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5.12.2024

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Things to visit in New York City

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New York City is a big city with a lot of tourist attractions that are worth seeing. We grouped the attractions according to the interests or according to their location and made a list of “hot top 10 NYC attractions". All places are marked on: blue google map icongoogle-map and the standard map.
P.S. Don’t have enough time to visit New York? Something like "New York in one or two days"? It is up to you to choose from our list what attracts you the most. Some helpful advice on how to plan your short visit:
- 1st day: get subway to "Brooklyn Bridge - High St" and cross Brooklyn Bridge on foot to Manhattan (item 4), go on foot to Memorial 9/11 (item 7), then to Wall Street, Battery Park, from where take a boat to the islands (item 2), travel by subway to Broadway (item 1), Broadway theaters in the evening (item 8).
- 2nd day: Central Park, with a possibility to visit museum or planetarium (item 5).
- 3nd day: observatory on one of the skyscrapers (item 3), travel to the Zoo (item 6) or Corona Park by  7  subway line (item 9).
Advice: keep in mind that the CityPass will save your money and time.



1. Broadway and Times Square

Advice: the recommended time for a visit is in the evening when the streets are beautifully illuminated.
Location: the center of Broadway - Times Square is at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from 42nd to 47th Streets.
How to get: "Times Sq - 42 St" subway station, trains:  1   2   3   7   N   Q   R   S  or "Port Authority - 42 St" for:  A   C   E  or "Bryant Park - 42 St" for:  B   D   F   M 
Neighboring attractions (from Times Sq.): Broadway theaters, Madame Tussauds Museum (350 ft / 100 meters), Grand Central Terminal (0.6 miles / 0.9 km), Empire State Building (0.6 miles / 1 km), Rockefeller Center (0.6 miles / 1 km), Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (0.6 miles / 1 km), Central Park (0.9 miles / 1.4 km).
Spend time: from two hours to whole day (Broadway is quite long street that crosses many interesting side streets and avenue, time flies in there).

Broadway is the longest and the widest street in New York City. It breaks the grid street system and crosses Manhattan diagonally. The part of Broadway that stretches from the Central Park in the north ("59 St Columbus Cir" subway station) to Times Square in the south is the most popular among tourists. You can walk here all day long visiting side streets and avenues. The most attractive one, perhaps, is the Fifth Avenue. There is a famous Tiffany Store which does not leave any girl or lady indifferent. Go past a block and you will find the main Apple store located not far from south-eastern corner of the Central Park. Broadway is also famous for its theaters. We will tell about them later.

The heart of New York is Times Square. As it was mentioned above it is at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from 42nd to 47th Streets. There once used to be a NY Times’ headquarters building from which the square got its name. Times Square is one of the most desirable neighborhoods for advertising on striking billboards which make it unique at evening time. That is why we recommend to visit Times Square in the evening.

Madame Tussauds Museum is located 350 ft (100 m) to the west on 42d Street and has a 4D Cinema. Cost of admission: $38, but you can save on your tickets when you book online (20% discount). Some CityPass includes its price.
Opening hours: 10am - 8pm (on Friday and Saturday till 10pm).

Not far from the Times Square (0.62 miles (1 кm) to the east on 42d St) there is the largest railway station in the world - NYC's Grand Central Terminal with its platforms on two underground levels. Even though it is not included into our Hot Top10 list, it is worth mentioning.



2. The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Battery Park, Wall Street, Castle Clinton

Advice: we grouped many attractions and landmarks under the same title according to their location.
Location: at the southern tip of Manhattan and islands located southwest of Manhattan.
How to get: to Battery Park - "South Ferry" subway station, trains:  1   R  ; to Wall Street - "Wall St":  2   3   4   5  or "Bowling Green" (near Charging Bull statue):  4   5 
Neighboring attractions (from Battery Park): National September 11 Memorial & Museum (0.6 miles / 1 km), Brooklyn Bridge (1 mile / 1.5 km).
Spend time: if you decide to visit all the monuments mentioned here you will spend a whole day.
Cost: Statue of Liberty + Ferry are $25 (2024) per ticket includes a visit to the ground level of the Statue of Liberty. To visit the reserve part with crown you have to book your tickets online (price does not change). After the restoration of the statue it was reopened on 10/28/2012.

