Things to Do in NYC Under 21 on Vacation

By Casey Makovich

For anyone that’s ever seen a movie or TV show based in New York City, one of the coolest things about “The City That Never Sleeps” seems to be the legendary nightlife, but don't be fooled; there's plenty of things to do under 21 in NYC.

10 Amazing Things to Do in NYC Under 21 on Vacation

What are you supposed to do if you want to have the full NYC tourist experience but you’re under 21? Luckily, New York City is a culturally diverse and welcoming city with fun for tourists and visitors of all ages. So while it may seem like you have to miss out on some of the nightlife action, there’s plenty for you to see and do in the city, you won't even miss it!

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. Big Bus New York

 

There are few better ways to get to know the city of New York than with the fully guided, comprehensive sightseeing Big Bus New York Hop-On Hop-Off Tour! This is the perfect start to any trip to The Big Apple because you’ll have access to all of the tops sights and iconic landmarks throughout the city. Your friendly and knowledgeable tour guide will be there to fill you in on all the rich history of NYC and make sure you’re ready to get out and explore. Getting in: Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour tickets are included with The New York Pass.

2. Central Park Bike Tours

 

Central Park is one of the true jewels of NYC and home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the US. This expansive park has lakes, sculptures, food, live performers and more. So what’s the best way to explore it all? On a bike of course! Choose from a comprehensive guided bike tour or rent a bike for yourself and head out on your own little adventure. Either way, you’re sure to marvel at all the different sights and sounds. Getting in: Central Park Bike Tour tickets and rentals are included with The New York Pass.

3. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum

 

Visit one of the most recognizable and beloved landmarks in the US with a trip out to Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty has represented freedom and hope for millions of Americans for decades and is one sight that shouldn't be missed on your trip to NYC. With breathtaking sights and a rich history that will leave you full of hope and awe, this iconic New York City tourist stop will be one to remember. Getting in: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum and ferry tickets are included on The New York Pass. Please note: tickets for access to the pedestal and crown levels in the Statue of Liberty are sold separately and require advanced reservations. You will not be granted admission with The New York Pass.

4. American Museum of Natural History

This is one of the largest and most interesting natural history museums in the country, if not the world! With a gigantic collection of artifacts and exhibits that will transport you to new worlds, it’s easy to spend an entire day hanging out and learning at the American Museum of Natural History. Whether you’re into animals, plants or different time periods in human history –this museum has it all. Getting in: American Museum of Natural History tickets are included on The New York Pass.

5. New York Transit Museum

 

Have you ever wondered just how New York City’s famous underground mass transit system was developed? Take a trip to Brooklyn Heights to get a closer look at just how the NYC subway was planned and built. With a series of interactive exhibitions and installations, you can see just how the Metropolitan Transit Authority has grown over the years and get a first-hand look at how the trains work. Getting in: New York Transit Museum tickets are included on The New York Pass.

6. The Empire State Building

 

Take in one of the most breathtaking views of New York City from the observation deck of the iconic and historic Empire State Building. With 360 degree panoramic views of the city, you can get an up-close look at the most famous landmarks in the state and take plenty of snaps of the skyline too! Getting in: Empire State Building tickets are included on the New York Pass.

7. Madame Tussauds New York

 

Who doesn’t want to take a few selfies with their favorite Hollywood stars in NYC? While you may be able to spot a few famous faces in Manhattan, the best place to get a great snap with your favorite stars is at Madame Tussauds New York. This fun and interactive museum is located in the heart of Times Square and is a guaranteed good time for all. Getting in: Madame Tussauds New York tickets are included with The New York Pass.

8. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

 

If you’re interested in modern art, then the Guggenheim Museum is one stop that you have to make during your trip to NYC. Featuring some of the 20th century’s finest art pieces and collections, you’ll love spending an afternoon exploring here. In fact, this museum is beautiful inside and out, making it a great spot for a photo op! Getting in: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum tickets are included with The New York Pass (plus Fast Track Entry!).

9. Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tour

 

While New York City has plenty of iconic landmarks, one of the most interesting and beautiful has to be the Brooklyn Bridge. With a rich history and gorgeous design, this tour is sure to keep you enthralled from beginning to end. Highlights of this tour include the Brooklyn Bridge, unique views of the Statue of Liberty, and the New York Stock Exchange. Getting in: Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tour tickets are included with The New York Pass.

