the tourist in new york

22 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in New York City

Written by Lana Law Updated Mar 18, 2024 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

One of the greatest cities in the world , New York is always a whirlwind of activity, with famous sights at every turn and never enough time to see them all.

Brooklyn Bridge and the New York City skyline

Some people come here to enjoy the Broadway shows; others come specifically to shop; and many come simply to see the tourist attractions: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, historic neighborhoods, and world-famous museums . As someone who visits regularly, I like to come with friends, try new restaurants, and discover new experiences.

Many of the best places to visit in New York are within walking distance of each other, or just a short ride away, making this city a delight for sightseeing. If you have plenty of time and enjoy the water, touring New York City using the NYC Ferry System offers a unique way to see the sights.

Any time of year and any time of day or night there are an endless array of things to see and do in New York.

See also: Where to Stay in New York City

1. Statue of Liberty

2. central park, 3. rockefeller center & top of the rock observation deck, 4. metropolitan museum of art, 5. broadway and the theater district, 6. empire state building, 7. 9/11 memorial and museum, 8. american museum of natural history, 9. high line, 10. times square, 11. brooklyn bridge, 12. fifth avenue, 13. grand central terminal, 14. lincoln center, 15. one world observatory, 16. the frick collection (frick madison), 17. new york public library, 18. wall street, 19. radio city music hall, 20. st. patrick's cathedral, 21. carnegie hall, 22. bryant park, where to stay in new york city for sightseeing, tips and tours: how to make the most of your visit to new york, map of tourist attractions in new york city, best time to visit new york, ny.

America's most iconic sight, the Statue of Liberty is at the top of every first-time visitor's list of things to do in New York. It was France's gift to America. Built in 1886, it remains a world symbol of freedom and is one of the top attractions in America .

It is one of the world's largest statues, standing just under 152 feet tall from the base to the torch, and weighing approximately 450,000 pounds. You can see the statue from land, with particularly good views from Battery Park , on the southern tip of Manhattan.

To truly appreciate the Statue of Liberty, the best thing to do is to take a short boat trip to Liberty Island and see it up close. Take a pleasant stroll around the base, and if you have reservations, enter the pedestal or the crown. The crown is open for tours, but book well in advance if you want to enjoy this special experience.

On a tour of the Statue of Liberty, you have the option to stop at Ellis Island and explore the Immigration Museum . This fantastic museum is located in the historic immigration station complex, where thousands of immigrants were processed before entering the United States.

Displays focus on the process, the experiences, and the stories of the people who came through here on their journey to the United States. You can even search the on-site computer database to see a record of immigrants who came through here.

Tickets to go inside the statue sell out. Pre-purchasing tickets is a must during the high season and a good idea at any time of year. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour takes you to both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. This tour allows reserved access to board the ferry and includes access to the Museum at Ellis Island.

Author's Tip: Buying tickets near the ferry can be tricky, with hawkers swarming you as you exit the subway claiming to be "official representatives" and trying to sell you more expensive tickets before you can find the ticket booth. Be sure to buy in advance at the link above or ignore the hawkers until you reach the booth in Castle Clinton in Battery Park.

Read More: Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in New York State

An oasis of green amongst New York's concrete canyons, Central Park is a sanctuary of peace and quiet for visitors and locals alike.

A walk, pedal, or carriage ride through the crisscrossing pathways of Central Park is a must-do on anyone's New York City itinerary. In winter, you can even lace up your skates and glide across Wollman Rink . This huge park in the city center, a half-mile wide and 2.5 miles long, is one of the things that makes New York such a beautiful and livable city.

Besides being a great place to experience a little nature, Central Park has many attractions within its borders, and most of them are free, making it one of the few cheap things to do in NYC. Some of the most popular places to visit include the Belvedere Castle , Strawberry Fields , the Central Park Zoo , and the Lake . If you are exploring the park on your own, start by picking up a map at one of the visitor centers and plot your route.

Central Park also offers activities throughout the year, from 5km runs and yoga classes to penguin feeding at the Central Park Zoo. Have a look at the park's events schedule for details on what's happening during your visit.

If you're visiting during the summer months, you may want to catch a performance of Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This is a relaxing way to spend an evening in New York City and performances are free.

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The 37 Best Things to Do in New York City

By Melissa Liebling-Goldberg and Alex Erdekian

Aerial view of New York City skyline with Central Park and Manhattan USA

One of the most mysterious things about New York City is that the closer you look—even at something as minor as a street corner—the more you see. And the longer you look, the faster it changes before your eyes. People can live here for 100 years and never run out of places to go or people to meet, so deciding the best things to do in New York is daunting; which is why we're narrowing your options. Whether you're a local itching to get out of your neighborhood or an out-of-towner who doesn't know The Met from the Mets, these new and classic activities alike will dazzle you. From wandering Central Park to slurping soup dumplings in Chinatown , these are a few of our very favorite things to do in New York City, from Midtown to Brooklyn.

Read our complete New York City travel guide here .

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Central Park Manhattan New York. Lawn with skyline in background

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To get that Nora Ephron New York experience, you have no choice but to take a stroll through Central Park while in the city. As you step off the crowded sidewalks of 59th Street into a mass of green, you’ll hardly realize what lies before you: 693 acres of man-made gardens, meadows, forests, and hillsides. If you ambled down every one of Central Park’s pathways, you would walk 58 miles. Along the way, you pass sculptures, bridges, and arches, plus 21 playgrounds, a winter ice-skating rink, even a zoo . But you’d hardly notice the four major crosstown thoroughfares, which cleverly disappear into foliage-covered tunnels. Map your park route to stop at classic Central Park landmarks, like the Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Belvedere Castle, and the Strawberry Fields John Lennon Memorial.

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Chinatown is one of the neighborhoods that makes lower Manhattan vibrant and unforgettable. After surfacing from the steps of the Canal Street subway station onto the sidewalk, meandering past thick crowds, neon light shops, and vendors peddling fake designer bags, you’ll find yourself in the narrow streets of Chinatown, where there are bright heaps of produce, succulent ducks hanging in windows, and restaurants old and new. Touching Tribeca, SoHo, Little Italy, and the Lower East Side, Chinatown has a rich history and began being populated by Chinese immigrants as early as the 1850s. You can visit in whichever way makes sense for you. Whether you spend an hour devouring a box of roast pork or duck from street-style Wah Fung No. 1 before you have to proceed elsewhere, or you spend half a day shopping for produce, dining out, and paying a visit to the Museum of Chinese in America , everyone will gain something from a visit to Chinatown.

The Whitney Museum New York City exterior

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The Whitney got a major upgrade when it relocated from the Upper East Side to its vastly-expanded Meatpacking headquarters in 2015. It houses 50,000 square feet of indoor galleries with works by Jean Michel Basquiat, Richard Avedon, and Alexander Calder, four outdoor exhibition spaces and terraces, and a ground-floor restaurant and top-floor bar, both by Danny Meyer, one of the town’s best-known restaurateurs. The floors are connected by two artist-designed elevators (albeit slow-moving, crowded ones). If mobility isn’t an issue, take the stairs instead, which offer uninterrupted views of the Hudson river. The upper floors and sculpture terraces are also connected by a series of exterior staircases, with great views of the downtown skyline, and a rare opportunity to experience art en plein aire.

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A spring or summer day spent cheering at an NYC ballpark is a classic activity for a reason. Located in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium is the home field of New York’s 27-time World Champions. It’s a half-hour subway ride from Penn Station and approximately a 20-minute subway ride from Grand Central Terminal, making it easily accessible from Manhattan. It replaced the 1923 original in 2009 and cost $1.5 billion to build, making it one of the world’s most expensive stadiums. It seats 50,287 fans. New York Yankees games, obviously, are the main event here, but you can also attend concerts, college football, and soccer matches.

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The Morgan is like a multi-hyphenate millennial—only instead of actress/model/influencer/whatever, it’s museum/library/landmark/historic site/music venue. Inside the multimillionaire’s personal library, expanded into a must-see museum and cultural space, you'll find rare artifacts, paintings, and books, some dating back to 4000 B.C. that are worth more than your house. In particular the museum is home to one of 23 copies of the original Declaration of Independence; Mozart's handwritten score of the Haffner Symphony; the collected works of African American poet Phillis Wheatley; the only extant manuscript of Milton's Paradise Lost ; and Charles Dickens’s manuscript of A Christmas Carol . Swoon.

Cathedral of St John The Divine New York City

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The Cathedral of St. John the Divine on 112th and Amsterdam in Upper Manhattan’s Morningside Heights is the largest cathedral in the world and the sixth-largest church by area. Hundreds of thousands of visitors walk through these doors annually for a reason. The cathedral itself—and its remarkable Gothic architecture, story-telling stained glass windows, and 17th century tapestries—is already worth visiting. But there is artwork that is especially meaningful to New York City here as well, including Keith Haring's white gold and bronze altarpiece and a 9/11 memorial sculpture by Meredith Bergmann, which holds debris of the towers in it. The cathedral holds daily and Sunday worship services, which welcome all. There is no charge to pray, meditate, or contemplate in the cathedral. Visitors who show for sightseeing purposes can enter for $5 admission. Special tours are offered depending on the day of the week.

Many mirrors reflecting in the interior of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt

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There’s no shortage of jaw-dropping views found throughout the city, but the team behind Summit One Vanderbilt has assembled a bunch of big names to bring together a full experience where you could easily spend a few hours. It starts with the elevator, a light- and sound-filled ride that whooshes visitors up to the 91st floor. There, you’re greeted by a massive, mirrored room that looks out over New York City. Additionally, there are rotating art installations from Kenzo Digital, as well as two special features: Levitation, a glass skybox that lets you feel as if you’re floating one-thousand feet above Madison Avenue; and Ascent, a separate glass elevator that brings you up even higher to gaze over downtown Manhattan. Inside, a Snøhetta-designed Nordic-inspired space serves food and drinks from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events, including pastrami-stuffed pretzels and ricotta toast; there’s also a wrap-around outdoor terrace that feels like the city's most exciting rooftop bar.

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The sister institution to MoMA is no ordinary art museum. Located in a striking Renaissance Revival former public school building in Long Island City, Queens, MoMA PS1’s setting is just as interesting as its collection. All manner of cutting-edge contemporary art is shown here, with a collection over 200,000 pieces strong, from the likes of James Turrell and Ai Weiwei. The people-watching can be just as good as the art, as creative types from around the city come here to find inspiration.

Inside Bemelmans Toulouse Lautrecinspired piano bar NYC

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At Bemelmans, Ludwig Bemelman's illustrations—you might remember them from the Madeline books—adorn the walls. In one panel, a bunny smokes a cigar in Central Park ; in another, a man hands a boy a clutch of balloons. This is a bar where gawking is permissible. The cocktails here very much depend on who’s making them: an Old Fashioned might be a bit watery, a whiskey sour too tart. But often a dirty gin Martini is just perfectly executed. Everything is expensive—it’s clear why you’re here—so take the edge off that sensation by digging into the free, hearty snacks that float your way.

For locals and first-time visitors alike, seeing a Broadway show is a special experience, and one that is exclusive to New York City. Times Square is ordinarily a drag, but when you’re moseying into Midtown Manhattan for a show the bright billboards and lights don’t flash in your face—they dazzle in your eyes. A Broadway show's costumes, sets, songs, and stories are the stuff of dreams. In November, anticipated Spamalot— (parodying Monty Python and the Holy Grail) —and Harmony —a performance telling the true story of the Comedian Harmonists—take the stage.

Orchid path Orchid Show Cuba in Bloom at the Enid Haupt Conservatory The New York Botanical Gardens The Bronx New York USA

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The New York Botanical Garden has carefully manicured flower gardens, lush fields, winding hikes, and impeccable greenhouses. There are spaces that feel deeply intimate, as if you're truly separated from the world, and there are vast expanses where it's hard to believe you're still in the Bronx . In winter, the greenhouses host an annual train show recreating all of New York City in miniature; the warmer months bring every floral delight imaginable, from cherry trees to peonies. Plan to spend at least half a day here and pack a picnic.

Brooklyn Heights Promenade

It’s one thing to be in the midst of Manhattan, on the ground; it’s quite another to look upon it from across the river. In Brooklyn Heights, a couple subway stops away from lower Manhattan, the city’s image looms large before you. Arguably the best view of the skyline in the city, the Brooklyn Heights promenade hovers above the Brooklyn-Queen Expressway. Underlying the peaceful, tree-lined walkway, traffic rumbles below. The promenade stretches from Remsen Street at the south end to Middagh Street at the north. Around the corner, pedestrians can discretely cross a basketball court to access a suspended footbridge that zigzags down to the piers of Brooklyn Bridge Park. While in the picturesque neighborhood, make stops at the New York Transit Museum, the Sardinian trattoria River Deli, and the old-time dive bar Montero.

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Grand Central Terminal is more than just one of the busiest train stations in the world—it's a window into old New York and into a time when train travel was the ultimate luxury for the wealthy and a necessity for the working man. If you aren't commuting in or out of the city, avoid coming during rush hour, and take your time admiring the landmark architecture and checking out the top-notch dining and shopping.

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Every American should visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at least once. As you enter the museum, you descend from the street to bedrock level—the foundation of the former Twin Towers—and are placed in a meditative mindset, forced to recall where you were on that fateful day. The museum itself is a masterful balance: It's grand in scale, contemplative in its construction, and personal in its execution. It pays homage to the enormity of the loss, both physical and spiritual.

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When the Brooklyn Bridge was constructed in 1883—extending 1,595 feet across the East River, connecting lower Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights—it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Now, it’s a historic staple of the New York City skyline, transporting commuter car traffic underneath and touristic foot traffic above . Standing before arches and rectangles with city skyscrapers rising in the distance, will at once inspire a sense of grandiosity and slightness.

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Located on four acres in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, the Met Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is America’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. The building overlooks the Hudson River and actually incorporates five medieval-inspired cloisters into a modern museum structure, creating a historic, contextualized backdrop in which to view the art.

Sculpture hanging from ceiling at MoMA New York

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Located in Midtown Manhattan, the MoMA is larger than it appears as you approach it from the street below. One of the world’s most influential museums—displaying the works of important artists like Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, and Diane Arbus—it has 630,000 square feet of space and attracts more than a million visitors a year. While making a beeline for the fifth-floor Collection Galleries to take in The Starry Night and Monet’s Water Lilies is understandable, don’t miss the exhibitions, which tell new stories and can only be experienced in a limited time frame. Allocate time to spend pouring over the remarkable books and objects in the famous gift shop, too—an NYC must-visit in its own right.

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Countless careers have been made and stars have passed through this world famous, legendary Harlem theater—Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross, Lauryn Hill, and D’Angelo to name a few. The venue—which began as a white-only burlesque destination until 1934, when under new ownership it began welcoming and becoming central to the Black community—has been active for 88 years, with swing, blues, jazz, R&B, and comedy acts taking the stage. Today, visitors can attend events like Amateur Night at the Apollo, one of the city’s most long-standing, fame-making live shows. Capacity is 1,500, with three levels of seating, and contrary to the way it appears on 'Showtime at the Apollo,' is intimate without much legroom.

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Prospect Park is in many ways the Central Park of Brooklyn; in fact, it was designed shortly after by the same team of architects, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and has many of the same features: sprawling meadows, walking trails, and picturesque bodies of water. In feeling though, it’s more rambling and less manicured than its touristed Manhattan counterpart. Prospect Park Woodlands is Brooklyn’s last remaining forest, with 250 acres of trees, turtles, chipmunks, 200 species of birds, and other fauna and flora. There's also basketball and tennis courts, a carousel, playgrounds, zoo, and a 3.35-mile loop for runners and bikers (they’re fast —watch out!). While there, make a trip to adjacent Brooklyn Botanic Garden , particularly lovely during cherry blossom season.

Bedford Avenue Williamsburg Brooklyn New York United States of America

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Sip iced coffee in McCarren Park, catch an indie show at Baby's All Right, walk two blocks over to some of the city's most-coveted Italian at Lilia (with a month-in-advance res, of course.) This is the busiest thoroughfare in hip Williamsburg: Bedford Avenue—and the L train that feeds it—might as well be North Brooklyn’s own personal people-watching catwalk. Pedestrians with voluminous pants, dogs with miniature rain boots, and high-speed scooters will swish past you. As you make your way south from the subway station, likely en route from the East Village, you’ll pass local businesses that characterize the area, like Catbird (ethereal, vintage-inspired jewelry), Spoonbill & Sugartown Books (poetry, special design and cookbooks, cards), and Awoke Vintage (best-known for their genuine denim often from the ‘90s.)

Coney Island New York City USA. Ferry wheel at amusement park with passageway in foreground

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Coney Island has a reputation as a circus-worthy tourist trap, which is exactly what it is. But you may be surprised by the old-timey charms of this beachfront American town. You’ll definitely be impressed by the food and drinks—Totonno's Pizza, Gargiulo's and Coney Island Brewery in particular. Locals and tourists hang out on the beach, eat ice cream cones on the promenade, and stand in line for the famed Cyclone roller coaster. The beach and boardwalk along with spots like Nathan’s are open year-round. The amusement park itself is seasonal. Events like the annual Mermaid Parade (crowded as they may be) are worth watching for the audacity and theatrics you can’t find anywhere else in the world but Coney Island.

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World-renowned performing arts center Lincoln Center is always worth visiting when the opportunity arises, and in October 2022, David Geffen Hall, home to the New York Philharmonic, reopened after a major renovation that improved the venue’s acoustics and spiffed it up with a modern look. The sprawling Upper West Side complex is also home to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Juilliard. All kinds of music, dance, theater, and films show here; Some highlights from the upcoming calendar include the New York Film Festival, the operas like The Life and Times of Malcom X and La Boheme , and ballets like The Nutcracker . Whether you’re on a special date or reconnecting with old friend when you’re in town, seeing a live performance at Lincoln Center will always make for an elegant and memorable night out.

Flowers blooming in Washington Square Park in spring

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If people-watching is your sport, Washington Square Park is your place. Entertainment is a given in this intimate, not-quite 10-acre space, filled with career chess players, musicians, performers, students, sunbathers, strollers, and general throngs of Greenwich Villagers, desperate for a bit of fresh air. Take your time as you go through: Pause beneath Washington Arch, honoring our country’s first president (for whom the Park is named), and observe the laurel wreaths and intricate motifs that extend from the base to the keystones, atop which twin eagles perch like constant watchmen. Washington Square Park is the beating heart of this vibrant New York neighborhood.

