New York City is so much more than the concrete jungle you see on TV. With more than 8 million inhabitants, visitors have endless opportunities to explore and experience new things.

Whether you’re looking to view some of the most delicate modern art in the world at MOMA, take in an award-winning show on Broadway, or eat your way through some of the best food in North America at a 5-star restaurant, there’s never been a better time or place to travel.

The New York City subway is the most extensive single-operator rapid transit system globally, with 472 train stations. The nickname “The City that never sleeps” comes from the continuous 24/7 service that the city provides.

22 Outstanding Places in New York

1. Central Park

Central Park is one of the Top 22 places in New York City; this urban park is located within the center of Manhattan’s West and East sides, stretches over a locality of 840 acres, and is home to Belvedere Castle, the Central Park menagerie, Strawberry Fields, and therefore the Lake among different attractions.

The park offers a calming Great Lawn for all the nature lovers looking to take a break from the big city. A relaxing walk along the extensive paths throughout the park gives you a much-needed respite. You can even lace up your skates and have a fun glide across the Wollman skating rink.

Central Park Zoo shelters several exotic native species of birds and animals from North America.

There are also a variety of outdoor activities for the entertainment of the visitors, including catch-and-release fishing at the Dana Discovery Center and rowboat rentals from the Loeb Boathouse.

The central park possesses six miles of sealed roads open solely to joggers, bicyclists, skateboarders, and inline skaters. Along with these, there are tons of stuff to see right along the park’s borders, like the Upper West Side, The Dakota, and The American Museum of Natural History.

2. New York Public Library

The library was constructed at the start of the twentieth century and is found on the avenue at Forty-second Street; The gorgeous reading rooms outweigh the gorgeous and massive exterior of the building. A marble facade, a pair of large Corinthian beams, and a photogenic entrance make the New York Public Library a masterpiece. The coffered ceiling of the main reading room, which alone stretches two city blocks, makes it awe-inspiring. The Periodicals room has over 10,000 current magazines.

Being a part of the third largest public library system, it gives its readers and researchers covetous access to literature, science, humanities, and fine arts. This brilliant building encompasses a manuscript from about every author you could think of.

3. Empire State Building

The 381-meter-tall, 102-storey Empire State Building is one of the most famous landmarks and key tourist attractions. It was the tallest building until the 1st World Trade Center tower rose higher, forty-one years later.

There are two observation decks within the tower, on the 86th floor and 102nd floor. Each provides spectacular views and attention-grabbing facts regarding the building’s history and importance. On clear days, you’ll be able to see up to eighty miles, glancing into the neighboring states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

The 86th Floor Observatory (1,050 feet) is the highest open-air observation deck in the city. You reach there through high-speed, automatic elevators with a glass-enclosed area that optimizes the temperature according to the weather, along with extensive outdoor promenades on all four sides of the building.

The Top Deck stands on the 102nd Floor (1,250 feet), 16 Storeys higher. The viewing space here is restricted.

4. Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge, engineered between 1869 and 1883, is one of the oldest and most recognized suspension bridges globally. The pillars of the glorious bridge are formed of limestone, granite, and cement and were completed in 1883.

You can see it from several ferries or the eastern side of Manhattan, but you get the best experience of this beauty by an hour’s walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Only open to pedestrians and cyclists is a wooden plank walkway that runs on the top of the lanes of traffic.

The 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) stroll across the bridge gives you an admirable view of the New York skyline. You can experience the stunning views over Manhattan, the East River, and beyond the Statue of Liberty from the bridge.

The Statue can also be seen with magnificent views from Battery Park, on the southern tip of Manhattan.

5. Metropolitan Museum of Art

The incredible museums make it hard to know where to start. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or just the Met, was constructed in 1870 and could be the best start for your visits to New York City.

The enormously vast Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases art and artifacts from some of the most famous artists dating back many centuries and from all corners of the world. Dozens of museum sections house everything from Egyptian mummies to ancient European armor and classical sculptures.

