New York City is one of the most visited and fascinating cities in the world. More than 12 million tourists come every year between Memorial and Labor Day alone! Few other cities can offer the diversity that New York offers; All condensed into an area just over 13 miles long and 2 miles wide! You could easily spend weeks in Manhattan and the 5 surrounding boroughs, but we listed our 10 favorite attractions by selecting each from one of 10 different categories.
Unfortunately, New York is one of the most expensive cities to visit in the United States. One of the most profitable ways to get around the city is by buying a City Pass. Purchased in durations of 1, 2, 3, or 7 days, these passes offer great value at the city’s most popular attractions. The “Fast Track” privileges of the city pass are also another great advantage. This means you won’t be wasting your precious vacation time queuing.
One of the best ways to get around is to sign up for a bus tour that allows you to hop on and off at your leisure. They have many stops throughout the city and into the night. It is a very convenient way to see and get to the main points of interest.
one. NYC Icon – Times Square is a major intersection in Manhattan, New York City at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and runs from West 42nd to West 47th streets. Times Square is an iconic world landmark defined by its incredible display of animated digital signs. Make sure to check out Times Square after dark. The lights are amazing!
two. Purchases – Macy’s is another landmark not to be missed. The original wooden escalators are still used today. In December, there is a line around the building just to view the holiday windows. If you want something more exclusive, venture to Fifth Avenue and enjoy all the views of the haute couture shops … The people watching can’t be better either!
3. History – Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are our favorites. A great way to see them is to take a boat ride across the Hudson River and New York Harbor.
Four. Museums– The Metropolitan Museum is hard to beat, but there are so many museums in the city that it is difficult to single out just one. Some other wonderful options are: the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the American Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the Brooklyn Museum (which is the second largest museum in the United States and the Museum of Television and Radio. You can not go wrong with any of these.
5. Theater – Broadway is a must see. If you want to see the most popular shows on a weekend night, plan ahead and reserve tickets for your shows in advance. Also keep in mind that most shows are “dark” or not on one night during the week.
6. City views – The Empire State Building’s rooftop observation deck gives you great views from 86 floors up! Other great observation points are the “Top of the Rock” which is the observation deck on the 67th to 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in the world famous Rockefeller Center. It’s for both indoors and outdoors, making it a great option no matter the weather.
7. Nature – Central Park – In the summer, enjoy the fountains, lush green spaces, and the Central Park Zoo. In winter, don’t miss the ice skating and hot chocolate at Wollman Rink. The night view of the Plaza Hotel from the track is magical.
8. Ethnic diversity – Lower Manhattan – Make sure you have time to explore Lower Manhattan. The ethnic and eclectic neighborhoods of Chinatown, Little Italy, and SoHo have great food and shopping for all tastes and budgets. You can also enjoy great views of the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor from there.
9. FinanceWall Street, also located in lower Manhattan, runs through the historic financial district. Home to the US Stock Exchange, the NYSE, and the NASDAQ, to name a few. The marble facade of the NYSE building is elaborate and very impressive.
10. Politic and government: The United Nations Building: The United Nations Headquarters is a golden rectangle building located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood, on the east side of Midtown Manhattan, overlooking the East River. Although the building is located in New York City, the land occupied by the United Nations Headquarters is considered international territory. Who knows!
Finally, we hope we have inspired you to visit New York City. It really is one of those cities that you have to visit at least once in your life. It is expensive, but if you do some homework and plan ahead, you can find flights and hotels that will expand your travel budget and allow you to have some money to enjoy all that this city has to offer.
