Beautiful and free things to do in the spring in New York

Beautiful and free things to do in the spring in New York, for people who love spring, sunsets, magic, cherry blossoms, magnolias and tulips. Here I'll tell you where you can see them in typically New Yorker settings, some are very famous, some aren't.

New York in the Spring

The Brooklyn Bridge Promenade on sunset or nightfall, it's free and it's beautiful. If there's anything more striking than seeing the Manhattan skyline is seeing it at sunset or nightfall, even in the evening, lights play a magic show against the blue skies if you are fortunate enough to have an indigo blue sky. The good thing is that in a spring in New York you don't have to wait until 10 pm to see the city in this marvelous energy state. I recommend taking a good jacket with you even if it's spring, New York springs are a bit chilly. I encourage you to sit in a bench and wait for the light to be on, at the Promenade or just under the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn side of course. I know it's supposed to be a free plan but taking with you a cup of coffee and a giant pretzel would be perfect.

Brooklyn Bridge in the evening

Go watch the tulips in Park Avenue in the spring is simply gorgeous. I love the Upper East Side, I know there are a lot of people who don't, but I'm not against having millions of dollars, beautiful architecture and tulips of thousands of colors making a contrast with it, I really recommend it, even the host of the flat in Brooklyn where I was staying recommended it to us; you can walk along Park Avenue from East 63rd st. to East 86th st., and it's beautiful at any time of the day, even better at noon because the light from above suits the flowers magnificently.

Tulips in Park Avenue

If you really like Brooklyn, Brownstone houses, cherry blossoms and magnolia trees, or if you want see a typical New York scenario in the spring please go to Brooklyn, there are streets that look gorgeous in the spring there, we were staying at Park Slope and there you can find those trees in bloom and that typical architecture. This stage is also possible to find in the Brownstone houses of the Upper West Side.

Brooklyn Brownstone Houses in the Spring

Another beautiful and free activity: If you haven't gone to the Plaza Hotel in Fifth Avenue, definitely go, marvel at the facade, the architecture, the details, the entrance, and enter it! You can enter the hall of any luxurious hotel in the world, there is also a shopping concourse you can visit, and the hall will have floral arrangements that are more impressive than usual because obviously it's spring. 

Please go to Washington Square Park, there are pink magnolias there and it's a dreamy place in spring and in any time of the year. It's possible this park is one of my favorite places in New York and on the entire world, much as Place des Vosges in Paris, I have spent mornings, afternoons and evenings there. The cool, kind, free, authentic and so New Yorker atmosphere in that place makes you want to never leave it. Well, it's the Village, right?

Hotel Plaza, New York

Central Park, I know this is obvious, but it is gorgeous in spring, even if you don't find the Cherry blossoms, but they can be found here: around the Bridal path at 90th St, East Drive at 66th St and the east side of the Boathouse at 74th St. In my opinion,  Central Park is more beautiful to visit in the morning, it has a je ne sais quoi, the air feels cleaner, the ambience is quieter and you can have lunch in any of the restaurants there. Central Park is a good plan when you want to take a small break of how hectic the city is, doing it in the middle of the trip is perfect.

The spring in New York is so beautiful and you can find much more free activities or low cost plans to do there.

Photography by Caroline Mint