It’s that time of year again. Everyone knows New York City is an expensive town, especially around the holidays. To save some money, try out some of these tips for free things to do this December during your stay.

By Matt Stabile

CULTURE

1) BOOK READINGS

Where else in the world are you going to have the chance to see, up close, some of the biggest comics, actors, Broadway divas and Booker Prize winners in the world than in New York? In December alone, all for zero dollars, you have the chance to see the likes of Salman Rushdie, Denis Leary, Portia DiRossi, and Patti LuPone, all of whom will be doing free book readings during the month of December.

For dates, times and locations, click here.

2) FREE MUSEUM TOURS

Still one of the best deals and unkept secrets in New York, MoMA (or the Museum of Modern Art) is free every Friday from 4:00 p.m. until closing at 8:00 p.m. What’s even better now is that you can get a free tour of the museum, all for nothing. Head over to iTunes and download the new MoMA app for you iPhone that includes five tour options, an art index, and even background music to play while you browse.

Not to be outdone, if you find yourself at the Brooklyn Museum, they too have a free app.

For information about the MoMA app head here, and information about the Brooklyn Museum app visit here.

For a full list of free hours for all the museums in New York click here.

TOURISTY CHRISTMAS STUFF

3) ICE SKATING IN BRYANT PARK

It may not be as well known as the one at nearby Rockefeller Center, but the free ice skating rink (or Citi Pond for you corporate-minded folks) at Bryant Park is a full $19 cheaper, saving you much-needed cash for the inevitable trip to the emergency room (come on, you haven’t done this since sixth grade, you think you’re not going to take a few spills?)

For more information click here.

4) HOLIDAY IN CENTRAL PARK

Have lots of fond, childhood holiday memories of lighting the Mishumaa Saba, looking for Orion Nebula in sub-arctic temperatures, or not crying while sitting on the lap of a semi-employed overweight man draped in red velvet? Yeah, me neither, but this December will be the first of what will surely be long-lasting traditions for you and your family in Central Park.

Thursday, December 9 is a Kwanzaa-themed social hour featuring free drinks and music; December 22 is free star-gazing event, complete with urban park rangers and use of a city-owned telescope; and on December 23, Santa will be making an appearance — rumor has it he’ll be posing for group pictures, how gracious! All of these events are happening in Central Park this December.

For more information about the Kwanzaa event click here; for the stargazing event click here; and for Santa click here.

5) HOLIDAY MUSIC

It’s a little strange for New Yorkers, but they know that one of the most visited spots in the city is the World Trade Center site. What most visitors don’t realize is that they’ll basically be looking at a giant wall surrounding a construction pit — not a lot to see. But if you go anyway, stop over next door to the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center — a giant atrium fixed up after 9/11 — for performances all December by the Big Apple Chorus who will be performing a cappella versions of holiday tunes.

For a schedule and more information click here.

OUTSIDE

6) A NEW ENGLAND WINTER IN NEW YORK

A good majority of visitors to New York this time of year are from far-flung and many times, much warmer, locations. And for them, this whole northeast Unites States thing is a novelty to them. Why not try fitting in a whole other region, all while staying in New York?

Stay with me here. Take a short subway ride to Prospect Park, in the heart of Brooklyn, and get your Thoreau on by making your way to one of the four nature trails that meander through the woods, a spectacular sight in the summer, and simply magical in the winter. Snow-draped pines, squirrels foraging in the fallen leaves, a rastafarian drummer playing for loose change: Just like a Frost poem.

Finish up with a stroll through charming Park Slope (like Hogsmeade, but with strollers), and cozy up with a warm drink in front of a roaring fire at Union Hall, New York’s preeminent winter bar.

For information about Prospect Park’s nature trails click here.

For information about Union Hall click here.

7) ARTHUR AVENUE

Sure, Manhattan has Little Italy, Brooklyn has, well, Brooklyn, but as many visitors don’t know, Bronx has New York’s most intact, most authentic Little Italy this side of the Mediterranean: Arthur Avenue. Head north to the outer reaches of the outer boroughs to this five-block stretch for the afternoon and wander in and out of the many delis, bakeries, and coffee shops, all with nary a tourist in sight. And you can be sure every business will be decked-out for the holidays.

For directions and a list of businesses, click here.

8) EVERYTHING ELSE

If you really want to get the skinny on free New York, you need to bookmark ClubFree Time for daily listings of all that is free, every day of the week, as well as MyOpenBar for free drinks and grub around the city.

[Bryan Park Ice Skating by Barry Frost/Flick; Prospect Park Winter3 by Rick Norsberg/Flickr; Arthur Avenue Retail Market, Bronx by Dave Cook/Flickr;

Posted on December 05, 2010 by Matt Stabile