343 Best Sights in New York City, New York

Opened in 2011 to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the somber memorial occupies a large swath of the 16-acre World Trade Center complex, forming the Memorial Plaza (part of the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum). It comprises two recessed, 30-foot-tall waterfalls that occupy the giant, square footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Edging the memorial pools are bronze panels inscribed with the names of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed in the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks. Across the plaza are benches, grassy strips, and more than 400 swamp white oak trees harvested from within a 500-mile radius of the site, as well as from Pennsylvania and near Washington, D.C. The 9/11 Memorial is an open-access, free public plaza.

Along Liberty Street on the south side of the site is the elevated Liberty Park, home to Fritz Koenig's The Sphere, which for three decades stood on the plaza at the World Trade Center as a symbol of peace. Damaged in the 2001 attack, the sculpture was installed in the park in 2017. On the park's east end stands St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine ( stnicholaswtc.org), erected to replace the church that was destroyed on 9/11. Unlike an average church, this house of worship cost $85 million, took 21 years to design and construct, and among its splendid features, was built with white marble sourced from the same Greek quarry as the Parthenon's stone. Visitors are welcome daily (except Tuesday), 10--3; and on Sunday 9--2.

With more than 40 exhibition halls and 34 million artifacts and specimens, the world's largest and most important museum of natural history can easily keep you occupied for more than a day. The dioramas might seem a bit dated but are still fun; dinosaur fossils and exhibits, including a massive T. rex, are highlights for many people, especially kids. A 94-foot model of a blue whale, another museum icon, is suspended from the ceiling in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. Attached to the museum is the Rose Center for Earth and Space featuring various exhibits, the Hayden Planetarium, a giant-screen theater, and the Worlds Beyond Earth space show, which takes you on a cosmic journey to the inner reaches of our solar system. Do your bling thing at the dazzling Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, displaying giant geodes, diamonds, and sapphires, and explore the revitalized Northwest Coast Hall, where you will find exhibits on the history and creativity of the cultures of the Pacific Northwest. The latest addition to this ever-changing museum is the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Innovation, and Education, which opened in mid-2023 adding an organic canyon-like atrium with large skylights to create a welcoming new space for discovery; new galleries dedicated to insects; a permanent butterfly vivarium; classrooms; a research library; and a state-of-the-art theater-in-the-round. 

While admission is pay "as you wish" for locals; there are set admission prices for everyone else, and everyone pays extra for special exhibits and the Planetarium. Many family-friendly events, including storytelling and dance performances, are included with admission. Purchase timed entry tickets in advance, and check the website for special programs, including sleepovers for kids.

Manhattan's Little Italy is overrun with mediocre restaurants aimed at tourists, but Belmont (meaning "beautiful hill"), the Little Italy of the Bronx, is a real, thriving Italian American community. Unless you have family in the area, the main reason to come here is for the food: eating it, buying it, looking at it fondly through windows, and chatting with shopkeepers about it—perhaps getting recipe advice.

Nearly a century after pushcarts on Arthur Avenue catered to Italian American workers constructing the zoo and botanical garden, the area teems with meat markets, bakeries, cheese makers, and shops selling kitchenware (espresso machines, pasta makers, etc.). There are debates about which store or restaurant is the "best," but thanks to generations of Italian grandmothers, most vendors here serve fresh, handmade foods.

Although the area is no longer solely Italian—many Latinos and Albanians share this neighborhood now—Italians dominate the food scene. The covered Arthur Avenue Retail Market ( 2344 Arthur Ave.) is a terrific starting point. It houses some dozen vendors, including the Bronx Beer Hall. Regulars mostly shop on Saturday afternoon; many stores are shuttered on Sunday and after 5 pm.

With 265 acres and more than 17,000 animals representing 700-plus species, this is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, opened in 1899. See exotic creatures in natural settings that re-create native habitats; you're often separated from the animals by no more than a moat or wall of glass. Don't miss the Congo Gorilla Forest, a 6½-acre re-creation of a lush African rain forest with western lowland gorillas, as well as mandrills, okapis, and red river hogs. At Tiger Mountain an open viewing shelter lets you get incredibly close to Siberian tigers. As the big cats nap at midday, visit in the morning or afternoon. Madagascar! is a verdant re-creation of one of the world's most threatened natural habitats, with six species of lemurs and more.

