The 29 things to do in New York

Visit New York: What are the best things to do and see in New York, an iconic figure in a whole country?

As every New Yorker tells you, it is impossible to discover everything in this large and complex city, in one visit. And yes, it is part of the excitement to visit New York: there is always something new to explore.

But all these interesting ideas of activities and experiences can also make it difficult to plan your visit to New York. So instead of trying to see everything, eat, drink and visit NYC, we selected the best things to do in New York: iconic sites to the favourites of the locals.

1. See Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Whether you've discovered it since Battery Park or aboard the Staten Island ferry, you must really contemplate the Statue of Liberty if you're visiting New York. Approach to its feet to have a very beautiful view of the river and Manhattan. The most emblematic copper statue in the world was designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi as a gift from France in 1886 on the occasion of the centenary of the United States.

Lady Liberty is 46 m tall, with an index measuring 2.40 m long and eyes almost 90 cm wide. One of the best things to do during a visit to New York is to pass the statue by ferry and visit the immigration museum on Ellis Island . Ellis Island is a historic place of American immigration that became a museum in 1990.

2. Going to Memorial of 11-September

The skyline of Manhattan and the lives of families who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001 will never be the same again. But many years later, while the One World Trade Center was built, the twin towers were replaced by the 9/11 Memorial. Two water mirrors with overflow engraved with the names of the disappeared rest where the 110-storey towers once stood. A museum opened in the spring of 2014 and is now open to the public.

3. Grimper on the One World Observatory platform

Once you've seen the 9/11 Memorial, you can go to the One World Observatory. This skyscraper was built in Ground Zero following the attacks of September 11, 2001. From the top of its observation platform, you will have a clear view of New York, including South Manhattan, Hudson and Brooklyn.

4. climb to the top of theEmpire State Building

What if you stay among the highest peaks in New York? Probably the best known skyscraper, the Empire State Building located on 5th Avenue promises a high-flight experience and for cause: it is now the third highest building in the city after the One World (541 m) and the Central Park Tower (472 m). A symbol, which, from the top of its 448,7 meters (including antenna), invites you to travel to its 86th floor (or 102nd for the most expensive). Up there, you only have to enjoy the breathtaking show that would whisper you almost as the world belongs to you.

5. Top of The Rock

If the Empire State Bulding has made its effect, wait for so many shows from the Top of the Rock! Built at the Rockefeller Center, the skyscraper drives you more than 250 meters before giving you an appointment on its famous terrace. Located in the south, the latter offers a panoramic view of New York and its must-sees, such as the Empire State Building. On the other hand, Central Park opens your arms. A tip: plan your visit an hour before sunset, until the sky turns to magenta/orange and the light transforms the skyline into a sparkling mosaic.

6. Walk along the High Line

The New Yorkers love walking and the High Line, a 2.3 km long urban linear park that stretches from the Meatpacking area through Chelsea on an abandoned track, is a fantastic walk. Risen with an amazing labyrinth of gardens (presenting 300 species of plants), paths and water plans, it offers a different eye on contemporary architecture, the Hudson River: or how to visit New York in the skin of a local.

7. Walking around Central Park

Whether you're going to Central Park to climb on the vintage Carrousel of 1908, sip a glass of wine while admiring the views of the lake from the Boathouse Café, laughing in front of the otaries and the penguins of the zoo, watching the birds at the Ramble, or running around the Reservoir with the locals, this oasis of 341 hectares is the largest urban garden in the world and a must-see experience to explore if you come to visit New York

8. Metropolitan Museum of Art

Awesome and intimidating, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the best art museums in the world, home to medieval and expressionist masterpieces, but also the whole of an Egyptian temple. The Greek and Roman sculptures, the exhibitions of Africa and Oceania, and the Asian wing are also quite incredible. If you wake up one morning and it rains, go to the "Me" (open seven days a week) and wander in the museum alleys.

9. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

A visit to the Guggenheim Museum is double-enriching if you are looking for an original visit to New York: you will discover a sharp selection of collections of modern and contemporary art objects and enter one of the most emblematic buildings in the middle of the 20th century in the United States. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and inaugurated in 1959, the museum imitates a spirally nautilus shell (a mollusc), which leads visitors on a soft slope ramp where exhibitions feature works by Picasso, Monet, Gauguin, Cézanne, Kandinsky, and others around a dramatic rotunda.

10. Grand Central Terminal

Emblem of the Great Apple, it is a "reference" (often filmic) that allows to visit New York under its most symbolic places. 750,000 people rush through Grand Central Terminal every day, while you are there, try not to let you take in agitation. Visit this station around noon, when the light perceives the stained glass as in a cathedral, in order to best appreciate the immense main hall of this 100-year-old architectural jewel. Finish your visit by having lunch in the room at the lower level, where you can eat everything, oysters to hot dogs.

11. Take the temperature at Times Square

Many New Yorkers try to avoid Times Square , not because of its sordid past (peep shows, prostitution, porn movies), but rather because it now looks like an urban amusement park invaded by hordes of tourists who take selfies. However, it doesn't mean that you don't have to see Times Square, go to it at least once! While you are in the middle of the giant screens and flashing neon, climb the ruby red stairs, find the bare guitarist cowboy, or take the height in one of the cocktail bars nestled at the top of the buildings before continuing your way to the Broadway.

12. Attending one musical on Broadway

Cosmopolitan place, cultural myth and a pantheon of musicals, Broadway is no longer to present. Emblemished by Big Apple, the famous avenue evokes a symbol far beyond borders. Undoubtedly, Broadway is one of the must-see places for a trip to New York.

Elective, dazzling, this part of Times Square will immerse you in its special atmosphere that is not described, because it lives. Let yourself be worn a few kilometers along the sandstones of the lights and poster heads that dress the avenue of such a particular costume. Even better, attend one of the shows where plays and musicals are combined, promising an unforgettable moment. You'll get it, visit New York without going through Broadway... it doesn't matter!

13. Overflight New York by helicopter

The New York helicopter flight is probably the most unusual experience you can do during your stay. If you have the budget, we advise you to do it. The memories you will create during your flight will be forever engraved.

There are three different routes. On the whole, the 3 routes all over the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park, and North Manhattan. Itineraries of 20 and 30 minutes fly over the Yankee Stadium and Harlem. The 30-minute flight goes to Coney Island. Note that there is a also.

14. Cross it Brooklyn Bridge

Capture the historic energy of the city and admire its famous skyline walking along the pedestrian road of the Brooklyn Bridge that has been there since its opening in 1883. The view is better if you leave Brooklyn (several metro lines are less than 15 minutes walk away). For example, visit Coney Island (summer) or the New York Transit Museum and end with a walk to Manhattan at the end of the afternoon while the skyscrapers stand behind the great gothic arches of the famous bridge.

In Brooklyn, go for a walk Williamsburg New York's hispter district.

15. West Village

Zigzag streets that inspired Beat Generation folk musicians, passing through the Meatpacking district, the West Village is not a neighborhood like others: here, visiting New York promises to discover a new facet. Discover the typical dishes of this high place of culture before you go south of the 14th and west of the Fifth Avenue to simply stroll through the charming houses, eclectic shops, legendary bars, cafés and shops such as White Horse Tavern, Corner Bistro and Murray’s Bagels.

16. 5th Avenue

What to do in New York among the other must-sees? For the pleasure of the eyes or a shopping bracket, go to 5th Avenue. If it is often compared to the Champ-Elysées in Paris, the very huppée Fifth Avenue symbolizes only the most beautiful boutiques in the Big Apple: this is where the biggest luxury brands have chosen home. extending from North Manhattan to Washington Square Park , it also houses prestigious buildings (to take a full look, go to Millionaires’ Row), museums and historical monuments such as the Empire State Building, St. Patrick’s Cathedral or the Rockefeller Center.

