bday nyc

Things to do in New York for your Birthday

By Dom Bewley

Psst. Hey, you. Yes, you. Are you looking for fun things to do in New York for your, or someone else's birthday? Wondering what shenanigans you can get up to, but the thought of actually doing your own research sounds super dull? You've come to the right place. We have placed the burden of boring research on our own shoulders, so sit back, put on your best monocle or other reading utensils, and read on as we blow your freaking mind with our recommendations for the best things to do for your birthday in New York!

Including:

  • Game of 1000 Boxes
  • Catacombs by Candelight
  • Escape Virtuality
  • Drinks, drinks, drinks
  • and more!

Gameshow Shenanigans

What's a little friendly competition among birthday celebrators? If the bow on your big day involves you beating your fellow partygoers on a faux-gameshow, then check out Game of 1000 Boxes.

This immersive, sensory overload of fun pits teams of four against one another. Through a series of escalating challenges, you must score points and beat out the other teams. Exercising your teamwork, puzzle-solving, and trivia muscles, you'll work your way towards the ultimate prize - a mystery box. Oooh. What could lie within? Who knows. The only way you'll find out is by heading there and seeing for yourself!

A Creepy Birthday Crypt Crawl

Fancy adding a sprinkling of spookiness to your celebrations? Why not venture into the crypt beneath St. Patrick's Old Cathedral for a spooktacular time courtesy of Catacombs by Candlelight?

Throughout 90 minutes, your guide will steer you along the underground tunnels beneath the streets, reeling off ghoulish stories of the ghastly goings-on under New York. You'll even come face to face with the final resting place of historical figures from the city's past. Perhaps the ghost of Lincoln's friend Thomas Eckert will appear to talk battlefield tactics? Who knows. Are ghosts even real? To answer that, you'll have to descend into the belly of the city and see, won't you?

Enter another reality

If reality is a bit too humdrum for birthday fun, why not enter another world at Escape Virtuality, New York's best VR experience!

Explore four unique virtual reality experiences that throw you into the heart of the action. You and a friend can hook yourselves up to the state-of-the-art Xtrematic system and run away monsters, zombies, and other creepy critters, or race down a ski slope as you battle to beat your opponent! Xtrematic moves with the game, so you'll feel every turn, every hill, and every near-miss!

Or, hop behind the wheel and race around a virtual track, or board a rollercoaster and go for a ride you'll never forget with the Speed Simulator.

You could even try your hand at rock climbing, or jumping out of a plane! A world of wonder awaits you at Escape Virtuality, making it easily one of the best things to do in New York for your birthday!

Go on a delicious food tour

Is all that excitement getting you feeling a bit hungry? Why settle for one restaurant when you can try a bunch on a Food On Foot Tour?

This award-winning tour will take you to a number of authentic New York eateries, letting you sample New York-style pizza, chow down on some delicious street food, and much more!

Covering a number of international cuisines, you can pick and choose what to have, and how much to have, at each stop. You'll also have the chance to meet both local and visiting foodies to exchange notes, and maybe numbers should the food gods dictate it. And best of all, the whole thing's on foot, so you'll have the chance to burn some of the many calories you'll be consuming!

Drinks that hit different

And finally, no birthday bonanza would be complete without a tipple or twelve. You could go the usual route. You know, standard bars with standard drinks and nothing much else. But why not add a little birthday excitement to your session with some of our leftfield suggestions?

At Elsewhere, you can pair your beer or cocktail with some live music, a DJ set, or even a performance! This trendy Brooklyn hangout spot is making quite the name for itself in the party scene, so why not check it out? You can even book a party package if you want to guarantee a spot for you and your troupe of celebrating chums.

Or, unleash your inner Viking at Kick Axe. 'What does that mean?', we hear you cry and wail in the night. Well, it means you can down beers and throw freaking axes while you do it! Axes. Like, real axes. Yes, Kick Axe takes your drinking experience to another level, thanks to its brilliant drinks menu coupled with cathartic ax-throwing.

