New York City is the largest city in the United States, a dense metropolis of five boroughs at the mouth of the Hudson River. It is home to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Broadway, world-class museums, the Brooklyn Bridge, and one of the most diverse food scenes on earth. The city runs day and night on an extensive subway system.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in New York City.
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1
Statue of Liberty
The 305-foot copper statue on Liberty Island, a gift from France dedicated in 1886 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. The only way to reach the island is the Statue City Cruises ferry from Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in Jersey City; the ticket also covers Ellis Island. Pedestal access and the crown need advance reservations, and crown tickets often sell out months ahead.
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2
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
The former federal immigration station that processed more than 12 million arrivals between 1892 and 1954, now a museum run by the National Park Service. Entry is included with the Statue City Cruises ferry ticket. The Registry Room and the Immigrant Wall of Honor are the core stops, and an audio tour is included.
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3
Empire State Building Observatory
The 1931 Art Deco skyscraper at 34th Street with an enclosed and open-air 86th-floor deck and an optional 102nd-floor observatory. Tickets are timed and can be bought online or at the ticket office on West 34th Street. The observatory is open 365 days a year, late into the night.
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4
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Three open-air viewing levels atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza with an unobstructed view of the Empire State Building and Central Park. Timed tickets are sold online and at the Rockefeller Plaza entrance on West 50th Street.
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5
One World Observatory
The observation floors on levels 100-102 of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 1,776 feet, with 360-degree views over Lower Manhattan, the harbor and the Statue of Liberty.
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6
Edge at Hudson Yards
The Western Hemisphere's highest outdoor sky deck, jutting from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards with a glass floor and angled glass walls looking down at the Hudson River and the High Line.
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7
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
A mirrored-glass observation experience on the upper floors of One Vanderbilt beside Grand Central Terminal, with glass-floored ledges and a mirror-lined room called Air. Timed tickets are sold online and at the ground-floor entrance.
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8
National 9/11 Memorial & Museum
The two reflecting pools set in the footprints of the Twin Towers, inscribed with the names of the 2,977 victims of the 2001 attacks and the 1993 bombing, plus an underground museum. The outdoor Memorial plaza is free; the museum needs a timed ticket. Museum admission is free on Monday from 5:30PM with first-come tickets released online at 7:00AM that day.
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9
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The largest art museum in the Americas, with more than two million works spanning 5,000 years, including the Temple of Dendur and European paintings. Adult admission is $30 (seniors $22, students $17); New York State residents and NY/NJ/CT students pay what they wish, and children under 12 are free. Tickets are valid the same day at The Met Cloisters.
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10
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
One of the world's leading modern-art museums, home to Van Gogh's The Starry Night, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans, across six floors in Midtown. Adult tickets are $30 and visitors 16 and under enter free.
Attractions by category
Explore by your interests.
Landmarks
Statue of Liberty
UNESCO-listed copper statue on Liberty Island, reached only by Statue City Cruises ferry
Empire State Building Observatory
1931 Art Deco skyscraper with an 86th-floor deck open until 2:00AM
Brooklyn Bridge
1883 suspension bridge with a free pedestrian promenade to Brooklyn
Grand Central Terminal
1913 Beaux-Arts rail terminal with a celestial ceiling, free to enter
Times Square
Neon crossroads of Broadway and Seventh Avenue with the TKTS discount booth
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Open-air decks with the best view of the Empire State Building
Museums
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Two million works; $30 adult, pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol; free for ages 16 and under
American Museum of Natural History
Dinosaur halls, the blue whale and the Hayden Planetarium
National 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Reflecting pools in the Twin Towers footprints and an underground museum
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Guided tours of an immigrant tenement, $30 per person
Brooklyn Museum
Egyptian collection and The Dinner Party, $20 adult
Nature
Central Park
843 acres of lawns, lakes and Olmsted-designed paths, free and open 6:00AM-1:00AM
The High Line
Elevated garden walk on a former freight railway from Gansevoort St to Hudson Yards
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Waterfront park with Jane's Carousel and skyline views
New York Botanical Garden
250-acre garden with a Victorian glasshouse conservatory in the Bronx
Governors Island
Car-free harbor island with hills, forts and art, open seasonally
Cultural
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
The former immigration station where more than 12 million people arrived
New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Beaux-Arts main library with the Rose Main Reading Room
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Neo-Gothic cathedral on Fifth Avenue, free to enter
The Met Cloisters
Medieval art and the Unicorn Tapestries in Fort Tryon Park
Family
Bronx Zoo
The largest metropolitan zoo in the United States
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Aircraft carrier, Concorde and space shuttle on the Hudson
Coney Island Boardwalk and Luna Park
Beach, boardwalk, the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and the Unisphere
World's Fair park in Queens, free
Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
- Hours
- Museums generally open around 10AM-5PM and close one weekday (the Met is closed Wednesday, the Whitney on Tuesday); observation decks run into the night; parks are open 6AM-1AM
- Fees
- Major art museums $30 adult (Brooklyn Museum $20); AMNH $37 for non-NY-State visitors; observation decks from about $44-$48; Statue City Cruises ferry $25.50 including Ellis Island; Central Park, High Line, Staten Island Ferry, Brooklyn Bridge and the 9/11 Memorial plaza are free
- Best Times
- Late April-June and September-October for mild weather; weekday mornings for museums; sunset for observation decks and waterfront parks
- Booking
- Book timed tickets online for the Statue of Liberty ferry (crown and pedestal need reservations months ahead), the 9/11 Museum, observation decks and the Tenement Museum; museums with pay-what-you-wish windows need check-in with a New York State ID
Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Reserve Statue of Liberty crown tickets months ahead and take the first 9:00AM ferry; only Statue City Cruises (statuecitycruises.com, 201-604-2800) is authorized, so ignore street sellers
New York State residents pay what they wish at the Met and AMNH with a valid ID; the Whitney is pay-what-you-wish Fridays 7-10PM
The Met is closed Wednesday and the Whitney is closed Tuesday, so check the day before you go
Use the free Staten Island Ferry for harbor views if you skip the Statue Cruises ferry
Pair the 9/11 Memorial with One World Observatory and the Oculus in one Lower Manhattan half-day
Tap in with a contactless card or phone at subway turnstiles (OMNY); a single ride is about $3
Book observation deck tickets online for a specific time to save the walk-up premium; on cloudy days choose another day
Frequently asked questions
What are the top attractions in New York City?
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and MoMA are the most-visited.
Is there a way to see New York City attractions for free?
Yes. Central Park, the High Line, the Staten Island Ferry, the Brooklyn Bridge walk, Grand Central Terminal, the NYPL main branch, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the 9/11 Memorial plaza are all free.
How do I get to the Statue of Liberty?
Only Statue City Cruises operates the ferry, from Battery Park in Manhattan (subway 1 to South Ferry) or Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Book online at statuecitycruises.com or call 201-604-2800; a $25.50 ticket covers both Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
Do New York State residents get free museum entry?
New York State residents pay what they wish at the Met (with a NY State billing address or ID) and at the American Museum of Natural History; other museums have their own free hours, such as the Whitney on Friday evening.
How many days are needed to see the main attractions?
Three to five days cover the main Manhattan sights and one or two outer-borough areas; a 3-day plan can combine Lower Manhattan and the Statue, Midtown and the museums, and Central Park with a Brooklyn evening.