New York City gave my family some of the most memorable VR days we have had on the road, and every spot on this page is one we personally suited up and played at before writing about it. You will find everything from projection-mapped game rooms in Lower Manhattan to full-motion simulator pods in Brooklyn, plus a mobile VR truck that comes to you. I have ranked them by what actually held up once we strapped on the headsets.
I’m the creator of this blog, simply a regular person who revels in discovering virtual reality experiences throughout New York City with my family. We’ve turned our escapades into a dynamic project, evaluating and documenting the standout VR locations we encounter. Thus, if you’re on the quest for immersive virtual reality entertainment in NYC, you’ve certainly arrived at the right place!
Note, if you’re looking for other cities, click here!
Our table isn’t just a list; it’s our personal journey through the virtual landscapes, complete with names, locations, themes, and honest user ratings from yours truly and the fam. We detail everything from age suitability and costs to the pros and cons we’ve encountered, all to help you pick the perfect VR adventure!
Virtual Reality Near NYC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best VR experience in New York City?
For a pure headset adventure, Dave & Buster's Times Square runs my favorite single game in the city: Star Trek: Dark Remnant, a 30-minute crew mission where each of us took a station on the ship's bridge and battled Klingons together. It set a new bar for what I expect from location-based VR. If you want the widest spread of tech under one roof, Escape Virtuality in Chelsea has VR treadmills, an AR climbing wall, racing sims, and VR escape rooms all in one place. And the highest score I gave in NYC went to Extreme Video Game Zone, a mobile company that brings VR rigs and game trucks right to your event.
How much does VR cost in New York City?
It varies a lot by venue. At Immersive Gamebox on Essex Street, we paid $43 per person for a 60-minute game. eVRest Amusement Park in Brooklyn ran private game sessions around $39, and we bought a family package of 60 minutes of unlimited VR for the four of us. Land O Fun in Brooklyn is the budget pick at $15 per kid for the day with adults free when they are with kids, and that entry covers the VR along with everything else inside. Extreme Video Game Zone charged us $350 for a 3-hour session for the family, which came out to under $30 per hour per person.
Which NYC spot is best for kids or a birthday party?
Escape Virtuality in Chelsea is the one I would book for a party. It has private event spaces with catering, and its Ghost Collector VR escape room was a good fit for my kids at ages 12 and 14. Immersive Gamebox is also great for a group, since up to six players share one projection-mapped room, and the staff there loves running family sessions. For younger kids, Land O Fun in Brooklyn has a gated area built for the under-10 crowd along with bumper cars and bowling, though it leans toward kids up to about age 12.
Where can I do free-roam or walking VR in NYC?
Escape Virtuality in Chelsea is your spot. My son John played on their VR treadmills, where you strap on a headset and physically walk in any direction while the treadmill rotates a full 360 degrees so you can run wherever the game takes you. Immersive Gamebox on Essex Street is a different kind of room-scale play worth knowing about too: instead of a headset controlling everything, projection mapping covers all four walls and the floor while motion-tracking cameras follow your body as you step and wave to control the game.
Is there VR near NYC on Long Island?
Yes. Extreme Video Game Zone is based in Hewlett on Long Island and brings VR rigs and game trucks out across the tri-state area, so they can come to you rather than the other way around. Laser Bounce in Levittown is another Long Island option, a big warehouse family fun center with a VR experience alongside laser tag, bounce parks, Ballocity, and a large arcade. Laser Bounce works for ages 5 and up, so it is an easier fit for younger families than some of the Manhattan venues.