In short, 5th Avenue promises mountains and wonders, sometimes just for the pleasure of the eyes. And then who it is, you may have the chance to meet a celebrity there?

17. Coney Island

In Brooklyn, she came out of Hurricane Sandy with some contusions, but Coney Island came back as new by reopening her two most famous monuments: the Luna Park amusement park, more than a hundred years old, and the first hot dog boat Nathan’s Famous .

Take a walk on the promenade by the ocean and on Stillwell Avenue before taking you to one of its beaches. Perfect for a relaxing parenthesis, Coney Island offers above all a more local experience popular with the New Yorkers, the neighborhood and its attractions symbolizing a must-see meeting place for the locals who like to meet the time of a ride.

18. Ride aboard a carrier at theIntrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum

Aeronautics, U.S. Navy or child of the air, direction the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum! Located on a plane door along the Hudson River, this museum, not like the others, immerses you in military and maritime history. And it starts with its site, the door flew: witnessing the Second World War and the Vietnam War, today it welcomes planes, submarines and historical simulators that the time of a visit will plunge you into a universe worthy of an episode of Top Gun. Aviator’s moons on the nose, to you the drunkness of an attraction not like others!

19. Visit the American Museum of Natural History

Even if it does not animate itself to the closing of the doors (as in the film) Night at the museum ), the American Museum of Natural History is a really fun and educational place. This huge museum has 45 permanent exhibition rooms, millions of plant and animal specimens, as well as cultural works. Built in 1869 (although he moved to his current building in 1877), the museum sensitized its visitors to the history of our planet, its living creatures, to the evolution of cultures over time. The museum is so large that it takes several days to visit it.

20. New York Transit Museum

While the gigantic Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum is a must-see for parents with children, you can also take a metro ride to Brooklyn Heights to explore the New York Transit Museum. Located in the basement in a station of 1936, it is the place where the old metro trains, some of which date from the beginning of the 20th century with woven rattan chairs, rest as art objects that you can discover the time of a getaway out of time.

Rather discreet (which is not worse!), the New York Transit Museum does not often integrate New York’s travel guides, yet one thing is certain: it promises as much as the great names that make it dark. The address of the museum is at 87 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10001 .

21. Visit the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Founded in 1929, MoMA is one of the most popular museums in New York, home to over 100,000 works of modern art, most famous artists such as Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Rothko, Pollock, Bourgeois and many others. Paints, sculptures, drawings, photographs, design, videos and films... the MoMA collection is rich for a moment filled with discoveries.

22. Explore the neighbourhood Wall Street

New York Financial District, Wall Street symbolizes the city's economic lung. Workplace dressed in glass towers, Wall Street also hosts its must-sees. This is indeed where the One World Trade Center and the 11 September Memorial are mentioned above.

In the morning, immerse yourself in its business district or traders and business man have chosen a home before going to the Battery Park, the green lung of the neighborhood and the Statue of Liberty observation point. A few blocks away, the famous Wall Street Bull awaits you in particular at the turn of some photos. Unlike the legend, this one is located on Bowling Green Park near Battery Park, and not on Wall Street itself. Attention, however, the statue is often assaulted. So a tip: enjoy the general show early in the morning!

23. Taste the best pizzas and visit the gourmet neighborhoods

What to do in New York, where to go when you starve? Nothing divides New Yorkers as much as the place to find the best pizzas in the city. Several addresses come out of the lot like Lombardi’s on Spring St, John’s on Bleecker St, Patsy’s Pizzeria on First Ave at Spannish Harlem, Sal & Carmine on Broadway and 102nd St or Grimaldi’s Pizzeria on Front Street in Brooklyn. You can also taste Italian specialties in Little Italy, taste the burgers a bit everywhere in the city, or lunch in one of the famous delicatessen like the Katz’s .

As for nightlife, you might like wine and/or beer, but if you want to be " trendy" on the trendy New York scene, make whisky your cocktail of choice. Make yourself headquartered in the premises, whisky bars will be the best places to go for a drink. Among them, Reserve at Morgan’s Hotel, Whiskey Bar at SoHo Grand, or Henry at The Hudson Hotel.

