Things to do · New York City · United States
20 best things to do in New York City
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in New York City are Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Of the 20 picks below, 8 are free, 8 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 5 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Central Park
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Time to see the highlights
- 5 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Park | Central Park | 2–4 hours | Free |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art | Upper East Side | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island | Liberty Island | Half a day | Mid-priced |
| Empire State Building | Midtown | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Top of the Rock | Midtown | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Brooklyn Bridge | Lower Manhattan | 1 hour | Free |
| 9/11 Memorial and Museum | Financial District | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Times Square | Midtown | 30 minutes | Free |
| A Broadway show | Theater District | 2.5–3 hours | Expensive |
| Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) | Midtown | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| American Museum of Natural History | Upper West Side | 3 hours | Mid-priced |
| The High Line | Chelsea | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Grand Central Terminal | Midtown | 30–45 minutes | Free |
| Staten Island Ferry | Financial District | 1 hour round trip | Free |
| DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park | DUMBO | 2 hours | Free |
| Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum | Upper East Side | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Chelsea Market | Chelsea | 1 hour | Free |
| The Met Cloisters | Fort Tryon Park | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Tenement Museum | Lower East Side | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Coney Island | Coney Island | Half a day | Low cost |
The 20 best things to do
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Park · Central Park
1.Central Park
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's 341-hectare park runs 51 blocks from 59th to 110th Street. Highlights include Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Bow Bridge, the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon, the Sheep Meadow lawns, the Central Park Zoo and the Conservatory Garden on the quieter north side.
Walk or cycle from Columbus Circle to Bethesda Terrace and Bow Bridge, then leave by the Met on Fifth Avenue.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Museum · Upper East Side
2.Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met's collection spans 5,000 years, from the Egyptian Temple of Dendur in its glass-walled hall to European paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Van Gogh, arms and armour and the American Wing. The roof garden opens in the warmer months with views over Central Park. New York State residents pay what they wish; other visitors pay fixed admission.
A Met ticket also covers same-day entry to The Met Cloisters in upper Manhattan.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
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Landmark · Liberty Island
3.Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Ferries from Battery Park stop at Liberty Island, where the statue, a gift from France dedicated in 1886, has a museum and pedestal views, and at Ellis Island, whose immigration museum tells the story of the roughly 12 million people processed there between 1892 and 1954.
Take the first ferry of the day and allow at least half a day for both islands; security screening is airport-style.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Pedestal and crown access are limited and must be reserved with the official ferry operator, Statue City Cruises; crown tickets sell out months ahead.
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Views
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Landmark · Midtown
4.Empire State Building
The 1931 Art Deco skyscraper has an open-air observation deck wrapping around the 86th floor, about 320 metres up, and a glass-walled observatory on the 102nd floor. Exhibits on the way up tell the story of its construction in just over a year.
Late-evening visits are often quieter than sunset and show the city lights at their best.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets bought online cut waiting time, especially on weekends and holidays.
- Iconic
- Views
- After dark
- Architecture
- Kids
Viewpoint · Midtown
5.Top of the Rock
The observation decks at the top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza look south straight at the Empire State Building and north over the full length of Central Park — a view many prefer to the Empire State's own. Rockefeller Center below has the famous winter rink and Christmas tree.
Book a slot about 45 minutes before sunset to see the city in daylight, at dusk and after dark.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Sunset time slots sell out; book online ahead.
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
- Iconic
Landmark · Lower Manhattan
6.Brooklyn Bridge
Opened in 1883, the stone-towered suspension bridge has a raised pedestrian promenade with views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan Bridge. Walking across takes about 30 minutes.
Take the subway to Brooklyn and walk back towards Manhattan, so the skyline is in front of you; go early to avoid the crowds.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Active
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Historic site · Financial District
7.9/11 Memorial and Museum
Two square reflecting pools sit in the footprints of the Twin Towers, with the names of the 2,983 victims of the 2001 and 1993 attacks inscribed around them. The museum below, built around the original foundations, holds the Survivors' Stairs and personal artefacts; the memorial plaza itself is free.
Visit the free memorial pools first, then allow two hours for the museum, which is emotionally intense.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Timed museum tickets bought online avoid queues at busy times.
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Landmark · Midtown
8.Times Square
The junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue is lit around the clock by giant digital billboards, and its pedestrian plazas fill with crowds, costumed characters and street performers. The red steps above the TKTS booth make a free grandstand for the view.
See it after dark, then move on; costumed characters expect a tip for photos.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Photo spot
Experience · Theater District
1.A Broadway show
The Theater District around Times Square has 41 Broadway theatres staging long-running musicals, new productions and star-led plays, with evening shows most nights and matinees on several days of the week.
Buy discounted same-day tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square or through official digital lotteries and rush tickets.
- Time needed
- 2.5–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Popular shows sell out weeks ahead; buy from the theatre's official seller to avoid resale mark-ups.
- Iconic
- After dark
- Couples
Gallery · Midtown
2.Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
MoMA on 53rd Street holds Van Gogh's The Starry Night, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Monet's Water Lilies, Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans and works by Frida Kahlo, alongside design, film and photography. Its sculpture garden is a calm retreat in Midtown.
Go straight to the fifth floor for the most famous paintings before the crowds, then work downwards.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Museum · Upper West Side
3.American Museum of Natural History
Dinosaur halls with a towering Barosaurus and T. rex, a 29-metre blue whale model in the Hall of Ocean Life, the Hayden Planetarium and the canyon-like atrium of the Gilder Center make this one of the city's best stops for families. Residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut pay what they wish for general admission.