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For nearly a century and a half, the Met has remained the cultural epicenter of New York City, thanks to forward-thinking exhibits and an extensive permanent collection. With its Gothic-Revival-style building, iconic tiered steps, and Central Park location, the building is a sight to be seen. But step inside its Great Hall—as a ceaseless parade of museumgoers move to-and-fro—and you’ll feel the overwhelming sense of possibility and discovery that lays beyond. If you've got limited time or compatriots with limited attention spans, start with the Temple of Dendur, a 2,000-year-old soaring Egyptian temple (the only complete one in the Western Hemisphere)

Musician performing at Blue Note Jazz Club New York

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Blue Note has been one of the best jazz clubs in New York, and the world, since the 1980s. It offers music every night at 8 p.m. and 10:30, and on Friday and Saturday nights has a late night series at 12:30 a.m., which showcases emerging talent. If you're looking to get a taste of jazz in NYC, you can do no better. Over the years, legendary musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ray Charles have performed on the Blue Note Stage, as well as contemporary jazz acts such as Wynton Marsalis, Keith Jarrett, and Chris Botti. Tables are intimate, close-set, and all-ages (with the bar being 21-plus).

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Union Square is a place of the people, not unlike the agoras of ancient Athens—and no offering of Union Square showcases this quality quite like the bustling Greenmarket. From upstate New York, the Berkshires , New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, vendors sell artisan bread, honey, fresh-cut flowers, heritage meats, pastries, seasonal fruits and vegetables both common and uncommon, and much more. Don't miss the free events, like book signings and more: Cooking demos take place at the Market Information tent daily, beer and spirits pop-ups show seasonally, and the education station offers tours and tastings.

Rockefeller Center Midtown Manhattan NYC New York City NY USA. Image shot 052008. Exact date unknown.

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Rockefeller Center sits in the heart of midtown Manhattan, both in terms of its physical location and its prominent place in the city's folklore and culture. Whether you want to check out a performance on the plaza outside the TODAY show, visit the Christmas tree, or practice your best moves on the ice skating rink, you're in for an iconic, family-friendly experience. If you buy a ticket to Top of the Rock, you'll enjoy spectacular views of the city below. No matter where you are, you're bound to be constantly pointing and shouting “hey, look at that!”

Front facade of the Olive Tree Cafe Comedy Cellar Greenwich Village New York NY USA

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None of the promoters on MacDougal Street shouting “stand-up comedy tonight!” are trying to get you into the Comedy Cellar, where the show is already sold out. Blockbuster stars like Jerry Seinfeld and Eddie Murphy made their names at the Cellar; if you're lucky, one may show up the night you're there. Seating is intimate and close together, and there is a two-item minimum on food or drinks. It's 21-plus and vaccine-mandatory; be prepared to surrender your phone at the door, too. There's no bad seat in the house, but sit in the front at your own risk of getting (playfully) heckled by the host or a comic.

Museum of Natural History New York City interior Elephants

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Truly one of the world's great natural history museums, the American Museum of Natural History spans four city blocks just across from Central Park . All aspects of the natural world are represented here, from a vast collection of taxidermy mammals, to depictions of the life of Native American tribes, to an entire hall dedicated to marine life—including a life-size model of a blue whale. The crown jewel is the dinosaur floor, with an imposing Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton that dominates the room. The newest attraction comes in the form of the long-awaited Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation , which opened in May of 2023 and, among many other things, boasts a comprehensive insectarium and vivarium. Breathtaking architecture from New York-based Jeanne Gang doesn't hurt, either.

People walking in street in front of Strand Bookstore Manhattan New York

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With its towering stacks, filled with more than 2.5 million titles, this 94-year-old bookstore is less neighborhood haunt and more globally recognized institution. You could call the Strand's employees tour guides, considering their deft ability to find the exact title you're looking for and recommend a book you may not have otherwise plucked from the shelves. The store will make you question why you don’t read more; and chances are you won’t leave empty-handed.

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With more than 700 different animal species spread across 265 acres of parkland thoughtfully designed to mimic natural habitats, the Bronx Zoo is a great place to escape from Manhattan for the day, especially if you're traveling with kids. Don't miss the giraffe building, the Congo gorilla forest, the house of reptiles, the flamingos in the sea bird aviary, and the sea lions, who always make for an exciting show. If you want to blow the minds of a bunch of kids, you can do no better.

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Located in New York Harbor, only 800 yards from Manhattan and 400 yards from Brooklyn, walking onto quirky, car-free, brick-covered, 173-acre Governors Island feels like being transported to an alternate universe from the city—but in reality it's a quick, affordable ferry ride away. One-way fare is $4 and boats are serviced from Lower Manhattan’s Battery Maritime Building every day, as well as from Brooklyn Bridge Park and Atlantic Basin in Red Hook on the weekends. In the past couple of years, Governors Island has become an even more popular city destination, and has welcomed a slew of new luxury businesses. One is special in particular: Collective, the only place you can stay overnight on the island. Collective is a glamping experience, offering plush beds inside the tents, morning yoga, sunset cocktails, and iconic skyline views—Lady Liberty included, herself. Which is all to say, you’re by no means roughing it here. On the menu at their restaurant, you’ll find grilled seafood, gorgeous spreads of pastries, and more. Another luxury experience new to the island is QC NY Spa, with top-grade saunas and a skyline view-filled pool.

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Fashion and dogs; dogs and fashion. At McCarren Park, these wonders abound. Located smack between Williamsburg and Greenpoint and bound by Nassau Avenue, Bayard Street, Lorimer Street, and North 12th Street, McCarren is one of North Brooklyn’s best gathering places and community hubs. Activities on offer include softball, volleyball, soccer, handball, and more, but you’ll also see Brooklynites running on the track, rollerblading around the park’s perimeter, and hoisting each other up in acroyoga poses on the grass. Shopping and dining opportunities fringe the park and make for a bustling atmosphere—including the Greenmarket on Saturdays, a thrift market bursting with vintage clothes on the weekends, Awoke Vintage, Forma Pasta, Bernie’s, Frankels, and more.

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Located in Brooklyn on a hip stretch of Bushwick’s Jefferson Avenue, Elsewhere—a vast, three-story nightclub and live music venue with multiple dance floors, stages, and a rooftop—has become one of the city’s best nightlife destinations. Spinning disco balls and kaleidoscopic lights set the scene. A somewhat recent staple in the city’s nightlife scene, Elsewhere is a converted warehouse that opened in 2017. Blocks away from similar venues like Avant Gardener and House of Yes, Elsewhere stands out for its inclusivity, its intimate vibe in spite of its size, and for lifting up smaller, up-and-coming acts.

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One of the best public beaches you can visit in New York City proper, Rockaway is a sandy, sprawling stretch of surf located in Queens on the Atlantic Ocean, complete with a 5.5-mile boardwalk of delicious concessions. A summery way to get there in style? Take the ferry from Wall Street or Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and let the wind blow through your hair as you take in the city views, sailing under the Verrazano Bridge and past Coney Island on the way. From just about everywhere else in the city, you can also get there via the A train. Each stretch has a different crowd and personality: Beach 90-106 is the busiest section, with the most food and drink options; Beaches 67-69 as well as 90-92 are the surfing zones; between Beach 153 and Beach 169 you’ll find Jacob Riis Park, which is popular with young people and is a summer gathering place for the city’s LGBTQ+ community.

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Located on Ludlow Street in the Lower East Side, Metrograph is an independent movie house and a New York City cinema destination. When you walk in, you’ll notice that the decor is trendy, artsy, and has almost nothing in common with an AMC. You might overhear film buffs opining on French directors you never heard of, but hey, it’s all part of the charm. It shows a curated roster of films that includes exclusive archival screenings, special premiers, and Q&As with notable filmmakers; a few of the films playing on the current lineup in November include The Wall , a 1990 documentary about the Berlin Wall with vérité-style footage; Bill Cunningham New York on 35mm film, introduced by director Richard Press and producer Philip Gefter; and the classic Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf , starring Elizabeth Taylor. Seats are assigned and booked online—to purchase in person, tickets go on sale a half hour before showtime. Seats are red-velvet-cushioned, and pretty comfortable.

Bonus: The legitimate restaurant on site called the Metrograph Commissary serving brunch and dinner, where movie-goers can extend their outing with a meal or a round of drinks. You won’t find your typical movie theater slushies here—espresso martinis, steak tartare, and duck with rosemary are on the menu.

NEW YORK NY MARCH 1 Atmosphere at Gagosian Opening Reception for Sterling Ruby at Gagosian Gallery on March 1 2017 in...

Chelsea's Art Galleries Arrow

If you’ve done the Met and the MoMA a million times but have yet to explore the city’s art gallery scene, get thee to Chelsea. The West Side neighborhood is one of the city’s best-known for art and is home to some of the world’s most respected contemporary art galleries, like David Zwirner —representing legends like Yayoi Kusama, Alice Neel, and William Eggleston—and Gagosian —Damien Hirst, Richard Avedon, Takashi Murakami, and Anna Weyant, whose star is rising. These spaces feel exclusive and glamorous, and you feel special upon walking inside and experiencing their treasures. (And unless you’re an heiress, you’re only window shopping.) The Chelsea gallery scene exemplifies one of New York City’s greatest strengths: walkability. We’d recommend mapping out the spots you want to hit and making half a day out of it—West 24th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues is a prime route.

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15 of the best things to do in New York City in 2024

Mar 23, 2024 • 9 min read

A trip to Central Park is a classic stop on any NYC itinerary © Marco Rubino / Shutterstock

Three life-changing words: New York City .

Millions are drawn to it; some never shake it. Monumental, artistic, cultural, commercial, cosmopolitan – the City That Never Sleeps is everything you've imagined. You'll never be bored here – the only problem is narrowing down what to do from the endless list of possibilities.

To help you get started, here's a list of my favorite inspirational highlights – all perfect experiences for your next trip. However, the big sights lure big crowds, so brace yourself. If you're after a calmer NYC experience, sights in the "outer borough" (beyond Manhattan) will generally be less crowded.

Ticket costs can also be substantial, so consider purchasing a New York CityPASS , which offers good discounts on top attractions.

A red kayak in the water in front of the Statue of Liberty

1. Visit the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

The iconic copper-green Statue of Liberty dominates a small island in New York Harbor, casting a protective shadow over neighboring Ellis Island , the site of a stirring Immigration Museum . Still symbolic today, these two landmarks served as an uplifting gateway through which over 12 million soon-to-be-Americans passed from 1892 to 1924.

Planning tip: Boats to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island leave from The Battery in Manhattan and Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The monuments are often visited on a combined ticket – book well ahead, especially if you hope to spend time in Liberty's pedestal or crown.

2. Soak up the views from the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings

The tallest building in the world when it opened in 1931, the 1454ft Empire State Building remains a much-loved character on the NYC skyline, although somewhat controversially, street-level views of this New York City skyline icon are about to be obscured by a luxury condo apartment. Vistas from the outdoor, 360-degree view, 86th-floor deck and the indoor 102nd-floor observatory are breathtaking, though – particularly at sunset. Look northeast at the art deco Chrysler Building , also once the world's tallest before being dethroned by the Empire State.

Planning tip: Buy tickets in advance and devote a few moments to the second-floor Story of an Icon museum.

Interior of the 9/11 National Memorial Museum, New york City

3. Pay tribute to lost lives at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum

The National 9/11 Memorial is located where the World Trade Center Twin Towers once stood. It features sobering tributes to the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, most poignantly two sunken pools with cascades of water pouring into the fallen towers' footprints. Adjacent to the memorial is a profoundly moving museum with remnants and reminders of the tragic day.

Planning tip: The memorial is free; museum tickets are best bought online in advance.

4. Have family-friendly seaside fun at Coney Island

Jutting like a Brooklyn thumb out into New York Harbor's Lower Bay, Coney Island boasts a wide beach, a popular seaside boardwalk and a lively amusement park, all reachable by subway in about an hour from Midtown Manhattan. Popular attractions include the family-friendly New York Aquarium , Nathan's Famous hot dogs , Deno's Wonder Wheel and thrill-filled Luna Park , featuring the wooden Cyclone rollercoaster – a city and national historic landmark.

Planning tip: Walk to nearby Brighton Beach for classic Russian and Ukrainian eats.

A shot of the backs of a crowd of people inspecting a painting

5. Tour the vast collections at NYC's major museums

The Met is NYC's most visited museum for very good reasons. With 5000 years of art from all over the world, two million individual objects and 17 acres of exhibition space, it's massive, astounding and seemingly inexhaustible.

An inside tip – the Met's often bypassed uptown Cloisters were cobbled together from authentic sections of European medieval monasteries. Tickets cover three-day admission to both Met branches.

Directly across Central Park from the Met is another significant museum with a broad scope: the American Museum of Natural History , where your ticket grants you access to more than 50 exhibits and 34 million artifacts!

Art lovers will find modern masterpieces from Warhol, Pollock and more in the Museum of Modern Art ; book ahead to skip the line, particularly at weekends. Somewhat smaller and less crowded, though definitely still comprehensive, is the Brooklyn Museum .

Detour: For something much more contemporary and free of hordes, try Brooklyn's Bushwick Collective Street Art .

Use this guide to plan the ultimate museum tour of New York City .

A person sits in front of a lake gazing towards a two-towered apartment block

6. Hang out in Central Park

Hemmed in by buildings, Central Park serves up 843 acres of green space – meadows, groves, gardens and lakes, as well as restaurants, theaters, concert venues, fountains, skating rinks, ballfields, playgrounds and much more. Park Drive, although often crowded, is a favorite route for runners, skaters and cyclists.

Seeking some green space with fewer people? Brooklyn's Prospect Park , created by the same landscapers as Central Park, has all the same charm with far less throng.

Detour: For a leafy overview of Manhattan, consider cycling along sections of the 31-mile Manhattan Waterfront Greenway , especially the Hudson River Greenway segment.

Can't get enough of Central Park? Our local tells you where to find Central Park's best corners .

7. Walk across Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Undoubtedly NYC's most beautiful river crossing, the 1596ft-long, stone-towered Brooklyn Bridge was one of the world's first steel suspension bridges when it opened in 1883. Today, a walk along its pedestrian passageway delivers delightful Manhattan and Brooklyn skyline views.

Brooklyn Bridge Park , the 1.3-mile, 85-acre green space on Brooklyn's East River shoreline, prolongs the pleasure (and the Manhattan views). Check out the waterfront, glass-enclosed Jane's Carousel and multiple revitalized pier-based leisure and activity areas.

Save these restaurants to your Brooklyn itinerary.

Couple with bicycles looking at New York skyline

8. Gaze upon the Manhattan skyline

Manhattan's tumble of buildings is a mesmerizing spectacle, changing in natural and artificial light, particularly at dusk and night. Harbor cruises are a fantastic way to enjoy it, but there are also numerous land-based vantage points along the East River.

In Brooklyn, head for Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, East River State Park in Williamsburg and Transmitter Park in Greenpoint. Over in Queens, go to Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City and Astoria Park.

Planning tip: For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge and unbeatable views, take a helicopter tour over NYC; yes, it's pricey, but it's worth it.

9. See art and architecture on the High Line and at Hudson Yards

The 1.5-mile-long High Line is one of New York's great surprises. This art-filled, community green space – featuring gardens, events, and amazing city outlooks – was crafted from an abandoned elevated railway. It can be packed on warm evenings when the unique modern architecture on all sides is illuminated.

The northern terminus of the High Line is at the Hudson Yards , Manhattan's newest luxury development, with gourmet restaurants, upscale shops and singular attractions like Vessel , a multilevel public landmark, and The Edge , the city's highest (101st-floor) open-air observatory.

10. Visit the landmark Rockefeller Center

Perhaps best known for its winter backdrop – a world-famous ice-skating rink and New York's giant ceremoniously-lit Christmas tree – the art deco Rockefeller Center is a busy, art-filled national historic landmark all year round.

Named for its entrepreneurial developer – John D Rockefeller Jr, America's first billionaire – it claims highlights such as the 70th-floor Top of the Rock observation deck, the Radio City Music Hall and NBC Studios Tours , as well as plenty of Midtown shopping and dining.

Crowds of people crossing a busy city street lined with theater signs and other entertainment in New York City

11. Be dazzled by the lights of Times Square and the Theater District

The neon lights really do shine bright on Broadway, especially in Times Square at the heart of the world's most celebrated theater district. Day and night, it provides billboarded sensory overload. In the area are dozens of marquee-fronted playhouses hosting box-office hits, alongside Madame Tussauds and National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey . Bryant Park, Midtown's small but activity-filled green oasis, and the lion-flanked entrance of the New York Public Library , a national historic landmark, are also nearby.

12. Ride the New York City Subway and Staten Island Ferry

The wheels never stop turning in NYC, aided by its sleepless subway , one of the world's biggest mass transit systems. Another iconic part of the New York transport network is the free, orange Staten Island Ferry , the cheapest way to grab pics of Lady Liberty.

For NYC urban transport history, the kid-friendly Transit Museum has climb-aboard subway cars from all eras. There's a museum annex and shop in Grand Central Terminal , a Midtown beaux-arts wonder with an unforgettably grand main concourse.

A close up of pink lily pads in the New York Botanical Garden

13. Support conservation at the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Gardens

Who'd have thought the US's biggest and oldest zoo is in NYC? The conservation-minded Bronx Zoo hosts 6000-plus animals in 265 acres of specially designed habitats. Adjacent to it is the New York Botanical Garden , a 250-acre, year-round nature showcase with dozens of indoor and outdoor gardens included in your ticket.

Planning tip: Smaller but impressive alternative zoos can be found at Central Park, Prospect Park and Flushing Meadows Corona Park (Queens). The 50-acre Brooklyn Botanic Garden is famous for its seasonally blossoming cherry trees.

14. Find art and entrepreneurs in Brooklyn

In a city that places a high premium on space, Brooklyn now claims three hip, rehabilitated industrial areas commandeered by entrepreneurs, artisanal makers, retailers, artists, start-ups and nonprofits. Industry City occupies six large warehouses on the Sunset Park waterfront.

Further south, 100-plus companies fill the vast and storied Brooklyn Army Terminal . And east of Downtown Brooklyn, the expansive, historic Brooklyn Navy Yard is a modern made-in-Brooklyn manufacturing hub.

15. Go to a game at a New York stadium

New Yorkers take outsize pride in their sports teams, so how better to absorb the city's energy than at a game? The Bronx's Yankee Stadium and Mets' Citi Field in Queens are grand open-air stadiums, while Manhattan's Madison Square Garden , home of Knicks and Liberty basketball and Rangers hockey, and Brooklyn's futuristic Barclays Center , where the Nets basketball and Islanders hockey teams play, are enclosed, so good for rainy days.

Planning tip: If you'd prefer to see the Giants and Jets compete in the National Football League, their arenas are in nearby New Jersey .

