I've been to New York City many times, and I know that it's not just Times Square and Central Park. In fact, there are so many other things to do in New York that you can easily miss if you don't look closely enough. So here's my list of my favorite places not only for tourists but also locals (and travelers who want to feel like locals).
It's the most visited urban park in the U.S., and there are tons of things to do there! If you're looking for an easy place to start, check out Central Park. It's more than 843 acres and has over 20 million visitors a year. There's something for everyone: you can catch free concerts or take a carriage ride around the park; if you want something more active, try taking a jog or bike ride (they even have rental bikes available).
The Empire State Building is a great place to visit. It's the tallest building in New York and has great views of the city from its observation deck. The first time I went there, I was amazed by how many people were there! There are also other places in New York that offer observation decks, including Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock (also at Rockefeller Center). My favorite part about visiting these places is when you get to see all of Manhattan lit up at night—it looks magical!
American Museum of Natural History
This all-in-one museum is a must-see for any New York visitor. It's just as much fun for kids as it is for adults, and there are plenty of events that are free or discount to make your trip more affordable. The museum spans four floors with exhibits ranging from ancient Egypt to dinosaurs, so there's something for everyone!
Hours: Open daily 10am - 5:45pm (with select exceptions)
Admission cost: Adults $25; Children $17
If you're looking to continue on with your day in the city after visiting the museum, you can stop by Central Park which is located just south of the museum. This 2.5 mile long park has plenty of green areas where you can relax and enjoy some fresh air after being cooped up inside!
The High Line is a public park on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. It is a 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km) linear park built on an elevated section of a disused New York Central Railroad spur, with its southern end at Gansevoort Street and 10th Avenue and its northern end at 34th Street near Tenth Avenue. The rail line was abandoned in 1980, and proposals to re-use it as part of the Manhattan street grid were stalled for decades until it was finally opened in 2009 after an extensive renovation that included planting grasses, flowers and trees along the entire length of the trackbed between Gansevoort Street to 20th Street/8th Avenue.
9/11 Memorial and Museum: Must-see for any visitor to New York, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is a moving and powerful place to visit. It’s free to visit, open every day of the year (except Thanksgiving Day), and located near the World Trade Center site. The museum is open from 10am to 8pm daily.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in Central Park, is one of the largest art museums in the world. It contains more than two million works of art that span 5,000 years of history. The collection includes Egyptian, Greek and Roman sculptures; Asian art; European paintings and sculptures; American decorative arts; modern and contemporary art including photography and prints. There are also many special exhibitions held at this museum throughout the year.
If you have time to visit only one museum while in New York City, make it this one!
The Statue of Liberty is a sight to behold, and a must-see when you visit New York. You can get up close to Lady Liberty on your way in or out of the city via ferry. You'll also want to experience the view from the Brooklyn Bridge while you're here.
If you're interested in exploring (and eating) your way through DUMBO (the acronym for "Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass"), it's worth taking a walk over there and seeing how many trendy restaurants are packed into such a small area!
Tourists flock to Times Square on any given day, but if you're looking for something less crowded with more character, head north of Central Park toward Grand Central Terminal instead—it offers beautiful architecture as well as museums inside!
Brooklyn Bridge & DUMBO
Brooklyn Heights
The Promenade
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Times Square is one of the most famous areas in New York City. It's known for its neon signs and billboards, which are lit up at night to attract tourists and draw attention to businesses.
Times Square is also a major tourist destination. Each year, more than 50 million people visit the area—almost half of whom come from overseas.
This area has been called “the crossroads of the world" because it's located at an intersection between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, two major streets in downtown Manhattan. The name "Times Square" dates back to 1904 when newspaper publisher Adolph Ochs (1858-1935) bought land surrounding this intersection and began developing it into a business district with tall buildings containing offices for his newspaper company as well as theaters, restaurants, hotels and other businesses that benefit from high visibility in this location
Grand Central Terminal is the largest train station in the world, and it's an iconic building. It's a great place to get lost in—there are many shops and restaurants inside and you can watch trains from above, or simply enjoy being surrounded by so much natural light. The ceilings are painted with constellations (made from gold leaf), which makes you feel like you're in another world. Although there are many hidden secrets in this building, one secret I always enjoy seeing is an old advertisement for Coca-Cola that has been painted on top of a marble wall for over 100 years!
Don't limit yourself to a few tourist attractions. New York has so much more to offer.
You can find a list of things to do in New York on TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet.
New York is a huge city, with so much to see and do. If you’re planning your first trip, don’t be afraid to try something new! You can still visit Times Square and Central Park, but I hope this list has given you some ideas of what else is out there waiting for visitors like us. And remember: if you ever get tired of all those museums and restaurants (though who could ever get tired of that?), just take a moment to sit down and enjoy the view from wherever it happens to be—or even better yet, get lost in an endless conversation with someone new about their favorite part of New York City.