Arrive at opening and head straight to the fourth-floor dinosaur halls, which are busiest by late morning.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Iconic
Park · Chelsea
4.The High Line
This elevated park on a disused freight railway runs about 2.3 km from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to Hudson Yards at 34th Street, planted with wild grasses and perennials and dotted with public art. It passes above Chelsea's streets, the Whitney Museum and Chelsea Market.
Walk it from north to south in the morning, starting at Hudson Yards, and finish with lunch at Chelsea Market.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Art
- Views
Architecture · Midtown
5.Grand Central Terminal
Completed in 1913, Grand Central's Beaux-Arts Main Concourse has a turquoise ceiling painted with constellations, a four-faced clock above the information booth and huge arched windows. Below, the tiled vaults outside the Oyster Bar form a whispering gallery where a whisper carries across the arch.
Stand in opposite corners of the Whispering Gallery and whisper into the wall, then look for the small dark patch left unrestored on the concourse ceiling.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Financial District
6.Staten Island Ferry
The free commuter ferry from Whitehall Terminal to Staten Island takes about 25 minutes each way, passing close to the Statue of Liberty and Governors Island, with views back to the Lower Manhattan skyline. It runs around the clock.
Stand on the right-hand side heading to Staten Island for the best views of the statue, then simply ride back.
- Time needed
- 1 hour round trip
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
Neighbourhood · DUMBO
7.DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park
Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, DUMBO's cobbled streets frame the classic view of the Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street. Brooklyn Bridge Park runs along the waterfront below, with lawns, piers, playgrounds and Jane's Carousel, a restored 1922 carousel in a glass pavilion.
Arrive for sunset to watch the skyline light up across the East River, then walk back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Couples
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Gallery · Upper East Side
8.Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Frank Lloyd Wright's white spiral on Fifth Avenue, opened in 1959, is a work of art in itself: a continuous ramp climbs around a central atrium to a skylight. Temporary exhibitions line the ramp, and the Thannhauser collection has works by Picasso, Van Gogh and Cézanne.
Look up from the centre of the rotunda before you start, then walk the full spiral to see the building and exhibitions together.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Market · Chelsea
9.Chelsea Market
Inside the former Nabisco factory, where the Oreo cookie was developed, Chelsea Market's brick-walled corridor is lined with food stalls, bakeries and shops selling tacos, lobster rolls, dumplings and doughnuts. The High Line passes right outside.
Come for an early weekday lunch; at weekend lunchtimes the corridor is shoulder to shoulder.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Museum · Fort Tryon Park
10.The Met Cloisters
The Met's branch devoted to medieval Europe is built from parts of French and Spanish monasteries and set in Fort Tryon Park above the Hudson River. The Unicorn Tapestries, illuminated manuscripts and medieval herb gardens make it one of the city's most peaceful museums.
Use the same-day Met ticket, take the A train to 190th Street and walk up through Fort Tryon Park.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Views
Museum · Lower East Side
11.Tenement Museum
Guided tours through restored apartments on Orchard Street tell the stories of real immigrant families — Irish, German, Italian, Jewish, Chinese and Puerto Rican among them — who lived in these tenements from the 1860s into the late 20th century. Visits are by guided tour only.
Pair a morning tour with lunch at one of the Lower East Side's historic delis or appetizing shops nearby.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tours are small and often sell out; book online.
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
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Theme park · Coney Island
12.Coney Island
Brooklyn's seaside amusement district has a wide beach, a boardwalk more than 4 km long, the wooden Cyclone roller coaster from 1927, the 1920 Wonder Wheel and the original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand. It sits at the end of the D, F, N and Q subway lines.
Visit on a summer weekday, ride the Wonder Wheel at dusk and walk the boardwalk to Brighton Beach for Russian and Ukrainian food.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Food
- History
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), American Museum of Natural History and The High Line |
| History | Metropolitan Museum of Art, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial and Museum and Grand Central Terminal |
| Views | Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and Brooklyn Bridge |
| Outdoors and nature | Central Park, American Museum of Natural History, The High Line and Coney Island |
| Food and markets | Chelsea Market and Coney Island |
| After dark | Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Times Square and A Broadway show |
| With children | Central Park, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Empire State Building and American Museum of Natural History |
| On a rainy day | Metropolitan Museum of Art, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and American Museum of Natural History |
What to book ahead
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Pedestal and crown access are limited and must be reserved with the official ferry operator, Statue City Cruises; crown tickets sell out months ahead.
- Empire State Building: Timed tickets bought online cut waiting time, especially on weekends and holidays.
- Top of the Rock: Sunset time slots sell out; book online ahead.
- 9/11 Memorial and Museum: Timed museum tickets bought online avoid queues at busy times.
- A Broadway show: Popular shows sell out weeks ahead; buy from the theatre's official seller to avoid resale mark-ups.
- Tenement Museum: Tours are small and often sell out; book online.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in New York City?
Central Park. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's 341-hectare park runs 51 blocks from 59th to 110th Street.
+What can you do for free in New York City?
Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, The High Line and Grand Central Terminal. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in New York City when it rains?
Head indoors to Metropolitan Museum of Art, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and American Museum of Natural History.
+What is there to do in New York City at night?
Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Times Square and A Broadway show are best after dark.