Top Things to do in New York City

No matter what your interests are New York opens a plethora of doors. Here is your essential guide to doing the best things in the city of the future.

Glancing at the breathtaking view from the Top of the Rock, sipping unlimited two-ounce pours at Five Boro Craft Beer Fest, going nostalgic on encountering the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. famous apartment at Greenwich Village and exploring the very popular Chinatown, New York is undoubtedly versatile.

Some people are fond of attractions, some come for exceptional dining while few are hunting for what’s adventurous, making it a whirlwind of activities here.

Whether you are a local who still looks for some inspiring ideas to check out the city, or a tourist on US visa who wants to discover everything from a scratch, this New York list of attractions will make your day-

Sightseeing

Statue of Liberty

One of the world’s largest statues of 152 feet height and an iconic symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty is an imposing figure. It was a gift to America by France. If you stand in Battery Park, you can have its view from the land, which is good enough to admire its beauty. But if you decide not to miss the opportunity of seeing it up close, travel on a boat to Liberty Island. The statue has a torch which is carefully covered with thin sheets of 24k gold, the crown has seven rays (each of 9 feet in length) resembling the 7 continents and the copper has turned to a light green colour.

Complimentary Tip: Stop at Ellis Island and explore the Immigration Museum.

Central Park

Walk, boat, peddle, carriage ride, skate or run in this huge park that is detailed by meadows, lake, rocks, walkways, outdoor theatre, waterside eatery and a famous statue of Alice in Wonderland. It is a centre with several hidden treasures, from museums to zoo and lot more lies in its boundaries. This 843-acre green space and an urban park in Manhattan has landmarks like 15-acre Sheep Meadow for people to lounge and relax, Belvedere Castle has exhibition room and an observation deck, Wollman Rink is for ice skating, Central Park Zoo is an integrated system of 4 zoos and aquarium, and the Lake is known for row boating.

Complimentary Tip: There are three-hour walking tours on Friday and Saturday mornings discussing the species of exotic birds that pass the park during their migration.

Empire State Building

Located in the centre of Midtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building is a key New York tourist attractions. It is the distinctive building that surely attracts visitors, only for good reasons. There are two observatories atop the architecture that offers astounding views of the city. The 86th Floor Observatory (1,050 feet) is the highest open-air observation deck in New York, and it looks familiar because there are hundreds of movies that have cast this area. Another deck that is known for spectacular panorama and stands at 1,250 feet is the Top Deck on the 102nd Floor.

Complimentary Tip: The line can be extremely exhausting on the other hand buying tickets in advance can make the whole experience exciting.

Times Square

Don’t you want to visit the epicentre of all the historic ‘ball drop’ moments that are held in NYC? Times Square is the location for the best-est celebrations and the grand New Year parties. It is a massive area and is illuminated and decor by lit billboards and screens all around. It is busy and crowded, but that is what creates a unique appeal. This remains the perfect spot for fancy pictures. Enjoy eating and shopping here as it’s a great place for families and home to popular stores, restaurants and shows.

Complimentary Tip: You can join the official Times Square Events for free.

Brooklyn Bridge

Constructed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is the most recognised and celebrated architecture in the city. The fascinating story is it has been an inspiration for several poets, song lyricists and painters. The world’s first steel suspension bridge can be seen from many of the ferries, on the east side of Manhattan. This was the longest suspension bridge for 20 years with a 1,595 feet length stretching over the East River.

Complimentary Tip: Don’t miss the free walking tours here. The commute runs below, and the wood plank walkway, only open to pedestrians and cyclists is made above it, making it easier to survey the bridge on foot.

Patrick’s Cathedral

A church composed of bronze doors, white marble facade, and bronze baldachin, St. Patrick’s Cathedral take you away from the world of chaos, in spite of the fact that it sits amid the hustle and bustle of Rockefeller Centre. The designs are so artistic that you can only be impressed. In the replication of Gothic design, this house of worship has 2800 stained glass panels, 21 altars and 19 bells (each named after a different saint), 330-foot spires above street level and 2,400 seating capacity with the statue of Pieta.

Complimentary Tip: Take advantage of its location and get in the Rockefeller Centre and the Met.

Shows

Broadway

The heartbeat of NYC, Broadway shows are the delight of the entire trip. No voyage is complete without watching a classic Broadway show. The majority of these shows are musicals and are performed with utter precision and dedication drawing tremendous groups of tourists. There are 41 professional theatres with over 500 seats in Theatre District, and Lincoln centre, along the Broadway street, in Midtown Manhattan.

Museums

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Founded in 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met, is incredible as it holds an unbelievable collection of 2 million of arts, spanning over 5,000 years. From the first cities’ creation to the art of today times, you can spend a week browsing at these beautiful sets, including, arts, arms and armour, costumes, Egyptian art, musical instruments, photographs, and lot more. It is perched at three locations- the Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. Either it’s your first time or the thirtieth, this place introduces you to interesting exhibitions and events revealing a cross over of culture and time span from across the globe.

American Museum of Natural History

One of the largest of its kind, American Museum of Natural History has great array of exhibitions, artefacts and space shows. There’re special exhibitions on butterflies, unseen oceans, and T. rex. It contains 33 million species of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, cultural artefacts. The museum highlights are Alaska Brown Bear, Blue hale, Great Canoe, The Titanosaur, Mammoth, Tyrannosaurus rex and Willamette Meteorite.

Restaurant

If food is on your mind, more than anything then this city is your darling. One of the acclaimed food cities in America, New York is known for everything from cheap eats to Michelin-starred restaurants. Pizza, Bagels, Ramen, BEC (Bacon, egg and cheese), Braised pork shoulder, Falafel are few essential food bucket list. The ideal way to savour the authentic flavours of the city is NYC food tours. Also dine at restaurants like Atla, Le Coucou, Charles’ Country Pan Fried Chicken, Torishin, and The Grill.

Adventure

NYC is a hub for a variety of sports that are played here and many adventurous activities. We already told you that the city is a conglomerate of all interests. And thus, for all those who need an action-packed tour, here is the list of adrenaline-rushing activities.