Summer has officially come to an end…but not in Midtown—and Rockefeller Center is making sure New Yorkers get to take some of it home.
The Rockefeller Center Flower Show is returning to New York City, transforming the iconic plaza into a colorful floral escape while giving visitors the chance to score free flowers. Yes, free. In a city where a tiny iced coffee can somehow cost $9, this is the kind of deal worth stopping for.
The annual Rockefeller Center Flower Show turns the area around Rockefeller Plaza into a celebration of flowers, plants and springtime design. Giant floral displays and colorful installations give the usually business-heavy Midtown neighborhood a serious garden makeover, creating one of the more unexpected—and Instagram-friendly—places to enjoy spring in NYC.
But the real attraction? Free flowers.
Visitors can typically pick up complimentary blooms during special flower-distribution events tied to the celebration. That means you can walk through Rockefeller Center, admire the elaborate displays and potentially leave with a little bouquet of your own.
It’s also an easy stop for anyone looking for free things to do in NYC. No reservation, fancy outfit or $200 dinner required. Just show up, take in the flowers and, if you’re lucky, walk away with something pretty for your apartment.
The flower show is especially appealing for New Yorkers suffering from the annual Midtown condition known as I-have-not-seen-a-tree-in-three-days. The colorful displays offer a quick dose of nature without requiring a subway ride to Central Park.
And because this is Rockefeller Center, expect plenty of photo opportunities. Between the flowers, architecture and surrounding cityscape, your camera roll is about to get considerably more cheerful.
So if you’re searching for free flowers in NYC, free things to do in Manhattan, or simply an excuse to stop and smell the roses, Rockefeller Center has you covered.
Just remember: the flowers may be free, but resisting the urge to buy something afterward in Midtown is entirely on you.