And now for the hard part: should you go to a Mets or Yankees game? Two local experts weigh in .

Keep planning your trip to NYC:

Find out which NYC neighborhood fits your vibe Find the best time of year to visit Getting around NYC is fairly straightforward – find out how in our full transportation guide . Even better, read on for top tips to see New York on two wheels .

This article was first published May 2021 and updated March 2024

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Home » Travel Guides » United States » New York (NY) » 55 Best Things to Do in New York City (New York)

55 Best Things to Do in New York City (New York)

New York is at the vanguard of western art, entertainment, food trends, fashion and finance. Now, you could get cute and obscure when you compile a guide like this.

But truth be told, 55 things isn’t enough for a city like New York, which is why our list is packed shamelessly with big-hitters, from the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, Ellis Island, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Empire State, Broadway and the Brooklyn Bridge.

These things are non-negotiable if you want to do New York justice, even if you’ll be accompanied by a few thousand tourists.

We’ve got a breathless ride through a city seared in the minds of people around the world, immortalised in television and movies, and able to inspire wonder, awe, quiet reflection and joy in even the most cynical travellers.

Let’s explore the best things to do in NYC :

1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Backing onto Central on Fifth Avenue, the immense Metropolitan Museum of Art charts 5,000 years of applied and fine arts from all ends of the earth.

At the largest gallery in the United States you can chase your sense of curiosity down any number of rabbit-holes, marvelling at Sumerian cuneiform tablets, Chinese calligraphy, Classical sculpture, Egyptian mummies, Old Masters, Moorish textiles, Rococo fashion, armour worn by European monarchs, invaluable musical instruments, and that’s just to get started.

You could spend a whole day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and leave knowing that there was more to see.

But a few of the indispensible exhibits are the transposed Egyptian Temple of Dendur (15BC), Raphael’s altar painting of Madonna and Child (1504), Rembrandt’s Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (1653), Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze (1851) and van Gogh’s Self Portrait with Straw Hat (1887).

Skip the line : Metropolitan Museum of Art Skip-the-Line Ticket

2. Central Park

New York’s population doubled in the 30 years up to 1855, by which time the burgeoning city was in desperate need of more green space.

The answer was to cut a giant strip from the middle of Manhattan’s grid system, from 5th to 8th Avenue, and from 59th to 110th Street.

On 843 acres, this captivating landscape was drawn up by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and officially completed in 1873. Within Central Park’s boundaries are ponds, a central lake, a reservoir, public art, schist outcrops, almost 50 fountains, 21 playgrounds, complete sports facilities, more than 25,000 trees and dozens of interesting landmarks like the stately Bethesda Terrace.

The list of things to do is almost endless, and includes a zoo, boating, yoga classes, outdoor theatre and horse-drawn carriage tours.

Such is the size of Central Park, two wheels might be a better way to get around than two feet, and you can hire a bike via GetYourGuide.com .

3. National 9/11 Memorial and Museum

Sombre but necessary, the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum is on the site of the World Trade Centre.

The National September 11 Memorial is a jarring tribute to the 2,977 people killed in the attacks in 2001, as well as the six who died in the 1993 bombing.

There are twin reflecting pools here, an acre in size, marking out the exact footprints of the Twin Towers and walled with the largest man-made waterfalls in North America.

The bronze panels on parapets surrounding these pools are inscribed with the names of every person who died in the two attacks.

The Memorial Museum recalls the events of 9/11, the weeks leading up to the attack, and its aftermath, but also goes into depth on the lives of those who perished.

Among the exhibits are the monumental Last Column, fragments from the aircraft and a damaged fire truck.

Suggested tour : The 9/11 Tribute Museum & Memorial Walking Tour

4. Empire State Building

It’s a sign of New York’s sheer ambition in the 20s and 30s that nearly 90 years after it was topped off, the timeless Empire State Building is still the 44th tallest skyscraper in the world.

The roof of this Art Deco tower is 380 metres over the Midtown streets, and the highest visitable point in the city from 2001 until the One World Trade Center Observatory opened in 2011. The Main Deck on the 86th floor is open until 02:00 for a late-night perspective of the city that never sleeps, while in clear weather by day the panoramas scroll out for 80 miles, as far as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

Further up there’s an indoor observatory on the 102nd floor, once part of a docking station for airships, and accessed with an upgrade.

Make sure to soak up the Art Deco opulence of the Lobby on Fifth Avenue, with marble floors and the unmistakeable image of the tower behind the main desk.

Skip the line : Empire State Building General & Express Ticket Options

5. Statue of Liberty

From 1886, immigrants making the voyage to New York for a new life would be greeted by this inspiring symbol of freedom, conceived by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and with a metal framework built by Gustave Eiffel.

The 93-metre Statue of Liberty depicts the Roman goddess Libertas, striding free of the shackles at her feet, holding aloft a torch in her right hand and carrying a tablet in her left hand bearing the date of the Declaration of Independence, “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” (1776). New York’s main point of departure for Liberty Island is Battery Park.

The queues for the ferry and new Statue of Liberty Museum on Liberty Island can be long and slow, which is why it’s well worth getting “skip the line” Priority or Flexible Statue of Liberty Tickets with GetYourGuide.com, which include a complimentary audio guide and optional access to the pedestal.

Trips to the top of the crown are highly coveted, so you have to book well in advance.

Recommended tour : Statue of Liberty: Pedestal Express and Ellis Island

6. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Some of the modern age’s most celebrated art is on show at the world-famous MoMA, one of the largest and most important museums for modern and contemporary art in the world.

The collection runs to 150,000 pieces, comprising a good many masterpieces.

Among them are The Starry Night by van Gogh, Picasso’ s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory, The Dance by Matisse, Painting 1946 by Francis Bacon and a triptych from Monet’s Water Lilies series.

This incredible reserve is matched with high-profile temporary exhibitions: The work of Degas, Jackson Pollock, Picasso, Gilbert & George, Miró has starred in solo shows in the last few years, along with many more enlightening survey shows and transformative installations.

All year round, MoMA throws open its doors for free on Friday nights from 16:00 to 20:00.

Book online : Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Skip-the-Line Tickets

7. Rockefeller Center

The proportions of this vertical complex in Midtown are astonishing, especially when you remember that it was built throughout the Great Depression.

The Rockefeller Center is made up of 19 buildings (14 Art Deco, five International Style), broken by a sunken central plaza, all commissioned by the Rockefeller family, who first made their money in the oil industry.

We’ll talk about the Top of the Rock observatory and Radio City below, but there’s much at street level at the Rockefeller Center that you’ll have seen many times before in movies.

You’ve got the Atlas statue (1936) facing St Patrick’s Cathedral across Fifth Avenue, Prometheus (1934) on the west side of the famous sunken plaza and a majestic accompaniment to the much-loved skating rink and Christmas tree.

8. Brooklyn Bridge

Yet another landmark that makes New York, well… New York, the Brooklyn Bridge links Manhattan to Brooklyn across the East River and became the world’s first steel wire suspension bridge when it was completed in 1883. At that time it was also the first permanent crossing on the East River.

In 1884 the showman P.T. Barnum led a parade of 21 elephants across the bridge to allay doubts about its structural integrity.

The structure’s sense of drama comes from its two neo-Gothic towers, composed of limestone and granite and rising to 84 metres, and anchoring the intricate cable system.

The Brooklyn Bridge is best crossed as a pedestrian on the elevated walkway above the road and through the very centre of the towers, for satisfying vistas of New York’s silhouette and the cables overhead.

9. Broadway

A byword for New York’s theatre district, and even musical theatre in general, Broadway has more than 41 venues with 500 seats or more.

Most of these are on or within a few blocks of Times Square, and helped to turn New York into the cultural capital of the West in the 20th century.

Broadway’s eye-catching signs go back as far as 1910, when theatre owners realised it was safer and cheaper to advertise their venues with electric lights.

White bulbs took longer to burn out, and so Broadway became known as the “Great White Way”. For many generations of visitors to New York, catching a musical has been an essential ritual, and attendances continue to rise, driven by appearances from Hollywood stars (Bryan Cranston, Adam Driver, Keri Russell and Daniel Radcliffe in 2019). The three ever-present productions are Phantom of the Opera (1988) at the Majestic, Chicago (1996) at the Ambassador, and the Lion King (1997) at the Minskoff Theatre, while Hamilton and the Book of Mormon are more recent sensations.

Tip: Available shows on Broadway

10. One World Trade Center Observatory

Over almost a decade of construction between 2006 and 2015, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere took its place on the northwest corner of the World Trade Center site.

“One World Trade Center” comes from the north skyscraper of the Twin Towers and as of 2019 is the sixth tallest building in the world at 541.3 metres.

The height in feet is 1776, referring to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, and you’ll rocket up 102 storeys in just 47 seconds.

The Observatory grants a 360° view, which at this end of Manhattan means you can look down on the Upper New York Bay and the Statue of Liberty, as well as the Brooklyn Bridge and up to the cluster of Midtown skyscrapers.

Come just before sunset to watch the city lighting up.

Book online: One World Observatory Ticket: Skip-the-Ticket-Line

11. High Line

This railway viaduct, cutting down the west side of Midtown Manhattan, belongs to the West Side Line but had been effectively abandoned from 1980 until it was turned into an elevated linear park, 1.45 miles long.

Taking cues from the Coulée verte René-Dumont in Paris the High Line opened in 2009 and threads through Chelsea, with occasional views across the Hudson River at the south, and to the towers of the slick new Hudson Yards development in the north.

The gardens were designed by Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf, and have a continuous pebble-dash concrete walkway flanked by beds growing the hardy plant species that sprouted in the gravel on the disused line, like coneflowers, blazing stars and a variety of grasses and trees.

Unveiled in June 2019, the Plinth at 10th Avenue and 30th Street is a space devoted to a rotating series of monumental, contemporary art commissions, kicking off with Simone Leigh’s Brick House.

Combo tour : High Line and Greenwich Village Combo Tour

12. Staten Island Ferry

One of the great free things to do in New York, the Staten Island Ferry zips across the Upper New York Bay 25 hours a day, seven days a week.

This crossing is one of the last survivors of a whole system of ferries that shuttled people over the city’s waterways before the bridges were constructed.

The service, between Whitehall Street and St George on Staten Island, is used by 22 million a year, and the five mile crossing takes about 25 minutes.

As a visitor, the reason to make the trip will become clear as you pull away from Manhattan, taking in perfect views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as the skyscrapers and bridges of Lower Manhattan.

13. Times Square

Broadway’s theatre district coalesces around Times Square, a bowtie shaped plaza where Broadway and Seventh Avenue meet, in an urban ravine walled by dazzling electronic billboards.

It’s something you have to see, especially if you’re a first-timer.

On busy days more than 460,000 people pass through Times Square, and up to a million come to ring in the New Year at the ball drop, a tradition going back to 1907. In 2016, to keep things a bit more orderly, the city set up designated areas for the many street performers, and drew up paths to help you navigate the crowds.

As everybody knows, Times Square wasn’t always as clean and glossy.

From the 1960s to the early-90s, this was one of the grimiest blocks, lined with peep shows and sex shops, and a symbol for a city struggling with violent crime.

In 1984 there were 2,300 recorded crimes on and around the square, 460 of which were serious.

14. Grand Central Terminal

Much more than a simple transportation hub, the Grand Central Terminal (1913) is a Beaux-Arts wonder, with amazing proportions, exceptional workmanship in its architecture and fittings, and more than 60 shops and 35 places to eat.

This cavernous building, an enduring meeting point for New Yorkers, has 44 platforms, more than any other train station in the world, and has shown up time and again in movies and television.

On the palatial Main Concourse tilt your head back to see the mural of night sky constellations from 1912 by Paul César Helleu, and the ten Beaux-Arts chandeliers, each weighing 360kg and holding 110 bulbs.

Most emblematic is the information booth, crowned with a clock, each face of which is made from mesmerising opalescent glass.

15. Top of the Rock

The 1930s Art Deco skyscraper at 30 Rockefeller Plaza may have the best view of the Manhattan skyline from its outdoor observation deck at just below 260 metres over the Midtown streets.

Dubbed Top of the Rock, this sophisticated space was designed like the deck of an ocean liner.

Despite being 60 metres lower than the Empire State, many people prefer this experience.

There’s a timed entry system, which combined with the larger observation deck makes for shorter queues.

Naturally, the views encompass the Empire State in all its glory, as well as the Midtown and downtown skyscrapers, but also a big sweep of Central Park.

Book online: Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket

16. 5.5-Hour New York City Tour

If time is of the essence you can condense the city into a half-day odyssey, weaving past nearly all of New York’s main sights from the comfort of a bus.

Starting at Central Park West and ending on Herald Square in Midtown, the trip will be narrated and make regular pauses for photos, and nine stops to step out for a better look.

You’ll get to see the Upper West Side, Harlem, much of Fifth Avenue, Midtown, Little Italy, China Town, Brooklyn, Wall Street and the Meatpacking District, before stopping for lunch at the Chelsea Market.

The highly-rated 5.5-Hour New York City Tour can be found on GetYourGuide.Com and can be conducted in English, Spanish, Italian or German.

17. Guggenheim Museum

A celebrated museum of course, but also an epoch-making work of 20th-century architecture, the Guggenheim Museum is essential for its dumbfounding design, collection of Impressionist and early modern art, and for its world-class temporary exhibitions.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s building is yet another icon, tearing up the museum script by inviting visitors to catch an elevator to the top and then make their way down the ramp that coils around the atrium.

This opened in 1959, but the collection, enriched with names like Chagall, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Kirchner, Franz Marc, Fernand Léger and Cézanne, goes back more than eight decades and continues to grow.

18. New York Public Library

Like so many of the entries on this list the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the main branch of the New York Public Library, is a landmark that you’ll recognise in an instant.

This is a holdover from the first age of philanthropy at the turn of the 20th century, and belongs to the second largest public library system in the country, and the third largest in the world.

The marble Beaux-Arts facade in Midtown on Fifth Avenue has pairs of Corinthian columns, topped by a frieze and giving way to barrel vaults.

Flanking the steps there’s a pair of lions, which are an emblem for the whole library system.

This monument holds world-renowned collections in the humanities, fine arts and social sciences, and schedules free guided tours Monday to Saturday at 11:00 and 14:00. Also visit for a special exhibition; for example, in spring 2019 there was a display exploring some of the inspirations for Walt Whitman’s work, and a show to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which helped pave the way for the gay liberation movement.

19. Bryant Park

Bryant Park, Midtown Manhattan, New York

Bounded to the east by the New York Public Library Main Branch, Bryant Park is actually set on top of the library’s stacks, after an underground level was built during a restoration in the 1980s.

The park’s current layout is from that time, and became a symbol for the revival of New York’s image in the 1990s, shedding its reputation for prostitution and drug dealing.

More than 30 years later Bryant Park is adored for its sense of calm, and is held up as a piece of urban regeneration.

There’s a movie night on Mondays in the summer, and by day you’ll see people playing chess, ping-pong or pétanque, and taking part in free classes in anything from yoga to tai chi and juggling.

There are promenades hemmed by London planes, and several places to grab coffee, a pastry or something more substantial.

The Reading Room is a Depression-era relic, reopened as a literary destination in 2003, and in the build-up to Christmas the Bank of America Winter Village brings a rink and a sprinkle of seasonal magic to the park.

20. The Met Cloisters

Posted on a hill up in Fort Tryon Park is a museum for European Medieval art and architecture, managed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The museum was established in 1938, in a haunting neo-Romanesque building designed by Charles Collens, built from European limestone and granite.

Inside are some 5,000 pieces, from the early days of the Byzantine Empire to the beginning of the Renaissance.

The showpiece on the south side are the Cuxa cloisters, dating from the 11th and 12th centuries and brought from the Abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa.

All of the columns and intricately carved capitals here are original.

The Saint-Guilhem (800s-1600s), Bonnefont (1100s) and Trie (1400s and 1500s) cloisters are also breathtaking.

Inside marvellous architectural stonework, stained glass, effigies and frescoes await at the Gothic Chapel, Fuentidueña chapel, Langon Chapel and Romanesque Hall.

The Treasury Room contains smaller delights, like illuminated manuscripts, fine enamel, a 13th-century French reliquary and a deck of cards from the 1400s.

21. Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration

The point of arrival for 12 million immigrants to the United States between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island is a short boat trip via Statue Cruises at Battery Park.

To give you an idea of the importance of this site, the descendants of these immigrants account for nearly half of the entire population of the United States.

Dating to 1900, the main building of the immigration station complex houses the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

Just outside, the Wall of Honour lists some of the people to have been processed here.

Within the Renaissance Revival building there’s a wealth of information panels, artefacts, photographs, videos, oral histories and interactive stations.

The audio tour has more than 120 hours worth of content, going into detail on what it was like to pass through Ellis Island, how America was populated in the 19th and 20th centuries, and immigration in the present day.

Included in : Statue of Liberty Pedestal, Ellis Island and Pre-Ferry Tour

22. Fifth Avenue

Just like Broadway is synonymous with musical theatre, Fifth Avenue means luxury and prestige.

New York’s most refined artery is the eastern boundary to Central Park and cuts past a staggering amount of things on this list, be it the Empire State Building or the Frick Collection.

There are specific stretches that demand a visit, like the park-side blocks between 59th and 96th Street.

By the dawn of the 20th century this strip was known as Millionaire’s Row, and has some of the most opulent residences in the city.

From 82nd to 105th Streets is Museum Mile, loaded with nine prestigious museums almost side by side, including The Met and the Guggenheim.

And further down, between 49th and 60th Street, Fifth Avenue is given over to flagship luxury emporia for Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Prada and the like.

Included in : New York City Day Tour with One World Observatory

23. Metropolitan Opera House

New York lays claim to the largest repertory opera house in the world.

Part of the Lincoln Center, the Met, for short, seats around 3,800 at an extraordinary Modernist building raised in the mid-1960s.

This is one of the most advanced opera venues in the world, with a system of hydraulic elevators and motorised stages able to put on four different operas a week, including epic productions like Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and Verdi’s Aida.

The auditorium’s ceiling is coated with more than 4,000 squares of gold leaf in a petal motif, suspending 21 crystal chandeliers.

The opera season runs from autumn to spring, and Porgy & Bess, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, The Flying Dutchman and The Magic Flute were a few of the 2019-20 season highlights.

Following on, the American Ballet Theatre then has an eight-week spring season at the Met.

24. Tenement Museum

Between 1863 and 2011 some 15,000 people from more than 20 nations lived at the two tenement buildings at 97 and 103 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side.

The Tenement Museum lifts the lid on their lives and the wider immigration experience.

