If you’re looking for things to do near JFK Airport, you’ve come to the right place. Located just a short distance from the airport, our list of activities will keep you entertained for hours on end. From sightseeing to shopping, there’s something for everyone in our list of top 20 activities.
Should you leave JFK during your layover?
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You can leave JFK during your layover and re-enter without having to go through security again. This is a great option if you want to explore New York City or visit one of the many attractions located nearby. Just be sure to leave yourself enough time get back to the airport before your next flight.
List of 20 things to do at or near JFK Airport:
1. Visit the JFK’s Flight Museum at TWA Hotel
2. Shop at one of the many duty-free stores
3. Get a massage or spa treatment
4. Go on a wine tasting tour
5. Take a helicopter tour of New York City
6. See a Broadway show
7. Visit the American Museum of Natural History
8. Go to the top of the Empire State Building
9. Take a walk in Central Park
10. Visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
11. Shop at Macy’s
12. Explore Chinatown
13. Take a food tour of Little Italy
14. Ride the Staten Island Ferry
15. Tour the Brooklyn Brewery
16. Visit Coney Island
17. See the Statue of Liberty
18. Explore the High Line
19. Take a bike tour of Manhattan
20. Check out one of the many rooftop bars in NYC
20 Things to do near JFK Airport
Visit the Flight Museum at TWA:
The Flight Museum at TWA is a great place to learn about the history of aviation. The museum is located in the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport.
The New York Historical Society — which was founded in 1804 as New York City’s first museum — is responsible for the free exhibits that are open to anyone who wants to see them.
The exhibits allow visitors to experience the Jet Age through real artifacts, interactive displays, and personal stories by taking them through the lives of ordinary people who lived and worked in this era.
The JFK Museum is a great place to learn about the history of the airport and see some interesting exhibits. The museum is located in Terminal 4 and is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Shop at one of the many duty-free stores:
JFK Airport has many duty-free shops where you can find great deals on designer clothes, cosmetics, perfume, and more.
Duty-Free shops:
- DFS Duty-Free – Beauty
- Duty-Free Americas
- Duty-Free Int’l Shops
- iS Beauty
- iS Style
For convenience shopping go to Hudson News stores. You can also buy flowers at Terminal 1.
Get a massage or spa treatment:
If you’re looking to relax during your layover, consider getting a massage or spa treatment. There are several options available at JFK Airport, including:
The Wellness Center at JFK Airport offers massages, facials, and other treatments.
XpresSpa offers massages, manicures, and pedicures.
The JFK Airport Health Club offers massages, facials, and other treatments.
Go on a wine tasting tour:
For something a little different, consider going on a wine tasting tour. The tours are led by knowledgeable guides who will take you to some of the best wineries in the area.
Some of the tours available include:
- The Long Island Wine Tour
- The Finger Lakes Wine Tour
- The Hudson Valley Wine Tour
Take a helicopter tour of New York City:
For a birds-eye view of New York City, take a helicopter tour. The tours depart from JFK Airport and last for about 30 minutes.
Some of the companies that offer helicopter tours include:
- New York Helicopter
- Liberty Helicopters
- HeliNY
See a Broadway show:
If you’re looking for some entertainment, consider seeing a Broadway show. There are several theaters located near JFK Airport, including:
- Theater District
- Broadway Shows
- Gershwin Theater
- Lincoln Center
- Majestic Theater
Visit the American Museum of Natural History:
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s largest museums. The museum is located in New York City and is a great place to learn about the natural world.
The museum has exhibits on dinosaurs, space, animals, and more.
Go to the top of the Empire State Building:
For a great view of New York City, go to the top of the Empire State Building. The building is located in Midtown Manhattan and is open daily from 8:00am to 2:00am.
Take a walk in Central Park:
Central Park is a great place to take a walk and relax. The park is located in Manhattan and is open daily from 6:00am to 1:00am.
Visit the Museum of Modern Art:
The Museum of Modern Art is one of the world’s largest museums. The museum is located in New York City and is a great place to see some of the world’s most famous art.
The museum has exhibits on painting, sculpture, photography, and more.
Take a ferry to Staten Island:
For a different view of New York City, take a ferry to Staten Island. The ferry departs from Lower Manhattan and is free for pedestrians and cyclists.
The ferry ride takes about 25 minutes.
Visit the Statue of Liberty:
For a great view of New York City, visit the Statue of Liberty. The statue is located on Liberty Island and is open daily from 9:30am to 5:00pm.
Take a tour of Yankee Stadium:
If you’re a fan of baseball, consider taking a tour of Yankee Stadium. The stadium is located in the Bronx and is open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Some of the tours available include:
The Classic Tour
The Legends Tour
The Ultimate Tour
Ride the Staten Island Ferry:
For a different view of New York City, ride the Staten Island Ferry. The ferry departs from Lower Manhattan and is free for pedestrians and cyclists.
The ferry ride takes about 25 minutes.
Visit the 9/11 Memorial:
The 9/11 Memorial is a tribute to the victims of the September 11th attacks. The memorial is located at the site of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.
The memorial is open daily from 7:30am to 9:00pm.
Visit the New York Stock Exchange:
If you’re interested in finance, consider visiting the New York Stock Exchange. The exchange is located in Lower Manhattan and is open Monday-Friday from 9:30am to 4:00pm.
Take a walking tour of Brooklyn:
For a different view of New York City, take a walking tour of Brooklyn. The borough is home to some of the city’s best museums, parks, and restaurants.
