How To Find "Non-Touristy" Things to Do

"I've been to NYC X # of times and I've done all the touristy things"

We see a lot of posts like this here, and that’s just impossible. The city is constantly changing, and unless you’ve lived here for years and years, no one has “done it all.” For example, I’ve never been to Ellis Island.

NYC has an absurd number of well-known, interesting landmarks and attractions. That’s literally part of what makes it a great and unique city to live and visit, unlike, say, Orlando.

Most of what people label as “tourist things” are just… museums, parks, neighborhoods, buildings, views. We don’t walk around thinking of them as “touristy” (Madame Tussauds notwithstanding). They’re just part of the city.

And locals don’t magically unlock “secret non-tourist NYC.” We find things the same way visitors do:

• reading
• research (suggest you do a search on this sub)
• recommendations
• wandering with no "set" plan, just walk down a random street and finding something interesting

Whether you're a visitor or local, there’s nothing wrong with doing well-known things. They’re well-known because they’re actually good. If you mix them with exploration, walk a lot, eat somewhere unplanned, and you’ll get a very real NYC experience.

And always remember: if you’re looking for new-to-you things to do, include some basic information when you ask: ages, budget, interests, and the time of year you’re visiting. It makes it way easier to give useful recommendations.