A Guide to the City That Never Sleeps.
New York City, the city that never sleeps, is a bustling metropolis that attracts millions of visitors every year. With so much to see and do, it can be a bit of stress to plan a trip to the New York City.
If you are planning to visit New York on a vacation or You are living here for years and looking for a perfect plan for exploring New York, Empire Echoes got your back. In this article I am going to talk about the Top 10 Places to Visit in New York that you cannot miss.
As a bonus, I will Mention the Most important tips to make your Journey to New York more memorable and worth it. Without an organized plan you cannot cover the best tourist attractive city in the world New York in a short time. Let’s get started now-
Our Top 10 Picks:
10. Time Square ( The Heart of the New York)
9. Central Park (The Oxygen of New Yorkers).
8. Observation Decks ( View the City from the Top).
7. Highline & Hudson Yard . ( A romantic walk with your partner)
6. PIERS (River side)
5. Brooklyn Bridge & World trade center.
4. Museums.
3. Grand Central Terminal.
2. The Ground Zero & National Memorial.
1. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. (A journey of adventure)
10. TIME SQUARE (THE HEART OF THE NEW YORK)
Ah, The Time Square, The heart of New York City that attracts 90% of tourists in New York. When you step into the area of Time Square that is starting from West 42nd street to West 47th street on 7th Avenue Manhattan, your retinas will start growing big with the lighting of all electronic billboards. It will feel like you are in a world of light under an open sky.
Time Square has its own history and it was named after the News Paper “The New York Times”. Nobody gets bored of visiting here if it’s his 100th time. I always visit there to see the crowd and the different activities of different people.
The first thing you need to do when you go to visit one of the best places in New York is to walk around for at least half an hour. I can promise that your half an hour walk will feel like a 30 seconds walk. In this half an hour of walk you will figure out all the entertaining things happening around the area.
Things you can enjoy in Time Square:
- Giant TV screens and digital billboards, creating an immersive experience.
- Costumed characters, from Elmos to Spider-Men, adding a playful touch.
- Street performers, from musicians to acrobats, entertaining the crowds.
- Broadway theaters, showcasing world-class productions.
- Food options galore, from classic NYC hot dogs to upscale restaurants.
Tips and Secrets:
Visit at dawn or dusk for fewer crowds and stunning light effects
* Grab a seat at the TKTS booth for discounted same-day Broadway tickets.
* Explore nearby Hell’s Kitchen for a more laid-back dining experience.
* Look out for hidden gems like the Time Square Museum & Visitor Center.
* Don’t miss the Midnight Moment, when the billboards display a synchronized light show.
9. Central Park:
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of New York City, Central park stands as a tranquil escape, a heaven of nature and beauty. This is the biggest human made park that is now the best place of relaxation for the NewYorkers.
Central Park can be your best place to visit in New York if you have enough time to spend there. This park is located on 843 acres of land in the heart of Manhattan starting from west 59th street to 110th street. It’s tough to explore the whole park in One day. Trust me , I have visited Central Park more than 10 times but couldn’t see the whole park yet. I am going to shortlist the activities you must do if visiting Central Park.
- You can have a long walk in this place or rent a bike to explore park trails and paths including Six Mile Loop.
- Boat or Kayak renting can be a good idea to enjoy a relaxing ride on the lake if you have enough time in your hand.
- Plan a picnic on the Great Lawn to enjoy a meal with friends and family.
- You can experience iconic sights like the Loeb Boathouse, the Conservatory Garden and the Bethesda Fountain.
- There are so many playgrounds available, so you can play games with your friends or kids.
- You can visit museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History during your Central Park trip.
- If you like fishing, your Central Park trip will be more exciting for you. Because you can go fishing legally at Harlem Meer totally free of cost. (You cannot keep the fish that you catch).
There are so many more things you can do in Central Park when you visit the park including making your sketch picture by the street artists, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride or a ride on the Central Park Carousel, Visiting the Central Park Zoo, ice skating during winter months, enjoying beautiful water features and attending different performances.
Tips for Central Park Trip:
To make the trip to one of the most attractive places in New York more enjoyable and safe you need to keep in mind 3 things.
- Check the weather before making the plan to Central Park. Make Sure the day is not Cloudy or Rainy.