Go on a mini-safari via the Wild Asia Monorail, May through October, weather permitting. Here you can view Asian elephants, Indo-Chinese tigers, Indian rhinoceroses, and other species. Try to visit popular exhibits, such as Congo Gorilla Forest, early to avoid lines later in the day. In winter, some outdoor exhibitions have fewer animals on view, but there's plenty to savor indoors. Some exhibits have an extra charge; to see everything, consider purchasing the Total Experience ticket.

“A drive-through cathedral" is how the journalist James Wolcott once described the Brooklyn Bridge—one of New York's noblest and most recognizable landmarks—perhaps rivaling Walt Whitman's comment that it was "the best, most effective medicine my soul has yet partaken." The bridge stretches over the East River, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. A walk across its promenade—a boardwalk elevated above the roadway, shared by pedestrians and (sometimes aggressive) cyclists—is a quintessential New York experience, and the roughly 40-minute stroll delivers exhilarating views. If you start from Lower Manhattan (enter from the east side of City Hall), you'll end up in the heart of Brooklyn Heights, but you can also take the subway to the Brooklyn side and walk back to Manhattan. From late morning through early evening, the narrow path gets very congested, especially when the weather is nice. Head here early in the morning to find the magical quiet hours.

Most visitors cross the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, but you'll get better views traversing the span from the Brooklyn side. It's a surprisingly long walk (more than a mile) that normally takes about 40 minutes, but the exhilarating views are good payment for your exercise. Many office workers commute this way, and a welcome recent addition is a separate bike lane carved out from a lane of traffic, making the walkway much less crowded during rush hour (7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 6 pm). It's most magical and quietest in the early morning, but if you don't mind the crowds, it's worth making the trip at sunset in summer, when the lights of Manhattan come to life. There are two pedestrian access points for the bridge on the Brooklyn side. One is at the intersection of Tillary Street and Boerum Place, where it eventually splits to lead left for those on foot, right for those on two wheels; the second is the Washington Street underpass, which leads to a staircase up to the walkway.

This sweeping feat of green urban renewal stretches from the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO to the Brooklyn Bridge and south all the way to Pier 6, carpeting old industrial sites along the waterfront with scenic esplanades and lush meadows. The park has playgrounds, sports fields, food concessions, the wonderfully restored Jane's Carousel, and lots of grass for lounging. In the summer, there are outdoor movies on the Harbor View Lawn. There are pickleball courts on Pier 2. You can access the park at various points; just head down the hill toward the East River and you can't miss it.

Strolling this mile-long path famous for its magnificent Manhattan views, you might find it surprising to learn that its origins were purely functional: the promenade was built as a sound barrier to protect nearby brownstones from highway noise. Find a bench, and take in the skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge; in the evening, the lights of Manhattan sparkle across the East River. Below are the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway (BQE) and Brooklyn Bridge Park.

New York’s second-largest museum (after Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art) is also one of the largest in America, with 560,000 square feet of exhibition space. The colossal Beaux-Arts structure houses one of the best collections of Egyptian art in the world, as well as impressive collections of African, pre-Columbian, Native American, and feminist art. In addition, you'll find works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, George Bellows, Thomas Eakins, and Milton Avery. The museum is also well known for its contemporary, cutting-edge special exhibits. The monthly (except for September) First Saturday free-entry night is a neighborhood party of art, music, and dancing, with food vendors and several cash bars.

This lovely green space spread out among landmarks and skyscrapers is one of Manhattan's most popular parks. Tall London plane trees line the perimeter of the sunny central lawn, overlooking stone terraces, flower beds, and snack kiosks. The garden tables scattered about fill with lunching office workers and folks enjoying the park's free Wi-Fi. In summer, there are free readings, live jazz, and "Broadway in Bryant Park" musical theater performances. Most popular of all is the summer film festival: locals leave work early to snag a spot on the lawn for the outdoor screenings each Monday at dusk.

