What to do in New York? See 13 tourist spots!

Located at the southern tip of New York State in the northeastern United States, New York City (NYC) is the most populous city in the country. The borough is globally important as it has a significant impact on commerce, art, fashion, and education in the rest of the world.

If you're planning to visit the City of Lights, but don't know how to start planning your trip, don't worry! In this post we will give you the best tips on what to do in New York, as well as the attractions near La Guardia airport. This way you can prepare yourself. Check it out!

Places to visit in New York

To choose the places to visit in New York, it is very important to take into consideration some factors such as: the number of days you will stay in the city, the time of the year you will travel there, and the purpose of your trip.

This is because the city is giant, which makes it impossible to know in a short time the infinity of places it has to offer. So, make your itinerary wisely and if you are staying in NYC for a few days, prefer to visit classic sights and make the most of your time.

So, let's kick things off with the most famous places?! Let's go!

1. Central Park

The city has many parks and recreational spaces that are always offering different recreations for tourists and New Yorkers alike. So going to at least one of them is a must, and Central Park is one of the biggest!

Central Park is the heart of the city. Located in Manhattan, it is immense and divides the city into East and West. The coolest thing about it is that you can enjoy the contact with nature that stretches over 300 hectares and observe the tall buildings around it.

This is the most popular park in New York, where you can visit: The Great Lawn, Strawberry Fields,Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir and a Zoo. For sure this was one of my favorite places!

image of New York's Central Park

2. Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is located in Greenwich Village, near the famous New York University. It is named after the first president of the USA, George Washington, and is close to many cafes and restaurants.

My favorite part of the place is the many cultural activities that take place there, as well as the rich history of the area! The place is often visited by college students, families with children, and people exercising. A highlight is that the park has free wifi, restrooms, and several food stands.

Come with us and check out 5 restaurants in New York that you must visit!

3. Bryant Park

This park is located in the middle of Manhattan, near Times Square and the New York Public Library. Bryant attracts many tourists throughout the year because it offers different activities in each season. For example, in the summer you can take dance and yoga classes, as well as other activities, such as watching free movies. During the winter the park is very popular for its ice rink.

image of Bryant Park in New York City

4. Brooklyn Bridge Park

As the name implies, this park is located just below the Brooklyn Bridge. This location is considered super privileged and has one of the most beautiful views in the city! If you decide to visit the place, do as I did and take lots of great pictures there!

Oh, and besides the photos, take advantage of the fun activities offered there, such as: basketball, kayaking, volleyball, soccer, fishing, bird watching, and others.

Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City

 

5. American Museum of Natural History

If you like a more cultural tour, New York has several museums to visit. The most famous of them all is the American Museum of Natural History.

It shows the history of mankind with artifacts from each period, which is why it is considered one of the most important museums in the world. If you only have to choose one to visit, choose this one!

6. National September 11 Memorial & Museum

If you want to immerse yourself in human history, a visit to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a must! This museum is dedicated to the attack of September 11, 2001. It is a very different and moving experience, which shows the life story of the victims of this remarkable event. It is worth visiting!

image National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City

7. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

On the other hand, if you are passionate about art, you must visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is located next to Central Park and is one of the most visited museums in the world! It has a complete collection of paintings and sculptures from different places and eras of humanity. It was opened in 1872 and currently has more than 2 million works in its collection.

Speaking of art, check out the top 5 art galleries in New York City!

8. Madame Tussauds NYC

Surely you have heard of this museum, or even seen pictures of it on social media, or movies. It is one of the most famous wax museums in the world! You will find wax sculptures dedicated to pop culture such as Angelina Jolie, Barack Obama, and others.

8. Statue of Liberty

It is impossible to talk about what to do in New York City and not mention the famous Statue of Liberty. This monument was a gift from France in 1886, commemorating the centennial of the United States' independence, and it was placed on Liberty Island.

To get there, you still enjoy a boat ride of about 15 minutes. Once you arrive at the tall monument, you can also enjoy the perfect view full of modern buildings. Millions of tourists visit the site every year, which is why it was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1984.

 

image of the Statue of Liberty in New York City

10. Times Square

This is definitely the most famous postcard in the city, as well as the busiest and most colorful avenue in the world! Times Square is an area full of bars, restaurants, illuminated signs, theaters, museums, and much more. The setting for many famous motion pictures, this tourist attraction needs to be on your travel schedule.

Located in central Manhattan, Times Square makes anyone frantic with the amount of advertisements, information, colors, lighting, and people that can be found there.

