The 15 Best Things to Do in New York City

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If you’re planning a visit to New York City for the first time, it’s natural to be a little overwhelmed. There are so many iconic locations to visit. Narrowing down the list can be challenging, but it is necessary if you want to be able to enjoy your trip rather than rushing through each destination.

On my first visit to the city, I had to narrow down what I most wanted to see. I had some things in mind from film and television, but I also asked friends who lived there what they would most recommend for a first-time guest to the Big Apple.

Confession: I fell hopelessly in love with New York City. While I thought I would feel out of place, I enjoyed everything about it. Even though I’ve been back many times, there’s always something new to see and do.

Here’s my list of must-see destinations.

1. Visit Central Park

Central Park is an absolute must-see in New York City. I don’t think I realized the full scope of this park when I first visited. It’s enormous!

My children love it for its incredible playgrounds spread all over the park. They love the convenience of ice cream and hot dog stands. They were fascinated by the carousel and ice skating at Wollman Rink.

For me, it’s a pocket of peace in the city where residents and visitors alike enjoy the green space. I loved seeing people walking dogs in little sweaters, cyclists casually sipping a latte while riding through the park, joggers running by groups of tourists, and visiting all the iconic park destinations like the Bethesda Fountain, the Alice in Wonderland sculpture, Belvedere Castle, Vista Rock, and the Central Park Zoo.

2. See the Statue of Liberty

To see the Statue of Liberty, you’ll want to head to Battery Park to take the ferry to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Both are included in the cost of your ticket. Crown tickets are also available, but sadly, they weren’t available at the time of my visit due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you choose to climb to the top, it’s 354 steps up a cramped stairwell that isn’t temperature-controlled. Masks are still required to visit, and advanced reservations are recommended to visit the island.

I didn’t go to the Statue of Liberty on my first few visits to New York City. Instead, I waited until I could bring my children with me. We enjoyed seeing this iconic monument as well as the museum at Ellis Island, but the memory that will probably stick with my children the most is the carousel at Battery Park that we rode after getting back from our visit.

3. Take in the Views from the Top of the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is simply too iconic to miss. Some of my favorite movie moments were set here — from An Affair to Remember to Elf. I’ve been to the top at night to enjoy the city lights, but I’d love to go back again during the day on a future visit. Whenever you go, it’s easy to acquire tickets and ride to the top. You can even take a souvenir photo to commemorate your visit.

4. Walk the High Line

The High Line is a New York City public park on a historic rail line. It runs through the West Side of Manhattan and opened in 2009 as a place for visitors to enjoy art, nature, and city views. It should be noted that service dogs are the only dogs allowed on the trails. Recreational vehicles, skateboards, scooters, skates, and bicycles are also prohibited. It’s a truly unique way to see the city, and there are plenty of stops along the way to shop or eat just off The High Line.

5. Explore the American Museum of Natural History

I cannot recommend The American Museum of Natural History highly enough! They have dinosaur fossils on display, a butterfly room, giant-screen films, art exhibts, and the Hayden Planetarium. It’s an amazing place to visit for all ages. While the line can be intimidatingly long to get into the museum, I have to say that it was one of my favorite stops on my first trip to the city.

6. Visit the Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art’s reputation precedes it, and it remains my favorite museum in Manhattan — so far. A visit to the museum will put you right in front of Monet’s waterlilies and Van Gogh’s Starry Night, but you might also see lesser known but equally mesmerizing art throughout this spacious museum.

There’s so much to see that you could easily spend a day wandering the galleries, but if you have limited space in your itinerary, you can always grab a map and plot the galleries you most want to see on your visit.

7. Pay Your Respects at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum

I didn’t want to see the 9/11 Memorial on my first visit. My emotions still felt too raw. But when I brought my children to the city, I knew it was time.

We talked about where I was when the planes struck the Twin Towers, and we walked along the Memorial reading the names of those lost. There’s also a museum dedicated to this tragedy and the lives lost in it.