No. 97 has barely changed since 1935. Up to that time, plumbing, gas, electricity and running water had been added, but rather than make further changes to bring the building up to code, the landlord evicted all the residents from the upper storeys, sealing these floors up until they were rediscovered in 1988. You can visit 97 and 103 on a variety of guided tours, making your way through recreated apartments, learning intimate details about the families who arrived here hoping to make their way in a new country.

25. Brooklyn Heights

Known for its leafy streets and dignified brownstone rowhouses, Brooklyn Heights is the upmarket neighbourhood south of the Brooklyn Bridge.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by Manhattan’s skyscrapers you can idle here among the low-rise buildings, home to celebrities now and in the mid-20th century when Marilyn Monroe and Truman Capote were residents.

Amble along the Brooklyn Promenade, which has a view across the East River to match any in the city, encompassing Liberty Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and cityscape of Lower Manhattan.

This walkway was conceived as a buffer to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which arrived on the waterfront in 1950. You can make a day of it in Brooklyn Heights at the riveting New York Transit Museum on Schermerhorn Street, and continue up to the brand new Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Available tour : Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights, NYC Sightseeing Bike Tour

26. Coney Island

This former barrier island in the south-western corner of Brooklyn became a peninsula at the turn of the 20th century.

For decades before that time, Coney Island has been a seaside escape for New Yorkers.

And although the waterfront had a prolonged downturn from the 1960s onwards, it has been revitalised today, while keeping some of its scruffy appeal.

A real stalwart here is the Coney Island Cyclone, now at the Luna Park.

This is one of the oldest functioning wooden rollercoasters, first opened in 1927, and hitting speeds of 60 mph after the first 26-metre climb.

Another abiding attraction is the Wonder Wheel at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, standing since 1920, and giving you clear views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn’s beaches and east along the Rockaway Peninsula.

27. Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

The aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (1943), which served in the Pacific during the Second World War, surviving five kamikaze attacks, was rescued from scrapping in 1978 and in 1982 found a permanent home at Pier 86 off 46th Street.

This is the centrepiece of a museum for US military and maritime history, allowing you to pore over the inner workings of a WWII-era aircraft carrier, but also view a serious collection of other vessels and aircraft.

One of the highlights, the USS Growler (1958) is the only American guided missile submarine open to the public, while the BA Concorde at Pier 86 broke the Concorde’s transatlantic crossing record in 1996. In the Space Shuttle Pavilion you can view the Enterprise, the prototype Space Shuttle orbiter, rolled out in 1976.

Book online: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: Priority Access Tickets

28. Prospect Park

Brooklyn’s 526-acre Prospect Park is a beautiful place to get lost, dotted with historic buildings, little attractions and sports facilities, all on a hilly terminal moraine from the last Ice Age.

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the men behind Central Park, Prospect Park took shape during the 1860s, and has a ceremonious entrance to the north, on the Grand Army Plaza, via the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch (1892). New buildings were being added well into the early 20th century.

One of these is the elegant Boathouse on the Lullwater (1905), a channel of the park’s lake.

Smaller visitors will be besotted with the farmyard animals, red pandas, otters and tamarins at the 130-year-old Prospect Park Zoo, while the park’s carousel has been turning since 1912. The Ravine is a beautiful piece of 19th-century landscaping, resembling the wilderness of the Adirondacks, while the Long Meadow is a mile-long strip of undulating greenery for picnics and a little peace.

29. Battery Park

This small-ish park at the southern tip of Manhattan looks out over the Upper New York Bay, and is one of the best places in the city to watch the sun go down.

The Staten Island Ferry departs just next door and you can make the voyage to Ellis Island and Liberty Island here, or just sit and gaze at the Statue of Liberty by day or in lights.

Battery Park gets its name from the coastal gun emplacements that used to be on this spot, and among the flowerbeds, lawns, ornamental shrubs and an urban farm there are a few monuments to pique your curiosity.

One is the Netherland Monument, raised in 1926 to mark the tercentenary of New Amsterdam.

Another is the Sphere, a 1971 sculpture by Fritz Koenig that stood in the middle of the plaza of the World Trade Centre, and was relocated here in its damaged state in 2002. The Hope Garden remembers the victims of the AIDS crisis, while a few paces north on the Bowling Green is Wall Street’s famous Charging Bull.

30. Greenwich Village

This neighbourhood of 19th century townhouses on tree-lined streets spent much of the last century diverting from the mainstream.

Then Greenwich Village’s bars and cafes harboured the city’s beatniks and then hippies, and its nascent LBGTQ community.

Café Society, the first racially integrated nightclub in the United States, opened here in 1938. Just the name Greenwich Village recalls beat writers like Jack Kerouac and William S.

Burroughs, but also other literary heavyweights like James Baldwin and Dylan Thomas, who died in 1953 soon after a drinking session in the White Horse Tavern.

Sky-high real estate prices have put an end to Greenwich Village’s bohemian days, but make the pilgrimage to a place that gave a start to Bob Dylan and the Velvet Underground.

Suggested tour : New York City: Greenwich Village 2-Hour Tour

31. Whitney Museum of American Art

In 2014 the foremost museum for 20th-century and contemporary art in the United States relocated to a Renzo Piano-designed building in the West Village/Meat Packing District.

The Whitney Museum of American Art’s collection runs to more than 20,000 works, by hundreds of renowned artists, among them Alexander Calder, Georgia O’Keefe, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Edward Hopper and Helen Frankenthaler.

In 1932, the museum’s founder, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney launched the Whitney Biennial.

Almost 90 years later, this is still a landmark event in the United States’ cultural scene, introducing new talent and mapping the latest developments in American contemporary art.

Book online: Whitney Museum of American Art: Day Ticket

32. Flatiron Building

On Fifth Avenue at the downtown end of Madison Square is one of those New York sights etched into the world’s consciousness.

This wedge-shaped Renaissance Revival skyscraper, named for its resemblance to a clothes iron, was one of the tallest buildings in the city when it was completed in 1902. The Flatiron Building stands just shy of 87 metres and sits neatly on a triangular block caused by Broadway.

As well as being a sight to kindle some Manhattan romance, the Flatiron Building has a small gallery, the Flatiron Prow Artspace.

This is run by the ground floor tenant, Sprint, and hosts exhibitions centred on sustainability and eco-friendly technology.

A few steps away is the capacious indoor market/dining destination, Eataly Flatiron, an ode to Italian cuisine

Suggested tour : Flatiron Food, History & Architecture Tour

33. Union Square

The name, Union Square, has nothing to do with the Civil War, as you might think, but comes from the location, where the thoroughfares Broadway and Bowery Road (now Fourth Avenue) are united.

Given its central position, Union Square has been a gathering point for protests and demonstration since it was laid out in the 1830s.

On the south side is the massive public art installation, Metronome, with LED clock, while among the park’s monuments are Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi sculpture of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette for the Centennial in 1876, and imposing statues of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln by Henry Kirke Brown.

The Union Square Greenmarket, served by regional farmers, trades here on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 08:00 to 18:00 all year.

This is one of the best places to get fresh produce in New York, while you can come for Christmas handicrafts at the Holiday Market from the end of November.

34. Frick Collection

As soon as he made his fortune the Pittsburgh coke and steel industrialist Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919) started investing in art, amassing an exceptional assortment of Old Masters and high-quality decorative arts.

This collection, along with a sprawling Neoclassical mansion built in 1913, was bequeathed as a public museum when he passed away.

The residence was adapted into a museum by feted architect John Russell Pope, and at its heart is the refined Garden Court, framed by pairs of Ionic columns and symmetrical bedding.

There’s extraordinary painting, by Vermeer, Fragonard, Velázquez, Turner, Goya, Titian, Rembrandt, El Greco and Hans Holbein the Younger, as well as Limoges enamel, Oriental rugs, porcelain, silverware sculpture and 18th-century French furniture.

35. American Museum of Natural History

Expertly curated, and constantly finding creative and engaging ways to display its vast inventory of specimens, the American Museum of Natural History is on a jaw-dropping scale.

On four floors there are 45 permanent exhibition halls in 28 interconnected buildings.

Many of the collections are the largest in the world in their fields, so you can indulge your interest in even the most obscure subcategories of zoology, botany, geology, mineralogy and anthropology.

Children will be transfixed by the Fossil Halls, particularly the Koch Dinosaur Wing, displaying just a tantalising fraction of the museum’s collections but staggering all the same.

In the Millstein Family Hall of Ocean Life you’ll be met by a life-sized replica of a blue whale, swooping from the ceiling and almost 30 metres long.

The Rose Center for Earth and Space holds the Hayden Planetarium in an enormous sphere, while the museum’s own IMAX theater presents eye-popping 2D and 3D films.

Get tickets : American Museum of Natural History Tickets

36. Washington Square Park

At the very bottom of Fifth Avenue and fringed by New York University, the youthful Washington Square Park is somewhere to forget the city for a while.

In the 1950s and 60s beatniks and hippies would gather here, often to the chagrin of Greenwich Village’s working class residents and the New York City Police Department.

That bohemian spirit endures today in the park’s line-up of talented street performers and buskers.

In the south-west corner you can watch some intense chess matches (Stanley Kubrick was a regular in his youth), while the triumphal Washington Square Arch at the end of Fifth Avenue was put up in 1892 to mark the centenary of George Washington’s inauguration.

37. New York City Helicopter Tour

No matter how high the observation deck, you may come away feeling like there’s a patch of Manhattan that you wanted to see from above but could not.

There might not be a cityscape more suited to a helicopter tour than New York, so it’s little wonder that there’s an abundance of options with GetYourGuide.com .

To single out one, the New York City Deluxe Helicopter Tour affords the ultimate views of the Hudson River, the Chrysler Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, the New York Harbour and USS Intrepid.

Taking off from the heliport at Pier 6, this flight lasts 15-30 minutes but will give you memories to last a lifetime.

38. Madison Square Garden

Dubbed the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden is the home of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, and still finds time to be the second busiest arena in the world in terms of concert sales.

The Garden has recently completed its second renovation, costing an eye-watering $1bn and taking place across three off seasons.

At the time of writing in 2019 the Knicks were at their nadir, slumping to the very bottom of the Eastern Conference, but you may be keen to relive the 90s when Patrick Ewing was in his prime and the team reached two finals.

Or you might just want to find out about how this ultramodern arena works on the new All Access Tour.

This departs every half-hour (limited hours on Knicks days), and a knowledgeable guide will lead you on a 75-minute journey around all the nooks and crannies.

Recommended tour : Madison Square Garden All Access Tour Ticket

39. Radio City Music Hall

Part of the Rockefeller Center is this iconic Art Deco live entertainment venue that opened in 1932, hosting major concerts, awards ceremonies and live broadcasts of TV shows.

From the outside the Radio City Music Hall is unmistakeable for its long marquee sign on the corner of 6th Avenue and 50th street, and the seven-storey signs on 6th Avenue.

It might be enough to stop by and grab a photo of these signs, but if you want to walk the halls of the “Showplace of the Nation” the Madison Square Garden Group gives tours, revealing the history of the famed Great Stage, getting you up close to exquisite Art Deco details and maybe giving you a chance to meet a member of the resident dance troupe, the Rockettes.

40. St Patrick’s Cathedral

Occupying an entire city block, this neo-Gothic wonder was visited by Pope Francis in 2015 after coming through a three-year, $177m restoration.

St Patrick’s Cathedral (1878) is in the Decorated Gothic style and composed of brick clad with radiant Tuckahoe marble.

The twin spires facing Fifth Avenue are just over 100 metres tall, while the combined nave and choir measures 101.2 metres between the two avenues.

You can enter for free, taking in the opulent statuary in the many side chapels, as well as the St Michael and St Louis altars (by Tiffany & Co.), the enormous Pietà, the magnificent rose window, the ribbed vaulting and the spectacular wood casing of the Gallery Organ, dedicated in 1930.

Once upon a time, SoHo, meaning “South of Houston Street”, was a working class area of factories and tenements.

In the 1970s artists moved into the lofts of old factories, at a time when these manufacturing spaces weren’t zoned as residences and lacked many of the basic amenities of homes.

SoHo’s time as a quarter of studios and galleries didn’t last, as the historic architecture, cobblestone streets and gritty charm soon attracted the ultra-rich, and the neighbourhood is now more about boutiques, fine dining and snazzy bars.

SoHo’s story defined the gentrification template, as the “SoHo Effect”. Pay a visit for the finer things, and to admire the largest array of cast-iron buildings in the world, dating from 1840 to 1880.

Recommended tour: SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown 2-Hour Guided Walk

42. Chelsea

What used to be in Greenwich Village and SoHo can currently be found among the tenements, townhouses, rowhouses and converted factories of Chelsea on Manhattan’s West Side.

Gentrification is squeezing this neighbourhood too, but there are still hundreds of cutting-edge galleries and a sizeable LBTGQ community.

Chelsea is one of the best places to go out in Manhattan, with loads of bars and clubs, especially in the Meatpacking District.

For yet more fresh and daring culture there’s a helping of Off-Broadway theatres in Chelsea, while the neighbourhood is a fashion-forward shopper’s idea of heaven.

Make the pilgrimage to the Chelsea Hotel, reopened after long-term renovations in 2019, and made famous by its countless mentions in popular culture and the scores of cultural figures who have stayed here.

43. United Nations Headquarters

After a plot had been chosen by the East River for the headquarters of the newly founded United Nations, an international dream team of design consultants was put together, among them Oscar Niemeyer and Le Corbusier.

Wallace Harrison’s final design was a blend of Le Corbusier and Niemeyer’s plans, and has been integral to the Manhattan cityscape since 1952. All of the main organs of the UN are seated here, including the Security Council and 193-nation General Assembly, except for the Hague’s International Court of Justice.

The Visitor Centre is open every day of the week, although guided tours are only given Monday to Friday.

These last an hour and, depending on the schedule, take you into the famed General Assembly, Security Council and Economic and Social Council, while showing some of the many artworks gifted to the UN like the Norman Rockwell Mosaic and the Zanetti Mural.

44. Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

America’s design museum can be found by Central Park on the Museum Mile.

This institution goes back to 1897, and in 1970 moved into its current venue, the Georgian-style Andrew Carnegie Mansion (1902). The tycoon and philanthropist resided here until his death in 1919, while his wife Louise would remain until she passed away in 1946. A seven-year upgrade, completed in 2015, has elevated the Cooper-Hewitt to must-see status.

Complementing the museum’s extensive collections in decorative arts and the broader concept design are creative interactive features.

At the start you’ll be given a kind of electronic stylus, so you can mark anything that catches your eye, saving it to a personalised website.

The Immersion Room meanwhile gives you digital access to the museum’s vast inventory of wallpaper, and allows you to come up with your own designs to be projected on the walls.

45. Brooklyn Bridge Park

As of 2019 this park project, revitalising 1.3 miles of Brooklyn’s post-industrial waterfront, is pretty much completed and a fitting end to a trek across the Brooklyn Bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park has been more than a decade in the making, transforming Brooklyn Piers 1-6 and reclaiming land on the East River with soil from the construction of the new World Trade Center.

There are multiple sports facilities, playgrounds for children and loads of places to eat, both in the park and nearby.

But it’s the river and views (the sunset is amazing) that make the Brooklyn Bridge Park, with a continuous promenade from Pier 1 to 6, hemmed by smart landscaping, as well as salt marsh and tidepools to attract wildlife.

46. Morningside Heights

North-west of Central Park and bordering on Harlem, Morningside Heights is a neighbourhood of striking monuments and big academic, religious and cultural institutions.

The most august of these has to be Columbia University, founded in 1754 and the fifth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

Since 1902 the university has administered the Pulitzer Prize.

Make a detour to check out the dome and Ionic columns of the Neoclassical Butler Library.

Elsewhere, Riverside Park holds Grant’s Tomb, the final resting place of 18th President Ulysses S.

Grant (1822-1885), while Sakura Park is so-called for its thousands of cherry trees (blooming in April), donated in 1912 by the Committee of Japanese Residents of New York.

Lastly, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine is the fifth largest Christian church in the world, at more than 180 metres long and 70 metres wide.

Work began in 1892 but this monument is still unfinished.

47. New York Botanical Garden

In lush parkland over 250 acres, the New York Botanical Garden grows more than a million individual plants in 50 different spaces and collections.

This is a leading botanical institution, conducting research and conservation programmes that employ 600 staff.

For visitors there are lots of delights, like a tract of the old growth forest that covered all of New York before it was settled by Europeans in the 17th century.

Never logged, this grows white ash, birch, tulip, cherry and American beech trees.

A sight to behold is the beautiful Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, built with a wrought iron frame in the 1890s and hosting a glorious orchid show every spring.

You can saunter around a Japanese Rock Garden, 37 acres of conifers, wetlands, a herb garden and the magical Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden.

Book online : New York Botanical Garden: All-Garden Pass Ticket

48. Chrysler Building

An Art Deco tower of startling and delicate beauty, the Chrysler Building (1930) has an allure that sets it apart from New York’s other skyscrapers.

For 11 months until the Empire State Building was topped off, this was the tallest building in the world, standing at 319 metres.

It was ordered by the automobile tycoon Walter Chrysler, and was the career apogee of architect William van Alen.

The tower is iconic for the tiered arches and triangular windows of its lustrous stainless steel crown, above eagle motif gargoyles on the 61st floor.

The best way to see the crown is to scale the Empire State Building, but there are clear lines of sight along Lexington Avenue, from the foot of the tower on 42 Street down to Gramercy Park on 21st.

If you’re feeling bold go in to take a peek at the sumptuous lobby, with floors made of travertine from Siena, granite from Africa on the walls and regal Art Deco light fittings.

See it from above : New York City Deluxe Helicopter Tour

49. Yankee Stadium

The old Yankee Stadium may be dead and gone, but its $2.3bn replacement, unveiled in 2009, has revived many classic design features and gives you pristine views from every seat.

The facade is bare Indiana limestone, which was painted over at the old stadium, while the roof of the new venue is adorned with the iconic frieze present from 1923 to 1973. If you’re in town between April and October you’ll have ample opportunity to catch a ballgame at Yankee stadium as the there are 81 home games in a MLB regular season, and general seating tickets go for as little as $14. Be prepared to fork out a lot more for a dog or pretzel though! In the stadium’s concourse, between the exterior wall and the arena, is the Great Hall, with ceiling seven storeys high and giant sporting Yankee greats like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

Arrive early to visit the stadium’s open-air museum at Monument Park, crackling with 120 years of history.

50. Chelsea Market

If you had to narrow down New York’s cornucopia of food halls to just one, you could do worse than Chelsea Market.

For starters, food history has already been made at this former Nabisco factory (1895), as the Oreo cookie was invented right here.

