Planning what to see and do on a trip to New York City can be overwhelming. This city of 5 boroughs and more than 8.4 million people has weeks’ worth of attractions and activities to offer. We’re here to help you narrow down your list with 10 things you should do when in NYC, from walking across a famous bridge to discovering the biggest and best Chinatown in the city (hint: it’s not in Manhattan). Even if you only do some of them, these activities will make you see why so many people fall in love with NYC.
Go to a museum
No matter what your interests are, there is a museum in New York for you. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim and the Brooklyn Museum are all perfect for art lovers. Those with kids will want to check out the American Museum of Natural History or New York Hall of Science. Do you love history? Then the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Merchant’s House Museum or Museum of the City of New York might appeal to you. The city even has an array of quirky museums like the Museum of Food and Drink and the National Museum of Mathematics.
Eat your way through NYC’s Biggest Chinatown
If you are going to a New York Mets game or event at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, taking the 7 train line to the end station in Flushing, Queens is worth your while. You’ll find the city’s largest Chinatown here (there are 3 in total!), and you can find not only authentic Chinese cuisine but those of many other Asian cultures in restaurants, street carts and malls. Spending a couple of hours here is a truly magical experience.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
The oldest of the 5 bridges spanning the East River, and the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is something special. Walk or ride a bike across its wooden walkway for great views of Lower Manhattan. If you walk into Brooklyn, you can explore the charming neighborhoods of Dumbo or Brooklyn Heights, or go for a walk along the water in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Afterward, get some pizza at Grimaldi’s or Juliana’s or ice cream at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory or Ample Hills.
Have a picnic in Central Park
You could spend a full day walking around the expanse of Central Park and still not see it all. Stretching from 59th St. all the way up to 110th St., the park has lakes, hills, woods, meadows and more. See Strawberry Fields, explore the Ramble and Belvedere Castle or rent a boat at the Loeb Boathouse. If the weather is nice you can bring a picnic along and stake out a spot on Sheep Meadow. From there you can people watch and marvel at this swath of green surrounded by skyscrapers, apartment buildings and world-class museums.
Take a boat to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
Visit two of the most well-known landmarks in New York with a combined ticket for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. For more than 30 years from the 1890s to 1924, Ellis Island was the busiest immigration inspection station in the US, processing more than 12 million people who arrived by boat at the Port of New York and New Jersey. You can see what immigrants saw when they arrived, learn some of their stories and even search for ancestors who may have come through Ellis Island.
Then get back on the ferry and head to neighboring Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty National Monument. A gift from France, the statue’s been there since 1886 and was what many of the immigrants coming to Ellis Island saw when they arrived. There’s now a museum on the island, and you can book a reservation to climb the stairs to the statue’s pedestal.
Note: You can take a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty from either Battery Park in Lower Manhattan or Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ.
See a Broadway show
Whether you like musicals or plays and want to see a long-running show like the Phantom of the Opera or the hot newcomer, you can find it on or off-Broadway. If there’s a specific show you want to see, you should buy tickets well ahead of time. If you want to be spontaneous and don’t care what show you see, you can buy same-day discount tickets at a TKTS booth in Times Square, the South Street Seaport or Lincoln Center.
Walk on the High Line
Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city by walking on the High Line, an elevated park repurposed from unused railroad tracks. The park runs along 10th Avenue from Gansevoort Street all the way to 30th Street, with entrances and elevators available on those streets as well as on 14th and 23rd streets. Wander along the High Line and enjoy trees and greenery, views of buildings and the Hudson River, and grab a coffee or snack and relax on one of the benches or other seating areas.
Ride a rollercoaster in Coney Island
Bring a good book and enjoy the views of Brooklyn from the elevated subway on your way to Coney Island. This former amusement park and resort destination still has a boardwalk and a seaside feel. Ride the historic wooden roller coaster, the Coney Island Cyclone, at Luna Park and then get a hot dog at Nathan’s Famous. The New York Aquarium is also a popular destination for families. On hot summer days, the beach is packed but worth braving the crowds for a dip in the ocean. If you have time, walk to neighboring Brighton Beach, known as “Little Odessa” and peruse the Russian and Eastern European shops.
Spend a day at the Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in the US, and you can easily spend an entire day there. Run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, there are more than 6,000 animals from around the world contained in more than 200 acres of forest. You can see animal feedings and there are other special events held regularly. If you want to spend even more time in the Bronx, you can also visit the New York Botanical Garden that is just north of the zoo.
See the City from above
There are a couple of popular choices for views of the New York City skyline. Sitting at the top of what is currently the tallest building in NYC, the Freedom Tower, you will get great views of the city (and New Jersey) at the One World Observatory in Lower Manhattan. You’ll need to buy a ticket and take the extremely fast elevator up, and then you’ll be rewarded with floor-to-ceiling windows where you can take photos.
Of course, you can also visit the classic: The Empire State Building in Midtown. This Art Deco masterpiece finished in 1931 was the world’s tallest building until 1970 and still has great views from its open-air observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors. The building’s lobby is also worth seeing, even if you don’t want to buy tickets to go to the top.