All the above mentioned attractions from this chapter are located in the south of Manhattan. Battery Park is in the center and it is a departure point for Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry. Ferry departs from Battery Park approx. every 20 minutes. There are also ferries and boats for other excursions. We will tell about them later. Cost of ferry tickets is included into CityPass so you can skip long ticket lines. Otherwise you will pay $25 (2024).
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France in 1886 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Declaration of Independence (delivered 10 years later). After terrorist attacks in 2001 the Statue was closed for visitors for a long time and reopened on July 4, 2009. In 2012, the statue was completely renovated, is open to the public from October 28, 2012. The height of the statue is 34 m / 110 ft, but with pedestal it is 93 m / 300 ft from the ground.
Due to confined spaces of the Statue's interior the number of visitors is limited up to 3000 (for Crown only 240). So if you want to get inside you have to book the tickets online in advance on the official site. Opening hours: from 9am to 5pm (6.30pm in summer).

In the western part of Battery Park there is Castle Clinton (or to be more exact Fort Clinton), built in 1811. Originally named West Battery it was renamed as Castle Clinton in 1815, its current official name. In 1824 after the army having vacated the fort it became a popular entertainment center. But the greatest popularity was gained in 1855-1890 when fort became the New York Immigration Depot. In the course of these years over 8 million of immigrants (mainly from Europe) were processed during its operation. Now it is rather attractive landmark (free admission).

In 1892 the Immigration Depot station was moved to Ellis Island located between the southern Manhattan and the Liberty Island. Famous Immigration Museum is located on Ellis Island (free admission). Even if you are not a museumgoer the island is worth visiting because it is the perfect place to admire NYC harbor and the Statue of Liberty.

Not far from the Battery Park there is financial part of the city with its main narrow street - Wall Street. Although the 3200 kg bronze statue of a bull which is located there, attracts tourists more. "The Charging Bull" (photo) is a symbol of aggressive financial optimism and prosperity, and is one of the popular icons of NYC. There is a National Museum of American Indian on this square. It is dedicated to the native inhabitants of the Western hemisphere, to their way of life, history, languages, literature and art. It was founded in 1989. Opening hours: from 10am to 5pm (on Thursdays till 8pm). Closed: December 25. Free admission.



3. Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center

Advice: we recommend to visit Rockefeller Center (or Rockefeller Plaza). There is more space and fewer tourists, including a great view to the Empire State Building on one side and Central Park on the other. You’d better buy tickets in advance, or buy CityPass.
Location: approx. 0.62 miles (1 km) from Times Square in opposite directions. Empire State Building: Fifth Avenue between 33rd & 34th Streets (entrance from Fifth Avenue). Rockefeller Center: Sixth Avenue between 49th & 50th Streets (entrance from 50th Street).
How to get: to the Empire State Building - "Herald Sq - 34 St" subway station, trains:  N   Q   R   B   D   F   M  ; to the Rockefeller Center - "Rockefeller Center - 47-50 St":  B   D   F   M 
Neighboring attractions: Museum of Modern Art, MoMA (0.25 miles / 400 m from Rockefeller Center), Grand Central Terminal (0.62 miles / 1 km), Times Square (0.62 miles / 1 km), Central Park (0.5 miles / 800 m from Rockefeller Center).
Spend time: usual time spent on the observatory is 45 minutes, but your time is unlimited. Buy your tickets in advance to avoid long waits.
Cost: you will find exact prices in the article below, admission to observatory is approx. $30, additional $15 to get to the 102nd floor.
Opening hours: 365 days a year. Empire: from 8am to 2am. Rockefeller: from 8am till midnight.

Skyscrapers, perhaps, are among the main landmarks of New York. A trip to New York would not be complete without visiting skyscrapers. We will tell about two skyscrapers. In fact, it’s hard to choose between them.