With a selection of speciality food shops and a high-end supermarket with deli counter and butcher, Chelsea Market is a place to shop, but it’s the eateries that draw the crowds.

There are upwards of 35 vendors, like Los Tacos No. 1, aptly named because it makes the best tacos in the city, Chelsea Creamline for American classics, Num Pang preparing Cambodian-style sandwiches or the crêperie Bar Suzette.

The Lobster Place is a wholesale seafood market with its own sushi bar, also operating the Cull & Pistol for oysters and lobster.

Available tour: New York City High Line and Chelsea Market Walking Tour

51. Bronx Zoo

A great partner to the New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx Zoo is the largest urban zoo in the country, spread out over 265 acres and keeping some 5,000 animals.

Like the best 21st-century zoos, the Bronx Zoo is conservation-oriented, but animal protection is this attraction’s DNA, as the first director William Temple Hornaday strove to save the American Bison from extinction in the early 20th century.

At more than a century old, there’s some lovely old architecture at the Bronx Zoo, like the Beaux-Arts Zoo Center (1908), housing monitor lizards, and with outdoor enclosures for white rhinos, komodo dragons and giant tortoises.

General admission will grant you access to a host of exhibits, like Tiger Mountain, the Sea Lion Pool, Congo Gorilla Forest, Baboon Reserve and a whole load more.

Some special exhibits and attractions require an extra fee, like a Butterfly Garden, 4D Theater, Zoo Shuttle and Wild Asia Monorail.

52. Chinatown

One enclave still going strong in the face of gentrification is Chinatown.

Seriously, if you didn’t know better, the gridlock, sudden bustle, cadence of Cantonese conversation, and street signs and awnings with Chinese characters might make you think you’re on a different continent entirely.

Manhattan’s Chinatown, ringed by TriBeCa, the former Little Italy, the Lower East Side and Civic Center, is no longer the largest Chinese enclave in New York, as that honour has gone to Flushing Chinatown in Queens.

But it has the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere and is a dumbfounding change of pace in Lower Manhattan.

The fishmongers and greengrocers around Canal Street, East Broadway, Mott Street and Mulberry Street are perpetually eye-opening.

Recommended tour : SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown 2-Hour Guided Walk

53. South Street Seaport

Just down from the Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side is a an area that has witnessed a lot of recent change, even by New York’s dizzying standards.

In the 17th century this was New York’s original port, where the city’s early economy first flourished and where the city’s clippers docked in the 19th century.

The Seaport is a designated historic district, home to some of downtown Manhattan’s oldest buildings in a little cobblestone grid made up of Fulton Street, Front Street and Water Street.

Take Fulton Street’s Schermerhorn Row Block, a terrace of Federal style houses dating from 1811-12. The South Street Seaport Museum here tracks the growth of New York into a port for the world with collections of nauticalia, and a small fleet of sailboats out front, like the Lettie G.

Howard schooner from 1893. South Street Seaport’s heritage has been protected, and is joined by new architecture like Pier 17 redeveloped as a culinary and retail centre, hosting big outdoor events.

54. Smorgasburg

From April to November, the largest weekly food market in America pulls in as many as 30,000 people to Brooklyn every weekend.

The main trading spots are at the East River Park in Williamsburg on Saturdays, and Breeze Hill in Prospect Park on Sundays.

There’s also a smaller fair every Friday at the World Trade Center’s Oculus Plaza, from 11:30 to 19:00. With more than 100 vendors at the two Brooklyn locations, it would be impossible to sum up all the discoveries you could make.

But to tickle the tastebuds, there’s Maine lobster fresh off the grill on a bed of noodles (Lobsterdamus), Brooklyn-style poutine (Duck Season), the famed spaghetti donut (Pop Pasta), blueberry crumble ice cream sandwiches (Good Batch) or deep-fried cookie dough (Big Mozz). Bring cash as most of the vendors don’t take cards.

55. New York Harbour and Statue of Liberty Evening Cruise

Downtown New York is stunning from the water by day, but the sight of the harbour and skyline at night is one of those experiences that will stay with you long after you’ve gone home.

GetYourGuide.com has an hour-long cruise after sunset, with running commentary imparting titbits you might not have known.

The cruise departs from Pier 16 at South Street Seaport, and arcs around Lower Manhattan to take in the Statue of Liberty, the forest of skyscrapers including the likes of One World Trade Center, and then under the Brooklyn Bridge and up as far as the Empire State Building.

55 Best Things to Do in New York City (New York):

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Central Park
National 9/11 Memorial and Museum
Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Rockefeller Center
Brooklyn Bridge
One World Trade Center Observatory
Staten Island Ferry
Times Square
Grand Central Terminal
Top of the Rock
5.5-Hour New York City Tour
Guggenheim Museum
New York Public Library
Bryant Park
The Met Cloisters
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
Fifth Avenue
Metropolitan Opera House
Tenement Museum
Brooklyn Heights
Coney Island
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Prospect Park
Battery Park
Greenwich Village
Whitney Museum of American Art
Flatiron Building
Union Square
Frick Collection
American Museum of Natural History
Washington Square Park
New York City Helicopter Tour
Madison Square Garden
Radio City Music Hall
St Patrick's Cathedral
United Nations Headquarters
Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Morningside Heights
New York Botanical Garden
Chrysler Building
Yankee Stadium
Chelsea Market
South Street Seaport
Smorgasburg
New York Harbour and Statue of Liberty Evening Cruise

Touropia Travel Experts

Discover the World

27 Top Tourist Attractions in New York City

The largest and most populated city in the USA, New York City is often called the “city that never sleeps” because it is constantly buzzing with activity. Full of arts, culture, endless restaurants and a night sky where the stars are replaced by bright skyscrapers, New York is a magical place. Loud, boisterous and impatient, Manhattan especially, is a high energy place. Events don’t just happen here, they happen with a bang.

With so much to see and do in the city, it can be overwhelming to a New York novice. This comprehensive list outlines the top tourist attractions in New York City that travelers won’t find anywhere else. From Broadway to One World Trade Center, we’ve got them all here.

Map of New York City

27. Chelsea Market

After making history as the place where the Oreo cookie was invented, the Chelsea Market has become one of the most popular food halls in New York City. The old Nabisco Factory has made way for a collection of high-end supermarkets, delis and specialty stores.

While the market is a great place to shop and stock up on produce, the various eateries are the real attraction. There are over 30 food vendors selling delicious eats at the Chelsea Market. Some of the popular places you should check out include the Chelsea Creamline, Num Pang for Cambodian and the amazing tacos at Los Tacos No. 1.

26. Madison Square Garden

Arguably the world’s most iconic stadium, Madison Square Garden, has a storied past that continues to evolve into the modern day. MSG remains an incredibly busy stadium hosting both the New York Knicks of the NBA and the NHL’s New York Rangers. In-between all of that, they still have time to be the second-busiest venue for concert sales on earth.

Experiencing a sporting event or a concert at Madison Square Garden is sure to be an unforgettable experience. But the stadium also provides an exceptional behind-the-scenes tour that allows you to explore the locker rooms and step out onto the court.

25. Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

For history and military enthusiasts and anyone that would love to set foot inside a submarine, you must visit the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Featuring a spectacular collection of aircraft and amazing views of downtown Manhattan, the museum is a memorable experience from the get-go.

The major part of the museum is the USS Intrepid. This aircraft survived several close battles over the Pacific in World War II and has enjoyed a permanent home at the museum since the early 1980s. Along with this fighter plane, you can also explore a guided missile submarine, the only one available to the public in the country.

24. Chrysler Building

Since its opening in 1930, the Chrysler Building has held an important position in the famed skyline of Manhattan. Its stunning art deco design makes it easy to spot, even in a city full of amazing skyscrapers. For almost a year, the Chrysler Building, with its tiered arches and steel crown, was the tallest building in the world. Until the Empire State came along.

You can view the Chrysler Building from several spots around the city, including a glorious spot in Gramercy Park. But nothing tops exploring the elegant lobby, complete with an interior sourced from countries all around the world.

23. Coney Island

For the longest time, Coney Island was a seaside escape for New Yorkers seeking some sun, sand and a bit of fun. Although technically no longer an island thanks to a landfill that connected it to the rest of Long Island, Coney Island has kept its appeal among residents.

Today you can escape downtown on the train and explore the “island’s” many attractions. One of those being the Coney Island Cyclone, a classic wooden rollercoaster that began operating in 1927 and can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.

22. Frick Collection

Henry Clay Frick made his name in the 1800s as an influential player in Pittsburgh’s coke and steel industries. But he quickly got out once he made his fortune to pursue his genuine passion, art. Until his passing in 1919, Frick collected an amazing amount of exceptional decorative pieces and work from prominent luminaries who existed well before his time.

Six years before he passed, his collection was turned into a museum. The Frick Collection has since become a must-see New York City gallery. The highlights are pieces by Rembrandt, Fragonard and Vermeer.

21. Greenwich Village

Once a literary haven for such prominent writers as James Baldwin, Jack Kerouac and William S Burroughs, Greenwich remains a great neighborhood to explore. This despite sky rocketing rental costs. The leafy streets lined with 19th century brownstone homes are the real attraction. The beautiful neighborhood vibe allows you to get lost in its streets as you wander along the footpaths.

Greenwich Village’s many cafes and bars, which were once home to our favorite authors and even Bob Dylan, are still inviting. While the first integrated nightclub in the US, Cafe Society, may have closed, Greenwich Village continues to provide some of New York City’s best nightlife.

20. Broadway

Such is the importance of Broadway in everyday culture that this stretch of road has become known across the world. A visit to New York is not complete without catching a live show on Broadway. In fact, it remains a rite of passage for all New Yorkers. All told, Broadway has 41 venues, each with over 500 seats.

New acts such as Hamilton and the Book of Mormon have taken Broadway by storm in recent years. But the famous theater street is still well-served by classic shows, such as the Phantom of the Opera which has been running since 1988.

19. New York Public Library

In a city full of iconic attractions, the New York City Library stands out as one that many would instantly recognize. The library is a part of the third largest public library system on earth, giving readers and researchers an envious amount of access to literature, science, humanities and fine arts.

The building’s interior is stunning, however, it is the library’s entrance that is most likely to keep your camera busy. With a marble facade and a pair of large Corinthian beams, the New York Public Library is a masterpiece.

18. Museum of Modern Art

MoMA, as many would know it, is home to some of the most famous pieces of modern art. The Museum of Modern Art has a collection of 150,000 pieces. Some of the more renowned include Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, the Dance by Matisse and Picasso’s iconic Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.

Along with their permanent exhibitions, MoMA puts on consistent short-term exhibitions. Including collections from ‘old masters’ and even solo shows from world renowned artists.

17. St. Patrick’s Cathedral

With a wondrous neo-Gothic design, the St Patrick’s Cathedral is a sight to behold. The original building opened in 1878, covering an entire block of Manhattan. The cathedral recently underwent a $177m restoration that returned it to its former glory.

Visiting the beautiful cathedral is free, and it is just as stunning from the inside. Walk through and admire the several side chapels and the two altars. The St Louis altar was designed by Tiffany and Co. Most memorable, however, is the Pieta, the rose window and the Gallery Organ which was added to St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1930.

16. American Museum of Natural History

Comprising four floors and 45 permanent exhibits across 28 connected buildings, the Museum of Natural History holds claim to being the best museum in New York City. The massive museum is incredibly captivating and has a way of guiding you through otherwise complex information. You could spend hours walking through and still not see everything.

With dozens of categories from anthropology to zoology, amazing fossils, and even a replica of a 95ft blue whale, there isn’t much the American Museum of Natural History doesn’t cover.

15. One World Observatory

Standing at 1776 ft (541m) representing the same year the USA became a country, One World Trade Center stands in place of the north building of the Twin Towers. The building took almost ten years to complete and upon opening, was the tallest building in the western hemisphere and the sixth tallest on earth.

Aside from admiring the sheer size of the building from afar, one of the best activities to do here is to head up to the One World Observatory. From the observation area you will have 360-degree views towards all of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

14. Staten Island Ferry

Before the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, among others, ferries shuttled residents of New York City across the harbor and the Hudson River. One of the last remaining ferries is the one to Staten Island, and it is one of the best free things to do in New York. Running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

While you may not be overly interested in exploring Staten Island, the trip itself is more than worth it. As you pull out of Manhattan, you will enjoy an amazing view of the city and the Statue of Liberty that you can’t get anywhere else for free.

13. Ellis Island

For over six decades since opening in the 1890s, Ellis Island was the point of arrival for over 10 million immigrants. The importance of this immigration is played out in real time, with half of the current US population having a connection with this historic island.

The place to visit here is the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Take the audio tour with hours’ worth of fascinating information and learn about the history of immigration in the USA.

12. Bryant Park

If you have visited the New York Public Library, you may be interested to know that it is in Bryant Park, a popular urban oasis. This beautiful green space helped revitalize the city and provides the perfect place to kick back with a coffee and enjoy some light reading.

During the summer, you will find movie nights held each week, while the chess tables are always busy alongside yoga on the grass. During the winter, Bryant Park also offers a rink and is a magical place to ice skate in front of many skyscrapers.

11. Metropolitan Museum of Art

The largest gallery in America is found in New York. The vast Metropolitan Museum of Art presents art and artifacts dating back centuries and from all corners of the globe. There are dozens of different sections of the museum that house everything from Egyptian mummies to old European armor and classical sculptures.

Popular parts of the museum that are not to be missed, however, include Rembrandt’s Aristotle, Van Gogh’s self portrait, and the Egyptian Temple of Dendur dated to 15BC.

10. September 11 Memorial

The National September 11 Memorial has been constructed in honor to those who were killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The names of those who died are engraved in two bronze panels flanking the Memorial pools. The pools are each nearly an acre in size and mark the footprints of the Twin Towers that once stood on that site.

The National September 11 Memorial Museum serves to educate the public on the implications of the attacks through multimedia displays, archives, narratives and a collection of artifacts.

9. High Line

The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above Manhattan’s West Side. The park is maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line, which fought for the preservation and transformation of the rail line into green space.

Every month there are new fun and diverse activities for visitors. These include stargazing, tree tours and art tours along with season specific events such as the Haunted High Line Halloween in October.

Some of the park’s attractions include naturalized plantings and splendid views of the Hudson River. The High Line also integrates cultural attractions into its design with architecture and art installations.

8. Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal has been dubbed the “world’s loveliest station” and is one of the top tourist attractions in New York City. The cavernous Main Concourse is home to the impressive clock made of pearly opal glass.

Visitors are also treated to the elaborate astronomical ceiling decorations originally conceived in 1912. The lower level, home to the dining concourse and train tracks, offer diverse dining options including the Oyster Bar.

Vanderbilt Hall just off the main concourse, which was originally constructed as a waiting room, now hosts the annual Christmas market and special exhibitions. The elegantly restored Campbell Apartment was meant to replicate a 13th-century Florentine palace, but now hosts tourists and commuters in its cocktail lounge.

7. Rockefeller Center

A tour of Rockefeller Center, a complex of 19 buildings built by the Rockefeller family, offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of New York City’s greatest treasures. These buildings have housed many major corporations over the years including General Electric and are home to the NBC studios.

At 70 stories high, the Top of the Rock observation deck gives visitors an unobstructed 360 degree views of New York City. The NBC Studios tour gives visitors the chance to glimpse the sets of their favorite NBC shows or sit behind a news desk.

Rockefeller Center is also home to Radio City Music Hall, which was restored to reflect its 1930s glamor. Rockefeller Center transforms during the holiday season with the impressive Christmas tree overlooking the skating rink and Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

6. Fifth Avenue

Ranked as one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world, Fifth Avenue is a prime destination for visitors with a taste for luxury. The section of Fifth that crosses Midtown Manhattan between 49th and 60th Streets is lined with high-end shops including designer showrooms and prestigious department stores.

The section of Fifth Avenue between 82nd to 105th streets on the Upper East Side is referred to as the Museum Mile. Nine museums are situated along this stretch of Fifth including the Guggenheim and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

5. Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge, built between 1869 and 1883, is one of the oldest and most recognizable suspension bridges in the world. It spans 5,989 feet and connects Manhattan to Brooklyn across the East River. More than 120,000 vehicles, 4,000 pedestrians and 2,600 bicyclists cross the bridge every day.

Visitors to the bridge can walk, drive, or bike across this famous New York City landmark. There is a pedestrian walkway situated above the traffic, where visitors can take in views of the harbor and both boroughs. The 2 km (1.3 mile) stroll across the bridge offers plenty of opportunities for admiring the New York skyline.

4. Times Square

With over 39 million visitors annually, Times Square is the world’s most visited tourist attraction. The bright lights and big city feel of this commercial intersection have iconified this spot as “The Crossroad of the World.” Today, Times Square is a major center of the world’s entertainment industry.

The annual New Year’s Eve ball drop, which began in 1907, has been a staple of the square’s allure. The shopping, entertainment and plethora of restaurants offer many activities and options for every type of visitor. It’s an area not to be missed on a trip to New York City.

3. Central Park

Located in the center of Manhattan, Central Park is a sprawling 840 acres and home to Belvedere Castle, the Central Park Zoo among many other attractions. For naturalists looking to take a break from the big city, relaxing in the Great Lawn or a walk along the extensive paths throughout the park can offer a much needed respite.

There are also plenty of outdoor activities to entertain visitors including catch and release fishing at the Dana Discovery Center, rowboat rentals from the Loeb Boathouse. The park boasts six miles of paved roads open only to joggers, bicyclists as well as skateboarders and inline skaters. Central Park is also especially friendly for families with playgrounds and the Tisch Children’s Zoo.

2. Empire State Building

The iconic Empire State Building soars over a quarter of a mile above Manhattan and offers expansive views to the millions of visitors it attracts every year. On a clear day, visitors can see New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

There are two observations decks in the tower, on the 86th floor and 102nd floor. Both offer impressive views and interesting facts about the building’s extensive history and importance. The Empire State Building has made appearances in over 250 films and was named “America’s Favorite Architecture.” It is open daily from 9:30am until midnight and tickets can be purchased at the counter or online.

1. Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States, has welcomed new arrivals to the shores of America for over a hundred years. Lady Liberty on her pedestal stands at an impressive 93 meters (305 feet), which visitors can climb for views of Brooklyn and Gustave Eiffel’s supportive framework.

For those who choose not to climb the 154 steps to the crown, the pedestal offers panoramic views of the harbor and downtown New York City. Guided tours of Liberty Island are offered throughout the day by Park Rangers and a self-guided audio, offered in nine languages, tour is included with a ferry ticket to the island.

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Reader interactions.

