Listen to the Episode
Watch the Episode
Read the Transcript
If you’re visiting New York City, you probably already have Times Square, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty on your itinerary. But as someone who grew up here, went to school here, worked in corporate America here, and has now traveled to almost 70 countries, I can tell you that some of my favorite things to do in New York aren’t necessarily the first things you’ll find on a typical tourist itinerary.
Today, I’m sharing 14 things you MUST do in New York City, especially if it’s your first time visiting. We’re going to cover the iconic landmarks because there are some you really do need to experience at least once, but I’m also taking you to some of my favorite neighborhoods, food spots, viewpoints, and experiences that I think give you a much better feel for what New York is actually like.
And stay until the end because I have a bonus recommendation that takes us outside Manhattan to one of my favorite places to eat in all of New York City!
If you’re new here, hi! I’m Danielle, founder of The Wanderlover. I’m a full-time traveler, creator, and online business owner. Even though I’ve been abroad for years now, New York will always be home for me. I just got back from spending over a year in Brazil, so I’m especially excited to share this guide!
1. Eat Your Way Through New York City
I’m actually starting with food because I don’t think you can properly experience New York City without eating your way through it. This is always one of the things I miss when I’m abroad because there’s just so much incredible, authentic food in one place.
New York is one of those cities where you could plan an entire trip around food. You obviously need to get a classic New York slice of pizza and a bagel, try pastrami on rye at a traditional New York deli, and grab halal food from a street cart.
You can also go out for a bottomless boozy brunch or try restaurants serving cuisines from countries you’ve never even visited before.
One of the reasons I love New York so much is that you can basically eat your way around the world without ever leaving the city.
And the one thing I ALWAYS have to eat when I’m back? Buffalo wings.
2. Bike Through Central Park
Instead of just walking through Central Park, one of my favorite ways to experience it is by Citi Bike. You can rent a bike at one of the many stations or through the app and pay per half hour.
Central Park is massive, and biking lets you see so much more of it without spending your entire day walking.
You can pass Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Sheep Meadow, Bow Bridge, and some of the quieter parts of the park that a lot of tourists never make it to.
Of course, you can walk through the park too, and I would definitely recommend stopping along the way. But if you have a beautiful, sunny day in New York, renting a bike and riding around Central Park is such a fun way to spend a few hours.
It’s also such a contrast to everything surrounding you. You’re riding through trees and alongside lakes, but you can still see the Manhattan skyline towering above the park.
3. Walk the High Line and Eat at Chelsea Market
Next, head over to the west side of Manhattan and walk the High Line.
The High Line is an elevated park built on a former railway line. It runs through a really cool section of Manhattan where you’re walking above the streets, surrounded by architecture, art, greenery, and views of the city.
It’s completely free and one of my favorite walks to recommend.
I would combine this with Chelsea Market because they’re right next to each other. Chelsea Market has tons of different food options, shops, and places to grab something to eat.
You can also continue north toward Hudson Yards to see the Vessel.
This is a perfect example of something I would recommend even if you’ve already been to New York before. It’s not just about checking off a landmark. It’s a really nice way to spend an afternoon and experience a different side of the city.
4. Visit Grand Central, Bryant Park, and the New York Public Library
This is another great itinerary combination because you can see several iconic New York places in one area.
Start at Grand Central Terminal.
Even if you’re not taking a train anywhere, go inside. The main concourse is absolutely beautiful, and it’s one of those places that instantly feels like New York.
Make sure you look up at the ceiling! You can also find the Whispering Gallery downstairs near the Oyster Bar.
From there, walk over to Bryant Park and the New York Public Library.
Bryant Park is one of my favorite little pockets of Midtown. You have skyscrapers all around you, but people are sitting outside having lunch, working, reading, and hanging out.
Right next door is the New York Public Library, with its iconic lions out front.
This whole section is also completely free, so it’s really easy to add to your Midtown itinerary.
5. Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge
You absolutely have to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at least once.
It’s one of the most iconic views in New York, but I think the experience of actually walking across it is much better than just seeing it from a distance.
If you can, go earlier in the morning because it gets very crowded.