Empire State Building is the tallest building in New York, located in the center of Manhattan. It is a 102-storied landmark skyscraper. It has a roof height of 1250 feet / 381 m (and with its antenna spire included, the height is 1454 ft / 443 m). There are two observatories on the 86th floor and on 102nd floor, from where you can get unmatched view on New York City (photo). There is often a long wait to buy tickets. But you can skip the ticket line by buying your ticket online in advance.
Opening hours: 365 days a year from 8am to 2am. Learn more:
- CityPass includes 86th floor observatory admission and audio tour.
- Ticket prices for the 86th floor observatory: $32 ($55 priority queue ticket).
- Ticket Prices for 86th and 102nd floor combination: $52 ($75 priority queue ticket).
For more details visit the official site of the Empire State Building.
To book online with discount go to this site.

Advice: because of the long ticket lines and big quantity of tourists, we recommend to pay attention to the second skyscraper mentioned in our article.


Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 buildings and is well known as the center of New York on Christmas holidays. The biggest Christmas tree is erected here. You can also enjoy skating on the ice rink.
The tallest building of this complex is GE-Building, 70 floors, 266 m / 850 ft above the sea level, with observatories on the 67th, 69th and 70th floors. The ticket lines are not too long, but you’d better buy tickets online.
- CityPass includes admission to three observatories.
- Cost of admission: $30 ($40, Sunrise/Sunset tickets). There are also many different combination tickets for Rockefeller Center tours. Learn more on their website.
To book online with discount go to this site.
Opening hours: 365 days a year from 8am till midnight.
Advice: the visit to this skyscraper is mostly recommended: more space, fewer tourists, spectacular view on the Central Park to the north (photo), and on the most beautiful building in NYC, Empire State Building to the south (photo), which you won't be able to admire if you visit it.


Neighborhood attractions:
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
It is located only four blocks north from Rockefeller Center. It was founded in 1928, and became one of the first respectable museums of modern art in the world, serving an example for other similar museums. Cost of admission: $25, included into CityPass.
Opening hours: 10.30am 5.30pm (closed on Tuesday).
Virtual tour around the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA):



4. Brooklyn Bridge

Advice: a beautiful view opens up if you walk across the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan and even it is insistently recommended.
Location: it connects the southern part of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
How to get: from the Brooklyn side - "Brooklyn Bridge - High St" subway station, trains:  A   C  ; from the Manhattan side - "Brooklyn Bridge - Chambers St":  4   5   6   J   Z 
Neighboring attractions: National September 11 Memorial & Museum (0.4 miles / 700 m), Wall Street and Battery Park (0.6 miles / 1 km).
Spend time: walking across the Brooklyn Bridge takes less than an hour.

Brooklyn Bridge - is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It was opened in 1883 after 13 years of construction started by John Roebling who died in an accident and then the construction was completed under the direction of his son. It became the first bridge connecting boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn separated by the East River. Total length: 1.13 miles / 1825 m. Width: 85 ft / 26 m. It is divided into 3 parts: the side-roads are used by cars, and the middle part is used by pedestrians and bicycle and is placed on the raised platform. If you walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan you will enjoy a wonderful view of Manhattan itself, the Statue of Liberty, the Governor’s Island and the part of NYC harbor. The roads itself seems to be as a fantastic forest with steel rods instead of trees.

How to get to the Brooklyn Bridge:
- starting in Manhattan (the easiest): go from "Brooklyn Bridge - Chambers St" subway station towards the bridge and you will easily access the entrance of the pedestrian walkway.
- starting in Brooklyn (not so easy): the pedestrian walkway is 1600 ft (500 m) from the bridge entrance, at the intersection of Tillary and Adams Street. Getting from "Brooklyn Bridge - High St" subway station you will find yourself in Cadman Plaza Park, then you have to go to its southeast part. In other words you should go in the opposite direction from Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge which can be seen behind the trees. When you reach the corner of the park you will find yourself in front of the District Court, the required crossing is on the other side of the court. This is a starting point of unforgettable walk along the 20th floor level above New York.