The American Museum of Natural History contains dozens of categories from anthropology to zoology, unique fossils, and even a replica of a 95ft blue whale. The massive museum comprises four floors and 45 permanent exhibits across 28 connected buildings and claims to be the best in New York City.

Amongst the three sites of the museum, The Met Fifth Avenue is the centerpiece. Highlights of the exhibition include American decorative arts, arms and armor, costumes, Egyptian art, musical instruments, photographs, and much more.

The Met Cloisters, set in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, is another exceptionally famous place to visit in the New York Museum. Housed in a unique structure, this Metropolitan Museum of Art branch is built around medieval cloisters, chapels, and halls. It focuses mainly on the medieval art and architecture of Europe.

6. Radio City Music Hall

The Radio City Music Hall, lying in the shadow of Rockefeller Center, is a famous recreational venue and an established city landmark. This Art Deco theatre from 1932 offers musical extravaganzas and films and is the home of the dance company, The Rockettes.

The building was engineered and supported financially by the Rockefellers throughout the nineteen-thirties and contained the biggest indoor theatre globally. Today, the hall frequently hosts major events such as the Grammy Awards and Tony Awards. Its outstanding marquee is eye-catching as it curves around the building and stretches down the block.

7. Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is on most tourists’ itineraries

Rockefeller Center, a posh of nineteen buildings designed by the Rockefeller family, offers an under-the-table look at some of New York City’s greatest treasures together with General Electric, these buildings have housed several significant firms and are home to the NBC studios.

At seventy stories high, the highest of the Rock observation deck offers guests a clear 360-degree view of New York City.

The deck includes 3 floors, the 67th, 69th, and 70th. Indoor and outdoor viewing areas offer spectacular views day or night.

Skating on the outdoor skating rink at the tower’s base, which opens in the winter, is one of the most popular fun activities to do in New York City for families and couples.

After Thanksgiving, an enormous Christmas tree is uplifted in front of the skating rink that lights up the complex for the holiday season.

The famous bronze sculpture of Atlas, in front of the International Building, is another favored subject for photographers in this area.

8. Bryant Park

Bryant is a privately managed park in the Manhattan borough of mid-town located adjacent to the New York Public Library. It might be small compared to its neighboring Central Park but provides plenty of facilities like reading rooms, fresco dining areas, and indoor and outdoor games.

Until 1989, Bryant Park was a seedy area known for crime and a hangout for undesirables. New York reclaimed it and transformed it into a beautiful urban oasis. This park is embraced by the locals and is a pleasure to walk through.

The place is full of greenery, lavish eateries, and mesmerizing fountains. Tourists enjoy the sculptures and lake in the middle of the park for a serene atmosphere.

An outdoor skating rink appears at Bryant Park when the winter arrives and the snow flies. This tiny rink is free to use. Skating aids are also available to rent.

On Tuesday or Thursday at 12:40 pm, artistic skating performances occur at the Ice Theatre of New York.

9. Greenwich Village

The Greenwich Village is a classic mashup of culture, history, and fun, centered around Washington Square Park;  and one of the locally beloved spots in NYC.

Greenwich, a great neighborhood to explore, was once a literary haven for such prominent writers as James Baldwin, Jack Kerouac, and William S Burroughs. The streets filled with greenery and lined with 19th-century brownstone homes are a genuine attraction.

As you wander along the footpaths, it allows you to get lost in the beautiful neighborhood vibes of the streets.

Greenwich Village has many cafes and bars, which were once home to some of our favorite authors and even Bob Dylan, and are still inviting. The first integrated nightclub in the US, Cafe Society, is now closed, but Greenwich Village continues to provide some of the best nightlife.

Greenwich Village is an excellent place to stay in NYC because of its easy proximity to other neighborhoods; you don’t have to break the bank. You can easily find a hostel through HI USA, a great way to keep your trip under budget without sacrificing on location.

