755 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in New York City - Atlas Obscura
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The Atlas Obscura Guide To New York City

755 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in New York City

Updated April 18, 2024

From the Times Square Hum to George Washingtonʼs dentures, the Big Apple is full of wonders big and small. It was the home of Atlas Obscura for many years, so weʼve scoured the city for hidden wonders, and itʼs possible to see many of them in a single afternoon.

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Unusual Attractions in New York City

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in New York City

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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

The Resilience of New York in 10 Remarkable Sites

New York has been described as a playground for the rich and powerful, but the state's history is full of ordinary people who have overcome extraordinary struggles. What if Seneca Falls, the village that launched the fight for women's suffrage, were as famous as Niagara Falls? What if Weeksville, the historic free Black community in Brooklyn, were as well-known as Williamsburg? From immigrant sanctuaries to the Survivor Tree, here are sites where New York has shown its resilience.

View Itinerary

Explore New York City

Architectural Oddities 72
Art 66
Shops 64
History 52
Museums And Collections 45
Cemeteries 40
Unique Restaurants & Bars 38
Sacred Spaces 37

Recent New York City Activity

Stories About New York City

Podcast: 'How To' Make the Best Show about New York with John Wilson

In our first extended episode, we sit down with the show's creator and host John Wilson.
by The Podcast Team
A 17th-century engraving depicts a star fort coming under siege.

Star Forts Are Military History, and the Base of Some Strange Conspiracy Theories

Examining why these ubiquitous, obsolete fortifications carry an air of mystery.
by Colin Dickey
Grilled eel and all the sides.

Go Beyond the Beef at Korean Barbecue

Enjoy sizzling shellfish and duck over charcoal.
by Caroline Shin

This New York City Map Is Full of Dutch Secrets

When Broadway was a broad way and Wall Street was a wall.
by April White
Rose Mackenberg believed in something beyond the world we see—but she didn't believe the mediums who said they were in touch with it.

The Ghost-Busting 'Girl Detective' Who Awed Houdini

As an undercover investigator, Rose Mackenberg unmasked hundreds of America’s fake psychics.
by Nina Strochlic
Archestratus is packed with both new and vintage cookbooks.

The Revolution Begins in the Cookbook Store

Paige Lipari, founder of Archestratus, is changing the world one potluck at a time.
by Diana Hubbell
One design envisioned landing planes just over the Hudson River.

New York City and London Could Have Looked Very Different

An airport in midtown? See alternate versions of the cities based on real proposed projects.
by Frank Jacobs, Big Think
The man known as Monsieur de New York sort of kept his identity secret, as executioner was not exactly a position of renown.

The Mystery of Monsieur de New York, Celebrity Hangman

Considered an artist of the gallows, his true identity is shrouded in myth and hyperbole. 
by Nina Strochlic

Lists Featuring New York City

Book Corner.
The Final Cross
Edward Dean Adams Power Station
Clifton Hill

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near Niagara Falls for Curious Travelers

11

Including Book Corner, Prophet Isaiah's Second Coming House, and Edward Dean Adams Power Plant

Conjurer Jason England teaches a card trick.
Keen's Steakhouse
The New York Herald Monument.

The 11 Best Things to do Near the Empire State Building for Curious Travelers

11

Including Tannen's Magic Shop, The Conjuring Arts Research Center, and Keen's Steakhouse

The crostata, with the storefront in the background.

12 Extraordinary Jewish Restaurants Around the World

A global map of diverse delights.

12

Including Pasticceria Boccione, Gottlieb's Restaurant, and Nahoum and Sons

The Geographic Center of NYC is located on a traffic meridian on Queens Boulevard.
Vale of Cashmere.
Underneath the entrance to the nature walk is a small separate garden (Michelle Enemark CC Attribution Share Alike)

30 Unexpected Places to Have a Joyful Adventure in New York City

Sponsored by Volkswagen
30

Including Geographic Center of New York City, Vale of Cashmere, and Marie's Crisis

Phyllis Diller
Detail of the Texaco map terrazzo mosaic tile floor of the New York State Pavilion (Tent of Tomorrow), 2009

18 Places to Discover Innovation in Roosevelt Island and NYC

Sponsored by Graduate Hotels
18

Including Holographic Studios Inc., Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and Patent Pending

Blockhouse No. 1
Manhattan schist
Barrow Street Garden

The Quietest Spots in America’s Loudest City

Keep calm and immerse yourself in New York's urban arcadia.

10

Including The Elevated Acre, Blockhouse No. 1, and Hallett Nature Sanctuary

The Nostalgia Train.
REACH: New York
The secret entrance to the Knickerbocker Hotel (detail)
Track 61

10 Secrets of the New York City Subway

Stand clear of the closing doors, please.

10

Including Holiday Nostalgia Train, REACH: New York, and The Secret Entrance to the Knickerbocker Hotel

Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
View from the pier

11 Surprisingly Romantic Places in New York City

We heart New York on Valentine's Day.

11

Including Albertine, Deno's Wonder Wheel, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden

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