At the east side of the park, near a bronze cast of Gertrude Stein, is the stylish Bryant Park Grill, which has a rooftop garden, and the adjacent open-air Bryant Park Café, open seasonally. On the south side of the park is an old-fashioned carousel ($4) where kids can also attend storytellings and magic shows. Come late October, the park rolls out the artificial frozen "pond" (October–March, daily 8 am–10 pm; skate rental starts at $18) for free ice-skating (bring your own padlock for the lockers). Surrounding the ice rink are the Christmas-market stalls of the holiday shops, selling handcrafted goods and local foods.

This former Nabisco plant—where the first Oreos were baked in 1912—now houses more than 50 shops, food vendors, and sit-down restaurants. Probably the biggest draw are the food kiosks (some with counter seating), including favorite taco spot Los Tacos No. 1, Israeli-based sandwich spot Miznon, Amy's Bread, Berlin Currywurst, Ninth Street Espresso, and so much more. Also look for an Anthropologie store, an outpost of Pearl River Mart, a wine bar, upscale groceries, teas, spices, gift baskets, kitchen supplies, and one of New York City's last independent bookstores (Posman Books). The market's funky industrial design—a tangle of glass and metal for an awning, a factory pipe converted into an indoor waterfall—complements the eclectic assortment of shops, but the narrow space can get very crowded. A downstairs level has a few additional food stands as well as bathrooms. There is some seating inside and outside along West 15th Street, but if the weather's nice, take your goodies to the High Line.

Opened in 2009, the Mets' stadium was designed to hark back to Brooklyn's Ebbets Field (where the Dodgers played until 1957), with a brick exterior and lots of fun features for fans of all ages, from a batting cage and Wiffle-ball field to the original giant apple taken from the team's old residence, Shea Stadium. Even those who aren't Mets fans but simply love baseball should come to see the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, a soaring multistory entrance and history exhibit dedicated to the Dodgers player who shattered baseball's color barrier. While here, don't miss the chance to taste your way through the fabulous food court, set behind center field (on the Field Level), where you'll find Shake Shack burgers and Pig Beach BBQ. Still feeling nostalgic for the old Shea? Stop by the Mets Hall of Fame & Museum.  Behind the scenes ballpark tours ($40) are available year-round; see mlb.com/mets/tickets/tours for schedule and ticketing info. 

Built in 1847 as the founding college of what is now the largest public urban university system in America, City College was originally called Free Academy of the City of New York. Affectionately dubbed the "Harvard of the Proletariat," or "the poor man's Harvard," the idyllic Neo-Gothic campus was designed by George Brown Post (the architect behind the Stock Exchange) and has since expanded to 36 acres. At a time when private universities were predominantly restricted to Protestant students, City College became a beacon for religious tolerance, and over the years, 10 City College graduates went on to win Nobel Prizes, among a long list of notable alumni. It’s also the site where Albert Einstein first presented his theory of general relativity in America. Stroll between Convent Avenue and St. Nicholas Terrace to admire five landmark structures with white terra-cotta trim, four great arches, green spaces, and more than 600 Gothic gargoyles and grotesques, originally designed to symbolize the academic purpose of each building.

The Cooper Hewitt has taken an ornate, century-old mansion—once the residence of industrialist Andrew Carnegie—and outfitted it with the latest technologies and amenities to create a slick, highly interactive, 21st-century experience, so you don’t just look at design; you engage with it. Download the free app to guide you through some of the wide-ranging collection's more than 200,000 objects, including antique cutlery, vintage wallpaper, art and design books, Japanese sword fittings, and examples of robotics and animation. Rotating exhibits may focus on a particular designer or design era.

The focus on design and discovery extends to the SHOP, where limited-edition objects are for sale. There is a café, and an outdoor garden is free and open to the public. The museum offers guided tours aligned to exhibition topics at 1:30. Purchase timed tickets online.

