IAM Annual Meeting Edition—Your Insider Guide Beyond the Tourist Map

Eat & Drink Like a Local

• Joe’s Steam Rice Roll (Flushing) – Fresh Cantonese rice rolls, made to order.

• Caffe Reggio (Greenwich Village) – Home of America’s first cappuccino (since 1927).

• Chelsea Market (Meatpacking District) – Birthplace of the Oreo, now a foodie hall with tacos, lobster rolls, and shops.

• The Up & Up (Greenwich Village) – Cozy craft cocktail spot for small group meetups.

• Xi’an Famous Foods (Multiple locations) – Hand-pulled noodles + chili oil = instant mood lift.

Views Without the Crowds

• Pier 57 Rooftop (Chelsea) – Free panoramic Hudson River views.

• Gantry Plaza State Park (Long Island City) – The best skyline photos — no crowds.

Hidden Culture

• The Tenement Museum (Lower East Side) – Immersive history of immigrant NYC.

• Mmuseumm (Tribeca) – Tiny museum in a freight elevator.

• Japan Village (Brooklyn) – Mini Tokyo with food stalls, shops & sake.

Late-Night Finds

• Please Don’t Tell (East Village) – Speakeasy behind a hot dog shop phone booth.

• The UES NYC (Upper East Side) – Speakeasy hidden behind an ice cream shop; grab dessert and a cocktail.

• Marie’s Crisis Café (West Village) – Sing Broadway classics with strangers.

Quick Escape Spots

• Paley Park (Midtown) – Pocket park with a waterfall wall that blocks city noise.

• Wave Hill (Bronx) – Riverfront public garden with sweeping Hudson views.

• Conservatory Garden (Central Park, East Side) – Formal garden oasis inside Central Park

• Museum of Ice Cream (SoHo) – Playful, interactive dessert museum; ticketed entry with unlimited ice cream tastings.

On-a-Budget Finds

• Los Tacos No. 1 (Chelsea Market) – Authentic Mexican tacos for under $7 each.

• Mamoun’s Falafel (Greenwich Village) – Iconic falafel sandwiches since 1971.

• Prince Street Pizza (SoHo) – Famous square pepperoni slice worth the line.

• Saigon Shack (Greenwich Village) – Great Vietnamese pho & banh mi at wallet-friendly prices.

Free things to do in NYC

1. Visit the Bronx Zoo on Wednesdays

2. Watch artwork take over Times Square billboards at midnight

3. Visit the September 11 Memorial & Museum during its free admission hours on Monday’s

4. Visit the themed & immersive Harry Potter store

5. Walk the High Line for city views

6. Visit New York Public Library

7. Ride the Staten Island Ferry

8. Enjoy Lincoln Center's free concerts

9. Discover Bushwick's street art

10. Explore Chinatown and Little Italy

11. Tour Grand Central Terminal

12. Walk Brooklyn Heights Promenade

13. Visit Harlem and the Apollo Theater

14. Explore the Money Museum

15. Visit the Museum at Eldridge Street: ‘Pay What You Wish’ admission Mondays & Fridays.

16. Visit Chelsea art galleries

17. Explore the American Indian Museum

18. Tour Williamsburg's street art

19. Watch movies at Bryant Park

20. Explore South Street Seaport

21. Enjoy Smorgasburg's food market

22. Attend Battery Dance Festival

23. Visit African Burial Ground National Monument

24. Explore Coney Island and the boardwalk

25. Attend Shakespeare in the Park

26. Listen to and watch street performers
    in Central Park

Pro Tip

Most of these are a short subway or taxi ride from Times Square. Use Google Maps, and remember—in NYC, “5 minutes away” is optimistic.