Top Things To Do In New York City

Top Things To Do In New York City...

New York City is larger than life: in population, in square feet (think of the five boroughs), in culture and food, in arts and entertainment. Visitors to New York have the world at their fingertips, from Uptown to Downtown and beyond. There’s so much to do and see, no two visits will ever be quite the same. Whether it’s your first visit to Gotham or your fifteenth, these top things to do in New York capture the energy, spirit and style of the city.

Empire State Building Experience

Empire State Building

No visit to New York City would be complete without a stop at this masterpiece of Art Deco design, and perhaps the most famous office building in the world. From its magnificent lobby — now sporting a re-creation of its original spectacular ceiling mural — to the 86th-floor observatory perched more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the city streets, this National Historic Landmark gives visitors plenty to admire.

What to Do

Open past midnight 365 days a year, it’s a romantic spot for a late-night kiss. Take the audio tour to learn more about everything you can see from the observation deck. The 80th floor is home to the Dare to Dream exhibit, featuring original documents, sketches, reproduction photos and other artifacts that capture the building's history.

What to See

On a clear day, the view encompasses five states. You'll get a clear view of many famous New York landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, The Hudson and East River, and more. It's no wonder why this is one of the top places to visit in New York.

Highlights

Look out on New York City from 1,050 feet above the bustling streets below.

See panoramic views of up to five states from the surrounding open-air promenade or from climate controlled viewing galleries.

Get the details about what you’re viewing from every vantage point with The Empire State Building Experience Official Multimedia Guide, free for download on Apple and Android devices.

Take in the whole Empire State Building Experience, including the newly renovated art-deco lobby and the sustainability and historical exhibits.

The Empire State Building is a trademarked image and used with permission by ESRT.

Statue of Liberty

A stirring symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty has been a beacon in New York Harbor since 1886. A gift from the people of France, the Statue was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel.

Statue of Liberty

What to Do

Once on Liberty Island, free National Park Service tours fill in the details about the copper-sheeted masterpiece. For an extra fee, upgrade to a Crown Ticket and go into the statue itself.

What to See

With her torch ablaze more than 300 feet (91.5 meters) above the ground, "Liberty Enlightening the World" (the statue’s official name) is only accessible via commercial ferries, which offer amazing vantage points for the perfect vacation snapshot.

Highlights

Feel the splendor of Lady Liberty as you walk in the shadow cast by her 151-foot tall figure.

Learn about the experience of over 12 million immigrants who entered the United States through the now quiet halls of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Explore the grounds of Liberty and Ellis Islands and enjoy an audio tour for both islands.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Ellis Island, the portal through which millions of immigrants entered the United States, is a must-see for anyone interested in the personal stories of those who came to America in search of a new beginning.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

What to Do

Walk in the footsteps of the nation’s newest citizens as they traveled through the baggage, registry and hearing rooms — in some cases, leaving with new, "American" names. Scan the Wall of Honor and see if you can find the name of an ancestor among the 700,000 inscribed names.

What to See

For those whose ancestors made the journey, the American Family History Center offers computerized genealogical records. Stop and watch the interactive American Flag of Faces™, a "living" digital exhibit featuring images submitted by individuals and families.

Highlights

Feel the splendor of Lady Liberty as you walk in the shadow cast by her 151-foot tall figure.

Learn about the experience of over 12 million immigrants who entered the United States through the now quiet halls of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Explore the grounds of Liberty and Ellis Islands and enjoy an audio tour for both islands.

American Museum of Natural History

Dinosaur fossils? Check. Theories of evolution? Check. Planetarium space show and IMAX theater? Double-check. It's no wonder the American Museum of Natural History was voted #1 attraction in New York City by the Zagat Survey "U.S. Family Travel Guide."

American Museum of Natural History

What to Do

At the American Museum of Natural History, more than 32 million specimens and cultural artifacts await exploration. Catch a show in the Hayden Planetarium and explore the rest of the Rose Center for Earth and Space to learn more about the 13-billion-year history of the universe.

What to See

Thanks to its starring role in the film Night at the Museum, AMNH draws enthusiastic young fans eager to see the 94-foot (28.6 meters) blue whale, the fossilized skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex (the dinosaur that loved to play fetch), and the gum-chewing Easter Island head.

Highlights

Feel the drama of the undersea world in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, featuring models of more than 750 sea creatures, including the 94-foot-long, 21,000-pound model of a blue whale suspended from the ceiling.

See more than 130 scientifically significant meteorites in the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites and learn what the rocky space fragments may tell us about the formation and evolution of the Sun and planets.

Spend time exploring the museum’s famed series of fossil halls, including the dinosaur halls that feature the largest collection of dinosaur fossils in the world, including imposing mounts of Tyrannosaurus rex and Apatosaurus, as well as the 122-foot-long cast of a Titanosaur, a species so new it has not yet been formally named by the paleontologists who discovered it.

Learn about the evolutionary story of the human family and travel the world in the Human Origins and Cultural Halls, with halls examining the cultures of Asia, Africa, North and South America and the Pacific.

Don’t miss the renowned dioramas in the Mammal Halls, with precise depictions of geographic locations and anatomically correct specimens from around the globe.

Visit the spectacular Hayden Sphere and explore the 13-billion year history of the Universe at the Rose Center for Earth and Science.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Known simply as "the Met," this museum offers an unparalleled view of the world, all under one roof. In total, the Met's collections include more than two million works of art that span over five thousand years of history.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

What to Do

Enjoy its wide-ranging collection including Greek and Roman art, European and Asian paintings and sculptures, artifacts from Africa and the Americas, and more. Make time to head over to The Cloisters museum and gardens, a branch of the Met dedicated to the art of medieval Europe.

What to See

Of particular note are the ancient Egyptian collection — a special department for the collection was established in 1906 — and the arms and armor holdings, which include examples from both Europe and Japan. The Met's collection of Egyptian art ranges from 300,000 B.C. to the 4th century A.D.

Highlights

Experience the grandeur of the Great Hall, the majestic main entry of the The Met.
Take your time as you explore The Met’s incredible collections, comprising more than two million works of art in areas such as Modern Art, European Paintings, Asian Art, Arms and Armor, Photographs, American Art and more.

Guggenheim Museum

Known as much for what’s on the outside as what’s on the inside, the Guggenheim Museum is simply stunning. Devoted to the art of the 20th century and beyond, the Guggenheim Museum is a must-see for anyone looking to see art from contemporary artists.

Guggenheim Museum

What to Do

Notice everything - architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s revolutionary mid-20th-century design resulted in one of the most recognized buildings in the world. Inside, an exemplary gathering of modern and contemporary art awaits.

What to See

The collection, originally conceived by business magnate Solomon R. Guggenheim, showcases works by Camille Pissarro, Vasily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.

Highlights

Discover this impressive collection of modern art housed in one of the most significant architectural achievements of the 20th century.
Explore the great spiral rotunda, featuring critically-acclaimed special exhibitions.
Learn more about the world-renowned collection with free daily educator-led tours and a free multimedia guide with architecture and collection tours in five languages.