Here Are 15 Awesome Things You Can Do In New York For $10 Or Less
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean that us New Yorkers are done enjoying living life on a budget. While it’s certainly nice to spoil ourselves and splurge on a getaway every now and then, some of the best adventures that you’ll ever take are the ones that won’t cost you much at all! Keeping your money in your wallet, continue scrolling to see an exciting list of activities that you can enjoy in the Empire State for $10 dollars or less.
New York has plenty of state parks that are free to visit but even the ones that do charge a vehicle admission fee usually only fall between $6 and $10 dollars. A great way to spend the day and to keep your wallet in your pocket, get outside for some fresh air and explore what natural wonders one of our 180 state parks has to off adventurers. To view a map of all of our state parks, organized by region, click here.
Like many of our state parks, Letchworth does not collect its $10 vehicle entrance fee from the end of October until the beginning of May. So if you head to Letchworth State Park during the winter to find frozen wonders, you won't have to worry about spending a dime! When the weather gets cold enough, right outside of the Glen Iris Inn you can find a ice volcano that varies in size. To find out more about the history of this natural wonder, click here.
Just 20-minutes away from both Buffalo and Niagara Falls, the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum will be open back up again for the year in April. During its operating season it only costs $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3.50 for kids ages 2 to 16 and comes with one ride token. Inside you'll get to learn about how carrousels are made and see all sorts of exciting exhibits. To find out more information about touring this museum, click here.
The only thing that going for a scenic drive will cost you is gas, and if you're already fueled up then there isn't an immediate cost to worry about! Sometimes all we need to relax is to go for a scenic drive to remind us of how beautiful our state is and how lucky we are to call this beautiful scenery our home. To find out what scenic drives our worth taking in the Empire State, click here.
Something so small you may not initially think any adult could possibly fit inside of it, New York's Cross Island Chapel actually has enough room for not one but three visitors! Just enough room to have the most unforgettably quirky ceremony, the Cross Island Chapel can be found just off of Sconondoa Road in Oneida. To read more about this unique little chapel, click here.
Posted on the side of the Birkett Mills Factory in Penn Yan, the griddle that's responsible for making the world's largest pancake back in 1987 is an attraction that will get your attention. Nearly 30-feet in diameter, this unique roadside attraction is one that's free to cross off of your bucket list. To see what else you can do with your spare time in the town of Penn Yan, click here.
Another notable roadside attraction that won't have you digging deep into your pockets, it'll only cost you $5 dollars to experience the world's largest kaleidoscope down in the Catskills. Located at the Emerson Resort & Spa in the town of Mount Tremper, the enormous kaleidoscope is what use to be an old grain silo! To learn more about this fascinating attraction, click here.
Out in the Finger Lakes in Yates County, the small town of Middlesex actually has its very own gravity hill. If you're unfamiliar with this unordinary destination, let us explain. Those who drive to the ridge in Newell Road and place their car in neutral will actually begin to roll uphills...backwards! Defying gravity and our initial logic, over the years people have come up with plenty of reasons for why this strange occurrence happens. To read more about Spook Hill, click here.
When you step into a 5 & 10 cent shop with a $10 dollar bill, you'll instantly feel like a king! One of the only remaining 5 & 10 cent shops in New York, Vidler's originally opened up back in 1930 and has continued to carry its nostalgic charm throughout the years. Featuring over 75,000 different items, you'll find that lots of things inside Vidler's will only cost you 5 or 10 cents. To read more about the largest 5 & 10 store in the world, click here.
Normal admission to Rochester's museum of play will cost anyone above the age of 2 $15 dollars (or $20 dollars if you tack on admission to the Butterfly Garden), but if you visit Monday through Thursday from 3PM to 5PM you'll be able to get in for only $10 dollars! The Matinee Admission price is good during the school year, excluding the months between July 1st and Labor Day. To read more about why its worth every penny to visit this museum, click here.
General Admission to the Corning Museum of Glass generally costs visitors $19.50, but if you happen to be 17 years old or younger it won't cost you anything to visit the museum and local residents get in for only $9.75! The museum is one of New York's most spectacular, where visitors can some see extraordinary glass works of art and even see professionals blow glass and make glass creations right before your eyes. To find out more information, click here.
Lea Monroe/Only In Your State
Up and running for more than 60 years, Guptill's Arena is known for being the world's largest roller skating rink! Locate just north of Albany in the town of Latham, if you bring your own skates or roller blades it only cost you $9 dollars to get in - otherwise you'll have to pay an extra $5 dollars to rent skates. Open all throughout the year and great for the entire family, you won't find a bigger roller rink than this in New York! To find out more information, click here.
One of the most unique carousels that you'll find in New York, the Adirondack Carousel is made up of 20 different animals that can be found in the region that you can go for a ride on. Open from 11AM to 3PM on the weekends during the winter, the charming little carousel will only cost you $2.50 for a ride or you can pay $10 and get seven rides! To read about other ways you can enjoy the town of Saranac Lake, click here.
The perfect winter activity for those who are in the Capital Region, the Empire State Plaza turns into the Empire Skate Plaza during our winter months. Open every day from 11AM to 8PM (weather permitting) it's free to skate at the plaza, but if you happen to need rentals it will still only cost you between $3 and $4 dollars to rent them! Don't have the change to spare for rentals though? No worries, every Friday is free rental day thanks to Hannaford Supermarkets. To find out more information about skating, click here.
One of our favorite breweries in New York, Cooperstown's Ommegang offers free tours and their tastings are only $6 dollars per person! Because the tours at Ommegang are free (and popular), you'll want to arrive as early as you can to make sure you get to experience all that you came here for. So grab a drink in the cafe and experience a tour, you won't regret this inexpensive day of fun. To find out more about visiting Ommegang, click here.
What’s your favorite inexpensive activity to enjoy in our state? If you’re looking to spend a bit more outside of the $10 dollar range, check out This One Winter Activity Everyone In New York Should Try At Least Once!
