best things to do in New York

Top 10 best places to visit in New York

WHAT ARE THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN NEW YORK?

If you are going to New York for the first time, here is a selection of the 10 essential places to visit in this huge city: whether for its world famous museums, buildings and monuments, New York is full of interesting places to see and this selection can help you prepare your trip by focusing on the 10 main tourist places.

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Here are 10 must-see places to visit when travelling to New York:

1. Central Park 

In both summer and winter, Manhattan’s green lung offers 341 hectares of greenery to satisfy the leisure needs of visitors. The first man-made public park in the United States welcomes more than 37 million green space enthusiasts each year. You will walk 93 km of trails, visit the zoo or fish. You can play baseball or basketball on the Great Lawn or enjoy the free outdoor cinema. New Yorkers’ favourite picnic area, Sheep Meadow, was once occupied by sheep.

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2. The Statue of Liberty

After a long crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, the Statue of Liberty was the first vision of the United States for many immigrants. Built in France by architect Auguste Bartholdi and engineer Gustave Eiffel, it was presented to the American people in 1886 as a sign of friendship between the two nations for the celebration of the centenary of the American Declaration of Independence. A true symbol of the United States, the Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island south of Manhattan. It’s accessible, for a fee, by ferry from Battery Park.

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3. The Observatory at the top of Rockefeller Center

Located in the Midtown district of Manhattan’s Borough, Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 buildings that houses businesses and offices. The Comcast Building is the 70-storey central skyscraper measuring 266 metres. Between the 67th and 70th floors, you will have access to its observatory and visit a multimedia exhibition that traces the stages of the complex’s construction. From the famous “Top of the Rock” on the top floor (paying access) you will enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the Empire State Building.

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4. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located in Central Park on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. Opened in 1872, it’s one of the world’s largest art museums with more than 2 million works from all continents. Decorative arts, sculptures, paintings, photographs, antique books, weapons, musical instruments… the presentation of the works is impressive. An annex building, “The Cloisters“, located in Washington Heights, houses a collection of medieval art and reconstructions of European cloisters. Since 2018, visitors from outside NY State have been paying the entrance fee.

top 10 new york attractions

5. Broadway & Times Square

The famous Broadway Avenue, located in Times Square, runs through Manhattan from Bowling Green Park to the north end of the island. Times Square is one of the busiest neighborhoods in the Big Apple. It’s the essential place where you have to be on the evening of December 31 to see a huge ball of light descend during the transition to the New Year. Broadway is renowned for its theatres where plays, musicals and Music Hall reviews are performed.

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6. The National September 11 Memorial and the One World Observatory

The September 11 Memorial was built in Ground Zero to honour the memory of the victims of the attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers in 2001. Open to the public free of charge every day, you will discover in it two large basins dug at the site of the twin towers with the names of the victims inscribed in bronze. The new “One World Trade Center” houses the One World Observatory on the 100th floor and offers a 360° panoramic view and 2 conference rooms with televisions.

best places to visit in new york

7. The Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is one of New York’s iconic sites. Open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., the 381-metre Art Deco skyscraper is ideal for day and night visits with a ticket with 2 admissions. You will enjoy the breathtaking view and lights over the city from the 86th floor. You can opt for a ticket including a meal and a visit to the 102nd floor. The lighting on the upper floors and the pointer changes colour as the events unfold.

top places to visit in new york

8. The Brooklyn Bridge

Built in 1869, Brooklyn Bridge opened to the public in 1883. It’s one of the oldest suspension bridges built of steel. 1825 metres long, 26 metres wide and 84 metres high, it crosses the East River to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn. Walking through it you will enjoy the magnificent view of Manhattan’s urban landscape. Stroll along the banks of the East River at Brooklyn Bridge Park to see Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

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9. The High Line

If you want to take an unusual walk, head for the High Line in the Chelsea district for a walk of about 1 hour. This former 2.3 km long air railway line has been transformed into a park with many street access points. You will enjoy multiple views of the Hudson River, its industrial wharves, the shores of New Jersey State, urban architecture and the Empire State Building. You will be bewitched by the night lights on New York.

10. The American Museum of Natural History

History lovers and children will love to get lost among the collections of the New York Natural History Museum, which is located on the edge of Central Park. Since its opening in 1877, it has housed no less than 32 million cultural objects and specimens in 45 permanent exhibition halls. The museum itself is a magnificent place to discover because it’s composed of many different styles with a Roman triumphal arch for entrance. Visits are made by donation.

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SEE NEW YORK FROM THE SKY! 🚁

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