If you like riding a bike you can book an excursion on this website (Walking & Biking Tours category).



5. Central Park, Metropolitan Museum, Hayden Planetarium

Advice: don’t start your visit to the Metropolitan Museum in the afternoon, you won’t have enough time to finish it. While walking along the park try to forget that you are a tourist, enjoy the scenery and fresh air.
Location: in Manhattan, between 59th and 110th Streets and the Fifth and the Eighth Avenues.
How to get: the Park occupies quite a large area. There are a lot of subway stations near it. Where to start? It’s up to you. Alternative options: from Planetarium near "Museum of Natural History - 81 St" subway station or from "Central Park North - 110 St" subway station to the south.
Map: detailed map of the Park.
Neighboring attractions: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (on the east border of the Park), Times Square (0.9 miles / 1.4 km to the south along Broadway from south-west corner of the Park), Rockefeller Center (0.5 miles / 800 m to the south).
Spend time: one day is not enough to explore the whole Park, spend at least half day in the Metropolitan Museum and the second half in the American Museum of Natural History. You will need at least 2 days.
Cost: admission ticket to the Metropolitan Museum costs $25. Admission ticket to the American Museum of Natural History and to Hayden Planetarium costs $20. Tickets are included into CityPass.

Central Park (detailed map) is the world famous park occupying the area of 843 acres / 3.4 km² / 1.317 mi² (length: 2.5 miles / 4 km, width: 0.5 miles / 0.8 km). Construction was completed in 1873. Central Park is often called the "lungs or heart" of Manhattan. Walking along the park you can see the skyscrapers. They appear on the horizon behind the trees and look like the pieces of theatrical scenery set in the background for the admiration purpose. There is a small Zoo in the Park, some lakes, a lot of entertainment venues, monuments and places of rest.
Opening hours: from 6am to midnight, 365 days a year.

A well-known Metropolitan Museum of Art (colloquially The Met) is located in the Park, on its east border. Time flies in there! You can also visit the top of the museum where you can see a collection of contemporary sculptures and admire the beauty of the Park from above. Admission fee is $25, but it’s a suggested donation. You can enter free of charge or pay less, but it’s not accepted (you’d better buy CityPass).
Opening hours: 9.30am to 5.30pm (On Friday and Saturday till 9pm).
Closed: Monday (except Met Holiday Mondays), Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1.
Virtual tour around The Met:

Not far from the Met, 0.25 miles / 400 m to the north, there is a well-known Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. It was opened in 1959, 10 years after Solomon’s death. This museum contains one of the most impressive and comprehensive collections of Modern art. Admission fee: $15, included into CityPass.
Opening hours: 10am to 5.45pm (closed on Thursday).

Hayden Planetarium is located on the opposite west border of the Park. It is housed in a sphere that appears to float within a glass cube (photo). There are two cinemas where you can see the films about the history of our Universe. You can watch the stars and the space. It is very romantic. Planetarium is a part of the complex of the American Museum of Natural History. It is also worth visiting.
Opening hours: 10am to 5pm.
Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.



6. Bronx Zoo and Botanic Garden

Advice: the Botanic Garden is closed on Mondays.
Location: in Bronx district in Bronx Park. Exact address of the zoo: 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460; of the garden: 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458.
How to get: to Bronx Zoo - "West Farms Sq" subway station, trains:  2   5 
Map of the zoo: summer, winter.
Spend time: divide your day into halves: first go to the Zoo, then to the Garden, which closes one hour later, at 6pm.
Cost: admission to the Zoo is $23 and all-pass is $35 (full access to amusement rides and 4D Theater), admission fee to Botanic Garden is $20.