- Plan to spend a long time at the park. My suggestion is to start the tour at 11 O clock in the Morning.
- Make a group of Friends or Make a plan with your family. Bring enough food for a great lunch at the park.
8. Observation Decks:
Viewing the city from the top is one of the best experiences you can have in your NYC trip. There are currently 5 amazing observation decks available in NewYork and all of them are located in Manhattan. Each one of the decks will give you a different experience. To have a thrilling experience you must visit at least one of the 5 observation Decks in Manhattan.
To visit any observation deck will cost you Ticket price but this is reasonable if you dont add extra adventures with it. Basically you can keep a budget of $50-$100 to get a standard experience. Let me walk you through a brief description of every one of them and you choose which one you should go first.
- Empire State Building:
Empire State building is the world famous building located in Midtown Manhattan. It has two observation decks available. One is on 86th floor that is outdoor deck provide you 360° view of the city with the closer view of all other iconic landmarks.
You can see Brooklyn , East River ,The Edge, Hudson Yards ,Hudson River, New Jersey city, Lower Manhattan, One World Trade Center, One Vanderbilt , Top Of the Deck and Central Park from the different side of the deck. 102nd floor has a indoor deck but this is not as great as the outdoor deck, but the price for the ticket to 102nd floor is almost double then the 86th floor outdoor deck.
To book your visit to Empire State Building , Check ticket plans and offers on ESBNYC.
- Top of the Rock:
Top of the Rock is the cheapest observation deck compared to other four but providing you the best view in my opportunity. It has 3 Decks starting from 67th floor that is a indoor deck. Then you can go upto 69th floor that has glass walls but a very good view point and amazing place to take some awesome pictures with all the famous sights of New York City. You can see the Empire State Building and The Central Park at a same time from two different side of the deck. 70th floor has no glass walls and provide 360° views of the city. You can take pictures from here without any glass wall.
Book Your Ticket here!
- The Edge and The City Climb:
The Edge is located in Hudson Yards and the most thrilling observation decks in New York. The Edge has Sky Deck on 100th floor that is hovering over 100 floor on City Street and as it has glass panelled floor you can look down to the city street and keep your eyes on the Yellow cabs running on the street. The edge also has an indoor deck on 101th floor that gives you 360° views of the city.
If you dare enough to do the City Climb you will get the most thrilling experience. It will take 2 hours to complete the experience with using a suit and harness to go up 161 stairs to the apex and lean out of the edge.
Book Your Trip here to The Edge now!
- One World Observatory:
One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the 7th tallest building in the world and the One World Observatory is located there. You will be at the tallest sky-scraper of the city and see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island together along with the New Jersey city , Brooklyn , Queens and Staten Island.
This deck has hi-tech elevator ride with a time lapse video of the history of New York City and The life of New York.
Book your ticket to One World Observatory Now!
- Summit One Vanderbilt:
The best observation deck I have ever visit in my life. Summit One Vanderbilt is the only observation deck that has 3 different decks with different activities , design and Views. It took the viewing experience on another level with the installation of art, big views and different amazing room designs including Transcendence 1,2, Affinity, Unity and levitation.
Affinity is the room where you and thousands of silver balloons will be drifting together. Unity offers you to look for your face in the cloud and the Levitation is standing on a glass box that hovers over one thousand feet up from the city street.
You can see the closest view of Empire State building and the Crysler Building. Enjoy the best sunset view along with the Empire state building top deck.
To book ticket to Summit One Vanderbilt visit here!
Tips for Visiting Observation Decks:
To make the trip to any observation deck in New York City, You need to use some common tips. I am mentioning some of them below.
- Check the weather before making the plan to visit observation decks. If the weather is not sunny your trip is not going to be great.
- Buy the tickets online advance to avoid waiting on a long line and avoid the ticket price increase.
- To enjoy best views of Manhattan in day time, then enjoy the sunset and see the city at night, plan your visit to observation decks at the evening.
7. HIGH LINE PARK & VESSEL:
Lets share another idea of spending another day in New York with Highline and Hudson Yards. You can start the day from the Chelsea Market with having a breakfast from their delicious menu.