Personally, I would walk from Manhattan toward Brooklyn because you can finish in DUMBO, which brings me to the next thing to do!
6. Explore DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park
Once you get across the Brooklyn Bridge, don’t immediately turn around and walk back. Spend some time exploring DUMBO.
This is where you’ll find that famous Manhattan Bridge photo spot on Washington Street, but there’s so much more to the area than that one photo.
Walk along Brooklyn Bridge Park, get views of Lower Manhattan, grab something to eat, and just hang out by the waterfront.
You get this amazing view where you can see both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline, and it’s especially beautiful around sunset.
This is also a great area if you want those classic New York skyline photos!
7. Experience New York From Above
You need to see New York from above at least once, and there are now so many different ways to do it depending on your budget and how adventurous you want to be.
The Empire State Building is obviously the classic option.
Top of the Rock gives you an amazing view because you can actually see the Empire State Building from there, plus Central Park in the other direction.
Then you have newer observation decks like SUMMIT One Vanderbilt and Edge.
If it’s your first time in New York, you really only need to pick one observation deck. Personally, I think around sunset is the best time to go because you get to see the city during the day, watch the sun go down, and then see everything light up at night.
But if you really want to splurge, you can also see New York from a helicopter!
A helicopter ride over Manhattan is obviously a completely different price point, but you’re seeing the skyline, Central Park, the bridges, the rivers, and the Statue of Liberty from a perspective you just can’t get from the ground.
Whether it’s an observation deck or a helicopter ride, find some way to see New York from above. The skyline is such a huge part of what makes this city iconic.
8. See Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue
Even if you don’t go up to Top of the Rock, take some time to walk through Rockefeller Center.
This area is especially magical around Christmas when you have the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and ice skating rink, but it’s worth visiting throughout the year.
From here, you’re right by Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Radio City Music Hall, and tons of shopping.
This is also an easy stop to combine with Central Park because you can work your way north through Midtown and end up at the park.
9. Go to Times Square at Night
Okay, we have to talk about Times Square.
Is it crowded? Yes.
Is it touristy? Extremely.
Would I personally spend hours hanging out here every time I come into the city? No.
But if you’ve never been to New York before, you have to see Times Square. And I specifically think you should see it at night.
The screens, lights, crowds, street performers, Broadway theaters, taxis, noise, and absolute chaos are all part of the experience.
Walk through, take your photos, experience it once, and then go explore the rest of New York.
10. Visit a World-Class Museum
New York has some of the best museums in the world, so choose at least one based on what you’re interested in.
If you love art, there’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is enormous and located right next to Central Park.
You also have MoMA for modern art.
And if you’re traveling with kids or you’re interested in science and nature, there’s the American Museum of Natural History.
There are so many smaller museums throughout the city too, so you definitely don’t need to spend your entire trip inside museums. However, I would choose at least one to visit.
You could easily combine the Met with your Central Park day.
11. Explore Lower Manhattan: Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial, and the Oculus
Next, we’re going all the way downtown!
I would group several attractions together here because they’re all within walking distance.
Start by walking through the Financial District and seeing Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Charging Bull.
This area is especially interesting to me because I used to work in corporate finance in New York. It’s funny coming back now after leaving that world and building such a completely different life.
From there, walk over to the 9/11 Memorial.
This is obviously a much more somber part of your trip, and I think it’s important to give yourself some time here rather than treating it as just another photo stop.
Right next to the memorial is the Oculus, a huge white transportation hub and shopping center with really striking architecture.
You can also visit the 9/11 Museum if you want to spend more time learning about what happened.
12. See the Statue of Liberty and South Street Seaport
Obviously, the Statue of Liberty belongs on this list!
You can take the ferry out to Liberty Island and combine it with Ellis Island if you want the full experience.
But if you’re short on time or traveling on a budget, you don’t necessarily have to go onto Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty.
You can see it from different boat cruises around Manhattan, and the Staten Island Ferry is another option for getting views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan.
While you’re downtown, you can also walk over to South Street Seaport.
I wouldn’t necessarily make a separate trip across Manhattan just for the Seaport, but it’s really easy to combine with everything else downtown.
