Top Things to Do in New York
Manhattan
Statue of Liberty
Seeing the Statue of Liberty is a must for a first time visitor to NYC. There are multiple ways of doing this.
One way is to go to actual Statue of Liberty National Monument but that costs $19.25 for adults and $3 extra if you want to go up to the crown and you must reserve tickets in advance.
If you only want to see it and not have to pay, you can take the Staten Island Ferry round trip for free!
I did this 2 times, one during the day and one at night, not only do you get to see the Statue of Liberty, but also lower Manhattan, and for the best price. FREE!
Central Park
If you get tired of the concrete jungle, you can visit Central Park for a small break in nature but still in the city.
You can do many activities here like walking, biking, running, guided horse & carriage, fishing, picnicking, and many more!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met is the largest art museum in the United States! This means you will need a lot of time to explore completely so plan accordingly.
The collection includes everything from paintings, sculptures, clothing, and even a pyramid!
Admission is not cheap at $25 for adults but it is totally worth it!
Times Square
One word to describe Times Square would be “Touristy”
If you don’t like crowds then you won’t like this place. People from all over the world come here with estimated 50 million visitors annually and 330,000 daily.
It’s a must if you’ve never been. I met locals who said they had never been here.
The Museum of Modern Art
One of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world.
The Museum of Modern Art contains modern and contemporary art, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography and many more works.
Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” is displayed here and if you want to see it expect huge lines!
This is one of my favorite paintings, so the $25 admission price was worth it.
Flatiron Building
This building known as “one of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers and a quintessential symbol of New York City” is a 285-foot 22-story steel-framed architectural marvel!
Sadly, the inside is not open to the public.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is the world’s most famous building and at one point was the world’s tallest building as well.
You can get a view of the whole city from the top but it will cost you! It costs $72 for adults to go up to the 86th, 102nd and 2nd floor museum.
Even though I wanted to do this, my wallet had other plans for me.
The High Line
A 1.45-mile-long trail created on a former railroad.
Perfect for walking through gardens, view art, architecture, and delicious food.
Fat Cat
I like playing foosball and this is the place for that. There is also ping pong, billiards, and shuffleboard.
They also feature at least two live bands a night, mostly Jazz.
Pretty cool place to hang out.
Comedy Cellar
Legendary comedy club founded in 1982.
I visited without a ticket and was able to get in at the last minute through the stand by line and let me say what a treat it was!
The names of the comedians are not advertised so it’s always a mystery who will perform.
That night Amy Schumer, Michelle Wolf, and Aziz Ansari performed! Definitely one of the best nights I had in NYC
Brooklyn Bridge
Lots of people! It was supposed to rain when I visited and even then there was a lot of people.
The amazing views make up for the crowds.
Grand Central Library
Beautiful architecture inside and out.
Nice for relaxing and maybe charging devices on your way to another destination.
World Trade Center Memorial / Area
Museum for the remembrance to the people who died in horrific attacks of September 11, 2001.
Really nice architecture!
I didn’t go inside as I was running out of time and money for that matter.
Admission price for adults is $26
Charging Bull
Iconic bronze statue of Wall Street in the Financial District of Manhattan.
People rub it’s balls for luck and financial success. Hmm ok?
If you want to take a picture with this sculpture alone, either go super late at night, or super early in the morning because it gets PACKED!
Staten Island Ferry
Definitely a must do if you are on a tight budget and want to see the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan’s skyline.
This ferry is totally free and runs 24/7
I was in the area one time at 2:30 am and decided to ride the ferry for fun. the views of the city are amazing!
Coney Island
Brighton Beach
Also known as Little Odessa. This area holds among the highest concentration of Russian immigrants outside the eastern hemisphere.
I did not know this when I visited so it was a shock to see all the Russian people and businesses.
Really neat place, feels like you are in another country.
Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk
Just a short walk from Brighton Beach.
There’s food, drinks, the beach and rides!
The New York Aquarium is also here.