Chelsea Market, Highline and the Hudson Yards are connected with each other. Chelsea Market is one of the big retail shopping market in New York City with dozens of different renowned restaurants with most delicious food menu that making Chelsea the most popular food hall in the world.
After having your breakfast or lunch you can start your journey on Highline, the best park for walking in the west of Manhattan. Highline was a railway line before but it was later transformed to an urban park. It is 1.45 miles long that will end to the Hudson Yards. If you want to explore the whole Highline park it will take your 2-3 hours and give you an amazing experience of the park.
What you can expect on your walk?
- Enjoy the natural views and the artificial architecture combination.
- Enjoy the gardens that still growing from 25 years .
- Enjoy the arts from different artists.
- Watch the outstanding city buildings and architectures on your surroundings.
When you finish your walk on Highline and reach Hudson Yards, you can see the Vessel that will attract your eyes first. The honeycomb like 16 stories most newest landmark is the best attraction of Hudson Yards. If you book a ticket in advance to go inside of the Vessel then you can go upstair and check it out. In my opinion, if you have enough time in your hand you should definitely buy a ticket before and explore the whole Vessel. Whatever you do don’t forget to go inside of the Hudson Yard shopping market. This is another example of outstanding architectural design.
6. PIERS ON THE HUDSON & EAST RIVER:
This is one of my best weekend activities. Piers are located on Manhattan Island spreading over the Hudson River and East River. All piers are accessible with a long bike highway called Empire State Trail. You can spend a whole month visiting piers everyday. Starting from the Lower Manhattan Battery Park to the Upper Manhattan, I love every Single Pier. I would mention Only a Couple Pier here today, but I will write a whole blog about all piers with amazing views and activities later.
Pier 11 & 15:
If you want to have a ferry journey you are welcome to pier 11. This is the NYC ferry terminal from where you can visit Brooklyn and other places for $3. This is not expensive at all but will give you the most amazing ferry journey in the Hudson and East river. Pier 15 is the largest boat tour operator. Guided tour boats and cruises leave from here.
Pier 35:
Let’s talk about the most beautiful Pier in my opinion. Pier 35. This pier is a new addition by NYC and the most visited place for sunset lovers. This pier has the beautiful view of Brooklyn bridge with 4 large swings that are made of wood. You can enjoy the East river, brooklyn bridge and the sunset all together here in Pier 35.
Pier 55:
Have you ever heard of Little Island in New York? Just imagine one small artificial island on the East river that is going to fit in your every dream if you visit once here. This is Pier 55. Visit with your friends, family or with your partner. It will be an amazing trip for sure.
Pier 96:
If you are visiting from May to October go to Pier 96 on a sunny day. If you like kayaking this pier is best for you. You can rent a kayak totally free of cost and relax by escaping the city life.
As I am writing this blog on 10 Best places you need to visit in New York City, I cannot write about all those amazing piers. But trust me the views from each piers are nicer than one another.
Tips for Visiting Piers:
- Rent a bike earlier in the morning and start the journey from Battery Park.
- Get a group of friends or take your family with you.
- Plan for one whole day.
- Don’t stop by only one Pier, they are more attractive then one another.
- Take a bike ride on the Empire State Trail.
- Take a good camera with you to capture amazing views or keep your phone’s battery full.
- Definitely choose a sunny day.
5. BROOKLYN BRIDGE & BRIDGE PARK:
When you are in New York you must need to visit one of the oldest suspension bridges in the world that connected the Manhattan and Brooklyn. Yes, I am talking about Brooklyn Bridge. took 13 years to be complete the bridge and this is the first bridge that connected two part of the New York City.
Crossing the bridge by foot an amazing journey that will give you the pleasure of enjoying both sides of the bridge and watching the East River standing on top of it. When walking on Brooklyn Bridge you can also see the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan bridge , Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan, One World Trade Center and even Empire state building and so on.
Best time to visit the bridge is sunset. It gives a remarkable view and a charming atmosphere for taking awesome pictures. Sunrise is also a good time to visit. You will get the bridge empty and enough room for getting more angle for taking pictures. A rainy day or a day with snow can be a good time to visit the bridge. Most of the people like to stay home during these days, So it can be a good time for you to explore the bridge.