10. Long Island

This 118-mile-long island is an escape for New Yorkers from the city to relax on the white-sand beaches and have a glass of wine. The fantastic stretches of sand here include family-friendly Jones Beach State Park with amenities like a swimming pool, a mini-golf course, shuffleboard areas, and a popular place to surf, the Ditch Plains Beach.

Long Island also has about 73 local wineries and tasting rooms, some of which are part of the island’s North Fork Wine Trail.

Fire Island is the large central island in the outer barrier islands parallel to the south shore of Long Island; and is home to Fire Island National Seashore, a protected area welcoming bird-watchers and campers in droves.

11. Times Square

Commonly called “The Crossroads of the World,” Times Square is located in Central Manhattan at the convergence of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. Times Square is the world’s most visited tourist attraction, with over 39 million visitors annually.

The views of Times Square are one of a kind. The blazing neon signs, the music originating from the in-vogue bars and restaurants, and the many people who throng the Square throughout the year make Times Square the most famous destination for tourists.

It is the location of New York’s New Year’s Eve Celebrations and the famous “ball drop” at midnight when the Square and surrounding streets are overflowed with a crowd of people.

To enjoy the starry ambiance, there are several restaurants and cafes. You often get to see real-life celebrities here, and even if you don’t, you can always see their wax replicas in Madame Tussaud’s Wax Works. The lifelike wax figurines feature some of the most famous New York City icons like Jimmy Fallon and the set of The Tonight Show, Broadway cast members, and shows where you get to dress up and participate.

It is best known for its shopping scene, with stores open as long as 2:00 a.m., including the city’s favorite Forever 21 store.

It’s an area for shopping, entertainment, and a plethora of restaurants that offer many activities and options for every type of visitor that should not be missed on a trip to New York City.

12. Finger Lakes

The Native American legend describes the 11 glacial lakes comprised in the Finger Lakes region of central New York as evidence of the Great Spirit leaving his handprint as a blessing on the area.

This theory gives the freshwater lakes their Native American names like Skaneateles, Keuka, Cayuga, and Seneca.

This 9,000-square-mile area is a year-round outdoor playground and home to a burgeoning wine country today compared to Napa Valley.

In addition to boating, fishing, and water sports, the Finger Lakes provides challenging hikes through beautiful state parks that boast dramatic rocky gorges and cascading waterfalls. But the region also gives plenty of opportunities for relaxation, with scenic drives through wine and farm country.

13. Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building opened in the 1930s and since then has held an important position in the famed skyline of Manhattan. Its beautiful Art Deco design makes it an easy-to-spot monument, even in a city full of impressive skyscrapers. The Chrysler Building, with its tiered arches and steel crown, was the tallest in the world for almost a year until the Empire State Building came along.

You can view the Chrysler Building from several spots around the city, the most glorious being Gramercy Park. Exploring the elegant lobby, complete with an interior sourced from countries worldwide, is the top attraction.

14. Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue has been ranked as one of the most expensive shopping streets globally and is a prime destination for visitors with a taste for luxury. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan between 49th and 60th Streets is lined with high-end shops, including designer showrooms and prestigious department stores.

The section between 82nd to 105th streets on the Upper East Side is referred to as the Museum Mile as it contains nine museums, including the Guggenheim and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Fifth Avenue, is one of America’s most famous premier shopping areas, where various top designers have their flagship stores. Cartier, Tiffany, Bergdorf-Goodman, the famous Apple Store Fifth Avenue, Saks Fifth Avenue, and many others like this posh avenue.

All the non-shoppers too can enjoy a walk along Fifth Avenue. The area which runs from approximately the south end of Central Park to the New York Public Library, specifically between 60th Street and 40th Street, is regarded as the best.

