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The Atlas Obscura Guide To New York City

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

Updated March 22, 2023

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

New York, New York

City Hall Station

A beautiful and abandoned New York subway station from 1904, complete with chandelier.

New York, New York

The Evolution Store

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.

New York, New York

Dream House

La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela's "Dream House" will immerse you in an ever changing world of sound and light.

New York, New York

Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Ruins

A crumbling hospital from the 1850s on Roosevelt Island.

New York, New York

The Elevated Acre

Amid the bustle and noise of the Financial District hides a secluded garden oasis above the city streets.

New York, New York

Mmuseumm

A tiny museum housed in a New York freight elevator specializes in the "overlooked, dismissed, or ignored."

New York, New York

Explorers Club Headquarters

A treasure trove of artifacts, books, and artwork from the "golden age" of exploration.

New York, New York

Lexington Candy Shop

The oldest family-run luncheonette in New York, last renovated in 1948, still serves food and drinks the old-fashioned way.
See All 745 Things To Do in New York City

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in New York City

New York, New York

Lexington Candy Shop

The oldest family-run luncheonette in New York, last renovated in 1948, still serves food and drinks the old-fashioned way.

New York, New York

Trinity Place Bank Vault Bar

This lower Manhattan bar is set up in an old bank vault that rests beneath a skyscraper that hides even more historic splendor.

New York, New York

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Celebrate Thanksgiving with pumpkin pie ice cream.

New York, New York

Goldbar

A hip bar decorated with walls of golden skulls.
See all 10 Places to Eat in New York City
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

From catacombs by candlelight to speakeasy drinks and prohibition tours.

Discover Experiences

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. As the pandemic continues, we hope this virtual trip helps you explore America’s wonders. If you do choose to venture out, please follow all guidelines, maintain social distance, and wear a mask.

View Itinerary

Explore New York City

Architectural Oddities 72
Art 64
Shops 63
History 51
Museums And Collections 45
Cemeteries 38
Unique Restaurants & Bars 38
Sacred Spaces 37
Homes 35
Hidden 35
Music 33
Ruins 31
Places To Stay 7

Recent New York City Activity

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    wants to go to Mei Li Wah

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    wants to go to Kuih Café

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    wants to go to Hwa Yuan Szechuan

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    HoneyNat Crunch

    wants to go to New York's Hidden Tropical Forest

Stories About New York City

7 Recent Atlas Obscura Podcast Episodes You Just Have to Hear

For our two-year pod-iversary we're headed back to some of the coolest places we've taken you recently.
by April White
March 22, 2023

Meet the Women Behind the Heritage Food Revival

From Ukrainian pelmeni to Appalachian fried fish, these innovators are drawing on generations of culinary wisdom.
by Diana Hubbell
March 20, 2023

Podcast: NYC’s Most Beautiful Public Bathroom

You've gotta go.
by The Podcast Team
March 14, 2023

The Feminist History Behind the Ladies' Entrance

There's a story behind these hidden pub snugs and saloon doors.
by Diana Hubbell
March 13, 2023

The Untold Stories of the Women Who Led Slave Revolts

Their inspiring acts of resistance were ignored or erased for centuries—until now.
by Sarah Durn
March 9, 2023

Podcast: Newtown Creek Nature Walk

One man in Brooklyn—armed with a homemade boat and an artistic vision—helped transform one of America's most polluted industrial waterways.
by The Podcast Team
February 21, 2023

Do Americans Sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ Because of a Frat Party?

Or maybe it was the cigars that gave us this New Year's Eve staple.
by April White
December 29, 2022

Podcast: Duke Riley and the Poly S. Tyrene Maritime Museum

We meet an artist who has turned trash into a medium—and an indictment.
by The Podcast Team
December 14, 2022

Lists Featuring New York City

The crostata, with the storefront in the background.

7 Extraordinary Jewish Restaurants Around the World

A global map of diverse delights.

7

Including Passticeria il 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

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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