New York is a place you may well feel like you’ve been to before, even if you haven’t. It’s one of the most famous cities in the world, never mind the USA, and its streets and iconic landmarks are featured in many movies and TV shows.
Seeing it all up close, however, is even more exciting given this sense of renown and recognition – and there is a lot to squeeze into any trip to the Big Apple. This guide will take you through the best things to do in New York so you don’t miss the top attractions, as well as providing some top tips to help with your sightseeing.
Times Square and Broadway
You’ll find the famous bright lights of Times Square, New York’s most popular attraction, at the heart of Manhattan.
It’s situated within the Theater District, and it’s here that you’ll find costumed characters and dozens of glittering Broadway theatres to be entertained at. Whether you want to wander around the pedestrianized area or see an award-winning show, there are several places to park your car, including 250 W 43rd St and 333 W 46th St.
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the USA from France to celebrate the nation’s 100th birthday, and it is an appropriately grand present. A monument famed globally, it is almost 100 metres from the base to the tip of the torch and is officially known as ‘Liberty Enlightening the World’.
Drive to lower Manhattan and leave your car at St. George Ferry Terminal to board a ferry. This can either be the free service to Staten Island that will take 25 minutes each way and enable you to see this landmark from a distance or, if you would like to get closer to Liberty Island, you can book on a tour to do this and even visit the crown. Access is limited so be sure to reserve tickets in advance.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is one of the most iconic structures on the New York skyline. You can find parking just a few minutes’ walk away, including 9 West 31st Street and 7W 28th Street. Don’t forget to look up as you walk towards this building, which from when it was built in 1931 until 1970 was the tallest in the world at 443 metres.
Head up to the 86th and 102nd floors for panoramic views from the observation deck. If you think it is spectacular during the day, try it at night – when the top floors are illuminated and it is even more magical.
Rockefeller Center
The Rockefeller Center can be found in Midtown Manhattan, and it is here that Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show are filmed. If you visit during winter, down on the ground you can even slip into a pair or ice skates and whizz around the ice rink.
Head up to the top three floors including the 70th where you’ll find the open-air Top of the Rock, and take in the view of Central Park and the Empire State Building. There is plenty of parking in the area including at 53 W. 46th St. and 38 W 46th St, so you can leave the car and spend a few hours exploring this landmark.
The observation deck is open from morning until late, with sunset being the most popular time to visit.
Central Park
Central Park’s three-and-a-half square kilometres of urban gardens offer a tranquil break from the city streets.
Situated right in the heart of Manhattan and forming a National Historic Landmark, there’s plenty to enjoy here all year round – from concerts in the summer to an ice rink in the winter. You can explore the park by bike or on a horse-and-carriage tour, or stop to explore the zoo or take part in a yoga class.
There is street parking nearby, although it can be hard to find a space, so you may need to head for the metered parking or garages that are also close at hand.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Head for Fifth Avenue and the edge of Central Park where you’ll find one of the largest and most prestigious art galleries in the world.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or The Met, as it is known, houses more than two million works in its collection, spanning a staggering range of styles, eras and creativity. You can leave your car in the Museum’s parking garage at Fifth Avenue and 80th Street. Make sure you get your ticket validated at the information desk for discounted parking.
Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges
These two renowned structures are situated next to each other and can be seen from both Brooklyn and Manhattan, while you’re enjoying the trendy culture of the former or towering skyscrapers of the latter.
Brooklyn Bridge is probably the most iconic of the two. When it opened in 1883 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, and the first to cross the East River. You can walk or drive across it, taking in the view including landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty.
Although not as famous as the other, you may be familiar with the image of Manhattan Bridge towering high above the end of a street, which has also appeared in a number of films. This is in an area known as ‘DUMBO’ – which stands for “Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass” – at the intersection of Washington and Front Streets.
One World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial
The One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, rising to an incredible 546 metres above New York’s skyline.You can reach floors 100 to 102 in just 60 seconds, where you’ll step out to breathtaking views of the New York skyline. There are places to eat and drink up here, which can be enjoyed against the beautiful backdrop.
Back down on the ground, on the site of the former Twin Towers, is the Ground Zero monument. These reflecting twin pools are a poignant memorial to the lives lost on 9/11, and the largest man-made waterfalls in Northern America. As you wander around the outside you’ll see it is lined with the 3,000 names of those who lost their lives.
You can park your car at Battery Parking Garage at 70 Greenwich St, in order to visit the area.
A rental car will help you get around New York and enable you to discover the wider area, not to mention more of the United States.