Or, combine your food and drinks needs for the evening, and marry it with some sun, fun, and a spot of dancing at Nowadays. This outdoor foodcourt slash bbq slash party bar has it all, and surrounds you with a taste of nature while it does it.

Things to Do On Your Birthday in New York

With its world class sights, thrilling attractions and unique experiences like hot air balloon rides, skydiving and private yacht cruises, New York City offers you plenty of options to make your birthday the best day ever. Whether you want to relax and take in the views from one of Manhattan’s many iconic skyscrapers, or get adventurous with zip-lining over Brooklyn or kayaking on the East River, there’s something for everyone here. Plan an intimate party at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum or just enjoy a delicious meal with friends — whatever you choose to do in New York City will make your special day an unforgettable one!

And those are our recommendations for the best things to in New York for your birthday!

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New York
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2 Days in New York City - A Sample Itinerary with The New York Pass®

With The New York Pass, you can tailor a sightseeing itinerary to your own interests. This two-day New York City sightseeing itinerary below is just an example of how you can use your New York Pass to visit attractions and save big on admission. Follow the itinerary below, or, just use it as inspiration to start planning your trip and visit any and as many of the other included attractions as you want. This sample two-day itinerary includes: Big Bus Classic Panoramic Tour Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island 9/11 Memorial & Museum Top of the Rock American Museum of Natural History and more... DAY 1 Big Bus Classic Panoramic Tour Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Immigration Museum 9/11 Memorial & Museum Madame Tussauds New York Meet all your favorite celebrities and interact with A-Listers at Madame Tussauds New York, right in Times Square. You’ll get to get up close and pose with Lady Gaga, Morgan Freeman, Carmelo Anthony, some of your favorite Marvel superheroes, and more as you explore the museum’s five floors of themed rooms. Get as close to the stars as you want, there are not bodyguards to shield you away! Insider tip: Madame Tussauds opens 1 hour early, exclusively for New York Pass holders. Top of the Rock DAY 2 The Ride Experience New York from the best seat in the city and see the streets transform into a live, Broadway stage. You’ll board a custom-made bus with stadium-style seating and large windows for unobstructed views of street performers on their various ‘stages’ throughout the city. This 75-minute traveling theater features fun, interactive entertainment and takes you to some of the top sights in New York, including Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, Central Park, and more. Central Park Bicycle Rentals American Museum of Natural History Visit one of the largest natural history museums in the world and learn about everything from extinction to the evolution of plant and animal life around the world. From our origins as a human species to Siberian Tigers and a 122-foot titanosaur (a 70-ton herbivore), you can get up close to it all at the AMNH.
Kirsten McCroskrie
Blog

NYC Observation Decks: One World Observatory vs. Empire State Building vs. Top of the Rock

