The Top 3841 Things To Do In Nyc
So I didnt have enough time to include everything on this list. A lineup of 12 attractions is manageable as a place to start. But this is New York City, and theres a lot more to take in here another 3,829 amazing experiences beyond the dozen listed here.
From Hudson Yards to Saint Patricks Cathedral, wed love to show you around our city. We can share some of these top attractions plus unique insights from a locals perspective. Just because youre in the big city doesnt mean you shouldnt get an insiders view of these iconic sights. See you in NYC!
Check Out The Top New York’s Museums
Those who visit the city should make time for the Big Apple’s cerebral side. In fact, the top museums in New York are arguably some of the city’s finest attractions for young and old. Wherever your interests lie, you can find a New York City museum to suit your tastes. With a wide spectrum of available exhibits, special events, unique programming, and more, there’s never a dull moment on the NYC museum scene.
+ Tips For Visiting New York City For The First Time
Posted by Anisa | Jul 5, 2018 | Most Popular Posts, New York City, Travel Tips | 35
New York City is like no other city in the world and its definitely a place that everyone must visit. There are so many iconic spots The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, and more. It can be overwhelming though, especially the first time.
To help those of you planning a trip to NYC, I thought I would share some of the things I learned during my 13 years of living in Manhattan. Even if you have visited NYC before, you may find these tips for visiting New York City for the first time helpful too.
A few of these NYC insider tips might surprise you, these are important things to know about New York before visiting. If you have additional questions, just leave a comment and I am happy to answer.
Also, be sure to check out my printable travel planning checklist to help you prepare for your trip.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information.
I think you will love NYC just as much as I do!
Contents
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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 20 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On this blog, I want to share everything I have learned and discovered, so you can have the best time in the greatest city in the world.
Visit The 9/11 Memorial And Museum
The Memorial and Museum dedicated to the September 11 terrorist attacks is located on the site where the Twin Towers would be today, also known as Ground Zero. Instead, you’ll find fountains engraved with the names of the victims and a memorial museum telling the story of the attacks and how New York slowly rebuilt itself in the days that followed.
Although visiting the 9/11 Museum exhibit is an emotionally overwhelming experience, I recommend it as it will give you an alternative context to your trip and you will see New York through different eyes after the visit.
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Take Advantage Of The Amazing Museums
I know some people dont like museums, but in NYC you should give them another chance. Its the best thing to do when the weather is bad too. There are so many different museums I feel like there is something for everyone.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the best museums in the world.
Some of my favorites are MOMA, The Met, the Tenement Museum, and the Brooklyn Museum. I also highly recommend a visit to the National September 11th Museum, its a difficult subject but its done well.
There are a few museums that are free and most museums have a day when you can get in free check the details here.
Choose A Hotel In A Convenient Location
If you are wondering where to stay on your first visit to NYC, I would recommend choosing a central location. You will be walking a lot and at the end of the day, you will be exhausted. Its nice to be close to your hotel so that a taxi ride is not too expensive.
Grab my NYC Hotel Cheatsheet here to help you find the best place to stay in the city.
Koreatown/Heralds Square may not be the trendiest neighborhood, but it is really central and you can find reasonable hotels. I like the Hampton Inn. . Before I lived in NYC, I would stay at the Sheraton New York Hotel. It is on the edge of Times Square and close to Central Park.
If you are on a budget, I would recommend trying one of the Pod hotels. The rooms are tiny, but you will save some money. Plus, the Pod 39 hotel has a nice rooftop bar.
If you are coming to NYC for one of the big events in Times Square , I would recommend booking the Marriott Marquis. You may get lucky and have a view of the action from your room.
If you are traveling with the family, check out this list of where to stay in NYC with kids.
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Walk Through The West Village
TripSavvy / Donghee Eim
While New York City is full of beautiful neighborhoods straight out of a movie, few rival the brownstone-lined streets of Manhattan’s West Village. Not surprisingly, the neighborhood has set the scene for popular TV shows like Sex and the City and Friends. Walking through the West Village will show you some of the city’s most charming cafés, boutiques, homes, and more.