Between 1892 and 1924, millions of people first entered the United States at the Ellis Island federal immigration facility. When the complex closed in 1954, it had processed ancestors of more than 40% of Americans living today. The island's main building, now a national monument, is known as the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, and it tells the story not just of Ellis Island but of immigration from the Colonial era to the present day, through numerous galleries containing artifacts, photographs, and taped oral histories. The museum's centerpiece is the cavernous, white-tile Registry Room (also known as the Great Hall). There's much to take in, so make use of the museum's interpretive tools. Check at the visitor desk for free film tickets, a good audio tour, ranger-led tour times, and special programs.

There is no admission fee for the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island, but an adult ferry ride (from Battery Park to Liberty Island to Ellis Island) costs $24.50 round-trip. Ferries leave from Battery Park (and from Liberty State Park in New Jersey) every 25–30 minutes depending on the time of year (buy your tickets online at  www.statuecruises.com). There are often long security lines, so arrive early, especially if you have a timed-entry ticket. There is an indoor-outdoor café on Ellis Island.

With an iconic silhouette recognizable virtually worldwide, the Empire State Building is an art deco monument to progress, a symbol of NYC, and a star in many romantic scenes—on- and off-screen. Built in 1931 at the peak of the skyscraper craze, this 103-story limestone giant opened after 13 months of construction. The framework rose at a rate of 4½ stories per week, making the Empire State Building the fastest-rising skyscraper ever built.

Enter the visitor experience in the building's designated Observatory lobby—a two-story hall off 34th Street—and exit through the building's iconic 5th Avenue lobby. Purchase or retrieve prepurchased timed tickets at kiosks, then head to the 10,000-square-foot Second Floor Galleries to learn all about the skyscraper—from its engineering to its role in modern culture (including a fun photo op with King Kong himself). There are interactive experiences, along with marvelous art deco design details throughout.

Rise from Floor 2 to reach Floor 80's enclosed observatory, then head to the 86th-floor observatory (1,050 feet high) to find another enclosed area and the spectacular wraparound outdoor deck. The views from the compact 102nd-floor observatory are better still, though it comes with an extra price tag. A new Sunrise@ESB experience ($135) provides preopening access to the 86th floor observation deck on Saturday morning to watch the sunrise with pastries and a custom Starbucks coffee. 

Expect long lines during peak tourist times/seasons—best avoided with weekday morning or winter visits. Plan for three-plus hours to absorb the full experience and to pass through security. Save time by purchasing tickets online in advance.  The building opens the stairs from the 86th floor down to the 80th floor on busy days so visitors can bypass any potential lines.

Housed in a sparkling renovation of an enormous 19th-century warehouse, this collection of shops and restaurants features a 7,000-square-foot rooftop garden with East River and Manhattan views. Tenants include creative agencies and West Elm's global HQ, as well as Time Out Market, upscale Italian restaurant Cecconi's, and Dumbo House, offshoot of Soho House. There are rotating art exhibits throughout the building, plus programming with pop-ups and installations.

Come to Fort Tryon Park to visit the Met Museum's medieval branch, the Cloisters, and stay for the glorious Hudson River views, the gorgeous landscaped gardens, the 8 miles of winding pathways, and the Revolutionary War history. Perched on one of the highest points in Manhattan (hence "the heights,") the 67-acre oasis was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and gifted to New York City in 1935 by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and today its more than 650 varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs are the gifts that keep on giving with every season. During the Revolutionary War, the area was part of the Battle of Fort Washington, a seminal Continental army defeat in the American Revolution. While the Continental Army ultimately prevailed, the site originally named for the last British governor of colonial New York, William Tryon, continued to be referred to as Fort Tryon. Look for the monument to Margaret Corbin, a woman who took up her husband's canon when he was shot and killed during battle: “On this hilltop stood Fort Tryon, the northern outwork of Fort Washington, its gallant defense against the Hessian troops by the Maryland and Virginia regiment 16-November-1776 was shared by Margaret Corbin, the first American woman to take a soldier’s part in the war for liberty.” Other highlights include the Billings Arcade, the remains of a stunning arched entrance to a grand mansion (you've likely seen this on Instagram) and the Heather Garden, where locals welcome spring with parading bagpipes and heather shearings.  Don't miss the gatehouse on your way into the park with the apt sign "NYC's coolest office."