We’ll never forget, and the least we can do is to stop by and pay our respects to those lost in this terror attack.

8. See a Musical on Broadway

To date, I’ve seen three Broadway shows, and I’d love to see more. On my first visit, I saw Waitress. On my next visit, I took my children to see Aladdin. When we next made it to the city, we got tickets for Wicked. There are so many shows to see that it can feel daunting to choose, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of them. It’s an amazing and surprisingly intimate experience.

9. Marvel at Times Square

Times Square has all the hustle and bustle you’d imagine. While it’s not my favorite place to hang out in the city, it’s still worth seeing. I saw it on the way to a Broadway show, and it’s certainly a marvel. With bright lights and videos everywhere, it’s a fairly immersive experience. However, I can see how this destination could easily be overwhelming to many visitors.

10. Visit Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is a such a neat place to stop in New York City. It’s especially fun in the late fall and winter when there’s ice skating, Christmas trees, and holiday lights. You can visit Top of the Rock for 360 degree views of the city. You can visit the Channel Gardens at The Plaza. You’ll even be able to visit Radio City Music Hall. While there’s so much to see and do, I visited in the late fall to enjoy ice skating, a trip to an iconic toy store, and to witness the tree lighting.

11. Enjoy a New York Bagel

You can, of course, visit New York City and not try a bagel — but why would you? I was directed to H&H Bagel as one of the best on the Upper East Side, and it did not disappoint. An easy search online will give you tons of options for the best of the best all over the city. No matter which you choose, you’ll find that bagels here just aren’t like the bagels back home somewhere else.

12. Visit the New York Public Library

The New York Public Library with its matching lion statues was on my bucket list for my first trip to New York. The art and architecture of this historic destination is worth seeing, and it was fun to go inside and wander through these hallowed halls.

As a committed bookworm, I paired this visit with one to The Strand Bookstore, but the library will always stand out in my mind as one of those destinations worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

13. Grab a Slice of New York Pizza or a Hot Dog from a Street Cart

My first New York City pizza was disappointing. There were so many options that I found myself choosing one at random off the street. In subsequent visits, I’ve made sure to find better pizza options — which really isn’t hard to do with a little advanced research.

I equally recommend trying a hot dog from one of the many street carts you’ll find around the city. Honestly, taking kids to the city was great because we could find pizza and hot dogs everywhere — prime kid-friendly food. Plus, when you’re starving from walking the city and want to find a quick bite, there are street carts and food trucks everywhere.

14. Relive an Iconic Moment in Movie History

One of my absolute favorite New York City experience was a visit to Katz’s Delicatessen, the iconic filming location for that scene in When Harry Met Sally.

Since this is probably my favorite movie of all time, I was thrilled when the couple seated at the famous table got up just as I was walking by and signaled that I should take it. I sat in Meg Ryan’s chair and tried to resist the temptation to act out the scene in question. It was a thrill to be in one of my absolute favorite movie scenes, and the food was great, too.

15. Visit FAO Schwarz

FAO Schwarz might just be best known for the scene with Tom Hanks in the movie Big, but it’s just a really cool place to visit. Yes, you can walk on the iconic floor piano and play a tune — and yes, I did.

You’ll also get a great view of the fountain and The Rink at Rockefeller Center. It’s a fun store, and you’ll find toy soliders dressed up and greeting you at the door. It’s not to be missed!

Your First Visit to New York City

Face it: It’s impossible to see everything you want to see on your first visit unless you have multiple weeks at your disposal to do so. Most of my visits were for long weekends, and I still managed to see so many things that have long been on my bucket list.

Now, I take it at a more leisurely pace. There are still destinations that attract my attention, but I don’t feel like I have to see and do everything.

I can just soak in the city, which is much friendlier than most people would have you believe. Whatever you choose to see or do, you’re sure to find something to delight in when you visit the Big Apple.