10 things to do in New York for free

As I sit on a 30 hour train journey (Why? You're meant to be in Colombia? Well, I'll get to that later) between New York and New Orleans I found the time and energy to focus on my next blog to share what I learned while in NYC.

Aside from alcohol, I found NYC pretty easy on the wallet for a solo traveller like myself. I'm not one for museums or expensive tourist attractions anyway, but NYC has so many iconic sights that we all grew up seeing in the movies. Seeing them up close and personal was a special enough reward for me without spending hefty entry fees. So, here are my top 10 freebies in NYC in order I visited:

• High Line

The High Line is a 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km) elevated park and rail trail that's worth the time, especially on a nice day which adds to the chilled vibe. It was created on a former New York Central Railroad. Since opening in 2009, the High Line has become an icon of contemporary landscape architecture and attracts 5 million visitors a year.

The park is built on a disused viaduct section of the New York Central Railroad line. Originating in the Lower West Side of Manhattan, the park runs from Gansevoort Street – three blocks below 14th Street, in the Meatpacking District – through Chelsea to the northern edge of the West Side Yard on 34th Street.

• Times Square

The world famous Times Square with its impressive illuminated billboards and advertisements, One of the world's busiest pedestrian areas and most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through daily, many of them tourists, while over 460,000 pedestrians walk through Times Square on its busiest days.

• Empire State Building

Standing at 102-stories. Completed in 1931, the building has a roof height of 1,250 feet (380 m) and stands a total of 1,454 feet (443.2 m) tall, including its antenna. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of New York. As of 2017 the building is the 5th-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States and the 28th-tallest in the world. It is also the 6th-tallest freestanding structure in the Americas.

The Empire State Building stood as the world's tallest building for nearly 40 years until the completion of the World Trade Center's North Tower in Lower Manhattan in late 1970. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, it was again the tallest building in New York until the new One World Trade Center was completed in April 2012.

• 9/11 Memorial and the One World Trade Center

Commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks, which killed 2,977 people, and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed six. The memorial is located at the World Trade Center site, the former location of the Twin Towers that were destroyed. I personally was satisfied to just spend time reflecting on the tragic loss of life on that very site and paying my respects and my thoughts. The two large reflecting pools mirroring the precise location of the twin towers. The names of 2,983 victims are inscribed on 152 bronze parapets on the memorial pools.

One World Trade Center is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex. It is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the sixth-tallest in the world. The construction of the new building is part of an effort to memorialize and rebuild following the destruction of the original World Trade Center complex. Standing at 1,792 ft it's an impressive addition to the Manhattan skyline and standing at the foot of it really brings home the immensity of it.

• Staten Island ferry & The Statue of Liberty

The Staten Island Ferry is a passenger ferry route that runs 5.2 miles to Staten Island. The ferry operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, running every 15 to 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes at other times. Incredibly this service was launched way back in 1817 and since 1997, the Staten Island Ferry has been free of charge. My purpose was not to visit Staten Island but to get up close and personal with the Statue of Liberty, of which the ferry passes. This is an excellent alternative to avoiding the fees and crowds visiting the statue directly.

• Wall Street

Strolling through Manhattan's financial nucleus is a must. The Trump Building among many other building along Wall Street are steeped with history.

• Brooklyn Bridge

One of my favourite freebies was the Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Manhattan with Brooklyn over the East River. My experience was helped by the incredible blue skies also. One of New York's most photogenic landmarks I couldn't take my eyes of her. The 1,595 ft walk over the bridge to Brooklyn itself is a great moment for any visitor. Don't forget to take time to look behind you now and then too, the views of Manhattan are stunning. Started in 1869 and completed fourteen years later in 1883, It was the first steel-wire suspension bridge ever constructed.

• Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO

The chilled vibes of Brooklyn Bridge Park are hard to beat on a sunny day. New Yorkers and tourists alike flock here to enjoy some relaxation with a truly incredible and iconic view of Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. I hung around before and after dark to catch the city lit up, worth every minute.

DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a Brooklyn neighbourhood home to New York's tech startup scene. Now Brooklyn's most expensive neighbourhood and New York's fourth richest community. This is down to the large industrial properties being converted into spacious, exclusive and expensive residential apartments.

Where I ate in DUMBO: Taco DUMBO is a really cool and hip Taco bar, Taco's are reasonably priced for the area. A chicken taco and beer came to $10.

• Brooklyn Heights & Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Another affluent residential neighborhood in Brooklyn. Originally referred to as Brooklyn Village, Since 1834. The streets are lined with extremely well maintained rowhouses, most apparently built before the Civil War. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 to protect it from modern development. Walking into Brooklyn Heights along the promenade at its extremity is a nice corner of solitude overlooking the bridge and Manhattan.

• Central Park

Central Park is the most visited urban park in the United States, with 40 million visitors on average a year, and one of the most filmed locations in the world.

I cheated once: The Top of the rock at the Rockerfeller centre was the only entry fee I paid in NYC, simply because I chase and capture memories and I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I hadn't taken photos from the world famous observation deck. I paid $39 for the pleasure.

We've all seen the black and white image of the skyscraper workers sitting on the beam having their lunch high above Manhattan on canvas in the hundreds of budget homeware stores across the UK. Well that was during the construction of the Rockerfeller building. See, you really do learn something everyday.

Eating & Drinking

It's difficult to go without if you're burning the calories on foot all day and night and trust me you will want comfortable shoes here. Taking time to experience the typical American bars all over the city. It's something you will do simply to take a weight off your feet...you will probably stay longer than you expected as friendly New Yorkers will befriend you for sure, and a handful will go as far as buying you a beer. Be careful with prices for drinks or you may suffer a shock. You will pay between $6-8 for a pint of draft beer, unless it's happy hour where you'll pay $5. You have to factor in a obligatory tip of $1 a drink also.

For cheap eats, use the many bagel street vendors where you can get a sausage, egg and cheese bagel and coffee for $5. A main meal in a bar will be $12-18.