Escape
10 Great Things You Have To Do On A First Trip to New York City
by Lisa Arcella
February 08, 2019
The Statue of Liberty
The Empire State Building
Times Square
Central Park
The Brooklyn Bridge
The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island
New York is the city that never sleeps and that means there about 1000 things to do—every day! There are however at least 10 must-sees that have to be on your bucket list when traveling to the Big Apple.
Times Square
Even at 11pm this iconic spot is still buzzing with huge crowds, flashing lights, enormous billboards and just about any character you can’t even imagine—including a naked (he is wearing underwear) cowboy. A lot of natives avoid the area completely, but it you want to experience sensory overload this is the place for you.
Central Park
There’s no way to experience all of this huge park in one visit, but its an oasis from the concrete jungle and filled with multiple smaller parks and places to picnic and people watch.
The Empire State Building
Maybe the most recognizable landmark in the world after the Eiffel Tower, take a ride to the 86th floor to get absolutely stunning views or for another fee go 16 stories higher. The building is the most famous symbol of New York and is a great example to an Art Deco style building.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Don’t expect to see everything there is to see here in one day. There are over 2 million works of art in this one enormous building and some of the most famous works in history.
Museum of Modern Art
Want to see Van Gogh’s Starry Night? It’s here along with many, many other works but the building itself is also a work of art with glass walkways and a lovely sculpture garden.
The Brooklyn Bridge
It crosses from Manhattan to Brooklyn across the East River and is an iconic (and free to walk across) spot to take in views of lower both sides. Once on the Brooklyn side visit the famous Grimaldi’s pizza.
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
For millions of immigrants, the first sight of America was seeing “Lady Liberty” welcoming them into the New York harbor. From there the boats docked at Ellis Island to be processed before entering the country. Today Ellis Island is a museum that tells the immigration story. Boats to both spots leave from Battery Park in lower Manhattan near Wall Street.
Museum of Natural History
This is the largest natural history museum in the world and has endless exhibits including a fantastic dinosaur wing.
9/11 Memorial
Impressive 30 foot waterfalls drop into the site where the Twin Towers once stood. There is also a fantastic museum here that documents that dark day in American history.
The High Line
Once an abandoned railroad track, now this elevated walkway that runs from Gansevoort Street and the Whitney Museum of Art to 34th street on the West Side of the city is known for its great views of the Hudson and public art exhibits.
