These Gothic Revival style ruins, which were once a ray of hope for smallpox victims, stir up a sense of strange serenely that stands in stark contrast to the vibrant energy of the city.
There is more to the Smallpox Hospital Ruins than just history. They are about viewing New York City from a whole new perspective. The ruins draw you in with their atmospheric charm and historical significance, making you stop and think about the city’s unshaken spirit. You’ll have a deeper respect for the Big Apple’s less popular secrets after visiting this site.
16. Green Wood Cemetery
Brooklyn’s Green Wood Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark, serves as an intriguing fusion of art, history, and the natural world. This vast cemetery holds the final resting places of many famous people and is a storehouse of centuries’ worth of stories.
However, Green Wood is more than just a graveyard,it’s a peaceful haven that is home to a variety of lovely ponds and a thriving bird population. This location, which brings history and nature together, offers an oasis from the endless bustle of the city. Green Wood Cemetery offers something for everyone, whether you want to learn more about the rich history of the area, take in the stunning memorial architecture, or just enjoy some quiet time by yourself.
15. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
Found on the North Shore of Staten Island, the Snug Harbour Cultural Centre & Botanical Garden is a thriving cultural centre surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Formerly, this 83 acre property housed retired sailors. Today, it is home to a remarkable collection of Greek Revival structures from the 19th century. There are peaceful ponds, art installations, and lush gardens scattered throughout.
From the zen like peace of the Chinese Scholar’s Garden to the riot of colour in the Connie Gretz Secret Garden, every garden at Snug Harbour is a world within itself. You will come across a variety of landscapes as you walk along these paths, all of which invite exploration and marvel at the varied beauty of nature.
Snug Harbor’s attraction is its capacity to provide an intricate experience. It takes you away from the bustle of the city with its blend of culture, history, and nature. To put it briefly, it presents a different aspect of the city than its typical frantic reputation.
14. The Elevated Acre
Visit the Elevated Acre, a park in the sky, to get away from the bustle of the city’s busy streets. There’s a green area between two skyscrapers that sits above the hectic Financial District streets. This little park, which is located on Water Street, has a 50-foot light sculpture in addition to breathtaking views of the Hudson River and Brooklyn Bridge. This urban haven offers top-notch landscaping and plenty of unique highlights. This large acre recently had a full Beer Garden added, and it’s now available to the public with a variety of craft beers on tap to enjoy while admiring the greatest view in the city.
13. Secret Gardens of Rockefeller Center
In NYC, Rockefeller Centre is an absolute must for tourists. People first notice the enormous flowering sculpture by Jeff Koon, the Christmas tree, and the ice skating rink when they arrive at the plaza. However, the small green gem tucked away far above NYC’s streets goes unnoticed. 620 Loft and Gallery is located throughout this art deco building’s rooftops. This public area has a lovely private garden with amazing views of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and perfectly shaped vegetation. English landscape architect Ralph Hancock created five magnificent roof gardens for the Rockefeller Centre between 1933 and 1936. Though the gardens have been closed since 1938, the Top of the Rock observation deck allows you to spy on three of them.
12. A Piece of The Berlin Wall
Five concrete slabs from the original Berlin Wall make up this stunning work of art by German artists Thierry Noir and Kiddy Citny, despite the fact that many people mistake it for just another street mural in New York City and it measures 12 by 20 feet. 520 Madison Avenue is where you can find this hidden gem tucked away in a little Midtown plaza. The piece was given to Battery Park City in Manhattan by the city of Berlin in November 2004, as stated in a plastic information guide attached to the metal fence surrounding the slab.
11. The Old City Hall Subway Stop
The long standing, once packed city hall subway stop, was forced to close in 1945 because of low traffic volume and a failure to be rebuilt. The Cathedral of St John the Divine was designed by George Lewis Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge, the architects of the subway. With the exception of tiled signs that display station names and directions, the network’s modern furnishings have very little architectural detail. New York City’s first underground station opened to the public during the ‘City Beautiful’ movement at the turn of the century, which also saw the completion of Grand Central Terminal and the arch in Washington Square Park.
It formerly had a single platform and is now a part of the loop that six trains travel on, returning from the uptown local platform to the downtown local platform near the Brooklyn Bridge. Though the public is not allowed to enter this lovely station, there are occasionally guided tours available, and if you continue on the 6 train after its last stop, you can get a preview.