Brooklyn Bridge Park and Dumbo:
This is the most amazing place in Brooklyn. I always suggest people to start their journey to brooklyn bridge after exploring the whole Brooklyn Bridge Park side and The Dumbo. If you miss this you miss a big part of New York City.
When you are planning to spend a good time in this part, You must include the following spots in your list.
The Old Pier 1 & Pier 1:
Remember the piers I talked in last part of this post? Piers are not only in Manhattan, They are started from Downtown brooklyn.
Old pier 1 is the place where you will see a lots of big rocks near the river . From here you can see the Manhattan Skyline. I remember, Once I visited there at the sunset, it was mesmerizing. I still remember that view.
Pier 1 is a great place by the East River offering you a space for relaxation and public art. You can have the panoramic view of lower part of Manhattan along with Brooklyn bridge and Manhattan bridge.
Squibb Park and Bridge:
Don’t forget to walk on the wooden bridge when its almost dark. This small bridge is amazing when the lights are bright. Also visit Squibb Park.
You can also visit Pier 3, Brooklyn Heights promenade , Brooklyn bridge Instagram spot, Jane’s Carousel, Pebble Beach and Empire stores. There are also so many Restaurants with delicious menu with a nice view. For better experience you can go to River Deli, Cecconi’s, Celestine, River Cafe and Time out market.
Tips for Brooklyn Bridge:
- Start from brooklyn side.
- Spend the day time in Brooklyn . Visit all the mentioned place.
- Start your walk to the bridge at sunset.
- Buy some gift and souvenirs with a good price.
- Visit the business district in Lower Manhattan.
- Visit the Charging bull and One World Trade Center in one day.
4. MUSEUMS IN NEW YORK:
New York is a home of museums. Some of the world’s best museums are located here. When you are visiting New York you must visit some museums to learn and experience the history of the city. There are so many museums you can visit, among them The Museum of Modern art should be on the top.
You can also visit Guggenheim, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Brooklyn Museum. All of them contain valuable historic evidence.
My last visit was to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. This is the biggest wax museum in the world that has so many floors where you can see the statue of the most popular people of the world. It was a great experience.
Tips to Visit Museums:
- Choose the museum according to your interest.
- Buy the ticket in advance. Most of them required a ticket.
- Try to learn something instead of only visiting.
3. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL:
Okay, let me ask you something. Did you ever think that only a subway or train station can be a big reason of attraction for a city? No, right? If your answer is “No” that means you haven’t visited Grand Central Terminal in New York yet. This is one of the best place for visit in NYC if you are here for the first time. This iconic landmark was opened to public in 1913 and built by New York Central Railroad. This is only the subway station that host more than 75,000 visitors every single day.
Grand Central Terminal looks like a museum of trains with 67 tracks to different part of the city and the different states of United States.
Now lets talk about the interesting sites that you can experience in Grand Central Terminal:
Cinematic Main Concourse:
Main Concourse is the breathtaking place of Grand Central Terminal. As you step into the place , The sound of announcements and the hum of activity fills the air, as travellers from all walks of life rush in a 275 foot long space to catch their trains or meet loved ones. The ceiling of the main concourse is featuring astronomical mural paintings with 12 constellations and 2,500 stars.This place was featured in most amazing movies including The Avenger (2012), Superman and X-Man.
“Crown Jewel of Grand Central”, the most famous clock in all over New York City is standing at the center of the main concourse. When most of the New Yorkers say “Meet me at the clock” everyone understands which clock they are talking about. This famous clock costs $20 millions USD and standing to help people to catch their train in time and give them a big relief when they are in rush.
Main concourse is the first and the most attractive place in Grand Central Terminal.
Whispering Gallery:
Whispering gallery is one of the most famous spots in Grand Central Terminal, where you can stand facing the wall while your friend can stand on the another side and you can talk in a very low whisper but still can hear each other very clearly that feels like you are standing next to each other. This can be an amazing experience for your children as the gallery will transmit their conversation corner to corner. This can be a good trick to keep the excitement more high when travelling grand central terminal.
Explore the Kissing Room:
The Biltmore Room in Grand Central Terminal became famous as the Kissing Room because of being the evidence of millions of goodbye and welcome hugs and kisses. In World War II, soldiers used to say goodbye to their loved ones in the Biltmore Room, since then it has witnessed countless goodbyes and reunions. The beautiful mosaics and stained glass ceilings of the room make an intimate setting for the couples to share their deep kisses before parting away.