The Bronx Zoo and the Botanic Garden are located in the old Bronx Park. Usually the tourists visit both of them: first the Zoo and then the Garden, because it is one hour longer open. You can do it in reverse order. There are fewer tourists here but your excursion will be one hour shorter. It is difficult to describe these parks as they are considered to be the best ones in the world. You’d better come and visit them.
Get to "West Farms Sq." subway station and enter the Zoo via its southern entrance (there are a lot of entrances here), which is called Bronx Zoo's Asia gate entrance. Don’t forget to take the map of the Zoo. Keep in mind that the maps are different for different seasons: summer map, winter map. Cost of admission: $23 + extra fee for special attractions which are very important and interesting for tourists. So, if it is summer, we recommend you to buy all-pass ticket for $35 and enjoy your time. For more information visit the Bronx Zoo official site (10% ticket discount).
Opening hours: from 10am to 5pm (at the weekend to 5.30pm, in winter till 4.30pm).

If you want to get to the Botanic Garden you have to leave the Zoo via north gate “Fordham road Gate". You will see it straight across the road. But unfortunately this entrance is closed. So you have to walk 0.5 mile / 800 m more to get to another entrance. Turn left and go to the first crossing. Turn right and cross the road, go along the wall of the Botanic Garden until you reach its entrance. Cost of admission: $20. There is a Ground-only admission excluding exhibitions and other interesting things. Online is the only way to buy it. Grounds admission is free to everyone all day on Wednesdays. For more details visit an official website.
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm (closed on Monday, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day).



7. National September 11 Memorial & Museum

Advice: as it is still under construction all reservations must be done in advance through official website.
Location: on the spot of the World Trade Center site.
How to get: "Fulton St" subway station, trains:  2   3   4   5   A   C   J   Z  ; exit to Fulton St then to the west towards the tall skyscrapers of the new World Trade Center.
Neighboring attractions: Brooklyn Bridge (0.5 miles / 700 m), Battery Park (0.6 miles / 1 km).
Spend time: from half up to two hours.
Cost: free admission, by advance reservation, more details.
Opening hours: from 10am to 8pm (in winter till 6pm).

Two years after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 it was decided to build National September 11 Memorial & Museum to commemorate the people killed in the terror attacks. The construction was started in 2006. The main sights here are:

The country's largest two artificial waterfalls built on the place of the Twin Towers. Names of 2983 victims are etched in 76 bronze panels surrounding the pools. The pools were opened on September 11, 2011.

September 11 Museum is located under the waterfalls at about 70 ft / 21 m under the ground. It has some artifacts, steel remains of the Twin Towers and others. Opening: September 2012.



8. Broadway theaters

Advice: choose the performance beforehand (you can find the list of the best performances below), then look for the theater and its location.
Location: on Times Square located at Broadway and Seventh Avenue and extends from 42nd to 47th Streets.
How to get: "Times Sq - 42 St" subway station, trains:  1   2   3   7   N   Q   R   S  or "Port Authority - 42 St" for:  A   C   E  or "Bryant Park - 42 St" for:  B   D   F   M 
Neighboring attractions: Grand Central Terminal (0.5 miles / 900 m), Empire State Building (0.6 miles / 1 km), Rockefeller Center (0.6 miles / 1 km), Central Park (0.9 miles / 1.4 km).
Spend time: the performance itself can last two hours + the time wasted in the ticket line to get tickets at 50% off (one more hour).
Cost: $30 to $130 for the main performances, how to buy tickets at 50% off - read more.

NYC theaters can be divided into three types: Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway. If it is your first visit to New York Theater we advise you to see Broadway performance where the positive emotions are guaranteed. It is quite different with off-Broadway theaters which offer more experimental performances.

Most of theaters are located near Times Square, in the center of Manhattan. Here you will find performances to satisfy any taste.
The most famous Broadway musicals (our top 10): "The Phantom of the Opera", "Chicago", "Cats", "42nd Street", "Les Misérables", "Beauty and the Beast", "Oh! Calcutta!" (erotic), "A Chorus Line", "Mamma Mia!", "Rent" and many others. Everything you have to do is to choose the performance and find the venue. Price: from $30 to $130.