10. The Whispering Gallery
The Whispering Gallery is one of the most romantic hidden gems in NYC, even though it’s one of its most famous hidden gems.The domed ceiling lets sounds pass through the walls. As a result, two people can hear each other’s whispers when they are standing at diagonal arches. Experts claim that this happens as a result of the whisperer’s voice following the domed ceiling’s curve. Visitors can experience the whisper gallery and take in the intricate beauty of Grand Central’s murals while they’re in the terminal’s dining concourse, directly in front of the popular Oyster Bar & Restaurant.
9. Friends Experience
Most of us who watched TV in the 2000s and 2010s are familiar with Friends by default.
The Friends Experience, located in the centre of New York, offers visitors the chance to fully lose themselves in the magic of one of the most adored sitcoms on the TV.
You’re taken directly into the famous Friends world with this two-story interactive experience.
Take a seat in Monica and Rachel’s kitchen, order a coffee from Central Perk, and snap a selfie on the notorious orange couch.
Use the original props and costumes from the show to fully immerse yourself in its past and relive your favourite moments.
The Friends Experience gives tribute to a TV show that has won over millions of hearts and it’s more than just an attraction for many of them.
8. The Met Cloisters, Washington Heights
You might never have thought that a mediaeval castle could exist in the middle of New York City if you weren’t aware of The Cloisters previously. However, it is! European art history is the focus of The Cloisters, part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and it’s located in 99 Margaret Corbin Drive. It was created with inspiration from numerous mediaeval cloisters, which are covered routes that unite to create an open square in the middle of churches and monasteries.
7. Â Villa Charlotte Bronte, The Bronx
The Bronx or Italy? The stunning “Villa Charlotte Bronte” apartments have an authentic European appearance. Found in 2501 Palisade Ave, the Bronx’s Spuyten Duyvil neighbourhood, they overlook the Hudson River and were constructed in 1926 along the Palisades. It makes sense that the design, which has balconies and lush gardens, was inspired by an Italian villa!
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6. Greenacre Park, Midtown
Although just 1/7 of an acre, this little, secret park in Midtown East is majestic. In the middle of Manhattan, its 25-foot waterfall is not only a sight worth seeing but also a great way to escape the chaos of the bustling streets. Hideo Sasaki’s design was used by the Greenacre Foundation to construct it in 1971 and it’s located in 217 E 51st Street.
5. Andrew Carnegie Mansion, Upper East Side
The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum resides in the historic Andrew Carnegie Mansion. The mansion underwent significant renovations over the years, but it was first finished in 1902 and recognised as a landmark in 1974. The mansion’s grounds, which are now a museum, offer guests a large garden and cafe as well as a little luxurious haven in the middle of Manhattan.This small piece of paradise is located in 2 E. 91st Street and is one of our favorite hidden gems in NYC.
4. Stone Street, Financial District
One of the few cobblestone streets in New York City, Stone Street offers a more classic European feel to the contrary to modern city buildings that surround it. The street got its name because, according to Untapped Cities, it was among the first in the Nieuw Amsterdam colony to be paved with cobblestones (in 1658). These days, cars are not permitted through, and because of the outdoor seating, it’s one of the few places in NYC where street drinking is permitted during the warmer months.So if you need those insta photos head from Whitehall St. to Broad Street, between Marketfield St. and Bridge St and that’s where you’ll find this hidden gems in nyc.
3. Ford Foundation Garden, Midtown
Hidden perfectly between 2nd Avenue and the United Nations Plaza at the very end of 42nd Street, the Ford Foundation Centre for Social Justice is one of the true hidden gems in NYC. The 160-foot tall atrium, which is lit from multiple angles, is home to 39 different plant species. Additionally, there is a sensory garden with plants that you are welcome to touch and smell, as well as a reflecting pool.This hidden gem in NYC is found in 320 E. 43rd St.
2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Prospect Heights
It will seem as though you have been totally transported to another city when you are in this green paradise in the middle of Brooklyn. It will undoubtedly feel like a trip to Japan during the cherry blossom bloom in the spring, but all year round, its easily walkable grounds offer a natural haven for New Yorkers with a variety of blooms. You can visit this marvelous place at 455 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225.
1. Walk across The Brooklyn Bridge
One thing you have to do when visiting New York is to take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Since most people stay in hotels in Manhattan, I suggest starting the walk on the Manhattan side, which will also be the most convenient.
But don’t forget to stop and enjoy the view back towards Manhattan, from where you can see One World Trade and most of Downtown Manhattan, among other things.