You’ll find cobblestone streets, historic buildings, restaurants, waterfront views, and beautiful views toward Brooklyn.
13. See a Broadway Show or Live Performance
You cannot talk about New York entertainment without talking about Broadway.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a huge theater person, seeing a Broadway show in New York is such a classic experience.
You can obviously book one of the major shows in advance, but if you’re flexible, look into same-day tickets and lotteries. Sometimes you can get really good seats for much less.
And this is really easy to combine with Times Square since the Theater District is right there.
Do dinner, see a Broadway show, and then walk through Times Square afterward when everything is lit up.
That’s a very quintessential New York night!
Other iconic venues worth experiencing include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall.
14. Experience New York Nightlife
And speaking of nighttime, you absolutely need to experience New York after dark.
You can dress up and go to a rooftop bar with skyline views, find a hidden speakeasy, see live jazz, go to a comedy show, enjoy live music, or go clubbing.
You could spend an evening around Greenwich Village, go bar hopping on the Lower East Side, or have drinks somewhere overlooking Manhattan.
Another really fun option is to get out on the water.
There are sunset cruises, cocktail cruises, and full dinner cruises around Manhattan. If you want something a little more romantic or you’re celebrating something special, a dinner cruise gives you dinner and drinks while you take in the skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, Lower Manhattan, and Statue of Liberty from the water.
If you time it around sunset, you can watch the skyline change from daylight to completely lit up at night.
New York is called the city that never sleeps for a reason, so definitely give yourself at least one night where you don’t have an early bedtime!
Bonus: Leave Manhattan and Eat in Flushing, Queens
I know I said 14, but I have one bonus recommendation that I really wanted to include because this is much more representative of the New York that I know.
Go to Flushing, Queens.
New York isn’t just Manhattan, and if you spend your entire trip between Central Park and the Financial District, you’re only seeing one part of the city.
Flushing has a huge Asian community, and this is also a more personal recommendation for me because I was born in China and spent a few years of my childhood growing up here.
Come hungry!
You’ll find incredible Chinese food, Taiwanese food, Korean food, dumplings, noodles, hot pot, bakeries, bubble tea, food courts, and so much more.
This is honestly one of my favorite places to come just to eat.
It’s also one of those places where New York really shows you what makes the city so special.
You can get on the 7 train in Manhattan, ride out to Queens, step outside in Flushing, and suddenly the language, food, stores, signs, and entire energy around you feel completely different.
That’s New York.
It’s not just the Empire State Building and Times Square. It’s all these different neighborhoods, cultures, languages, and communities existing right next to each other.
So if you have enough time, get out of Manhattan for at least part of a day. Flushing would absolutely be my pick.
I would much rather encourage you to spend some time exploring different neighborhoods and eating your way around the city instead of just checking landmarks off a list.
Final Thoughts: Experience New York Beyond the Tourist Attractions
I’ve traveled to almost 70 countries, and New York is still one of those cities that I think everyone should experience at least once.
It’s loud, expensive, chaotic, crowded, and sometimes completely exhausting, but that’s also part of what makes it New York.
And I think the biggest thing I want you to take away from this guide is not to spend your entire trip running from landmark to landmark.
Yes, see Times Square. See the Empire State Building. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
But also eat somewhere you’ve never heard of. Take the subway into Queens. Walk around a neighborhood without an itinerary. Sit in Central Park. Go out at night. Experience the city rather than just trying to photograph it.
If you’re planning your first trip to New York City, I’d love to know where you’re coming from and what you’re most excited to do. Let me know in the comments!
And if you love travel, living abroad, and creating a life that gives you the freedom to experience more of the world, make sure to subscribe to The Wanderlover.
I’ll see you in the next one!
Read Next
Christmas in New York: Top Things to Do
How to Travel from Boston to New York City
Best Surf Destinations for Longboarders
Tips for First Time Travel to Cuba
5 Day Tokyo Itinerary: How to Spend 5 Days in Tokyo Japan
Dominican Republic in One Week
Tips for Planning a Maldives Vacation
Beaches Close to Manila Philippines (A Local’s Guide)
