Bronx
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island

Wave Hill
West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, 718-549-3200
This breathtakingly beautiful 28-acre public garden and cultural center is free to visit all day on Tuesdays, as well as from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Hailed as one of the most stunning views in New York, the gardens and its various art exhibits overlook the Hudson River and the Palisades. [All ages]

Mullaly Skate Park
East 164th Street and Jerome and River Avenues
Bruckner Skate Park
Brinsmade Avenue and the Cross Bronx Expressway
Give your kids their daily dose of extreme sports at one of these Bronx locations. Children under 18 need a guardian's signature on an onsite waiver, which you should download and fill out ahead of time. Helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads are also required for those utilizing the facility.[5-8 years; 9+ years]

Bronx Zoo
2300 Southern Boulevard, 718-220-5100
Get your kids some face time with the resident polar bears, flying bats, ferocious crocodiles, Congo gorillas, and other exciting animals. On Wednesdays, the Zoo has no set admission price. It's a pay-what-you-wish donation, so your family can have a really wild time for a very tame price. Regular admission is $15 for adults and $11 for kids 3-12 years old. [All ages]

New York Public Library
Be sure to check out the Library's online calendar for a list of free programs at the Bronx branches that'll wow your kids, from toe-tapping musical performances and drawing classes to Wii sports tournaments, and more. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Historic House Trust of New York City
Explore one of the Trust's 22 historic sites across the five boroughs and you'll be taking a virtual walk through time. Step foot inside everything from a modest farmer's cottage to a luxurious, grand mansion, all while getting a taste for what life was like in the city a hundred or so years ago. Among the Trust's Bronx highlights are the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, where the famous author spent the last years of his life, and the Van Cortlandt House Museum, a plantation home where George Washington is known to have stayed at least twice around the time of the Revolutionary War. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Indoor Recreation Centers
Get your game on by investing in your neighborhood's center, where you can open up a world of low-cost activities for you and your family. Run by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, there are conveniently located sites in all five boroughs. Memberships are just $50 a year ($75 if the center has a pool) for adults, with no charge at all for kids under 18. So for less than $7 a month, you can tap into your local center's pool, gym, dance studios, art studios, game rooms, basketball courts, and more. [All ages]

Street Fairs and Festivals
Hit the pavement and scope out some of the low (or no) cost street fairs, festivals, and performances that go on all year around the city, such as the Association of Jazz Festival on July 27th and the Manhattan Youth Fair on August 1, for example. [All ages]