Senior Discounts in New York
More than a million seniors live in New York, and the city offers lots of ways to stretch their post-retirement budgets. New York’s municipal Department for the Aging lists dozens of free and discounted resources for seniors, from property tax and rent relief to fine arts lessons and social events. Among the highlights for thrifty seniors are some of the city’s biggest attractions and best-loved destinations, along with frugal ways to get from one deal to another.
Buses and the subway are the most affordable way to get around the city. The MTA offers reduced fares for seniors age 65 and older, good for local and express trains and buses, the Long Island Rail Road, and the Metro-North Railroad. (There are exceptions on some routes during rush hours. Check the schedule before you head out.) Riders can apply for a reduced fare MetroCard or pay with cash and a show a valid ID.
Take the long view of the city from the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. Visitors age 62 and older get a discount on general admission, which includes a quick trip to the top in the Sky Shuttle lift and three stories’ worth of observation decks with sweeping city views.
The 9/11 Memorial Museum presents the history of the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center along with a memorial exhibit and outdoor waterfalls on the former tower site. Seniors age 65 and up receive 25% off museum admission.
Two of New York’s and the country’s best known art museums offer about 30% off senior admission for guests 65 and older. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art are home to some of the world’s most important works of art, spanning history from ancient Egyptian jewelry and Renaissance French tapestries to abstract Ellsworth Kelly sculptures and graphic design from the world of video games.
Other art destinations that welcome seniors with a deal include the Rubin Museum of Art in Chelsea and the Abrons Art Center on the Lower East Side. The Rubin Museum offers seniors age 65 and up free admission on first Monday of every month. Special programming often includes a free gallery talk or writing workshop; check the museum calendar for the latest. At Abrons, arts workshops and classes for adults include free options such as the monthly Arbons Arts Reading Group and open jam music sessions. Registration is required.
If you’d rather see a show that take part in one, Broadway box offices frequently give a discount to seniors who buy in person with a valid ID. Other money-saving options for show tickets are TKTS booths in Times Square, South Street Seaport, and downtown Brooklyn for same-day and next-day performances.
Carnegie Hall offers daily tours from October through June, with a 33% discount for seniors over 55. All tours of the iconic concert space are first-come, first-serve, scheduled 4 times each weekday, twice on Saturdays and once on Sundays, unless tour times conflict with rehearsals and shows.
Learn more about Financial Assistance for New York Seniors here:
Social Security for New York Seniors
Looking for assisted living in New York? Visit SeniorAdvisor.com to get started.
Casey Kelly-Barton
Casey Kelly-Barton is an Austin-based freelance writer whose childhood was made awesome by her grandmothers, great-grandmother, great-aunts and -uncles, and their friends.