Taking a good look at this town often costs a pretty penny. City observation decks generally charge for entry, and many of the best publicly accessible rooftops are exclusively intended for customers of the bars and restaurants perched there. So where\u2019s a New Yorker to go for some higher-floor fresh air and a view without a budget?<\/p>\n
Below, five of the boroughs\u2019 best public rooftops that won\u2019t cost you a penny (a qualification that eliminates the Metropolitan Museum of Art\u2019s recently reopened<\/a> rooftop garden, which costs a minimum of 1 cent<\/a> to New Yorkers and tristate area students).<\/p>\n Elevated Acre<\/a><\/p>\n This 1-acre public-private plaza is an impressively transportive oasis of well-landscaped solitude amid the bustle of Wall Street. There\u2019s some bench seating and plenty of grass, sweeping views of the East River and a nice combination of corporate-feeling flora and lush fauna. The entry stairs and escalators can be hard to find but are worth the search. Though the physical space has existed for decades, it didn’t become such a sanctuary until a 2005 revamp. 55 Water St., Financial District<\/p>\n The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library<\/a><\/p>\n The top floor of this freshly renovated Midtown New York Public Library branch \u2013 and the system\u2019s largest circulating branch \u2014 features a wraparound rooftop terrace with not just views but also seating. Open during regular library hours. 455 Fifth Ave., Midtown<\/p>\n Pier 57<\/a><\/p>\n This nearly 2-acre rooftop park offers sweeping views of the Hudson and Lower Manhattan, stunning sunsets, and bleacher-style tiered seating to rest your weary legs. It\u2019s located across from the far more lush Little Island<\/a>. To access it, walk to the gate by City Winery, follow the pathway inside, and take the stairs (or elevator) all the way up. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. 25 11th Ave., Chelsea<\/p>\n