15. The Brooklyn Heights Promenade

The Brooklyn Heights neighborhood lies right across the river from downtown Manhattan. The place isn’t simply a collection of historic townhouses and fancy restaurants but is also home to one of the most exceptional views in the world.

A public park, The Brooklyn Heights Promenade, runs along the riverfront and offers the ideal view of Lower Manhattan’s gargantuan skyscrapers. It is an ideal stop for photography.

16. Trinity Church

Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan is an important site for stock exchange globally, but the locals help you find many cool kinds of stuff to visit in this area.

You can also walk a few blocks down to the southern tip of Manhattan Island to see the original Dutch settlement located at 18. Letch Worth State Park.

17. Ithaca

The two renowned institutions, Ithaca College and Cornell University make Ithaca a college town. Its stunning natural beauty gives the small town its slogan, “Ithaca is gorges.”

Over 150 waterfalls, gorges, and dense forests surround Ithaca with hiking and bike trails. The town also overlooks the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, which is a superb spot for boating, fishing, and swimming.

Groups of budding naturalists might follow Ithaca’s Discovery Trail to must-see attractions like the Science Center and the Cornell Botanic Gardens.

18. Thousand Islands

As the name suggests, the Thousand Islands region is composed of over 1,800 islands.

A boat tour stretching into Canada gives you the best way to see this vast area.

A scenic cruise pasts lighthouses, mansions, and castles and also includes commentary about the real-life pirates who used to roam the islands’ waters.

The region is home to the age starlets. Here, you can hike the trails in Wellesley Island State Park or fish in Mary Island State Park.

19. One World Observatory

At the top of the newly constructed One World Trade Center building, One World Observatory is an observation deck that offers fantastic views from floors 100, 101, and 102, 1,776 feet above the city. The elevator to the top is also a part of the attraction. As you ascend, you can see from the surrounding panels how one of the 22  has transformed over the years, from a rural landscape to the metropolis you see today.

This glass building can be seen from all over the city and is a unique structure on the Manhattan skyline, with angles giving it a very distinct appearance. Standing near the base and looking straight up makes the tower appear pyramidal.

You can buy an NYC One World Observatory Skip-the-Line Ticket to save you some time if you want to go up and see the view, but note that you will still need to clear security.

20. Rochester, NY

Rochester is the state’s third-largest city by population and is a superb place to visit if you’re traveling with children. Here, you’ll discover a variety of kid-friendly museums, including The Strong National Museum of Play, the second-largest children’s museum in the U.S., and the George Eastman Museum, the world’s oldest photography museum.

Rochester also offers all kinds of outdoor attractions that you can enjoy during the warmer months. The 96-foot-tall High Falls gives you impressive panoramas, or on a stroll through Highland Park Conservancy, you get to visit the world’s most extensive lilac collection.

21. Cooperstown

Cooperstown may be small but attracts thousands of visitors every year with its ties to America’s pastime. Most experts agree that baseball wasn’t invented here, but Cooperstown remains a mecca for sports lovers because of its main sight, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The village offers other attractions, too, like the Fenimore Art Museum to see impressive works of art or The Farmers’ Museum, which exhibits local agriculture. Cooperstown also possesses beautiful neoclassical buildings, such as Hyde Hall, and plenty of breweries, distilleries, and wineries.

22. Syracuse

Syracuse provides you with activities and attractions that satisfy almost every traveler going through. It offers numerous museums, art galleries, performing arts venues, and historical attractions, including the Everson Museum of Art and the Landmark Theatre for culture hounds. This city is in the middle of the state.

The sports fans catch a baseball game at NBT Stadium or watch Syracuse University’s football and basketball teams play at the Carrier Dome. Families with children shouldn’t miss a visit to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

So, there you go! hopefully, you will find something interesting to make your getaway worthwhile. Whether you visit York City landmarks, the Hudson River, or Liberty Island, these 22 places will make your day a worthwhile trip.

Last Updated on March 30, 2024 by Pragya Chakrapani