New York: fast-paced, exciting and intense

Manhattan, with iconic skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, its green core of Central Park and bustling Times Square and Broadway; Brooklyn, diverse borough with areas featuring indie music, art and nightlife and beachfront amusement parks; Queens with Flushing Meadows, featuring Unisphere; Bronx, in the north of NYC, hosts Botanical Gardens and Bronx Zoo; Staten Island in the south offers great panoramic views of a city and iconic Statue of Liberty.

NYC is a massive city and it will take a week or two to fully explore it or at least to visit all major landmarks. But don’t worry, once you visit it, you will always come back for more!

Read more: United States country spotlight

Main attractions in New York City

There are many more attractions in New York City, both inside the city and in immediate surroundings. We are listing here only top 15-20 of them.

Statue of Liberty. A symbol of New York and the US in general, this iconic statue is located in New York City Harbor on Liberty Island. Opened in 1886, it offers tours, museum and panoramic city views. Central Park. An urban oasis in Manhattan, most visited city park in the US.

Features pedestrian paths for walking and jogging, ballfields, a zoo, carousel and boat rentals. Empire State Building. Iconic office tower, offering observatories and exhibits, located in Manhattan. Built in 1031, this art deco style building is the fifth tallest structure in the US and 28th in the world, standing at 1,454 ft (443.2 m) height.

Times Square. Iconic intersection in Midtown Manhattan, known for bright lights and Broadway shows. Famous tourist selfie location in New York. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Also known simply as ‘the Met’, this world class art collection is a third museum in the world by number of visits per year.

Features art collections from ancient to modern. Brooklyn Bridge. Iconic bridge spanning East River and connecting New York City and Brooklyn.

Rockefeller Center. Large Midtown business complex in Manhattan, facing 5th Avenue. Famous for TV studios, seasonal ice rink and giant lit Christmas tree in December. Museum of Modern Art. Considered one of the largest and most important museum of this kind in the world, it hosts work ranging from Van Gogh to Warhol and more. Grand Central Terminal. World largest train terminal, located in Manhattan, features iconic architecture known from many famous movies.

Theatre District. In the heart of Manhattan, area of Broadway and Times Square, center of thatre plays and entertainment, plus dining and shopping. One World Trade Center. The tallest bulding in the US, built on the place of destroyed twin towers on 9/11 attack. Offering dining and drinks on the 101st floor with panoramic views. 9/11 Memorial. Plaza with pools and exhibits commemorating victims of 1993 and 2001 twin towers terrorist attacks. Free, time limited, admission available.

Chinatown. Popular neighborhood In Manhattan for Asian food, souvenirs and to enjoy practicing Tai Chi or simply watching locals performing it in Columbus Park. SoHo. Famous shopping and high end art galleries in Manhattan. Popular with tourists. Coney Island. Part of the Brooklyn neighborhood, this area is very popular during summer. Featuring an amusement park, boardwalk and beach with eateries and shops.

Top things to do in New York City

You should visit all mentioned attractions if you have enough time and budget allows it, and we recommend also several other sightseeing activities: helicopter tour – see all the main landmarks from above; Brooklyn Bridge bike tour – enjoy relaxing ride over the bridge with wonderful views; Boat cruise – enjoy city skyline from the waterfront; Foodie tour – enjoy genuine NY pizza in various locations; Harlem gospel or hip-hop tour – listen and learn about music from the neigborhoods and its roots; Hop-on/Hop-off NYC bus tour – ride around main attractions with audio guided tour.

Read more: Tours from and within New York City

Festivals and events in New York City

New York is packed with events and activities throughout the year, so here are just top picks: Three Kings Day Parade, Winter Jazzfest, New York Boat Show, New York Jewish Film Festival, Winter Antiques Show, NYC Restaurant Week (all in January), Westminster Dog Show (February), New York International Children’s Film Festival, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Macy’s Flower Show (March),

Mets and Yankees Season Openers, Tribeca Film Festival, Earth Day/Week (April), Ninth Avenue International Food Festival, Bronx Week (May), Museum Mile Festival, Pride Week (June), Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks, Summer at Lincoln Center (July), Summer Streets (August), Commemorating 9/11 (September), New Yorker Festival, New York Comic Con (October), New York Comedy Festival, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (November), Lighting of the World’s Largest Hanukkah Menorahs, Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting, Times Square New Year’s Eve (December)..

Read more: Festivals and events in New York City

Interesting facts about New York City

Here are some interesting facts about tis amazing city:

• More than 800 languages are being spoken in New York.
• The average rent for a one-bedroom in Manhattan is us $3,400.
• The first European settlers in New York City were Dutch.

Read more: More interesting facts about New York City

Best time for flights to New York City

The peak season for flights to New York is May, June and December. The low season for purchasing tickets is January, February and November.

New York is served by these airports: LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Direct flights to New York are offered by 76 airlines.

Top hotel offers for New York City

These are current top hotel offers in New York City. The list is updated automatically when page is refreshed.

Safe travels!


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