There is "TKTS Booth" on Times Square, at the intersection of Broadway and 47th Street. Here you can buy tickets for same day performances at 50% off the full ticket price. TKTS Booth opening hours: from 3pm till 8pm, sometimes it opens earlier.
There is one more TKTS Booth which sells discount tickets a day in advance. It is located on the corner of Front and John Streets, its exact address: 199 Water Street. The nearest subway station is "Fulton St / Broadway-Nassau", trains:  2   3   4   5   A   C   J   Z  . Opening hours: from 11am to 6pm (during the summer time also on Sunday till 4pm).

Book tickets online on this site. 10%-30% discount!



9. Flushing Meadows - Corona Park, 7 subway line

Advice: take the subway line 7 Flushing Local (not Express) to get to the park.
Location: in the center of Queens district, between Flushing bay and Meadow lake.
How to get: "Mets - Willets Point" subway station (old name: "Shea Stadium"), train:  7 
Mark on the map: detailed map of the park.
Spend time: the whole day.
Cost: free admission, prices for the tickets to amusement rides are shown on the map.

Flushing Meadows Park is the second size park in NYC located in the center of Queens district. It attracts tourist due to a great number of sights: Queens Zoo, Botanic garden, Queens Museum of Art, Arthur Ashe Stadium (the largest in the world), Baseball Stadium "City Field", Baseball Stadium "Shea" (knocked down in 2008), the theater and golf course.
In the center of the park there is a beautiful giant Unisphere. The landscapes and views of the Park are really impressive. You can make a lot of wonderful photos here.

Map of the Park listing sights with opening hours and prices.

If it is your first visit to New York City you should take the subway Flushing Local (not Express, 7 within circle) to get to this wonderful Park. This route is called "International Express" because it goes through some ethnic areas of Queens with Roosevelt Avenue among them. If you go along Roosevelt Avenue you will feel like visiting ten different places of our planet.



10. Excursions in New York by bus, boat, helicopter and other

Advice: before your visit choose the excursion which interests you, booking them online will save your money. Please note that CityPass includes all main attractions.
Website: there are 3 websites for booking online all types of excursions. Links in this article lead to the site, which has best prices and discounts as updated in December 2024. Although you can view all three sites: GetYourGuide, CitySights, NewYorkSightseeing.com.

There are 4 main types of excursions in New York:

By bus:
The most popular tours are so called "Hop-On, Hop-Off" when you buy All Loops 48-or-72 Hour Ticket and can get off the bus at any bus stop you like (there are a lot of them) to explore the area. Then you get on any other bus belonging to the same company at the nearest bus stop. The tickets purchased online are valid within 1 year and cost less. So we recommend to buy them in advance. You should take this tour. And you don’t need to take subway/taxi.
Learn more about the tours and prices on this website.

By boat:
Some way or another but you have to take a boat to get to the Statue of Liberty. To save your time and to skip long waits buy online! Attention! CityPass includes the standard excursion by boat. If you have already bought CityPass, browse through the list of other excursions anyway, some of them are night tours. Keep in mind that cost of services and food in the boat bars are higher. There is also free ferry service to Hoboken Terminal (New Jersey) departing every 10-20 minutes from Battery Park.
Learn more about the tours and prices on this website.

By helicopter:
One of the most thrilling ways to see New York City is on a Helicopter Tour. You can see the Statue of Liberty and to have a birds eye view of Manhattan. Helicopter takes off are on the map under #10: blue google map icongoogle-map, standard map. The exact address: The Downtown Manhattan Heliport 6 East River Piers NY 10004.
Learn more about the tours and prices on this website.

By bicycle:
Like riding a bike? You have a wonderful possibility to bike in New York! All day bike rentals for tours throughout the city or Central Park (with a guide book).
Learn more about the tours and prices on this website.

Others:
This section includes VIP tours (4, 6 or 8 hours), tourist places from "Sex & The City", many of the locations where filming is done, NightClub Tour and others. One day tours to Washington: by coach, by train. Tour to Niagara waterfalls: by plane, by coach (2 days). Tour to Philadelphia: by coach, by train. And to many other cities.



P.S. Need help to book a tour? Hesitate what to choose or don’t understand well enough? Please contact us using this form. We will be glad to help you as soon as possible!


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