New York City is one of the most visited and fascinating cities in the world. Over 12 million tourists come each year between Memorial Day and Labor Day alone! Few other cities can offer the diversity that New York offers; all condensed into an area that is just over 13 miles long and 2 miles wide! You could easily spend weeks in Manhattan and the 5 surrounding boroughs, but we’ve listed our 10 favorite attractions by selecting each of 10 different categories.
Unfortunately, New York is one of the most expensive cities to visit in the United States. One of the most cost-effective ways to get around the city is to buy 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 waste valuable vacation time standing in line.
One of the best ways to get around is to sign up for a bus tour that lets you hop on and off as you please. They have many stops throughout the city and running until late at night. It is a very convenient way to see and reach the main points of interest.
1. New York icon – Times Square is a major intersection in Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretches from West 42nd to West 47th streets. Times Square is an iconic global landmark defined by its amazing animated digital billboard display. Be sure to see Times Square after dark. The lights are amazing!
two. Shopping – Macy’s is another landmark not to be missed. The original wooden escalators are still in use today. In December, there is a line around the building just to window-shop for the parties. If you want something more exclusive, venture to 5th Avenue and take in all the sights of the high fashion stores… People watching can’t be beat either!
3. History – Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are our favorites. A great way to see them is to take a boat tour that cruises 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’s hard 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’t 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 note that most shows are “dark” or not broadcast 1 night during the week.
6. City views – The Empire State Building’s rooftop observation deck gives you great views from 86 stories up! Other great vantage points include the “Top of the Rock,” which is the observation deck on the 67th and 70th floors of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in the world famous Rockefeller Center. It’s for both indoors and outdoors, making it a great option no matter what the weather.
7. Nature – Central Park – In summer, enjoy the fountains, lush green spaces, and the Central Park Zoo. In winter, don’t miss 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 some time to explore Lower Manhattan. The ethnic and eclectic neighborhoods of Chinatown, Little Italy and SoHo have great food and shopping for every taste and budget. You can also enjoy great views of the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor from there.
9. Finance: Wall Street, also located in lower Manhattan, runs through the historic financial district. Home of the US Stock Exchange, NYSE and 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 gold rectangular 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’s expensive, but if you do your homework and plan ahead, you can find flights and hotels that stretch your travel budget and leave you with some money to enjoy all this city has to offer.
