hanajournalsNew York City has so many places to see and things to do that it is hard to cover everything in one visit. In this post, we will cover the 10 places that you can definitely visit in your first visit to the city that never sleeps.
1. Brooklyn Bridge
A real icon of New York City, the brooklyn bridge is a stunning sight to behold. It’s old architecture is admirable compared to the modern day bridges. Its night view is as gorgeous as its day view. It’s classic, romantic, and a place you definitely have to stop by if you’re in NYC.
There are lots of street food around the area. Ice Cream goes really well over here. You could even walk across the bridge on foot and make a short hike of it as well. Cycling is also allowed. The views get better from the bridge.
2. The High Line / Chelsea Market
Located on the west side of Manhattan in New York City, The High Line is a 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km) elevated boardwalk. You get to walk through gardens, street performances and all while getting a good exercise and enjoying a unique perspective of New York City. More information on the park can be found here.
After wrapping up the boardwalk, make your way down to Chelsea Market, a food hall which has delicious and unique cuisine. The High Line passes through the 10th Avenue side of the building that houses the market. More information on Chelsea market can be found here.
3. Times Square
One of our personal favourite spot, the very famous times square. The atmosphere there is simply magical, and to be frank, just unexplainable. The layout of the space, and all the electrical billboards, with many boutique shops along it, is just really an experience not to miss. They always have great performances there as well. A word of caution, be careful not to take photos with those dressed up, as they would ask you to pay them for posing with you.
4. Central Park
Central Park is so huge and has so many activities to do that you could just spend the entire day at this amazing park. Truly a great place to be with family & friends, comprising lots of activities for all aged groups.
Here’s a list of some of the things that Central Park has to offer. Central Park Zoo, Playgrounds, Skatepark, Model Boat Sailing, lakes, ponds, Cedars, Ice Skating Rink (in winter) and historic sculptures. The list goes on and on. The best part is all of them are free of charge!
5. 5th Avenue
The most expensive real estate, as well as having elegant streets, 5th Avenue is definitely a place to explore for tourists. There’s so much to do there. It consists of lots of boutiques such as Hollister, Uniqlo, Zara, Macys and H&M along it. A good place to start would be right after exiting from your time at Central Park at 59th Street & 5th Avenue, and slowly making your way downtown (southwards) towards Empire State Building. The entire stretch really has a great views and vibe. Soak them in.
You can also sit on a horse carriage and ride like a boss on the most expensive place in Manhattan.
6. Empire State Building
The best viewpoint of the concrete jungle is found at the top of the Empire State Building. A 360 Degree view of the stunning architectural genius of New York City. The night view is especially spectacular, with all the lights lit up around the city.
Rockefeller Centre is a great place to have an eagles eye view of the city as well. Though in our opinion, we would go with the former. It costs approximately $35 USD to get up there, which is slightly more expensive than the entry tickets for Empire State Building.
7. Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is really, not to be missed if you ever are at NYC. This symbolic sculpture is found on Liberty Island in New York Harbor within New York City. Interesting to note the history of this icon. It was given as a gift from France for bringing an end to slavery.
To get to see the Statue of Liberty up close and personal, you’d have to buy tickets from the Ferry Terminal here, or you could queue up in line to get it there as well.
8. Wall Street
Wall Street is a great place for people who love the stock markets, tradings and Forex. Located in the financial district of lower Manhattan, spanning over 8 blocks long, it’s architecturally beautiful buildings will leave you in awe. It is also conveniently located 5 mins walking distance away from the Statue of Liberty ferry terminal. The charging bull is a popular tourist spot as it symbolizes the aggressive financial optimism and prosperity of USA.
9. Lincoln Center/ The Met
The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts hosts local and internationally renowned performing arts organizations, which are a treat for people who are into the arts. They have different performances every day here so be sure to check the schedule out and plan your stay around it!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also a great place to visit for art lovers. It is one of the world’s largest and finest art museums, and the biggest one in the United States. Its collection includes more than two million works of art.
10. Broadway Musical
The experience of watching a live performance in the theater is something everyone should do at least once in their lives. And what better place to catch it then at the big apple. They do great justice to classic plays such as Shakespeare and Phantom of the Opera as well as the modern ones like Matilda and Lion King.
You can go to the TKTS booth on the day of the play to see if they have tickets on sale at half price, which will be shown on the board. You can visit it online here as well.
These are the top 10 things to do in NYC! If you like our travel posts, be sure to check out our Top 7 things to do in New Zealand, North Island here and South Island here. If you have any questions, feel free to reach us out at [email protected]