10. Rockefeller Center Tour

Get to know the history behind one of the city’s most beloved landmarks and enjoy some insight into the mind of John D. Rockefeller Jr. with this fun and interesting guided tour. Get to know the historic Rockefeller Center as well as the surrounding streets to get a feel for one little piece about what life in NYC is all about. Getting in: Rockefeller Center Tour tickets are included with The New York Pass.

Fall in Love with New York City at Any Age

While you may not be able to head out to the city’s hottest nightclubs during your visit if you’re under 21, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have an amazing time getting to know The Big Apple a little better. With great museums, amazing food and so many wonderful landmarks to explore, there are tons of things to do in NYC under 21. Don’t let being underage keep you from enjoying a fabulous and memorable trip to New York City! Instead, take the city by storm and be sure to check out one or more of these fun activities.

Remember To Save On Attraction Admission

Lots of the fun things to do in NYC under 21 on vacation are included on The New York Pass. Whether you’re interested in sightseeing, taking a tour or enjoying art at a museum, an NYC sightseeing vacation is easy to plan with The New York Pass. If you plan on visiting multiple attractions, consider using the New York Pass which grants you free entry to over 90 attractions in New York City. That way you can do more when you sightsee and make the most of your time in New York City. For more information on the New York Pass, click here.

To visit the above attractions all on one pass choose a New York Pass. The more you do, the more you save!

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bday nyc
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Things to do in New York for your Birthday

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!
Dom Bewley
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Raising the Torch: The Statue of Liberty Museum

Since she was unveiled in 1886, the Statue of Liberty has been a source of inspiration worldwide. American poets such as Henry van Dyke observed her symbolic importance to the values of the nation. And as of today, she's sure to be a muse to many more. The Statue of Liberty Museum opened its doors to the public today, allowing visitors to see and learn about this iconic attraction first-hand through an immersive, multi-sensory experience. What is The Statue of Liberty Museum? Five years in the making, the new museum offers sightseers the convenience of being able to bypass crowds at the pedestal. Around 4.3 million people visited the attraction in 2018 - that can equal a lot of congestion! What's more, visiting the crown requires advance planning, tickets sell fast and being 305 feet in the air doesn't appeal to every visitor. So what's inside? A relatively short exhibition - a length chosen due to high footfall - allows sightseers to view the Statue of Liberty in an entirely different way. Guests can stop by a model of French artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi's Parisian studio - the creator of the Statue. Visitors can also reach out and touch a copper replica of the Statue's face. They can even see the original torch, which has been in storage since the 1980s. Image courtesy of Liberty Ellis Foundation The brand-new museum allows its visitors to literally walk through the Statue's history in a three-part video. This is before emerging into the proclamation that formally ended slavery. This poignant multimedia experience depicts the events that inspired Bartholdi to create what now stands as a globally-recognised symbol of freedom in America. Who's the museum for? To make this museum as accessible as possible to its visitors, it features kiosks. As well as being a place where visitors can share their ideas about liberty, the kiosks have been placed at a level that makes it easier for wheelchair users. This has been combined with a wide turning radius throughout the space. Custom headsets feature videos with audio narration for blind visitors. Deaf and hard-of-hearing guests can use hand-held devices to watch an ASL tour throughout the museum. With accessibility at the forefront of their design, the museum has also ensured that you don't even need to be there to experience the Statue! The launch of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation's iOS app, named the Statue of Liberty app, uses augmented reality to open the experience up globally. See what she sees through a time-lapse view of the city. Watch media about her signature green tinge - the result of being buffeted by wind, pelted by rain and warmed by the sun for decades. Then look at her in all her stunning, three-dimensional glory, courtesy of high-resolution, helicopter photography. And if you haven't had your fill of all things Miss Liberty, tune in to Raising the Torch. This podcast features historians discussing the Statue's history and her continued impact on the collective imagination. Why not complete your day out with a free ferry ticket and entry to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum? Location: 1 Liberty Island - Ellis Island, New York, NY 10004, USAOpening hours: 8.30am – 6pm daily
Suz Pathmanathan
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New York Insider – Guide to the Best Jazz Clubs NYC