While the Frick Collection's opulent 5th Avenue mansion is being renovated and modernized with new technology, some of the museum's treasures are displayed in this modernist building nearby, formerly the Met Breuer (named for the building's architect, Marcel Breuer) and before that the Whitney Museum of American Art. Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919) made his fortune amid the soot and smoke of Pittsburgh, where he was a coke (a coal fuel derivative) and steel baron, but his amazing art collection of Old Masters is decidedly far removed from soot. Exceptional pieces from the Renaissance through the late 19th century include paintings by Holbein, Vermeer, and Rembrandt, as well as works by El Greco, Goya, van Dyck, Hogarth, Degas, and Turner. The museum also has 18th-century French furniture and delicate Chinese ceramics and other decorative arts. Children under 10 are not admitted. A free mobile guide for Frick Madison is available through Bloomberg Connect. When the collection returns to its mansion home at 1 East 70th Street (likely in late 2024 or early 2025), it will again include the building's restful 5th Avenue garden, dotted with sculptures.

Open year-round to the public (7 am–6 pm daily) and accessible via ferry, Governors Island is essentially a big, charming park that resembles a small New England town; it's popular with locals for biking by the water, festivals, art shows, concerts, and family programs. Wouter van Twiller, a representative for the country of Holland, supposedly purchased the island for his private use, in 1637, from Native Americans for two ax heads, a string of beads, and a handful of nails. In 1784, the island was named for English colonial governors and was used almost exclusively by the American military until the 1960s, when the Coast Guard took it over. In 2002, the city purchased the island and soon began reimagining its 172 acres as versatile public green space. The island's evolution continues with public art installations, all-ages park features, and even the QCNY ( www.qcny.com) luxury "destination day spa" inside the retired barracks. The Governors Island ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Building (free before noon on weekends), while the NYC Ferry links there from Wall Street/Pier 11, Brooklyn's Pier 6, and other docks in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Grand Central is not only the world's largest (49 acres and 44 platforms) and the nation's busiest railway station, but also one of the world's most magnificent public spaces, the majesty of its 1913 building preserved, in part, by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's 1975 campaign to save it as a landmark. The main concourse stands roughly 12 stories high and is modeled after an ancient Roman public bath. Overhead, a twinkling fiber-optic map of the constellations covers the ceiling. Of course, Grand Central still functions primarily as a transit hub: underground, trains travel to the Hudson Valley and to Connecticut via the Metro-North commuter rail and to Long Island via the Long Island Rail Road; the subway connects here as well.

To best admire Grand Central's exquisite Beaux-Arts architecture, avoid rush hour and head up one of the staircases at either end, where upscale restaurants occupy balcony spaces. From this level, you can survey the concourse and feel the terminal's dynamism. Then head to the southwest corner to reach the tucked-away The Campbell cocktail lounge. Around and below the main concourse are fantastic shops and eateries—including the Grand Central Oyster Bar.  If you're with a friend, position yourselves in opposite corners of the tiled passageway just outside the Oyster Bar, facing away from each other, and murmur your secrets to the wall. Or just stand and watch others indulge in the delightful acoustic oddity that is the whispering gallery. Take Walks NYC (  www.takewalks.com/new-york-tours/grand-central-tours) leads two official daily walking tours for $35 at 11 am and 3 pm.

The quiet green spaces of New York City are treasured by locals, and one of the best is Hudson River Park, a 5-mile path from Battery Place to 59th Street. This riverside stretch, incorporating the piers that jut out into the Hudson, has been renovated into a landscaped park with walking and cycling paths, a seasonal minigolf course, dog runs, and skate parks. The TriBeCa portion consists of Piers 25 and 26, and has picnic spaces, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, and an educational river-ecology area. The areas adjacent to the West Village (Piers 45 and 46) and near Chelsea (Piers 63 and 64) are equally attractive, with lots of spots for leisure and recreation. To the north, beginning at 72nd Street, is Riverside Park.