37 Best Things to Do In New York For  First-Timers

dotted globe

New York is truly the hub of everything from fashion to finance and from literature to advertising. It is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines.

New York

Yellow Location Pin

Are you visiting the Big Apple and looking for the best things to do in New York? Find the best New York City attractions, tours, and activities using our New York City travel guide. Explore New York’s must-see museums, iconic eateries, Instagram worthy photo spots, and noteworthy points of interest in this useful list.

Tooltip

Start

Statue of Liberty

A classic American icon and a majestic symbol of the country’s freedom and diversity. See the statue for free from Battery Park and aboard the Staten Island Ferry, but the best way to see this iconic statue is via Statue Cruises.

Ellis Island Immigration Center

New York’s amazing location where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean has made it a popular landing location for many immigrants since historic times. One can even find when an ancestor first came to the USA.

The MET  & Museum  Mile

The Museum Mile has seven of NYC’s popular museums including the MET, the Guggenheim Museum, Museum of the City of New York, and the Jewish Museum among others.

American Museum of Natural History

The largest history museum in the world; it features extensive mammal halls, human culture halls, hall of planet earth, and fossil halls.

NYC's Aerial View

The city has three popular observation platforms: Top of the Rock located atop the art deco Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building observation deck, and the observatory on top of One World Trade Center.

One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center is constructed in place of the Twin Towers. You will also find the 9/11 Memorial and Museum as well as Oculus, which is the transit station for the WTC complex.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Located across the Rockefeller Center, the cathedral has stunning architecture and is most notable for its tall spires.

Times Square

You will find everything from billboards, advertisements, bright neon signs, reduced price ticket booths selling Broadway tickets, food carts, buskers, beer gardens, and even Instagram worthy red stairs.

Central Park

This tranquil paradise is known as the best urban park in the world. Visit its highlights including Alice in Wonderland statue, Bethesda Fountain, the Lake, Bow Bridge, and Strawberry Fields.

Brooklyn Bridge

This iconic bridge has been featured in countless movies and series and has become a landmark of the city’s skyline. The best time to walk across the bridge is at sunset.