Best Free Activities in NYC in Fall 2016

A trip to New York City is sure to delight you regardless of the season, but fall tends to be an especially enchanting time to visit the Big Apple. Central Park puts on a show by displaying brilliant shades of orange, yellow and red while the city’s cultural calendar begins to fill up with Broadway openings and film festivals. An excursion to New York is usually on the pricey side. However, a number of fall activities are free. Here are a few of the best ones.

Halloween Parade in the Village

Coming up on its 43rd year, the Village’s Halloween Parade is one of the city’s best free fall events. The parade begins at Sixth Avenue and Canal Street, and it ends at 16th Street. This year, the theme is Reverie, so if you intend to participate, wear a dream-like costume. You can become a part of the parade by simply showing up to the event dressed in your creepy or fantastical best. If you prefer to appreciate the creativity of others, wear your everyday apparel and cheer them on from the sidelines.

Oktoberfest at Bierhaus

While Oktoberfest technically ended on October 16, the Bierhaus establishment extends the event’s festivities by two weeks. Head to the midtown beer hall to celebrate keg tapping with special guests and to watch Bierhaus’s yearly bratwurst-eating competition.

Halloween Kidz Karnival

If you’re visiting the city with the young’uns, put the Hudson River Park’s Halloween Kidz Karnival on the itinerary. Activities include face painting, carnival rides and a magic show. The Story Pirates will provide interactive storytelling performances, so plan to arrive early to experience this memorable event.

Central Park

With 843 acres dedicated to Mother Nature in the middle of one of the world’s busiest cities, Central Park transforms into a nature-based spectacle in the fall. While wandering through the park, you’ll come across open meadows, picturesque pathways and ponds. Most of the city’s locals stay below the Met, but if you venture out, you’ll be rewarded with a view of the park’s more rugged elements like Harlem Meer, which is a manmade lake, and the North Woods. For an amazing picture of Midtown Manhattan, hike to the peak of the Great Hill.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

If your travel plans to the Big Apple are around the Thanksgiving holiday, consider seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person this year. Celebrities will wave to you from parade floats while the event’s renowned balloons are a remarkable sight. Every year, Broadway performers share their talents during the event, and Santa Claus brings it to a close as he ushers in Christmas.

A City That Welcomes Fall

For all of its sophistication, New York City tends to embrace fall with a child-like exuberance. Like other cities, pumpkin spice flavor makes its annual appearance as leaves and other fall décor materializes in store windows. By experiencing the best free fall activities in NYC, you’ll have the opportunity to revel in the season without breaking the bank.