Visiting one of New York City's iconic observation decks is a must-do lifetime adventure. There’s an endless amount of fun things to do and historical landmarks to see, but a visit to an observation deck (or two, or three...) is one of the most memorable things you can do on your trip to NYC. Plus, it's a great way to 'see' everything there is to see in NYC. New York City is home to 3 of the best observation decks in the world: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and One World Observatory. We've put together a comparison of New York's most popular observation decks so you can get an idea for what the difference is between the Empire State Building vs Top of the Rock vs One World Observatory so you can decide which one suits what you want to do and see best. Free Entry with The New York Pass® Free entry to many of these popular New York attractions and activities are included on The New York Pass®. Used by over 3.5 million travelers, the New York Pass is the ultimate sightseeing pass, which includes admission to 90+ attractions, Fast Track Entry at select attractions, a free guidebook, & much more. Learn more about the New York Pass benefits & how to save up to 70% off attractions. 1. The One World Observatory 2. The Empire State Building 3. Top of the Rock The Biggest Differences Between the Top New York City Observation Decks Each observation deck experience provides an educational and informative experience on your way up to the observation deck complete with exhibitions and displays. The locations: where each building is situated will impact your views from each of the observation decks. See the image above for a better idea of where each observation deck is relative to the others. The exhibits: One World Observatory, being the most recently built, features a more modern design and feel and its exhibits explore the development of downtown Manhattan and the impact of 9/11 and how the One World Observatory building came to be. Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building both offer a classic and nostalgic New York City experience that highlight the history of the city with a particular emphasis on the American dream and the eventual prosperity post-Great Depression era. The views: the biggest difference between One World Observatory vs Empire State Building vs Top of the Rock is the view you'll get at the top. Of course, whichever observatory deck you choose to visit, you won't see that building in the skyline. One World Observatory (southern-most building): views of the Hudson River and the city skyline looking north from the southern tip of Manhattan Empire State Building (middle building): views from the middle of Manhattan with One World Observatory visible to the south and Rockefeller Center visible to the north Top of the Rock (northern-most building): views of Central Park to the north and views of the Empire State Building and One World Observatory to the south Popular Things to Do Nearby In addition to these 3 observation decks (One World Observatory, the Empire State Building, and Top of the Rock) there are other great sites and activities worth checking out while in NYC. Central Park This world-famous park is 36 acres of beautiful streams, waterfalls, rocks and winding trails. It’s ideal for strolling and a wonderful sight from each of the observation decks.Take a romantic paddle around the lake or even a Venetian Gondola ride at Loeb Boathouse. Savor some great fare like crab cakes at the Central Park Boathouse Restaurant. Monkey around at the Central Park Zoo. There’s even pot-bellied pigs, penguins and sea lions. You never have to wait for the carnival to come to town in NYC.In the summer, head to Victorian Gardens for an all-American day of juggler performances, cart rides, and funnel cake. In the winter, hit the ice for some ice-skating. The Statue of Liberty The Brooklyn Bridge Grand Central Terminal The Grand Central Terminal is the world’s largest railway station and a magnificent public space. It’s modeled after an ancient Roman bath and features glimmering chandeliers, an amazing concourse, and a robin’s egg-blue ceiling displaying the constellations.Getting in: Grand Central Terminal is free and open to the public. The American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History is the largest natural history museum on the globe and without a doubt impressive. It stretches four city blocks and showcases 45 exhibition halls with over 30 million artifacts from outer space, the sea, and the land. Don’t miss it. Getting in: American Museum of Natural History tickets are included with The New York Pass. Metropolitan Museum of Art Roam the labyrinthine corridors of the colossal Metropolitan Museum of Art where you view more than 2 million works of art showcasing 5,000 years of history.Its Egyptian collection features stone sarcophagi inscribed with hieroglyphics and pages from the Egyptian Book of the Dead.Other highlights include the American Wing with collections of American Arts. There are also stunning Islamic galleries with metalwork and ceramics. Its roof garden serves up fabulous views of Central Park and the city skyline.Getting in: The Metropolitan Museum of Art tickets can be purchased online. The High Line Just years ago, the High Line was a railroad track carrying freight trains. Today, it's a railway-turned-beautiful city retreat situated high above the busy city streets.Take a stroll along the path and check out the park's many features, including picnic tables, seating, curving walkways, and well-manicured gardens while you take in the unique views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline. Getting in: admission to the High Line is free and open to the public. Remember to Save on Observation Decks and New York Attraction Admissions New York City's top 3 observatory decks are at the top of many tourists itineraries. They're all popular attractions, but how can you manage to afford the admission price at each? New York Pass grants you free admission to two of these Observation decks, with Empire State Building tickets and Top of the Rock tickets, plus, admission to over 90 additional attractions in NYC. Get a New York Pass and start saving on admission to top attractions during your trip. For more information get the New York Pass here.
Casey Makovich

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