If you like jazz, New York does not disappoint – from big names to up-and-comers the Big Apple has it all The music scene in New York is second to none. Many of the biggest globally recognised acts grace this capital with their presence frequently and you’ll find world-class residencies in some of the smallest clubs – you just need to know where to find them... If you’re looking for jazz clubs NYC is the place to find them. Dizzy's Club Not many jazz clubs promise a vista overlooking Central Park and Columbus Circle which is only one of the reason’s why Dizzy’s Club in the Time Warner Centre is a must-visit. The venue will make you feel like you’ve walked onto a movie set with its modern clean lines, big windows and dark and tonal décor. While it may look overly prestigious, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and it’s been championed as the best audio experience of any jazz club New York. Historically, it has boasted all the big-names like Wynton Marsalis, Paquito d’Rivera, Mary Stallings, and Terry Waldo to name a few. Top tip: If you’re planning a visit for the holidays, book tickets for Christmas Eve with Barry Harris to get you in the spirit. Location: 10 Columbus Circle (Upper West Side)How to get there: Subway: A, C, B, D, 1 to 59th St–Columbus CircleOpening hours: Set times at 7.30pm & 9.30pm and late-night sessions Tues-Sat 11.30pm Iridium Famous for hosting Les Paul for almost 15 years, Iridium will always be a jazz club New York can be proud of. Forever a full house, this bustling Broadway club has been around since the early 90s and has undergone numerous expansions and renovations to allow for its growing audience. Its popularity has never waned and on its wall of fame are acts like Kenny Garrett, Jacky Terrasson and Kenny Barron. Nowadays you can catch names like Jimmy Scott and Mike Stern so make sure to get there early, this place is known far and wide. Location: 1650 Broadway (Midtown)How to get there: Subway: N, Q, R to 49th St; 1 to 50th StOpening hours: Weds-Mon 7pm – Midnight Nublu Classic If you’re looking for an ‘insiders’ only jazz New York experience, then Nublu is the one. Nestled in the hipster Alphabet City in East Village, it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of place. Look out for a small blue light to indicate you’ve fount it and step inside to a vibrant scene of offbeat jazz and avant-garde names. If you plan your visit on a Wednesday, you’ll be in luck for some live Brazilian music. Due to its popularity, it has expanded over to its sister Nublu 151 a few blocks away, where you’ll also find a top line up of live acts. Tip: it’s cash only – so make sure you bring plenty, especially for the bar! Location: 62 Ave C (East Village)How to get there: Subway: F to Lower East Side–Second AveOpening hours: Mon–Thu & Sun 5pm–2am; Fri & Sat 5pm–3am Mezzrow Eponymously named after Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, this is one of the most iconic basement jazz clubs NYC has to offer. Run by musicians for musicians, Mezzrow is a relaxed environment where jazz aficionados can enjoy some of the best jazz pianists in the city in an intimate atmosphere. Mezz himself was one of the most renowned musicians of the Chicago jazz scene in the 1920’s and played with the likes of Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and Jimmy Noone – to name a few. In his legacy, Mezzrow pays homage to this legendary musician with acts like Jon Davis, Spike Wilner and Pasquale Grasso. Location: 163 West 10th Street (Greenwich Village)How to get there: Subway: 1, 2 to Christopher StreetOpening hours: Sets at 8pm, 9.30pm, 11pm and Midnight (after-hours) Smalls When you think of New York jazz, an image of a dimly lit basement with tables packed knee-to-knee springs to mind. Well, that’s exactly what a night at Smalls promises. Here you’ll find rising talent in the New York jazz scene experimenting with a new flair and modern take on bebop and hard bop as well as more contemporary fusions. It’s a cosy space with only a 60-guest capacity, and it’s popular with the locals, too, so make sure to get there early. You won’t get dinner here, but you will find beer on tap, so settle in for the night – you’re always guaranteed a good time. To get a feel for the sets, check out their previously recorded live shows on their website. Tip: if you stay there long enough, chances are you’ll get a seat throughout the night even if it’s full! Location: 183 West 10th Street (Greenwich Village)How to get there: Subway: 1 to Christopher St–Sheridan SqOpening hours: 7.30pm – 10.pm; 10.30pm – 1am; 1am – 4am
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