Get Out Of Manhattan And Explore The Rest Of New York’s Boroughs
I’m sorry but… New York is much more than Manhattan and although it’s tempting to just explore the most emblematic spots on the island, there’s much moreto New York than that. In fact, the city is made up of five boroughs where New Yorkers live, dine out, shop, dance? Don’t let yourself be overcome by laziness and explore what Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island have to offer in addition to Manhattan. Here’s what you can’t miss on your visit to the city: 20 best New York City Neighborhoods.
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Tasty Things To Do In New York
Go on a food tour
One of the nicest things to do in New York is eating. The selection of restaurants , the street food scene, the eateries available are all incredible and it would be a pity to miss out. A cool way to enjoy the food on offer is by taking a food tour.
Greenwich Village is the best area for a food tour. You can book yours here.
Have a slice of pizza
New York thin crust pizza is pretty tasty and world-renowned. For as heavy and greasy as it is, this is comfort food at its best and I recommend trying it!
There are many places in town where you can grab a slice of pizza which you absolutely have to eat with your hands. Among the best ones there are Artichoke Basilles Pizza and Julianas Pizza.
Try a bagel
You dont know what a good bagel is until you try one in New York. Go for both a savory and a sweet bagel the latter is usually packed with fruits and cinnamon, spread with sweet cream cheese savory ones often come with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Ess-A-Bagel is the place to go.
Visit Chelsea Market
Chelsey Market is a cool place to visit if you are hungry or simply a foodie. The building where the market is located occupies one entire block so you get the idea of how big it is. It inevitably attracts lots of visitors too. There are 35 vendors at the market, so you get quite a good selection of food. My favorite place there is Miznon, an Israeli chain that focusses on delicious stuffed pita.
Get ice-cream
Watch A Famous Broadway Show
Broadway is the bright beating heart of NYCs performing arts scene. Watching a Broadway show is an experience like no other, fun guaranteed. There is no better place in the world to watch worldwide famous musicals, such as Aladdin, The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Jersey Boys, and many more!
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New York City Is One Of A Kind
NYC city indeed never sleeps, the noise and traffic are constant, which can be quite challenging for anyone new to the city.
But dont worry we are here to help!
We spent five days in this concrete jungle and loved it! Since then we have been lucky enough to visit NY a few more times.
Heading to NY soon and looking for a place to stay?
Who Chooses The Colors Of The Lights
At night, the building is lit up with bright lights and displays up to 16 million varied colors that change instantaneously. The colors are determined by the staff each night, often reflecting holidays or important events.
A typical night will feature the signature white color but youll see red, white, and blue to recognize Independence Day, rainbow lights on June 28 in honor of NYC Pride, or red and green with Candy Cane stripes for Christmas. These are just a few of the ways the building uses light to celebrate.
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Experience An Immersive Circus
This immersive theatrical experience features circus-themed acts and involves all your five senses as it takes you on an astrological journey. Moonrise depicts the story of Goddess Salome through acrobatics, music, dance, scents, art installations and more.
You can also learn about your moon goddess and try different goddess-based cocktails.
Which Is The Best Airport To Fly To
New York has three major airports.John F. Kennedy International is the closest to New York itself and the biggest.If you’re shopping around, look at flights to Newark Liberty International. Although it’s in New Jersey, it’s only a couple of kilometres further out and has decent transport links into New York.There are no direct flights from the UK to La Guardia at present – but it could be an option if you’re travelling from another city in the US.
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Interesting Facts About New York City
New York City was founded by Dutch colonists in 1624. It was originally named New Amsterdam. The name was changed to New York in 1664 when the land was granted to the Duke of York, King Charles II of Englands brother.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New York City welcomed millions of immigrants. They entered through Ellis Island and then took up residence in New York City, or other parts of the United States. One of the best things to do in New York City is to visit Ellis Island and tour the tenement buildings, which are now historic landmarks.
