580 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in New York City - Atlas Obscura

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.

M Rebekah Otto

Added by M Rebekah Otto

New York, New York

Evolution Nature Store

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.

Added by mbison

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.

seanmattison

Added by seanmattison

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

Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Ruins

A crumbling hospital from the 1850s on Roosevelt Island.

M Rebekah Otto

Added by M Rebekah Otto

New York, New York

Obscura Antiques and Oddities

Tucked in the back of this amazing antique store is an important piece of medical history.

Dylan

New York, New York

Explorers Club Headquarters

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

New York, New York

5 Beekman Street

This beautiful building in the heart of Manhattan's Financial District was empty for decades.

bboas

See All 580 Things to Do in New York City See All 580 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in New York City

Egg Cream

Gastro Obscura

Egg Cream

A fizzy, chocolate drink that harkens back to the days of Brooklyn soda fountains.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

Gastro Obscura

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

A cake as dark as a city hiding from enemy bombers.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

Pickle Soft Serve

Gastro Obscura

Pickle Soft Serve

The briny, refreshing ice cream acts as a cooling chaser to spicy meals.

Gastro Obscura

Added by natantman

New York Charlotte Russe

Gastro Obscura

New York Charlotte Russe

The dainty, cream-filled specialty is on the brink of extinction.

Gastro Obscura

Leigh ChavezBush

Added by Leigh ChavezBush

See all 14 things to eat in New York City See all 14 things to eat in New York City

Atlas Obscura Trips

Only in Queens: Tasting Our Way Through New York’s Most Diverse Borough

Oct 4—Oct 7, 2019

Manhattan may have name-brand recognition and Brooklyn a certain cache, but Queens is the city’s largest and most diverse borough. Join us, October 4-7, to dig into Queens’ rich neighborhood life.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Only in Queens: Tasting Our Way Through New York’s Most Diverse Borough

Manhattan may have name-brand recognition and Brooklyn a certain cache, but Queens is the city’s largest and most diverse borough. Join us, October 4-7, to dig into Queens’ rich neighborhood life.

Photo by Travis Yewell on Unsplash

Community Forums / United States / US: Northeast

Top Discussions in the US: Northeast Travel Forum

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Obscura Society Pittsburgh / 412 / N@	13 April 13, 2019	516	April 13, 2019
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Explore New York City

Launch Map

Recent New York City Activity

fatbabydeer has been to Brooklyn's Smallest Graveyard

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arrontierney has been to The New York Earth Room

Stories
About New York City

Sesame and poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic, coarse salt. In a word: Everything.

Everything You Need to Know About the True Origins of the Everything Bagel

There's a lot of history in every bite.

by Dan Nosowitz

Latif Jiji under the vinous canopy of Chateau Latif.

Manhattan’s Only Vineyard Creeps Up an Upper East Side Brownstone

Only friends and family can visit Chateau Latif.

by Rohini Chaki

A German map from 1759 shows the border between East and West Jersey, separating the pink and yellow areas.

Central New Jersey Doesn't Exist, But Don't Tell Central Jerseyans That

Exploring what makes a region distinct.

by Dan Nosowitz

A small portion of the collection amassed by Braithwaite, who is pictured on the cover of 1982's "Change the Beat."

A Legendary Hip-Hop Archive Finds a Home in Harlem

And all you'll need to see it is a library card.

by Evan Nicole Brown

Cinnamon has a very catholic palate.

The Elite, Poison Ivy–Munching Goats Taking on New York's Invasive Weeds

There's a benefit to being able to eat almost anything.

by Matthew Taub

An illustration of the famous Pie-Girl Dinner from <em>The New York World</em>.

The Girl Who Jumped Out of a Pie and Into a Gilded Age Morality Tale

Susie Johnson sparked America's obsession with erotic cake dancing.

by Reina Gattuso

Cleo and David Gakshteyn's sweet serendipity.

This Restaurant Has Wed Six Couples in Pools of Chocolate

Desserted at the altar.

by Rohini Chaki

The map included spots to pick up bear, venison, and produce, and recounted the fact that Trinity Church gets first dibs on dead whales.

Step Into a Midcentury Map of New York, Packed With Weird Local Lore

Dragons, flea circuses, mermaids, and more wonders of the city.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

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New York City