July 18, 2014 at 3:44 am

Thanks..Nice post. Also enjoy there Festivals & Events like New York Fashion Week, a global extravaganza that happens twice a year in February and September, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November and New Year’s Eve At Times Square

The best New York tourist attractions that locals love

From historical sites to lush gardens and art museums, these are the New York tourist attractions that locals also adore

Gothamites may loathe having to constantly dodge slow-moving tourists on the streets, but in the end, we love many of the same New York tourist attractions that sightseers do (admit it). We compiled our top must-visit spots below, and the good news is there are so many great things to do in NYC today that there’s plenty of the city to go around. And don’t worry, we can still keep the best art shows and best restaurants to ourselves…maybe.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best New York attractions

An email you’ll actually love

Best New York tourist attractions

1. Empire State Building

Monuments and memorials
Midtown West

2. Central Park

Parks and gardens
Central Park

3. The Statue of Liberty

Liberty Island

4. One World Observatory

Towers and viewpoints
Financial District

5. Chrysler Building

Civic buildings
Midtown East

6. The High Line

7. Rockefeller Center

Things to do

You’ll find plenty of iconic New York sites in this multiblock complex: The ground level is home to the Rock's famed ice-skating rink, the bronze Atlas statue and the Today show plaza. Higher up, Top of the Rock rivals the Empire State Building in panoramic city views, and you can inspect the Art Deco murals that appear in several buildings. Don’t miss the triptych above the outdoor entrance to 5 Rockefeller Center or the rinkside Prometheus statue; both purportedly contain secret Freemason symbols.

8. Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Society

Zoo and aquariums

9. New York Botanical Garden

10. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park

Looking for more things to do in nyc.

Check out the 101 best things to do in NYC

Discover the best things to do in NYC with the ultimate insider's guide to restaurants, bars, clubs, museums and more

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The 41 Absolute Best New York Attractions In 2024

What to do in new york we've got you covered.

With famous New York landmarks like the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center or the Brooklyn Bridge around every corner, it can be hard picking the attractions that you want to see on your trip to NYC.

Below you will find a list of our favorite attractions that we think you have to see in New York City. In addition to that, I’ve included really beautiful and unique places that you should definitely visit! Further down, you will find the 👉 best New York attractions on a map .

TOP Attractions in New York

New York has so much to offer! If you don’t have much time, you should visit these eight TOP attractions in New York:

Summit One Vanderbilt
Edge Hudson Yards

Central Park

Brooklyn bridge, times square.

Statue of Liberty
The 9/11 Memorial
High Line Park

You can easily do these in two days. My list of the best sights in New York below in the article is ideal for a visit of 5 days to a week.

Buy New York sightseeing tickets online

New York City is just as busy as it was before the pandemic – in fact, it feels a little busier now that many are taking their postponed New York trips. Many of New York’s attractions require you to book time slots in order to visit them. Therefore, you should buy your ticket online in advance! These are the most visited attractions in NYC:

My budget tip: many attractions are included in the New York sightseeing passes – so you can save a lot of money on tickets. Which New York Pass is the best for you, I show you in my New York Pass comparison .

New York Attractions Map

Our tips for visiting the top New York attractions on a budget!

If you are on a family holiday, or visiting the city with a group of friends and need to book 4 tickets for each attraction, or are alone but just have a tight budget set for your trip, we have something really special for you. NYC sells discount attraction passes which allow you to visit all of the must-see NYC attractions for less while giving you the flexibility of deciding what you want to see once you get there!

Offering discounts of up to 70% on many sights, tours, and attractions New York City sightseeing passes are the ultimate way to save money. Find out which one will save you the most based on the attractions you want to see here:

Try Our Savings Calculator

These are my favorite NYC attractions

While the mention of NYC undoubtedly brings to mind many of its famous buildings and attractions, it can be very difficult picking which ones you want to visit during your trip. Our list below of the best attractions in New York is in no particular order and is based on our experiences with each attraction as well as what we think makes for a good trip to the Big Apple!

The Edge Observation Deck

The Hudson Yards observation deck called Edge is New York’s newest and highest open observation deck. It opened in March 2020 and we were there – the view from up here is just sensational, and through the glass floor you can see over 100 floors straight down!

Are you looking for the ultimate thrill? Then check out the Edge City Climb !

Empire State Building

The first of our must-see New York attractions is the world-renowned Empire State Building . The view from the observation platform of the Empire State Building will take your breath away and is a sight that you won’t soon forget. An absolute must-see during a visit to New York! We have compiled everything you need to know about the Empire State Building, including our tips & tricks, important info regarding ticket options, and whether going to the 102nd floor is really worth it.

OUR TIP: EITHER GO REALLY EARLY OR VERY LATE AT NIGHT!

That’s when queues are not as long. Even better – Tickets with Fast Lane access are available here – or get one of the New York discounts passes that includes tickets to the Empire State Building !

Brooklyn_Bridge_in_New_York_170614090305011

An official city landmark and the second of our must-see New York attractions: the Brooklyn Bridge. Be sure to walk across the bridge to enjoy the fabulous views onto the city skyline, especially in the early evening hours! The view from Brooklyn across the East River is also spectacular and is definitely a must-see. New tours are available that take you across the bridge into Brooklyn and these are quite popular. You can find the most popular tours on this page .

Our tip: Make a day out of it! We recommend you check out the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park and spend the afternoon walking around DUMBO if you time it right you can head back across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset when the views are especially beautiful. If you get hungry, don’t pass on pizza at Juliana’s, the line may be long but this is definitely some of the best pizza you can get in NYC!

Top of the Rock

The next activity on our list of must-see New York attractions is the observation platform on the top of the Rockefeller Center. The Top of the Rock observation deck will give you fantastic outdoor views of New York and is one of our favorite places to view the city from above.

The best thing about this observation deck is that you have a great view of downtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building as well as Central Park in the other direction. This attraction ranks high among our top 10 things to do as this is where most iconic pictures of the Empire State Building are shot from. If you’re in town during the holiday, make sure to check out Rockefeller Plaza and the famous Christmas tree in NYC.

OUR TIP: GO IN THE LATE AFTERNOON!

The Top of the Rock observation platform is also less crowded than the Empire State Building making the view much more enjoyable. Tickets for the observation platform are available here – or get one of the New York discount passes that include a ticket to the Top of the Rock!

9/11 Memorial and Museum

The 9/11 Memorial Museum is located at the 9/11 National Memorial and is probably one of the most emotional museums in New York. It is mostly located underground and displays debris from the former Twin Towers in addition to many of the personal belongings of those buried. Among them are fire trucks deformed by heat, a part of the antenna of the North Tower, a scorched elevator motor, the saving stone staircase (Survivor’s Staircase) as well as remains of sidewalks, street signs, bicycles and baby carriages that were in front of the World Trade Center.

Get personal tips & tricks, specifically tailored to your trip!

We will provide you with individual tips & tricks as you prepare for your trip. How to plan, save money and make sure you experience the most of NYC are only some of the topics covered!

Specify dates

One World Observatory

One of the newest activities in this list of top 10 New York attractions is the observation platform on top of the One World Trade Center. The OWTC is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and is close to where the Twin Towers once stood.

OUR TIP: GO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING OR IN THE EVENING!

With a height of 1,776 feet (541 meters), the One World Observatory gives you amazing views of Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is also one of the best New York attractions that we highly recommend visiting. You can order tickets online here !

High_Line_New_York_171012162730002_1600x960

There are few parks as unique as the High Line. The elevated freight rail line was repurposed as a public green space that opened in 2009 and now offers amazing views of the city, as well as a place to relax and unwind. Its plant life is based directly off what was growing there while it was abandoned, giving this park a unique and interesting atmosphere! The High Line stretches from The Meatpacking District all the way to Hudson Yards-34th Street.

There is no doubt that you cannot miss this must-see New York attraction. Times Square always has something going on and is packed with people at all times of the day. Being in the middle of the buzz and watch the thousands of people and cars go by is definitely an experience.

The best of Times Square has to offer, however, is at night. That’s when the LED screens light up the whole square as if it were broad daylight! There is also a pedestrian zone where you can sit down and relax or several rooftop bars right around the corner that offer sensational views!

Staten Island Ferry

Manhattan’s Wall Street is home to the New York Stock Exchange and the headquarters of numerous banks. It is definitely one of the most popular 10 things to fo in NYC on this list, as it has been featured in countless movies and tv shows. One icon of Wall Street is the Charging Bull statue, which is located near the Stock Exchange.

It is at its current location in the plaza at Bowling Green in an act of “guerrilla art”. Guided tours through the Financial District as well as the Wall Street Insider Tour are hugely popular.

Central Park spans from Midtown Manhattan all the way up to Harlem. There are about 340 hectares of land and is a popular meeting place for New Yorkers. With about 35 million visitors per year, the man-made park is an attraction not only for tourists. New Yorkers love Central Park and its tranquility. Many events are held here such as the NYC Marathon. There are also tons of green spaces, walking lanes, and bike lanes. Central Park is home to Sheep’s Meadow, Bow Bridge, Bethesda Terrace, Central Park Zoo, and many other things as well.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park is located right in central Manhattan and is a quiet oasis between 40th and 42nd Street. Bryant Park is right in the cetner of Midtown Manhattan between 40th and 42nd Street, yet it still lends you the peace and quiet you need to get away for a few moments from the bustling city. Withg many small cafés dotted throughout the park this is the perfect place to unwind or relax when the weather is nice.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

You will find the beginning of Brooklyn Bridge Park just below Brooklyn Bridge. With amazing views of the skyline across the water and some great places to sit and enjoy the view, this park is a must-visit! For those of you who like running, this is an amazing place to do so, especially with the amazing Manhattan skyline view. There are also tons of green spaces, basketball, volleyball courts, and soccer fields.

The Vessel Hudson Yards

The Vessel is an attraction in the Hudson Yards – and it’s free! Designed by British Thomas Heatherwick (designer of the “Rolling Bridge and UK Pavilion at Expo 2010), “The Vessel” offers around 2,500 steps to climb up and down. The symmetrical steel structure, connected by 154 interwoven stair segments, attracts tourists from all over the world to climb the vertical distance of about one mile!

Note: The Vessel is unfortunately still closed at the moment. You can only enter at the bottom, the stairs are still closed and it is not known if and when they will be open to the public again.

One Vanderbilt The Summit

The New York City skyline is one of the most famous and recognizable skylines in the world. It’s a city filled with skyscrapers and tall buildings. In most recent years, it has been expanding which made way for new observation decks. The newest observation deck is located at the top of the One Vanderbilt Building and is called The Summit. This deck is the second-highest outdoor deck in NYC which follows the Edge and has been open since October 2021.

Flatiron Building

The Flatiron Building is one of the most popular, beautiful and iconic buildings in NYC. The triangle shaped building likens the shape of a iron, hence the name. As one of the most photogenic spots in NYC this is definitely worth the visit for every tourist.

New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is one of the most famous buildings in NYC. Having featured in countless films and photographs, this is one of the best public libraries in the United Sates. The New York Public Library is not only a place for students, professors, and bookworms but also a must visit for toruists of the Big Apple.

Grand Central Terminal

You can’t visit New York City and not have a peek of the stunning Grand Central Station . The Grand Central Station is the largest train station in the world and is the busiest building in New York City in terms of visitors.

Did you know: the painting on the ceiling (image of the sky) was painted in its mirror image. The painter accidentally held the image upside down! The official reason, of course, is that this effect was by design. The painter claimed that the image reflects God’s view of the sky from the celestial sphere, i.e., from above, and not from below. It’s a must-see and absolutely worth going.

Roosevelt Island Tramway

This is one of my favorite things to do in New York City and should be on your list if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours. Most NYC visitors don’t know that we actually have a tramway leaving from Manhattan, the Roosevelt Island Tramway . The final destination is Roosevelt Island , which is a small island between Manhattan and Queens. While riding the tramway is already an attraction on its own, Roosevelt Island is worth exploring as well.

American Museum of Natural History

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The American Museum of Natural History is one of the more popular museums in NYC. If the name sounds recognizable it’s because the museum was the center of attention in the movie, Night at the Museum featuring Ben Stiller. Regardless of it’s Hollywood fame, the Natural History Museum is a huge institution that features numerous exhibits. This is a great place for families with kids so they can learn about the world’s geography, plants, different animal species and many other things.

The American Museum of Natural History is located in the Upper West Side in Manhattan and is the largest natural history museum in the world.

Domino Park

This beautiful park opened up in Williamsburg in 2018. It’s called Domino park because the former Domino Sugar factory was located at that very spot. Now, it’s filled with greenery, food vendors and a playground for kids. It is located directly on the East River and you have a great view of the city from here. The park invites you to play volleyball or have a picnic.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

The Museum of Modern Art houses a variety of contemporary artworks ranging from architecture and design to photography, paintings, and sculptures. Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the Museum of Modern Art reopened after renovations. Coinciding with MoMA’s seventy-fifth anniversary, the museum opened its redesigned space for exhibitions, education, and scholarly research. It is a must-do if you’re into art. Especially after their reopening, it is really worth it going.

MoMA has a reputation for displaying the world’s finest collection of modern and contemporary art. The MoMA reopening will bring new galleries and spaces for performances and events to the visitors. Visitors can expect a bigger, more diverse MoMA after the reopening. Masterpieces have been cleaned and touched up; galleries are completely reorganized. Read more about what has changed at the MoMA in New York City here.

Guggenheim Museum

First off, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is an architectural masterpiece. Second, but most importantly, it is the permanent home of a large collection of art named after its founder. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright the bizarrely shaped building is one of the most famous in NYC. Not only is the outside spectacular, but it is constantly expanding its permanent collection. Also, many special exhibitions are showcased here throughout the years. It is definitely worth a visit!

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (Ferry & Stop)

The fact that the Statue of Liberty is missing from the top 10 list is not an accident. It is always too busy and crowded and you can take much better pictures of the Statue from further away. Instead, we recommend you take a boat tour around Manhattan that makes a brief loop around the Statue of Liberty giving you a good photo opportunity, or take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry!

Just recently, there is a new museum, the Statue of Liberty Museum , that opened on Liberty Island. It tells you everything about the history of the Statue of Liberty. First-timers often visit the Statue of Liberty. Be aware though that it will take away at least 4-6 hours of your day if you want to see everything from the Statue of Liberty to the Immigration Museum.

A beautiful places to visit in NYC: Grand Banks

Grand_Banks_New_York_von_Loving_New_York_02_1600x960_1280x640

Water, a great view of Manhattan and a great atmosphere – the location is simply the best. You are sitting on a historic ship called F/V Sherman Zwicker on the Hudson River and can enjoy New York from the water when the weather is fine. The place also serves great drinks and seafood.

Governors Island

When the weather is beautiful in New York City and you want to escape for a moment from the noise, the hustle and bustle, then a trip to Governors Island is something to consider. The Governors Island Ferry will take you across the East River for $4.

Since 2021 Governors Island is open all year round!

Jane's Carousel

In the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge Park there is a beautiful carousel for young and old all year round. From there you can also enjoy the great view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge.

Pier 54 - Little Island

Not far from the Meatpacking District and the High Line, Little Island is one of the newest attractions in New York and is something very special: a park on 132 beautiful tulip-shaped concrete stilts in the Hudson River!

So beautiful: Gallow Green Rooftop

Gallow_Green_NYC_Rooftop_Bar_191003174859010

Gallow Green is a unique rooftop bar located above McKittrick Hotel. What makes it so special is its quaint and green atmosphere. The whole bar is overgrown with foliage and certainly does its name justice: It looks like a garden! Not to be forgotten are the delicious drinks that are served there. It’s even listed in our Rooftop Bar Guide as one of the 43 Best Rooftop Bars in New York .

This is one of the NYC attractions that you definitely shouldn’t miss! All you need is a subway ticket to take the cable car across the East River at heights of over 200ft. The views from the cable car are amazing and equally as impressive from Roosevelt Island!

One of the most instagrammed places in NYC: DUMBO

Don’t forget to capture the most famous photo on Washington Street in Dumbo: With the Manhattan Bridge and the tiny Empire State Building in the background, the street is popular with all tourists to take the perfect photo. Manhattan Bridge is the second famous bridge in Dumbo. If you like, you can also cross it on foot and enjoy the great view of the skyline as well as the Brooklyn Bridge from there.

Wall Street

Manhattan’s Wall Street is home to the New York Stock Exchange and the headquarters of numerous banks. It is definitely one of the most popular things to do in NYC on this list, as it has been featured in countless movies and tv shows. One icon of Wall Street is the Charging Bull statue, which is located near the Stock Exchange.

It is at its current location in the plaza at Bowling Green in an act of “guerrilla art”. Guided tours through the Financial District as well as the Wall Street Insider Tour are hugely popular.

Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park, centrally located in the Village, extends over almost 4 hectares. Close to New York University with its distinctive Washington Square Arch, a triumphal arch inaugurated in 1895, the park is a popular place to be when the weather is fine. Through the Arch you have a wonderful view along 5th Avenue to the top of the Empire State Building.

If you are lucky, you can even enjoy a free jazz concert from the many jazz artists of the Village. Here, friends and family meet to relax, play chess, or just in general have a good time.

A park with a waterfall at Rockefeller Center: The Paley Park

The entrance to the park, which is only 390 square metres in size, is at 53rd Street – and what immediately catches the eye: the 6-metre high waterfall. During the day in summer the waterfall’s spray mist is wonderfully cooling. And: it “swallows” all surrounding sounds and the park is such a spot with a really fascinating atmosphere! Midtown’s Paley Park is one of those secret places in New York that almost nobody knows about. A normal tourist doesn’t even consider the existence of such a park, but a New Yorker doesn’t either. The fact is that it is an oasis that radiates an aura of peace in the middle of the New York hustle and bustle.

Enjoy the sunset at Brooklyn Crab (Redhook)

Brooklyn Crab is a real insider spot, which you can reach within 20 minutes from Manhattan on the IKEA Ferry. The seafood is sensational, you can sit indoors or outdoors and if you stay long enough you can enjoy the sunset over the Statue of Liberty.

Radio City Music Hall: So beautiful a night!

The Radio City Music Hall is a very famous theater building in the middle of New York. It is part of the Rockefeller Center and is located in close proximity to the Top of The Rock and the Museum of Modern Art. When you see the Radio City Music Hall from the outside, it will seem like a journey 80 years into the past. In many movies you can see the old neon sign and therefore it is really famous.

Don't miss the Honorable William Wall on your next New York visit

The Honorable William Wall, affectionately called “Willy Wall”, is the floating clubhouse of the Manhattan Yacht Club. The clubhouse is anchored in New York Harbor north of Ellis Island from May to October. What is so special about it? It’s definitely an insider’s spot, which not only gives you a great view of Ellis Island and of course the Statue of Liberty – you can also enjoy the sunset from here.