Shopping and Dining :
Believe it or not, Grand Central Terminal is also offering you a wide range of shopping and dining opportunities. It has 65 different stores selling all types of products to the passengers. You can also have all types of restaurants and sweet stores inside the terminal including Shake Shake and Mangolia Bakery.
Tips for Grand Central Terminal:
- Try to visit in the evening.
- Take your family or beloved ones with you.
- Try to check out different tracks and trains.
- Observe the people rushing in the Main Concourse.
- Visit Jackie Kennedy Onassis Foyer.
- Visit the New York Transit Museum and Annex at the same time.
- Take photos in front of Crown Jewel for memory.
2. THE GROUND ZERO & NATIONAL 9/11 MEMORIAL:
Do you still remember the day of September 11, 2001? The darkest day of American History when the twin towers were attacked by two Planes and collapsed within 10 seconds and took 3000 lives away from us. This terrific day has changed the country and the life of the people in the United States. Ground Zero is the area where the tower collapsed and took several months to clean up. This area covers The National 9/11 Memorial Museum, The 9/11 Memorial Pool, World Trade Center and the FDNY Memorial Walls.
GROUND ZERO is one of the best places to visit in New York City and most of the visitors don’t miss this place during their travel to NYC. I strongly recommend everyone to visit this place as its remembers those who lost their lives in the attack on September ,11.
If you just visit The 9/11 Memorial there is no fee. You can see the Memorial pools those are human made water falls made on south and north side where the towers were located. Memorial Glade remembers the fighters , workers and all others associated with the recovering process of the place and the Survivor tree which survived the attack and replanted.
To learn more about the tragedy and the history you need to visit The Memorial Museum that will cost you a small entry fee but this is worth it. The museum tells the whole story and you can learn about the people who lost their lives in the attack. There are collections of evidence of terrorist attacks in 1993 and 2001.
Book your ticket to The 9/11 Memorial Museum here!
Things to do in Ground Zero:
- Visit every single place that is related with the attack.
- Visit the museum for sure.
- Visit the world trade center to learn more about the history and experience the observation deck.
- Visit Westfield shops at Oculus.
1. STATUE OF LIBERTY & ELLIS ISLAND:
According to me and 95% of visitors in New York, Statue of Liberty is the Best place to visit in New York and it is ranked #1. The Statue of Liberty and The Ellis Island are the first imagination of thousands of visitors in New York as they are the Symbol of American freedom and opportunities. The tour to these two places will be an extreme adventure and a memorable experience for anybody.
To visit Liberty Island you have to book a ticket in advance from the official website. Once you have the ticket you can access Ellis Island on your way back from Liberty Island.
The journey to Liberty Island starts from Battery Park, One of the best parks in Manhattan that represents lots of monuments and historic evidence. Once you are in Battery Park you can enjoy the views of Lower Manhattan and watch the natural beauty along with all monuments. Then you can start your journey to Liberty Island by passing the security checkup.
Once you pass the security check up you will be waiting to get on the cruise. This is the best ride you will ever have in NYC. You only heard of Titanic, but when you will be on the top of the cruise and it will speed up, you will feel like you are on the Titanic Deck.
As the Cruise starts, your camera should be open to capture the panoramic views of Manhattan harbour and skyline. You can never forget this view. As the cruise approaches Liberty Island the Liberty Lady will be catching your eyes. The cruise will give you the 360° views of the Liberty Lady.
To book your trip to Liberty Island and Ellis Island Visit Here!
There are so many things to do and learn on this trip to these two Islands. Read my another blog about the tour to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
TIPS FOR STATUE OF LIBERTY AND ELLIS ISLAND:
- Book your ticket online in Advance.
- Start your journey by afternoon.
- Get on the top of the ferry.
- Explore the Liberty State Park Museum located on Liberty Island.
- Walk on the pedestal and the crown of the Statue to get the bird’s eye view.
- Get off to Ellis Island to learn more about immigrants and the process.
- Take outstanding pictures on both islands.
- Come back during sunset to enjoy the view from the cruise.
