The Atlas Obscura Guide To New York City

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

Updated October 14, 2026

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.

Boroughs

Unusual Attractions in New York City

New York, New York

Old City Hall Station

The very first subway station in New York City is beautiful, decked out in chandeliers, and ... abandoned?

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

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

Mmuseumm

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

The fireplace adorned by elephant tusks.

New York, New York

Explorers Club Headquarters

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

See All 806 Things To Do in New York City

Upcoming Events in New York City

Festival

Día de los Muertos

A vibrant parade of giant puppets and marigold blooms leads a joyful tribute to memory, renewal, and community.

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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.

The room that was previously part of the subway tunnel.

Brooklyn, New York

Le Boudoir

Just your average Marie Antoinette–themed speakeasy in an abandoned 19th-century subway tunnel.

See all 113 Places to Eat in New York City

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

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.

View Itinerary