Also, Times Square is home to one of the most famous New Year's Eve parties in the world, so if you're spending New Year's Eve abroad, you can't miss this classic local celebration!

image of Times Square in New York City

11. Empire State Building

If you are looking for an unforgettable attraction, you need to get up close and personal with the Empire State Building! This is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world and in 2023 it was rated the #1 attraction in the United States by Tripadvisor.

The building is 102 stories high and has appeared in well-known movie productions, such as King Kong and Spider-Man. It is a commercial building, but since it houses two observatories (86th and 102nd) that are visited, it has become one of NYC's tourist attractions. There you can have a panoramic view and fall even more in love with the city!

In addition, it is possible to do several activities on site, such as visiting restaurants, cafes, stores, exhibitions, and much more. It is worth mentioning that visits can only be made by reservation, and although the prices are relatively high, it is worth every penny!

Oh, and speaking of movie theaters, how about checking out the famous movie sets to visit in New York? Go to the site and check it out!

12. Wall Street

Wall Street is considered to be the largest financial center in the world and is home to the world-famous New York Stock Exchange. In fact, this is a street located in the south of Manhattan Island and its first historical records date back to the 17th century. Today, it is a major tourist attraction in the city and much visited by people who are interested in the financial universe.

13. Bronze Bull of Manhattan

 

Bronze Bull of Manhattan

The Manhattan bronze bull is also known as "the Wall Street bull", and stands 3.4 meters tall and weighs 3.5 tons. The sculpture was the result of an artistic intervention in 1989, in which it was installed in front of the New York Stock Exchange.

In the same year, the police seized the work, but with the revolt of the American people, the city decided to relocate it to a space close to the original, the so-called "Charging Bull" in Bowling Green, where it remains today.

And it doesn't stop there! There are many other parks, museums, and postcards in New York. We have selected just a few of the most visited ones to help you make your trip more interesting.

4 must-have tips for traveling to New York City

Wall Street

Now that you know the most popular places in the city, the hardest part has arrived: choosing what to do in New York. But don't worry, we will help you with this difficult task. For this, we have separated some valuable tips for your trip to be unforgettable! Check them out:

1. Consider the season you will be traveling

This is a very important question when planning the time of year you intend to visit the Big Apple. The city is amazing and bustling at any and all times, so it welcomes tourists all the time, which is why it is called the city that never sleeps.

Each season, the city has its own particularities and you need to think about which season and which climate suits you best:

  • If you prefer to travel in cold and snowy weather, the ideal months are December through February. At the end of the year, you can even enjoy the city's Christmas attractions;
  • If you prefer summer and heat, the best season is from July to August;
  • If you are looking to save money, go outside of these high season periods; the cost of travel is much lower in these months.

An important tip is: after deciding how many days you will stay, in which period you will go, and the places you will visit, set up your itinerary in a visible way to make it as organized as possible. To do this, analyze the closest and farthest places, as well as their opening hours.

2. Consider how many days you will be traveling

Before deciding on the places you want to visit, it is necessary to establish how many days you will spend in the city. If you are just going to make a quick visit of two or three days, focus on a few main tourist attractions. Since you will be very busy, there is no point in planning several visits in the same day, otherwise you will end up not enjoying anything.

Now, if you are staying longer, enjoy it as much as possible! But remember that the city is very big and you will need to organize yourself to be able to do all the tours!

3. Make a roadmap planning

Once you have decided how many days and which places to visit, plan the most feasible routes to keep your route organized. See which are the closest and farthest places, and the opening hours. Also research the city's bars and restaurants and include them in your planning. All this will make your experience in New York much better!

4. Choose a means of transportation

There you can use the subway, which is huge and has several schedules; normal buses, which are simple to use, or the tourist buses that have specific routes and are very convenient. In addition, you can also use cabs, which are very comfortable, have GPS, but are not so cheap depending on the distance.

To optimize your time, if you meet the requirements to rent a car in the USA, this may be the best option! You will have more mobility and save time to visit other places.

But how to get an affordable and reliable video store?

Here at Happy Tours you will find the best car rental companies in the United States! This way you can plan your routes without having to worry about subway schedules and travel with much more safety and comfort - and the best: with super advantageous prices!

What are the attractions near La Guardia airport?

La Guardia Airport

If you board your flight back at La Guardia airport, you can enjoy some attractions that are in its surroundings, some of them are:

  • Louis Armstrong House Museum;
  • Flushing Meadows Corona Park;
  • Citi Field;
  • Queens Zoo;
  • Skyline Cruises;
  • USTA National Tennis Center;
  • And others.

We hope you enjoyed this content and that it was useful in helping you put together your travel schedule and decide what to do in New York City! Keep following the Happy Tours blog for more tips on sights in the United States and around the world. Until next time!

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