24. Drink a drink in a rooftop bar

Once kept secret by the premises, rooftops now open their doors to visitors. Trends, trendy and above all very popular, these panoramic bars echo a concept that is now integrated into the world: take a drink, on the roofs of a skyscraper, to the sound of a rather lounge music. If the addresses are numerous and depend on the budgets, we especially recommend the Rooftop Reds for its wine, the Jane for its privileged setting at The Grand Budapest Hotel or the Brass Monkey for its superb vintage side.

25. Discover the neighborhoods of Chinatown and Little Italy

Both abbreviated by the Manhattan, Chinatown and Little Italy neighbourhood call for a change of scenery. In Chinatown, push the doors of Asia and plunge into the gates of its culture: temples, typical restaurants and authentic shops you imitate beyond the borders, as if you were there, at the pace of the tangerine, the language of the neighborhood. Then direction Italy in the nearby area of Little Italy where flavors and scents will guide you to its best addresses! Renowned above all for its typical and authentic dishes, Little Italy calls to the taste of Italy, the true, that of the Dolce Vita.

26. Support the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden

With a trip to New York City, Madison Square Garden welcomes, among other shows, the city’s basketball club, the Knicks. If during your stay you have the opportunity to see a basketball game Take your tickets! Whether you’re amateurs, enthusiasts or even novices, the unmatched and symbolic atmosphere of the place assures you a moment that you’re not ready to forget.

27. Relax in Jazz Clubs

He beats the rhythm of the city and gives him that particular tempo. With its fierce and intimate dimension, jazz fully integrates the musical culture of the Big Apple to Harlem or Le Bronx, who have seen legends like Betty Carter. Nestled in the clubs that are dedicated to him, the artists who interpret him invite you to a full experience in the atmosphere so special. From the famous Blue Note to the Iridium Jazz Club to the Bill’s Place, they are many to wait for you to visit New York at their own pace!

28. Go to the stand-up at the Comedy Cellar

Mythic of the New York stand-up, Comedy Cellar invites you to discover the talents of laughter. Nestled in a cellar in Manhattan for a privileged moment, the comedy club welcomes artists from today and tomorrow on its small scenes. If English is not a barrier and you enter local humour, then enjoy one of the many humorist shows that no doubt will bring you back with a smile. For the anecdote, Gad Elmaleh has proved himself!

29. See also in New York

If you're always wondering what to do in New York during your trip, here's an additional list of some other must-sees in the city that never sleeps... never!

• See United Nations Headquarters
• Attend a Gospel Mass in Harlem on Sunday morning
• Governors Island: the largest island in New York Bay
• Greenwich Village: New York Bohemian District
• Bushwick : the eldorado of street art lovers
• L’Oculus: the new futuristic train station in the city that has already talked about it
• Saint Patrick's Cathedral: a beautiful Catholic building

How do I go to New York?

Flights from France to New York are legions. Competition on the Paris-New York, London-New York, etc... is so great that prices remain affordable all year round. It is simply advisable to take 2-3 months in advance= to get the best price. It is relatively simple to find airline tickets less than 400€ A/R per person for New York. You can find flights to New York on Ulysses .

How to move to New York?

Before attempting the New York adventure, it is important to spot yourself. If travelling there is often an anguish for visitors, you should know that it is possible to easily use the city’s public transport because they are undoubtedly the ideal solution to fully enjoy your stay. How to use them, what are the plans and how much does the transport tickets cost? Find all the answers to your questions about our article Transportation in New York: how to move to New York? .

Where to stay in New York?

To visit New York, it is essential to be well positioned in Manhattan, so you can easily radiate from your hotel or apartment and optimize your on-site visits. For more information about accommodation in New York, you can read our article on the best neighborhood to choose from in New York .

To find a hotel according to its location and price, you can use this Compare hotels . If you prefer to stay in an apartment, offer on Airbnb is consistent.