7 Unusual Things to do in New York City
Go through this list of things to do in NYC. We bet you'll find new attractions to include in your itinerary for your next NYC trip.
Are you a tourist or are you a traveller? If you consider yourself to be the latter, then you’d know that there are more ways to explore a city than to stop over at all the designated tourist attractions.
To truly understand the essence of a city and to come face-to-face with the core that keeps a city’s heart beating, you need to explore all the nooks and crannies that stay hidden from the general tourist’s curious eyes.
You need to have a different perspective and walk the path less traveled to discover the beauties and experience the things that only a few have so far.
To see a different side of New York City, one that’s a respite from the rushing crowds and the loud environs, you need to go on the countless exciting adventures that the city boasts of.
Stated below are a few things to do in New York City that promise you a good time.
Van Gogh Exhibition: The Immersive Experience
Visiting an art gallery or art museum and soaking in all the exquisite and interesting pieces of art is a soul-soothing experience. One that stays with you for a long time.
If you’re a creative person or simply are an art connoisseur, then you can visit a few of the many art museums in NYC.
But, if you’re someone who’s looking for new and innovative ways to explore art, then you can head straight to Van Gogh Exhibition: The Immersive Experience.
It’s a rare art exhibition that leaves you wanting more. It gives you a chance to not just appreciate the paintings created by the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, but it also lets you become a part of his paintings for a few beautiful moments.
If you’ve been looking for fun things to do in New York City, then this is it.
At this exhibition, Van Gogh’s paintings are digitally created and projected across the walls, ceiling and floor of a huge hall in a way that a single painting covers all surfaces.
If you’re familiar with Van Gogh’s artwork— especially ‘The Starry Night’, ‘The Sower’, and ‘Farmhouse in Provence’ — then you know just how amazing getting surrounded by one of his paintings would be.
Please Don't Tell
Do you love spy movies and have always wondered what it would be like to be one? Well, Please Don’t Tell brings you the excitement of being a spy, minus all the danger.
Visiting this uber-trendy cocktail bar would make you feel like you’re a spy on a top-secret mission. The reason being the process you need to follow in order to enter this bar.
To get into Please Don’t Tell, you need to enter through a phone booth! This phone booth is located adjacent to a hot dog joint named Crif Dogs.
Once you enter the old-school phone booth (which in itself is interesting), you need to dial the number 1 on the phone.
Upon doing so, the receptionist at Please Don’t Tell will let you in. How awesome is that? Please Don’t Tell needs to be in your New York City bucket list!
Roosevelt Island Cat Sanctuary
Imagine hundreds of cats trotting about on an island as if they own the place. Though the cats don’t have the run of the island, they do have one place that they have called home for decades.
Hundreds of cats inhabit an old abandoned hospital. Over the years, people have started calling it Roosevelt Island Cat Sanctuary.
If you love cats, you’ll absolutely love this place. It is why you need to include Roosevelt Island in your list of places to explore in New York City.
There are various modes of transport by which you can reach Roosevelt Island from New York City. You can take a cab, a rental car, a metro, a tram or a ferry in order to reach the island.
However, many areas of the island have been designed as car-free zones. So, it is best if you use public transport rather than a cab or a rental car to reach the island.
Graffiti Tunnel at 191st Subway Station
Graffiti is art. Graffiti is also a medium of expression. An expression of thoughts, ideas and ideologies. It is also an expression of one’s psyche and the state of human existence, in a macro as well as micro sense.
This is why you need to pay attention to the individual pieces of art you find at the Graffiti Tunnel at 191st Subway Station.
Look closely and you would find little pieces, snippets of life of the people living in NYC. It would help you understand the lives and minds of the residents of the city.
You get to see New York City in a new light. The Graffiti Tunnel at 191st Subway Station is accessible through the 1 train. It is one of the coolest places to explore in New York City.
The Brooklyn Cat Cafe
If you love cats, The Brooklyn Cat Cafe is a must-visit place for you. Like the name suggests, it is all about the cats.
Some cats running around all excited, some sleeping in their hammocks, some hiding in their teepee, while others lying down on your lap; this charming little place is a haven for cat-lovers.
Visiting this cat cafe and playing with the resident felines is one of the sweetest things to do in New York City.
The best thing about this cat cafe is that all the cats you see there are available for adoption.
The worst thing is that it is open only three days a week. So, check the timings before you visit the place.
Packaged food and drinks are available at the cafe in case you get hungry while playing with the cats.
The cafe is run by a non-profit animal rescue organization. Though there are other cat cafes in New York City, The Brooklyn Cat Cafe happens to be the only non-profit cat cafe.
Since you’ll be interacting with cats while in the cafe, you’ll need to sign a release form before entering the place where the cats roam around freely.
House of Yes
Opened in the year 2015, House of Yes is an event-venue that hosts enchanting shows by uber-talented individuals and groups of artists.
These shows include everything from dance and theatre to circus and cabaret performances. They also host these massive dance parties that get your blood pumping and make you feel alive.
Catching a show at this spot is one of the most amazing things to do in New York City at night.
If you’re someone who loves exploring the nightlife of a city, then House of Yes needs to be included in your bucket list.
Though they sell tickets at the door for the events hosted by them, it is best to get them online in-advance, as later on they might be completely sold out.
Catacombs at Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral
The exteriors and interiors of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral are pleasing to the eyes and soothing to the soul.
Then there are the catacombs underneath the floor that take your breath away. Pun intended.
If you love spooky things or are a history buff, then taking a candlelight tour of the catacombs at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is something that you must do.
Along with the church’s history, you’ll get to learn about all the celebrities whose mortal remains are resting peacefully in the crypts.
You would need a local guide to gain access to the catacombs. This is perhaps one of the most unusual things to do in New York City.