Here are the top 20 things to do in New York
New York has always been a popular city for tourists, so it is only natural that it is full of exciting, beautiful and amazing places. The city is the most populous city in the United States of America, and also its most densely populated city. Its metropolitan area is very famous, and it is often seen in movies as a location. Although not everyone likes cities that are full of people, New York is still a city that just cannot be passed by if you are planning on visiting the United States, or if you are touring big cities in the world in general. So, if you are planning on going there, we have collected the top 20 things to do in New York.
- The Statue of Liberty
Naturally, the first and foremost of places that one must see in New York, is the Statue of Liberty. This giant statue was designed by a French sculptor, and was given to the United States of America by the people of France as a gift, and has become a symbol for both the city and the country. The torch-bearing statue was built in France, shipped in parts and assambled on an island-like pedestal in the bay of New York. Tourists and visitors can get there by ferry, and the statue can be admired both from outside and from the inside, because visitors can climb the statue and see the amazing view from the inside of the head of the statue.
2. The Empire State Building
As one of the tallest skyscrapers in the time it was built, the Empire State Building has become an icon for New York and the United States. The building was designed in a distinct Art Deco style, and is popular among those visiting the city, especially since tourists can go to the 86th and 102nd floor and admire the beautiful view of the surrounding city from there.
3. The Ellis Island National Immigration Museum
The Immigration Museum is more famous for its past, rather than its present. The site and the building was used as an inspection station for immigrants arriving in the United States of America for over sixty years during the first half of the 20th century. Millions of people arrived here to be inspected and recorded before being able to move onward. The museum now stands there to let visitors see the processes that took place there.
4. The Brooklyn Bridge
Due to its location, New York is filled with bridges, connecting the different parts of the city across the rivers and flow through them. The most famous of them is without a doubt the Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. As one of the oldest bridges in New York, it has become a landmark there, and it’s often used as a setting by both movies and photographers thanks to its beautiful gothic arches.
5. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
While not everyone might like museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one that cannot missed while visiting New York. Both the structure itself and its contents are worth seeing. The museum contains a large number of works of art from all around the world, not just American art. The exhibitions consist of both permanent and temporary collections, so it might be worth visiting more than once.
6. The Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is one of the most recognizable buildings in New York due to its distinct art deco-styled top section. The building can be often seen in movies thanks to its beauty. It stood as the tallest building for almost a year before the Empire State Building was finished, but it’s still worth mentioning as the tallest brick building of the world, although it’s supported by a steel frame. The building is also worth seeing during the night, as its lights are truly breathtaking, standing out among the surrounding buildings almost like a christmas tree.
7. Wall Street
As an economically and financially powerful city, New York houses some of the largest stock exchanges in the world. Wall Street has become a synonym with the financial interests and stock markets of the United States, as it is the location of the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Stock Market. While it’s not directly found on Wall Street, the Federal Reserve Bank is also located close to the street. The building is one of 12 banks, and it houses a very large amount of gold bars in its basement.
8. New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the 4th largest library in the world, with nearly 53 millions of books and other items. To give an example of its size, the Rose Main Reading Room alone is as long as roughly two city blocks, to say nothing of the other parts of the library. The library has branch libraries and research libraries that are also open to the public. This beautiful and enormous building is sure to give book lovers an exciting time.
9. Broadway
The Broadway is not only the name of a 21 km long road that goes across Manhattan, but has also become the iconic name of the Theatre District located along the road. The Broadway is famous for its big number of threatres and the performances held there. The shows gather a large number of people there every year. They usually consist of musicals, but there are other kind of performances as well. Tickets for these shows must be purchased in advance due to their popularity and how fast they go out of sale. The Broadway is also famous because it intersects the Times Square, another popular site in New York. If you want to check what performances are available or buy tickets, you can see them here.
10. Times Square
When talking about things to do in New York, one cannot leave out the Times Square. This square is most easily recognized by the giant billboards that are located on almost every building, showing advertisement day and night. It is popular both commercially and culturally, and is visited by tourists thoughout the year. As an iconic but very busy pedestrian intersection, the large crowds can be a bit unpleasent for some people, but it is still advised that you visit it at least once, since it is a memorable place in its own way.
11. St. Patrick’s Cathedral
This Neo-Gothic cathedral is a prominent location of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The building stands out between the surrounding skyscrapers, both architecturally and culturally, and is visited by millions of people every year, both by christians and regular tourists.
12. South Street Seaport
Once an important seaport for New York, the South Street Seaport is full of old buildings that still show the past look of the city. While the port isn’t used anymore, it was still left somewhat the same way it once looked, though the commecial buildings and others were renovated. The old ships there are not used anymore, at least not as vehicles. They are now used as restaurants, tourist attractions and for shopping purposes. Museums are also located there, showing the past of the docks and piers. A memorial for the Titanic was built in this location as well.
13. Rockefeller Center
The Rockefeller Center is a shopping complex in Manhattan, filled with shops, restaurants and other commercial and entertainment services, including radio and other media. The building also has a popular observation deck to admire the view, and during winter, the Christmas decorations also provide an amazing scene.
14. National September 11 Memorial & Museum
This location is unfortunately well known nowadays. The memorial is located on the site of the original twin towers of the World Trade Center buildings, that were destroyed during the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The memorial commemorates the victims of the attacks, and their names are inscribed on the walls surrounding the two waterfalls in the ground. The memorial is beautiful in its own sad way, and visitors can pay their respects for those that passed away on that day. If you would like to know more about memorial or donate, you can do so here.
15. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, also known simply as The Guggenheim is a museum for impressionist, modern and contemporary art. The museum holds a large collection of these, which are all open to the public. It is also popular among art students for both inspiration and for creative purposes.
16. New York Botanical Garden
Containing more than one million living plants, the New York Botancial Garden is popular among those who love nature. Programs and exhibitions consist of collections from all over the world, including tropical and desert flora. The garden also holds professional science courses for those learning plant science, biology and ecology.
.jpg "Top 20 things to do in New York: An outside view of the greenhouse of the New York Botanical Garden")
17. National Museum of the American Indian
The George Gustav Heye Center is a branch of the National Museum of the American Indian, located in Washington. The museum in New York contains contemporary and historical exhibitions and collections of art and ethnological artifacts of Native American origin.
18. Roosevelt Island Tramway
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial tramway that connects Manhattan and Roosevelt Island. It’s a popular and exciting way to see the view of New York and the East River, as it travels above it. The cabins can hold at least a hundred people, and move at a speed of almost 30 km/h.
19. Central Park
Lastly on the list of things to do in New York, we have two very famous locations. The Central Park is located in the middle of New York, and is one of the most famous urban parks in the world, and is a hugely popular setting for movies. The Central Park is popular among all kinds of people, including the American citizens and the tourists. Couples, old and young, come here because of its romantic beauty, and those who just want a peaceful nap come here as well to have a piece of nature in such a big city.
20. Central Park Zoo
This is zoo, just like the name suggests, is located in Central Park. It’s a small, but very popular zoo. Thousands of adults and children come here every day to see the big variety of animals and programs. The zoo is also famous because of its appearance in the Madagascar movies and the new Harry Potter movie, the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
If you want to see more places that are frequently used in movies, you can check some of them here. Or if you want to see other beautiful cities, check our collection of these amazing aerial photos of London.