My favorite New York neighborhoods

Each neighborhood of New York has its own unique character and is worth exploring. However, if I had to limit myself to the most important neighborhoods that best showcase the city’s diversity, it’s these:

Soho New York

Now known for their many excellent restaurants, shops and tourism, Manhattan’s SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown neighborhoods offer the most varied stories of New York City. Take a 2-hour tour with a local guide and discover hidden gems and 19th century buildings.

DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights

Home to many wealthy families and business people is the beautiful area in Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo. In this neighborhood you’ll find tree-lined streets, historic brownstone houses, breathtaking views of Lower Manhattan and super stylish lofts in abandoned industrial areas at the foot of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. This mixture gives this area of Brooklyn its special charm.

East Village

Originally a part of the Lower East Side, the East Village in New York developed in the 1960s into an exciting identity of its own due to its multicultural influences and thus became its own quarter in the so-called “Village” of New York City.

Meatpacking District

Go on a fun adventure in New York’s only park above street level- the Highline. Experience the Chelsea neighborhood from a whole new vantage point and find out more about the history of the famous Meatpacking District including how it developed into one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world.

In 2010, Eataly was opened in New York by master chef Mario Batali. The pizza is very remeniscent of pizza and the wine selection is huge. You will also find a large selection of ecellent pasta, salads, and sandwiches. In terms of price, it has to be said in advance that a pizza starts at $15 and can cost $25. Nevertheless, this Italian food market is for me one of the most beautiful and best in the city!

Astoria Park

One of the most beautiful spots in Astoria, Queens is Astoria Park. This popular park on the East River is a popular retreat for New Yorkers, especially in the summer. On hot summer days, they jump into New York’s oldest public pool to cool off. This is a rare sight, by the way, because you hardly find any outdoor pools in New York. Astoria Park just recently went under renovation as well and has revamped its track and field.

Not only do you have a beautiful view of Manhattan, but you’re also right under the RFK Bridge and have a direct view of Hells Gate Bridge.

Williamsburg

Brooklyn is famous for its bold and bright street art, but it’s not easy to know where to find these creative works. With this walking tour of the Bushwick neighborhood, take in the diversity and culture of the neighborhood’s urban street artists. Check out massive murals and intricate designs as you take to the streets to learn how Brooklyn’s best can turn anything with a surface into a stunning work of public art.

The best attractions of New York on a map

A map with all attractions of New York City with a View can be found here – just click on “FULL MAP” if you want to see more. You can click on each attraction on the map to find out everything you need to know!

I'm a true New York fan! Not only have I visited the city over 25 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On my blog I show you the best and most beautiful spots of the city, so that you have a really good time! You can also find lots of insider tips in our New York travel guide . Also check out my hotel finder for New York !

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Best places to visit in new york state in 2024.

New York state captivates both domestic and international travelers with the most populated city in the United States, sprawling state parks and a few beach communities. Whether you want to visit New York City to see Times Square and go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, or retreat to the mountains of upstate New York, there are plenty of one-of-a-kind vacation spots in the Empire State. U.S. News considered sights, culture, adventurous pursuits and the opinions of experts and readers to compile this ranking of the best places to visit in New York state. Read on for vacation inspiration, and don't forget to vote below for the destinations you think belong on this list.

Niagara Falls

Adirondacks, thousand islands, new york city, the finger lakes, the catskills, bear mountain state park, letchworth state park, long island, fire island, saratoga springs, cooperstown, shelter island.

The tumbling, frothy falls – more than 3,100 tons of water flows over the edge every second – are the star tourist attraction in this New York destination that borders Canada. The best way to see Niagara Falls is on a Maid of the Mist boat tour, which takes poncho-clad visitors on an electric tour boat to the base of the falls. Or, more daring visitors can experience this natural wonder on a thrilling whirlpool jet boat tour. Just don't forget to check out the area's other unforgettable attractions, such as Niagara Falls State Park's hiking trails, Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens & Butterfly Conservatory or the nearby casinos.

The Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York span roughly 6 million acres and are home to hundreds of communities, lakes, valleys and trails. Water lovers can canoe or kayak on Saranac Lake or go boating on Tupper Lake; hikers can tackle the area's 2,000-plus miles of trails; and skiers can shred powder on Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid. Visitors will also want to save some time for checking out history-focused sights like the Lake Placid Olympic Museum and Fort Ticonderoga, as well as sampling regional beverages at local wineries and breweries.

Despite its name, the Thousand Islands region is composed of more than 1,800 islands. The best way to see this vast area, which also stretches into Canada, is during an open-air boat tour. A scenic cruise here will take you past lighthouses, mansions and castles and include commentary about the real-life pirates who used to roam the islands' waters and the Gilded Age magnates who once called the region home. When you're ready to return to land, hike the trails in Wellesley Island State Park or fish in Mary Island State Park, both on Wellesley Island.

A hub for culture, the arts, food and sightseeing, New York City is a must-visit on many travelers' bucket lists – and for good reason. Everyone can find something to enjoy in the Big Apple. You can see a Broadway show, visit the world-famous Empire State Building, walk the High Line, check out the dozens of museums, eat your way through Manhattan's distinct neighborhoods on a food tour or shop till you drop along Fifth Avenue. Don't forget to stroll through iconic Central Park and visit its can't-miss attractions, including the Central Park Zoo and Conservatory Garden.

A romantic New York getaway , the Finger Lakes region appeals to travelers seeking a relaxing retreat with lovely scenery. Skiing at the area's resorts, wine tasting at the Seneca Lake Wine Trail's wineries and boating and hiking at local state parks are all popular activities to enjoy in this part of northwestern New York. The Finger Lakes are known for their spectacular fall foliage, but with their wealth of charming towns and variety of seasonal attractions, the lakes are excellent to visit year-round.

With 98 peaks, southeastern New York's Catskill Mountains beckon to nature enthusiasts. About 40% of Catskill Park's 700,000-plus acres are designated as "forever wild," meaning you'll have access to sprawling spaces ideal for outdoor activities. In winter, the Catskills offer ample opportunities to ski and snowboard. Meanwhile, summer is perfect for hunting, hiking, boating and zip lining, among other activities. After a busy day outdoors, you can check out the region's art scene (the Catskills were home to America's first art movement – the Hudson River School) or enjoy the amenities at one of the area's top resorts .

Located on the western banks of the Hudson River in the Palisades region of New York, Bear Mountain State Park offers sweeping views of the Hudson Valley and the surrounding highlands. The forested park's trails (including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail) take hikers through lakes, gorges and valleys. What's more, Bear Mountain State Park features a zoo, a swimming pool, a hand-painted merry-go-round and a seasonal outdoor ice skating rink, ensuring family fun both on and off the trails. (Note: Portions of this park are closed due to storm damage sustained in July 2023. Please check the park's website for the current operating status.)

Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the East because of its impressive gorge, Letchworth State Park is a hidden gem for travelers who love the outdoors. The park is home to three large waterfalls and dozens more on tributaries, many of which you can see as you trek some of Letchworth's 66 miles of hiking trails. Additionally, the park offers ample opportunities to go whitewater rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, biking and even hot air ballooning. If you prefer winter sports instead of summer pursuits, arrive when temperatures fall to go cross-country skiing or snowmobiling.

This 118-mile-long island is frequented by New Yorkers looking to escape the city to relax on white sand beaches with a glass of wine. Summer hot spots like the Hamptons and Montauk boast charming seaside allure and can't-miss stretches of sand, like Ditch Plains Beach, a popular place to surf. Meanwhile, family-friendly Jones Beach State Park is a more approachable option with a swimming pool, a mini-golf course and shuffleboard areas, among other amenities. Beyond beaches, Long Island boasts more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms, some of which are part of the island's North Fork Wine Trail.

The presence of two renowned institutions – Ithaca College and Cornell University – makes Ithaca a true college town. But this small town in New York's Finger Lakes region is also known for its stunning natural beauty, so much so that its slogan is "Ithaca is gorges." Ithaca is surrounded by more than 150 waterfalls, as well as gorges and dense forests with hiking and biking trails. What's more, the town overlooks the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, a superb spot for boating, fishing and swimming. For groups with budding naturalists, follow Ithaca's Discovery Trail to must-see attractions like the Sciencenter and the Cornell Botanic Gardens.

Those looking to get away from skyscrapers can travel about 60 miles southeast of New York City to reach this 32-mile-long, car-free barrier island. On Fire Island, you'll find several charming communities, including Ocean Beach (where most of the island's hotels, restaurants and shops are located) and Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines (two of the island's top LGBTQ-friendly areas). Plus, Fire Island is home to Fire Island National Seashore, a protected area that welcomes bird-watchers and campers in droves. If you'd rather spend your vacation swimming, surfing or sunbathing, head to Robert Moses State Park in summer to enjoy its beautiful beaches.

Ever since the Mohawk people came to Saratoga Springs and discovered its mineral waters, which were believed to have restorative properties, the town has blossomed into a popular vacation destination. Visitors can still drink from or soak in the town's mineral springs, 12 of which are located in Saratoga Spa State Park. However, many travelers now flock to Saratoga Springs to see one of the country's oldest racetracks, the Saratoga Race Course. Take a walking tour of the facility to learn more about its history and horseracing, or visit in August to attend the venue's premier event, the Travers Stakes.

Cooperstown may be small, but it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year thanks to its ties to America's pastime. Although most experts agree that baseball wasn't invented here, Cooperstown remains a mecca for sports lovers because of its must-visit sight, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. However, the village offers other kinds of attractions, too. Travelers can visit the Fenimore Art Museum to see impressive works of art or check out The Farmers' Museum's exhibits about local agriculture. Cooperstown also features beautiful neoclassical buildings, such as Hyde Hall, and a variety of breweries and wineries.

Situated between the North and South forks of Long Island, Shelter Island features a quiet, laid-back atmosphere perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle of New York City. One-third of the island is occupied by the Mashomack Preserve, a protected area with more than 200 bird species and hiking trails through meadows and salt marshes. The rest of Shelter Island boasts charming Victorian-era buildings that house boutiques and eateries, plus stunning stretches of sand with calm waves ideal for swimming, such as Crescent Beach and Wades Beach.

New York's capital city teems with culture and history. Visitors can admire the elaborate beauty of the New York State Capitol building on a tour and observe natural history exhibits at the New York State Museum (both of which are free), or explore Albany's Dutch heritage at Crailo State Historic Site and the Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site. Meanwhile, art enthusiasts can view landscape paintings from the Hudson River School at the Albany Institute of History & Art. Beyond the tourist attractions, travelers can stretch their legs in Washington Park, grab a local craft beer or catch a show at The Egg.

Vote to Add these Destinations to the Rankings

Governors Island

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Sleepy Hollow

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Best places to visit in the usa for 2023.

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Leisure Travel

Tourism in New York - statistics & facts

What do visitors do in new york, where do tourists stay the night in new york, key insights.

Detailed statistics

City destinations with the highest direct travel and tourism GDP worldwide 2022

Total amount spent by visitors in New York, U.S. 2018-2022

Visitation to NYC, U.S. 2019-2024

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Economic impact of tourism in New York, U.S. 2022, by type

Share of visitor spending in New York, U.S. 2022, by region

Tourism-generated employment in New York, U.S. 2022, by county

Recommended statistics

Basic Statistic City destinations with the highest direct travel and tourism GDP worldwide 2022
Premium Statistic Economic impact of tourism in New York, U.S. 2019-2022
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Premium Statistic Tourism-generated employment in New York, U.S. 2022, by county
Premium Statistic Most viewed travel destinations on TikTok worldwide 2023

Leading city tourism destinations worldwide in 2022, ranked by direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP (in billion U.S. dollars)

Economic impact of tourism in New York, U.S. 2019-2022

Total economic impact of tourism in New York, United States from 2019 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Total economic impact of tourism in New York, United States in 2022, by type (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of jobs generated through tourism in New York, United States in 2022, by county

Most viewed travel destinations on TikTok worldwide 2023

Most popular travel destinations on TikTok worldwide as of May 2023 (in billion TikTok views)

Premium Statistic Visitation to NYC, U.S. 2019-2024
Premium Statistic Visitation to NYC, U.S. 2019-2024, by origin
Premium Statistic Share of business and leisure visitors to New York City, U.S. 2022
Premium Statistic Most visited states in the U.S. 2022
Premium Statistic Most visited cities by digital nomads worldwide 2024

Number of visitors to New York City, United States from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast to 2024 (in millions)

Visitation to NYC, U.S. 2019-2024, by origin

Number of visitors to New York City, United States from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast to 2024, by origin (in millions)

Share of business and leisure visitors to New York City, U.S. 2022

Distribution of visitors to New York City, United States in 2022, by visit purpose

Most visited states in the U.S. 2022

Most visited states by adults in the United States as of September 2022

Most visited cities by digital nomads worldwide 2024

Leading cities visited by digital nomads worldwide as of March 2024

Visitor spending

Premium Statistic Total amount spent by visitors in New York, U.S. 2018-2022
Premium Statistic Total amount spent by visitors in New York, U.S. 2018-2022, by industry
Premium Statistic Total amount spent by visitors in New York, U.S. 2018-2022, by market
Premium Statistic Share of visitor spending in New York, U.S. 2022, by region

Visitor spending in New York, United States from 2018 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Total amount spent by visitors in New York, U.S. 2018-2022, by industry

Visitor spending in New York, United States from 2018 to 2022, by industry (in million U.S. dollars)

Total amount spent by visitors in New York, U.S. 2018-2022, by market

Visitor spending in New York, United States from 2018 to 2022, by market (in billion U.S. dollars)

Distribution of visitor spending in New York, United States in 2022, by region

Accommodation

Basic Statistic Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in North America as of September 2023
Basic Statistic Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in the U.S. as of September 2023
Premium Statistic Overnight accommodation costs in New York 2023, by month
Premium Statistic Selected hotels most posted about on Instagram globally 2022

Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in North America as of September 2023

Selected cities with the most expensive hotel rates in North America as of September 2023 (in U.S. dollars)

Selected cities with the highest hotel rates in the U.S. as of September 2023

Selected cities with the most expensive hotel rates in the United States as of September 2023 (in U.S. dollars)

Overnight accommodation costs in New York 2023, by month

Overnight accommodation costs in New York in 2023, by month (in U.S. dollars)

Selected hotels most posted about on Instagram globally 2022

Selected hotels with the most Instagram posts worldwide in 2022

Premium Statistic Number of Airbnb listings in selected U.S. cities 2024
Premium Statistic Key data on Airbnb property bookings in NYC, U.S. 2024
Premium Statistic Number of Airbnb listings in New York City, U.S. 2024, by room type
Premium Statistic Share of long and short-term Airbnb properties in NYC, U.S. 2024

Number of Airbnb listings in selected U.S. cities 2024

Number of Airbnb listings in selected cities in the United States as of February 2024

Key data on Airbnb property bookings in NYC, U.S. 2024

Key booking figures of Airbnb properties in New York City, United States as of January 2024

Number of Airbnb listings in New York City, U.S. 2024, by room type

Number of Airbnb listings in New York City, United States as of January 2024, by room type

Share of long and short-term Airbnb properties in NYC, U.S. 2024

Distribution of Airbnb properties in New York, United States as of January 2024, by length of stay

Attractions

Premium Statistic Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022
Premium Statistic Number of visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York 2007-2023
Basic Statistic Cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2022
Premium Statistic Selected restaurants most posted about on Instagram globally 2022
Premium Statistic Selected landmarks most posted about on Instagram globally 2022
Premium Statistic Attendance at Broadway shows in New York 2006-2023, by category
Premium Statistic Weekly attendance at Broadway shows in New York 2022-2024

Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022

Most visited museums worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Number of visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York 2007-2023

Number of visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, United States from 2007 to 2023 (in millions)

Cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2022

Cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide as of January 2022

Selected restaurants most posted about on Instagram globally 2022

Selected restaurants with the most Instagram posts worldwide in 2022

Selected landmarks most posted about on Instagram globally 2022

Selected landmarks with the most Instagram posts worldwide in 2022

Attendance at Broadway shows in New York 2006-2023, by category

Total attendance at Broadway shows in New York, United States from 2006 to 2023, by category (in 1,000s)

Weekly attendance at Broadway shows in New York 2022-2024

Weekly attendance at Broadway shows in New York, United States from 2022 to 2024 (in 1,000s)

Sporting events

Premium Statistic Regular season home attendance of the New York Knicks 2006-2023
Premium Statistic Regular season home attendance of the Brooklyn Nets 2006-2023
Premium Statistic Regular season average attendance of the New York Yankees 2009-2023
Premium Statistic Regular season average attendance of the New York Mets 2009-2023
Basic Statistic National Hockey League - New York Rangers home attendance 2005-2023

Regular season home attendance of the New York Knicks 2006-2023

New York Knicks regular season home attendance from 2006/07 to 2022/23

Regular season home attendance of the Brooklyn Nets 2006-2023

Brooklyn Nets regular season home attendance from 2006/07 to 2022/23

Regular season average attendance of the New York Yankees 2009-2023

Average regular season home attendance of the New York Yankees from 2009 to 2023

Regular season average attendance of the New York Mets 2009-2023

Average regular season home attendance of the New York Mets from 2009 to 2023

National Hockey League - New York Rangers home attendance 2005-2023

Total/average regular season home attendance of the New York Rangers from 2005/06 to 2022/23

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How to Be a New York Tourist: Do’s and Don’ts

New York City is one of the top travel destinations in the world, and between international travelers, American tourists and local New Yorker’s, the city gets crowded. NYC is most crowded during the summer and holiday seasons, but even in the off season, the New York tourist crowds in places such as Times Square , Rockefeller Center and Central Park are dense.

That doesn’t mean that you should avoid coming to New York City, but it’s important to differentiate the “tourist traps” and the must-see attractions , in order to get the most out of your trip.

How to Be a New York Tourist - Do's and Don'ts

New York Tourist Tips: Do’s and Don’ts

Do: see new york from the top of a skyscraper., don’t: spend hours at the empire state building..

While the Empire State Building is an icon, the line to get to the top is often over an hour long . Don’t waste a New York minute standing in line for that elevator to the top, because there’s a view of the city that’s just as good right around the corner.

Many people refer to going to the top of the ESB as one of the most overrated things you could do in the city, and while the views of the city from up here, the history and the architecture of the building are all amazing, the view you’ll want to check out is from the Top of the Rock. Rockefeller Center has so much to offer .