Some of the tours available include:
The Brooklyn Bridge Tour
The Brooklyn Heights Tour
The Dumbo Tour
Visit the Bronx Zoo:
The Bronx Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world. The zoo is located in the Bronx and is open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Some of the exhibits at the zoo include:
The Congo Gorilla Forest
The Tiger Mountain
The Himalayan Highlands
Take a food tour of Queens:
For a different view of New York City, take a food tour of Queens. The borough is home to some of the city’s best restaurants.
Some of the tours available include:
The Queens Taste Tour
The Astoria Food Tour
The Flushing Food Tour
Visit Coney Island:
Coney Island is a great place to have some fun. The island is located in Brooklyn and is open daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
Some of the attractions at Coney Island include:
The Cyclone roller coaster
Nathan’s Famous hot dogs
The Coney Island Museum
Take a bike tour of Manhattan:
For a different view of New York City, take a bike tour of Manhattan. The borough is home to some of the city’s best museums, parks, and attractions.
Some of the tours available include:
The Central Park Tour
The Lower Manhattan Tour
The Brooklyn Bridge Tour
Visit the New York Botanical Garden:
The New York Botanical Garden is a great place to see some of the world’s most beautiful plants. The garden is located in the Bronx and is open daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
Take a tour of Grand Central Terminal:
For a different view of New York City, take a tour of Grand Central Terminal. The terminal is located in Midtown Manhattan and is open daily from 8:00am to 8:00pm.
Some of the tours available include:
The Grand Tour
The Vanderbilt Tour
The Secrets of Grand Central Tour
Visit Times Square:
Times Square is a great place to go for some fun. The square is located in Midtown Manhattan and is open 24 hours a day.
Some of the attractions at Times Square include:
The Broadway theaters
The restaurants
The shops
Take a tour of the United Nations:
If you’re interested in international affairs, consider taking a tour of the United Nations. The UN is located in Midtown Manhattan and is open daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm.
Some of the tours available include:
The General Assembly Tour
The Security Council Tour
The Economic and Social Council Tour
Visit Ellis Island:
Ellis Island is a great place to learn about American history. The island is located in New York Harbor and is open daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Some of the attractions at Ellis Island include:
- The Ellis Island Museum
- The Statue of Liberty Museum
- The Immigration History Center
Get sleep at the nearest hotel with shuttles from JFK:
There are many hotels near JFK that offer shuttles to and from the airport. Some of these hotels include:
The Marriott New York JFK Airport Hotel
The Hampton Inn & Suites JFK Airport Hotel
The Holiday Inn Express JFK Airport Hotel
Table – What to do near JFK Airport/in NYC
| Activity | Location & Accessibility | Cost & Safety |
| Explore the Howard Beach | Located along the southern coast of Queens, Long Island A cheaper accessibility channel is through the A train toward Howard Beach from JFK | It costs approximately $10 one-way. The neighborhood is friendly and safe. |
| Explore Chinatown | Lower Manhattan Accessible via the subway; The tour companies on the route are JFK AirTrain and MTA | It costs $8; the trip’s average duration is 58 minutes inclusive of transfer time between stations. It’s safe. |
| Visit Corona Park | The Northern part of Queens Accessible fast through a combination of train, subway, bus via 71 Av/Queens Bl; route operators are JFK Airtrain, and The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) | It is a safe destination and transit costs are in the range of $12 – $17. |
Other things you can do near JFK airport during layover are:
- Bird-Watching in Jamaica Bay
- Rockaways
- Visit Queens Botanical Garden
- You can get some food at Terminal 4 and eat
- Drink BRKLYN Beer Garden in Terminal 2
- Check out the 6 airport lounges at JFK airport
- Shop at a duty-free shop – I like the one at Terminal 2
- You can sleep
- Browse the internet
In the video below, Attache takes you through everything you can check out in Manhattan, NYC.
You can read the full JFK airport guide here.
My name is Alex Mutuma and I founded this blog, Airport LLC as a way to document and engage with clients in my travel consulting business. Airportllc.com is the only source of over 2,000 fun things flyers could do during layovers.
Over the past 7 years, I have designed and planned tour packages for hundreds of clients and have recently focussed on the mission of changing boring layovers to excellent mini-vacations by giving you the best suggestions on must-do activities when flying over different airports.
Next time you or your friend is looking for suggestions on what to do in some airport, remember Airports Do or Airportsdo.com. On this site, you’ll get the best suggestions available on the internet regarding hand-picked activities that will fulfill your airport experience.
I currently reside in New York City and has obtained a license to provide professional tour guidance on Airports in the US and across the world. Why should you listen to my suggestions? I have flown through more than 100 airports in the world and fortunately, I have pictures, stories, and tips to share with you regarding all the fun stuff you can do as you wait for your next flight.
Aside from gaining thousands of flying miles, I am also a travel consultant assisting clients with bookings and specifically advance tour bookings of things to do at airports when the layover is longer than 5 hours.
To make a 15-minutes free things-to-do consultation with Alex, use my email, alex@airportllc.com.
This is only recommended for flyers with long layovers of over 5 hours. If your layover is 3+ hours, you can still reach out but we cannot guarantee the ideal package that will change your flights to mini-vacations. I only support clients flying through US airports and a select number of cities across the world.
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Name: Alex Mutuma
Profession: A professional travel consultant with a focus on airport activities to do during layovers
Email: Alex@airportllc.com
Phone: +1 945 348 889
Website: airportllc.com
Location: 322 Main Packway Street, Boston, US
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