New York City is made of up of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. With a population of almost 9 million people, this is the most densely populated city in the USA.
New York City is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. NYC is home to more than 3 million residents who were born outside of the United States, which is the largest foreign born population of any city in the world.
This city is also home to the UN Headquarters, as well as the worlds two largest stock exchanges , making it a leading city for international diplomacy and finance.
Finally, New York City is home to some of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, such as the Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty.
The Secret Floor Of The Empire State Building: The 103rd
The 103rd floor is one floor above the official top floor accessible to the public. It has a balcony that is open to the air and protected by a short ledge and knee-high railing.
The tiny balcony is reached by taking a series of elevators past the inner workings of the building with the final approach to the top via a narrow, steel stairway.
Originally, this floor was supposed to be used as a mooring mast for airships attached to the spire. Airships were once considered the future of modern air travel. Unfortunately, this floor is now closed off to the general public. Only celebrities like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and notable dignitaries have had the privilege of taking pictures up there.
If you want to take vertigo-inducing photos in privacy at the highest floor, it appears youll first need to put out some hit songs. The 103rd floor of the Empire State Building is one of New Yorks most difficult-to-access hidden views.
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Have Coffee While Strolling High Line
Once youve grabbed your coffee at the Hudson Yards take a walk on the High Line. This is something we try to do on every trip to New York.
The High Line is a 1 1/2 mile long elevated walkway and park that cuts through Manhattans West Side. It was an old freight train track, that is now a pedestrian path through condos and skyscrapers. You catch some great views of street art along the way as well.
- It takes about 30 40 minutes to walk from Hudson Yards to the Whitney Museum in the Meatpacking District.
Get Cultured In New York’s Best Museums
Whether you want to devour all the museums in the city or if you prefer to select one or two museums to visit during your trip, I have prepared this list of 12 best museums in New York City. Here you can read the highlights of each of them so you can see all the options that exist, what you will see in each one or how to get tickets at the best price.
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St Patricks Cathedral One Of The Best Places To See In New York
- One of the most striking religious buildings in the USA
- Spectacular architecture
- Long history
- Serene and tranquil vibe
Why its awesome: Built in the mid-1800s, New Yorks St. Patricks Cathedral is the biggest Gothic Roman Catholic Cathedral in the USA. It was named after the patron saint of Ireland because of the large numbers of Irish immigrants in the city. The huge place of worship can seat around 2,400 people at any given time and the gigantic spire rises 100 metres into the air. Its certainly amongst the best places to visit New York to make your confession.
The glorious building has plenty of striking features inside and out, including ornate stained glass, arches, many shrines, an ornate altar, bells, tombs, and a huge organ. Each shrine is named after a different saint. An active place of worship, the cathedral has been featured in several films and TV shows and a number of prominent funerals have been held there.
What to do there: While you can visit St Patricks Cathedral independently, a volunteer-led guided tour is the ideal way to learn more about the mighty buildings construction, purpose, and place in society, as well as about Catholicism in New York in general. The self-guided audio tour also provides tons of interesting information. Gaze up at the magnificent church from the outside, taking in the many splendid details carved into the marble.
Visit Many Great Places In New York
Whatever your budget and whatever your interests, theres never a dull moment in vibrant New York. Have a great time by day and by night, visiting cultural icons, world-renowned architectural masterpieces, museums, art galleries, shopping areas, parks, skyscrapers, amusement parks, and more.
With a truly global dining and drinking scene and a wealth of excellent accommodations to suit every taste, you really can cram every moment of your New York adventure with fun.
Tick off these best places to visit in New York for a fun-filled, action-packed, and memorable time in one of the worlds most exciting destinations. When youre done with that, consider grabbing a car and checking out some epic road trips in New York.
What is the best place in New York in your opinion? Leave a comment and let us know!
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