From the ice skating in the winter to the nearby shopping and NBC studio tours , there’s something for every NYC tourist to do here, but no matter what you’re doing around here, definitely head to the observatory and check out the views of Central Park, the city skyline, and oh, a beautiful view of the Empire State Building!

But, if you’re set of going up the Empire State building, book your ticket before you go .

Do: See a Broadway Show.

Don’t: pay full price for tickets..

There are shows on Broadway for every taste, from comedic genius to the darkest dramas . The thing is, Broadway shows can get very expensive .

People are known to pay $400 to see one show and not think twice about it. Luckily, there are several ways to get tickets for much cheaper than the prices you’ll find at the box office.

The easiest way is by going online to find discounted Broadway tickets . You can easily see the best prices available and what seat that price will get you, and you don’t have to wait in a box office line to do it! Check out GetYourGuide.com for a good deal.

Do: Visit a Museum.

Don’t: miss free museum days..

New York is home to some of the most famous museums in the world, like The Met , The Guggenheim , MoMA and the Museum of Natural History , to name a few.

Admission to some of them is over $20, but they all offer free or “pay what you wish” days each week . Save the trip to the museum for these days if you happen to be in town on one.

Check out our guide for free things to do in New York .

Do: Go Sightseeing.

Don’t: go people staring..

There are tons of things to see in the Big Apple, including lots of interesting people. If you’re going to go people watching, do it discreetly through the window of a cafe, an outdoor patio at a restaurant or a bench in the park.

Don’t go around staring at everyone you meet on the street or in the subway though. It can get really uncomfortable when people confront you about it.

Do: See Some Animals.

Don’t: neglect your inner party animal..

Spend some innocent days at the Central Park Zoo , New York Aquarium or the Bronx Zoo .

When it’s time for a little more action, let your inner (party) animal come out and hit up one of the nightclubs or dive bars.

New York City is home to some of the best nightlife in America next to Las Vegas, so you can get as wild as you want in this town, day or night.

Do: Go Shopping.

Don’t: miss the discounts..

This city is also one of the top destinations for shopping, but you don’t have to spend your fortune on Madison Avenue.

There are tons of places around town for discounted merchandise , from the sample sales that pop up around town, to the large outlet stores that sell designer goods for up to 75% off .

And definitely don’t neglect Chinatown for the real steals if you don’t mind a knockoff or two.

The Do's and Don'ts of Being a New York Tourist

New York City welcomes tourists with open arms, but don’t fall victim to all the tourist traps on your next trip! If you’re working on limited time and want to quickly see as much of New York as possible, get the New York CityPASS which includes six top New York attractions.

Read our New york Accommodation Guide

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Tips For Tourists On The New York City Subway For The First Time

There are plenty of New York subway tips, one of which is to stay away from the yellow area to avoid accidents and incidents on the subway platform.
One of the things to know about the NYC subway is that the numbers and letters on the New York subway map are more important than the colors.
Pay attention to signs, announcements, and the subway map to navigate the subway system effectively and avoid getting lost.

No one can dispute that New York City is one of the ultimate travel destinations in the US and is where many people's dreams come true. From the epic foodie neighborhoods in NYC to the city's museums, stores, and brands, many things in the Big Apple have left their imprint on the United States and worldwide, all of which are found in this concrete jungle.

More than 8 million people call New York City home , and around one-third of them were born outside the country. The city attracts between 60 and 70 million tourists a year due to its diversity and liveliness, earning it the title of "cultural center of the world." As exciting as that sounds, getting around may seem difficult for first-timers, especially when taking the subway. So, how does the NYC subway work, exactly?

The subway New York City offers is one of the busiest in the country, and it can be challenging for newcomers to navigate safely and seamlessly. Therefore, here are a number of NYC subway tips for a safe, successful vacation in what is easily the most famous city in America!

UPDATE: 2023/12/27 21:32 EST BY MARIA BOU INK

Wondering How The New York City Subway Works?

Taking public transport in NYC for the first time? No need to worry; here are a number of additional, updated, and useful tips and information on the NYC subway system

Related: 10 Crazy Things You Should Know About New York City's Abandoned Subway Stations

Stay Away From The Yellow Area

Purpose: for safety and to avoid any incidents.

The yellow part of the subway seems obvious, doesn't it? Still, first-timers on New York’s subway would be shocked at how many passengers choose to disregard the line and stand in (or too close to) the yellow area at the edge of the subway station.

Sadly, after buying a New York subway pass for tourists, some unsavvy first-timers stand too close to the edge, which may result in a serious incident (some locals even do this, too). Therefore, passengers must keep their distance from the yellow area at all times, not only when a train is approaching the station.

Get Ready Well Before Your Intended Stop

Purpose: to avoid missing your stop.

Distractions aboard the New York subway are commonplace. Characters on the train may be so interesting that first-time passengers could miss their stop, ranging from adorable Mariachi bands (sometimes too loud) to children selling candy to downright vibrant New Yorkers.

Have fun on the ride, but be mindful. During peak times, it is better to get ready and head near the train's doors before the intended stop to avoid missing it due to door closure. The doors don't stay open for long, after all, and trying to fight one's way through a crowded train during rush hour to exit is not a pleasant experience when riding the NYC subway for the first time!

Read The Signs To Find Your Train Station

Purpose: to avoid getting lost.

Over 36 separate subway lines transport people between Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx. The majority of subways in NYC go below ground, as the name would imply. There are a few lines that cross above, though.

However, tourists will mostly be moving underground. The secret is to pay attention to the signs that identify the subway lines that each station serves and the direction in which each train is traveling.

Related: 10 Tips For Riding New York City's Subways & Trains During The Holidays

Pay Attention To The Signs & Announcements For The Previous & Next Stations

Purpose: to know when to get off and reach the intended destination.

Modern subways contain light-up graphics that show which station tourists are on the route for, but older trains will not . Travelers should not be afraid if they miss the graphics and station signs, though, because the conductor will always make clear which stop they are at and which station is coming up.

Passengers can also see signs for the station the train has just pulled into by looking out the window if they miss the announcement. Additionally, each train car contains a New York subway map spread of the full subway network, making it easier to learn how to use the subway in NYC , even as a newbie.

Follow The NYC Subway Map’s Numbers & Letters But Not The Colors

Purpose: to understand the subway map.

Travelers pondering how to use the NYC subway as a tourist should take the map's letters and numbers into account (the colors aren't quite as important). Travelers may see the many lines on the NYC subway map in a variety of colors and counts; they should make sure they choose the appropriate subway line by letter or number since New Yorkers don't really refer to the train lines by their colors.

This is because, for example, despite the blue line showing lines A, C, and E, these train tracks ultimately diverged, and tourists can find themselves in an entirely different and even unintended location from where they started.

For more information, check out a guide to using the NYC subway and how to ride its trains .

Choose An Appropriate NYC MetroCard

Purpose: to get the most suitable card for tourists (not locals).

Two different NYC subway card types are available: an Unlimited Ride card and a normal Pay-Per-Ride card. If travelers buy the Unlimited 7-Day MetroCard, they can take the bus and metro as much as they choose and use the subway like a true New Yorker.

If tourists choose Pay-Per-Ride, they can utilize Tap-To-Pay instead of purchasing a MetroCard. They can touch their credit or debit card on the screen and even use their phone's wallet to pay.

Costs : The cost of an Unlimited 7-Day MetroCard is $34, including a $1 card charge. Each subway ride costs $2.75 with a standard Pay-Per-Ride card, though travelers get one free transfer to a bus.

Check If Your Destination Is Uptown Or Downtown

Purpose: to select the right subway platform.

So, how do tourists use the NYC subway without getting lost, even with all the maps and tips available? Well, one answer to this is that travelers must select the appropriate platform, which tends to be based on whether the train goes uptown or downtown.

Additionally, certain subway stations feature distinct entrances for uptown or downtown-bound trains. This implies that to go in the desired direction, travelers might need to cross the street. Entry to both uptown and downtown platforms is often available from each station door at express stations.

Related: 10 Things To Know Before Riding The NYC Subway

Know The Difference Between Red And Green Globes

Purpose: to understand the subway's operating hours.

Travelers may notice that most subway stations in NYC feature either a red or a green globe. These were initially put in place to inform passengers which stations are open 24/7, referred to with a green globe, and which stations are closed at night, marked with a red globe. The red globes were also intended to indicate exit-only staircases.

However, most residents and tourists to New York City probably ignore these markings.

Change Your Train Line Using Pedestrian Tunnels

Purpose: to save money and time.

Another mistake first-timers on the NYC subway system make is leaving one stop and going to another to catch a different train, incurring another fare. Some stations are connected to other stations via pedestrian tunnels; using those tunnels between the two stations can save travelers time and money.

Once someone heads down the subway, they shouldn't need to leave and enter another area; everything will be connected.

If You Need Help, Ask Someone!

Purpose: to get help from a local (or a conductor) in the know.

Travelers who are unsure if they are standing on the right side of the platform or boarding the correct train shouldn't hesitate to ask someone. They might be astonished to learn that a lot of New Yorkers are pretty friendly, and some even like helping out tourists.

Travelers can also ask the conductor aboard the train, who often points at each station's black and white striped boards. It's always better to speak up and ask questions rather than to be stuck in the wrong subway car headed toward a completely different destination.

Avoid Staring At People In The Metro

Purpose: to avoid offending (and potentially angering) anyone.

The New York City subway is typically one of the most fascinating places in the Big Apple for people watching; however, passengers should try to keep their eyes off others, for the most part. Looking without staring is usually fine; however, just like in most big cities around the world, gazing at someone for too long is a surefire way to offend them (and maybe even anger them).

Additionally, in New York, citizens normally keep calm when they see a famous person or an unusual character—the less attention someone brings to themselves, especially when new to the city, the better. Many long-time residents also claim that blending in helps keep them safe in NYC during their commutes.

Watch Your Valuables

Purpose: to avoid falling victim to pickpocketing.

A useful piece of NYC subway advice is to safeguard valuables. Travelers should avoid putting their wallets and other valuable items in their back pockets. Pickpocketing can happen anywhere, so keeping one's guard up is essential when traveling not just the NYC subway but any public transportation. That also applies to electronics, like phones, tablets, headphones, speakers, and whatever else holds a high value.

As tempting as it is to get some work or study done on the subway using a laptop or tablet, it can be a super quick and easy target for thieves. Instead, it may be safer to do any work on a smartphone, holding it very tight or having a case with a connecting string/cable to one's pants/jacket/bag.

Don't forget that there are other ways to get around NYC besides the subway .

Download Games To Play

Purpose: to pass the time and stay entertained.

One of the best ways to pass the time on the NYC subway is to play games on a phone. However, sometimes there might not be internet connectivity in the tunnels, so it's best to have a pre-downloaded game like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, Sudoku, or whatever one enjoys playing.

It is surprising just how much faster the time goes by on the subway when having a distraction (a good old-fashioned book or even a Kindle also works as well).

Remember That The NYC Subway Never Stops

Purpose: to reduce "last train" anxiety and relax.

NYC is known as the city that never sleeps. Unsurprisingly, its extensive system of metro trains also never rests; the NYC Subway runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The subway really is the easiest way to get around the Big Apple, and it's rare that someone ever needs to hurry to get the last train at one of the system's 493 stations. As such, travelers can ditch the notion of rushing around for fear of missing the last train (there are plenty, and there's always another train to get people home!).

Not all lines run through the night, though, so refer to the NYC subway's late-night service to see what's operational.

Never Forget To Pay The Subway Fare

Purpose: to avoid fines.

The fares on the NYC Subway cost $2.75 for most riders (there are reduced fares for those 65 and older and certain other categories of people). People can pay using OMNY - the contactless fare payment system - or a MetroCard.

Both ways are simple and easy to use. Up to four riders can use the same payment method; just tap or swipe the appropriate number of times for each rider. Whatever the case, travelers must never forget to pay (or indeed try to fare dodge altogether), as this will incur penalties for fare evasion . In fact, those who enter the NYC subway system or ride buses without paying are subject to a $50 or $100 fine !

Related: Little Island: Discover NYC's New Artificial Floating Island Park At Pier 55

Bring Cleaning Wipes For The Seats

Purpose: to boost hygiene and reduce the risk of illness.

Another good plan for riders of the New York City subway is to bring cleaning wipes. Before taking a seat on the subway, many native New Yorkers and visitors wipe down their seats before getting comfy. This is good practice whether there is an active COVID-19 outbreak or it's regular cold and flu season (the subway is a germ field and one of the easiest ways to get sick in NYC, with all the daily passengers that commute!).

Any standard disinfectant wipes, whether Clorox, Windex, or store-brand wipes, will do. The key is finding a product to kill bacteria and clean whatever dirt, oil, or debris could be on the seat. Luckily, most NYC subway cars feature plastic seating, which is easy to clean off between stops.

Bring Headphones To Listen To Music Or Stream Shows/Movies

Purpose: to reduce exposure to subway noise.

For those who don't want to hear noise during their trip on the New York City subway, bringing a pair of headphones along for the ride for music or to watch a show or movie can be a lifesaver. Generally, it's normal to see New Yorkers in subways with their earbuds or headphones on while riding between subway lines/stops.

However, passengers don't want to be unaware of their surroundings for safety. For example, if the music playing through the headphones is too loud and someone can't hear an emergency alert or a problem in their subway car, headphones may pose an issue. As such, try to keep one ear open or have the volume turned down enough so that the subway noise is drowned out but without risking missing any issues or announcements.

Tips For Tourists On The New York City Subway For The First Time

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Trump Media Stock Plunges 18%, Extending Recent Losses

Funds that bet on a fall were set to profit as the parent of Truth Social came under renewed pressure after it registered new shares for a potential sale.

By Matthew Goldstein and Joe Rennison

Shares of former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company plunged on Monday after the company filed to register the potential sale of tens of millions of additional shares.

Trump Media & Technology’s stock fell 18.3 percent, erasing hundreds of millions of dollars from the company’s market value — and putting a dent in Mr. Trump’s majority stake. Since a surge in its first days of trading as Trump Media, which lifted the value of the company to about $8 billion at one point last month, the company’s shares have dropped by around 60 percent.

Trump Media was expected to register the potential sale of new shares after the completion of its merger last month with Digital World Acquisition Corp., a cash-rich shell company known as a SPAC. Companies that merge with SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies, typically file a registration statement a few weeks after the deal is completed for the sale of additional securities held by early investors.

In the filing, Trump Media — the parent company of Truth Social — registered more than 146 million shares of stock that could be sold, along with 21 million shares that were converted after the exercise of warrants, which enable an investor to buy shares at a preset price. When a SPAC goes public, it issues warrants to investors that can later be converted into shares.

Even though the company said the investors weren’t planning to sell those shares immediately, investors reacted to the notion that if a flood of new shares were to hit the market, they could depress the company’s stock price.

Also included in the filing were an additional 36 million shares given to Mr. Trump as part of an “earnout” bonus based on the company’s stock price. With those additional shares, Mr. Trump has about 115 million shares of Trump Media, or 65 percent of the company’s stock.

Some of the shares registered for sale included stock held by large hedge funds such as Anson Funds, Hudson Bay, Mangrove Partners and Washington Muse Investments, which had acquired discounted shares or warrants from Digital World before the merger with Trump Media. Others, like Millennium Partners and Pentwater Capital, had built up stakes in the company by buying warrants.

Trump Media will not receive any of the proceeds from shares sold by investors, but it could receive tens of millions in cash from the exercise of the warrants.

Trump Media said in a news release on Monday that the filing did not imply that the shareholders listed in the statement were planning to sell shares. The company also noted that the filing did not alter a six-month restriction Mr. Trump and other big shareholders from selling their shares before sometime in late September.

The registration statement must still be reviewed and approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission before any stockholders can sell shares.

Some investors had been betting that Trump Media’s stock price would collapse after the expected share registration was filed, seeking to profit from the move. Fund managers including Marshall Wace and Zazove Associates have been large holders of Trump Media’s warrants, according to regulatory filings. Those warrants have been trading at a much lower price than Trump Media’s shares, in part because they were yet to be registered and also because of the ferocious rally in the stock when it first began trading.

To profit from this difference, the funds shorted the stock, betting that it would fall once the warrants were registered, according to people with knowledge of the funds’ trades. Marshall Wace and Zazove declined to comment.

The trade helped drive a spate of demand from investors looking to bet on a decline in the company’s share price, making Trump Media one of the most shorted stocks in the United States. Even before the filing arrived, Trump Media shares had fallen more than 50 percent since their first day of trading after the merger, amid doubts about Truth Social’s ability to generate revenue and profit.

Last year, Trump Media lost $58 million on revenue of $4.1 million — all of it from advertising on Truth Social.

The warrants have also fallen sharply over the past couple of weeks, down roughly 50 percent since the start of the month.

Short-sellers bet that the price of a stock will fall by borrowing shares of a company and selling them into the market, hoping to buy them back later at a lower price, before returning the shares to the lender and pocketing the difference as profit.

Matthew Unterman of S3 Partners, a research firm, said a potential flood of new shares coming into the market would make it easier for short-sellers to bet against shares of Trump Media. At the moment, he said, Trump Media is one of the more costly stocks to short because the company doesn’t have a large supply of shares available to borrow.

Matthew Goldstein covers Wall Street and white-collar crime and housing issues. More about Matthew Goldstein

Joe Rennison writes about financial markets, a beat that ranges from chronicling the vagaries of the stock market to explaining the often-inscrutable trading decisions of Wall Street insiders. More about Joe Rennison

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15 of the best things to do in New York City in 2024

1. Visit the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

2. Soak up the views from the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings

3. Pay tribute to lost lives at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum

4. Have family-friendly seaside fun at Coney Island

5. Tour the vast collections at NYC's major museums

6. Hang out in Central Park

7. Walk across Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge Park

8. Gaze upon the Manhattan skyline

9. See art and architecture on the High Line and at Hudson Yards

10. Visit the landmark Rockefeller Center

11. Be dazzled by the lights of Times Square and the Theater District

12. Ride the New York City Subway and Staten Island Ferry

13. Support conservation at the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Gardens

14. Find art and entrepreneurs in Brooklyn

15. Go to a game at a New York stadium

Keep planning your trip to NYC:

Explore related stories

55 Best Things to Do in New York City (New York)

1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

2. Central Park

3. National 9/11 Memorial and Museum

4. Empire State Building

5. Statue of Liberty

6. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

7. Rockefeller Center

8. Brooklyn Bridge

9. Broadway

10. One World Trade Center Observatory

11. High Line

12. Staten Island Ferry

13. Times Square

14. Grand Central Terminal

15. Top of the Rock

16. 5.5-Hour New York City Tour

17. Guggenheim Museum

18. New York Public Library

19. Bryant Park

20. The Met Cloisters