10 Fun Things to Do in New York City

This one may seem a bit obvious, but it is worth mentioning. While you can certainly explore the city yourself, there are plenty of historical or otherwise significant spots that you are unlikely to find on your own. This is where a professional tour guide comes in.

You can usually choose between walking or bus tours and can choose to explore different areas of the city. Consider taking multiple tours of different areas to get the most information about the city that you can. Not all tours are created equal. Remember, this is New York City, not a historical site, so expect unusual tours. You can find your typical ghost tours and museum tours, but you should also be sure to check out the bar tours and pub crawls as well as seek out other types of tours in the area.

You can even use tour guide apps that use your phone GPS, rather than hiring an actual tour guide. This option allows you to save money and go at your own pace. The disadvantage is that you cannot easily ask questions that you could otherwise just ask the tour guide. Bus tours are a common option for people who want to tour the city without going inside or walking around.

With New York being such a large city, it should come as no surprise that it has some of the best museums in the world. Many of these museums even match the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. These museums are not small and crammed into a warehouse-like some museums in smaller cities either; they are massive. There are 42 Exhibit Halls and over 32 million artifacts on display.

If you enjoy natural history, the American Natural History Museum is a must-see. It is one of the largest natural history museums in the country and has interactive exhibits for everything from the land to the deep ocean and even outer space. The museum is so large that you should ideally set aside at least one full day to explore. Two or even three days is better. You can certainly rush through, but to truly experience the magnitude of this museum, it is important to slow down and take your time.

The museum is also just a few blocks away from Central Park. This means that you are also within easy walking distance of plenty of shopping and food after you are done at the museum. Do not discount the museum cafeteria, however, as it offers a wide range of good food without ever having to leave the museum.

The Empire State Building is easily one of the most famous skyscrapers, or buildings in general, in the world. While it is not the tallest building, it is one of the most iconic. People from all around the world wait in line and pay to go to the top of the Empire State Building.

Why would so many people choose to spend their hard-earned money just to go to the top of a building in a city filled with skyscrapers? The Empire State Building has earned its place in pop-culture. It has been featured in several movies, including Sleepless in Seattle and King Kong. It also offers stunning views of the city from the top of the tower. From the 86th-floor observation deck, you can see all around the city in full 360 degrees.

You can even visit the Empire State Building late at night. The building offers a self-guided tour for educational purposes and is open until 2 AM. This means that you can go to the top of the tower well after dark and see the city completely self-illuminated. The lit skyline from the top of the Empire State Building at night is well worth the experience and should definitely be on your list of things to do in New York City.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most well-known American icons in existence. Originally gifted to the US from France, the statue has stood as a symbol of hope for generations of immigrants riding to Ellis Island. While the history and practices of Ellis Island can be debated, the statue has stood and continues to stand as a symbol of the freedoms offers by the US.

Visiting the Statue of Liberty requires some pre-planning. You can buy tickets to get into the statue at the gate, but you must make reservations in advance to get into the pedestal or the crown. The further in advance that reservations are made, the better the chances are that you can get the level of access that you want for your visit.

The crown is the most sought-after level of access. You cannot purchase tickets for the crown in person, only online. Tickets should be bought well in advance to avoid the risk of not getting access to the crown. This system is in place as a security measure to protect visitors, staff, and the statue from potential attacks. If you do secure access to the crown, you can expect to see gorgeous views of the bay and surrounding areas. The crown is actually much smaller than most people think and can only allow a few people inside at once. If you have a large group, you may even need to take turns going into the crown within your own group.

Broadway isn’t for everyone, but for those who enjoy theatre, it is a can’t miss. Broadway is considered the peak of performance art and is a bucket list item for many theatergoers around the world. Broadway is considered to be the best live theatre anywhere, and many people take trips to New York exclusively to see Broadway plays. Be sure to check ahead and plan your visit accordingly. You don’t want to miss the paly you want to see because you didn’t check the show dates ahead of time. You may even see some familiar faces. Several famous Hollywood actors have made their move to Broadway after finding success in Hollywood.

One very famous example of an actor that migrated from Hollywood to Broadway is Neil Patrick Harris. While he has not made an appearance in several years, Neil Patrick Harris was once a major player on Broadway. Many actors consider performing on Broadway to be the pinnacle of their career. Yes, more people are likely to watch a movie or show than see your performance on Broadway, but Broadway performances are live. There are no reshoots or do-overs, only the live show.

Since Broadway is considered the pinnacle of theatre, you can expect to only see the best performances on the stage. Many shows run for months at a time before changing, and you can usually find several shows playing throughout Broadway on any given night of the week.

September 11, 2001, was one of the darkest days in American history. On that fateful morning, almost 3,000 Americans lost their lives in a series of terrorist attacks. The US has been in a state of perpetual war ever since in response to the attacks. The two main attacks were focused on the Twin Towers or World Trade Center in New York City. At the time of the attack, the North Tower was the tallest building in the world.

It took over a decade for the memorial to be completed, but there is now so much more than just a memorial where the World Trade Center once stood. The spot has become home to the memorial as well as a 9/11 museum. The museum features artifacts found in the debris, information relating to the attacks, and much more. There is also a bronze plaque with the names of every victim of both the 2001 and 1993 terrorist attacks.

The memorial also includes the Survivor Tree. The Survivor Tree is a tree that was located near the towers when they collapsed. The tree was badly damaged, suffering from broken roots and severe burns, but thanks to helping from the New York City Parks and Recreation Department, the tree was able to recover fully. It was later replanted in the same spot in the grounds as a reminder of endurance and resilience.

