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

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

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Unusual Attractions in New York City

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Unique Food & Drink in New York City

Atlas Obscura Trips
Afloat the Erie Canal: A Self-Led Houseboat Adventure
Be the captain of your own ship as you steer along this historic waterway, experiencing its hidden wonders and two centuries of history.
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Top Discussions in the US: Northeast Travel Forum

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Explore New York City

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Recent New York City Activity

JessicaHill has been to The SeaGlass Carousel
vkm2797 has been to The Evolution Store
aidenparr wants to go to Egyptian Coffee Shop
aidenparr wants to go to Gulliver's Gate
aidenparr wants to go to Red Hook Bait and Tackle Shop

Stories About New York City

The Gowanus: kinda picturesque, but also terribly polluted since the 19th century.

Brooklyn's Putrid, Beloved Gowanus Canal Has Been a Horror for Centuries

A new $1.5 billion cleanup effort is underway, targeting its "black mayonnaise" of pollutants.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
January 14, 2021
For Tennessee's biscuits and gravy pie, only Dolly would do as decor.

The Singaporean Baker Inventing a Pie for Every American State

Her creations go way beyond apple pie.
by Samantha Chong
January 11, 2021
The Young Lords, a Puerto Rican activist group, seized this mobile chest x-ray unit in 1970. A few months later, they and members of the Black Panther Party occupied part of Lincoln Hospital to establish a drug detoxification program.

How Acupuncture Became a Radical Remedy in the Bronx

When Black and brown activists created Lincoln Detox, they also helped spread Eastern medicine.
by Santi Elijah Holley
November 9, 2020
Is a fly is an odd decoration for a purse? Not when it hides the lens of a camera.

For Sale: The Entire Spycraft Collection of New York's KGB Museum

If you ever needed a lipstick gun or a heartbeat detector, you could be in luck.
by Matthew Taub
October 29, 2020
An abandoned corridor between buildings on Ellis Island.

Capturing Ellis Island's Lost Period

The famous gateway to the United States lay abandoned for years before it was restored.
by Winnie Lee
September 18, 2020
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Lists Featuring New York City

The Quietest Spots in America’s Loudest City
Blockhouse No. 1
Manhattan schist
Barrow Street Garden

The Quietest Spots in America’s Loudest City

Keep calm and immerse yourself in New York’s urban arcadia.

10

Including The Elevated Acre, Blockhouse No. 1, and Hallett Nature Sanctuary

10 Secrets of the New York City Subway
The Nostalgia Train.
REACH: New York
The secret entrance to the Knickerbocker Hotel (detail)
Track 61

10 Secrets of the New York City Subway

Stand clear of the closing doors, please.

10

Including Holiday Nostalgia Train, REACH: New York, and The Secret Entrance to the Knickerbocker Hotel