Grand Central Terminal is one of the most impressive architectural feats of the last 200 years. It is a massive complex covered front to back in granite. The sheer weight of the stone used in the construction of the Terminal is incredible. Thanks to the slight radioactivity of granite, the station is also radioactive. While the levels of radiation are far from harmful, even with prolonged exposure, they still exceed the safety limits of nuclear power plants. Grand Central Terminal is still an active transportation hub. It is used to connect trains and subways all over New England and has been in continuous operation since it opened. Today it features much more than just transportation. You can find over 60 retail stores and 35 restaurants in the Terminal. All of this is also on a single building.

The Terminal opens at 5:30 AM every morning and does close until 2 AM. While the Terminal is open early to late, but the stores and restaurants located inside of the Terminal operate on their own schedules. It is important to plan your visit around operating hours.

The architecture used in Grand Central Terminal is breathtaking. It features massive windows, huge stone arches, and giant common areas. The entire station is made of stone and serves over 750,000 visitors per year. The only attraction that beats it in terms of numbers is Times Square, which is the most visited attraction in New York City.

Time Square is the busiest street in all of America. It is also the single most visited attraction in New York City. Time Square hosts well over 1,000,000 visitors each year. With numbers like this, it should come as no surprise that there is no time to visit Time Square that you can expect low traffic. There are always visitors to Time Square, even in the early hours of the morning. This unique street has a long history leading it from a simple city street to one of the most visited attractions in the world, offering some of the most expensive real estates anywhere.

Time Square was originally named after London’s carriage district and was called Long Acre. The area was originally home to apartments and a horse distributor. With the introduction of electricity, however, Time Square began to change. This was one of the first areas in the country to get electricity, and advertisers made quick use of it. This early access to electricity attracted advertisers that put up electronically lit billboards and other advertisements, giving Time Square its iconic features.

The area also attracted several transportation companies that began to make it a hub. Seeing the potential, real estate investors bought much of the land in the area and began to develop it. Over time this humble street of apartments and horses transformed into the well-lit, neon street of advertising that it is today. Everyone who visits New York should at least stop by Time Square, even if you only stay long enough to check out the advertisements and electronic billboards.

If you are planning on visiting New York for New Year’s, good luck getting anywhere near Time Square, this is the single busiest night of the year for the street.

Contrary to popular belief, Coney Island is not an amusement park. It is an amusement area. There is a very important difference that needs to be clarified early. An amusement park is owned by one company. Other businesses may operate inside of the park, but the main business is owned by a single entity. Amusement areas, however, are not owned by one single entity. Amusement areas are similar to amusement parks in that they offer games, rides, shopping, and food, but each of these businesses is independently owned and operated. Several of them likely operate under the same owner, but as a rule, an amusement area is an entertainment district, similar to a bar street, but for family entertainment.

Coney Island first became a major entertainment area after 1880 and before WWII. During these early years, offerings were limited, and safety regulations were non-existent, but as time went on, the attractions grew, and so did safety regulations.

Today the island offers everything from beach access to rollercoasters and other rides as well as plenty of carnival games and shows. The area is open all year, but each business determines its own hours, rather than running on a uniform schedule. Be sure to set aside at least one full day for visiting Coney Island. You should not forget to set aside time to visit the beach as well as the amusement area. Those used to Florida beaches are likely to be surprised by how crowded New England beaches can become, however.

Central Park is one of the most iconic features of New York City. Perhaps it is the simple oddity of the park that endears it to so many. After all, how often do you see a perfectly rectangular, lush green park with all of the features of Central Park in the middle of a sprawling metropolis like New York City? It could also be that the park has been a part of New York almost since the beginning of the city as it is today. Central Park was first approved in 1853, and construction began in the same year. It officially opened to the public in 1858 and has remained open ever since. The entire park is massive, considering the size of the city it resides in. Considering the high cost of real estate in New York and the location of Central Park, it is likely that it would be the most expensive land in the world if it were opened to development. Thankfully, Central Park is a recognized historical landmark and cannot be touched by developers.

The park offers several features, including a small zoo, a lake, and several monuments. One monument that is of particular interest is the Balto monument that honors the mushers and sled dogs that ran the Nome Serum Run, also known as the Great Race of Mercy. This statue commemorates the efforts of the brave mushers and their dogs that delivered a much-needed serum to the small town of Nome Alaska when all other methods of transportation were unavailable. This event also started the traditional Iditarod race that still occurs every year.

Conclusion

There is truly no shortage of things to do in New York City. This list does not do the city justice as there is simply far too much to do even to attempt to list it all here. When visiting New York, it is important to have a schedule, but it is also a good idea to have one day set aside to wander the city simply. Find an area online that looks interesting to explore and just spend the day walking around. Take a taxi and ask the driver for recommendations. No one knows the city like taxi drivers who drive the maze of streets every day. You should visit Central Park and Coney Island if you are in New York. These two places are must-sees when it comes to the city. The various museums and art galleries are also worth checking while you are in town.

One of the best treats in New York is the food. The city has one of the best food cultures in the world and offers some of the most delicious food and unique combinations that you can find anywhere. Want to have authentic Thai food or Sushi? You can easily find both. Maybe you want something more unique like Korean BBQ tacos; you can find that in New York as well. There is no limit to the food that you can find in the city. No matter what your interests are, there is sure to be something for you in New York.