New York City is the favorite destination for many people for their first trip to the United States. The Manhattan district is the most popular in the county - and it's no wonder: the region concentrates the most beloved attractions of travelers, such as the Statue of Liberty and Central Park.
Walking through streets that have served as the setting for countless American films and getting to know some of the most relevant monuments in the West is an unforgettable experience!
There is a lot to do and the solution to not miss any important activity and optimise your time and money is to create an itinerary that serves as a guide. A Happy Tours has made a selection of the must-see tourist spots in the district to help you with this task.
Manhattan: New York's most popular district
Besides being well known and visited, the Manhattan district is the oldest and most populated of New York - was founded in 1683 and is located on an island.
The city's main tourist attractions are there, everything we know from the movies and series: Times Square, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Wall Street and much more!
There are countless options for leisure, art, gastronomy, shopping, nightlife and lots of fun. We recommend that you plan your trip in advance, looking for promotional airline ticketsbooking your accommodation and renting a vehicle for your locomotion.
The area is divided into three regions:
- Uptown: starts in the Central Park area and extends to 96th Street.
- Midtown: goes from 14th Street to 59th Street. This is where most of the attractions are concentrated, including the famous Empire State Building.
- Downtown: the whole area below 14th Street.
There are, too, Lower Manhattan in the southern part, Harlem, located just past Uptown and Washington Heights, north of the district.
We can say that it will be difficult to know everything in one trip, unless you dedicate a whole month of vacation! But you don't have to worry: we defined everything you can't miss in Manhattan on your first visit.
What to do in Manhattan? Get to know the main tourist spots!
Most of the attractions that delight tourists are in MidtownBut all of Manhattan has incredible places to see and activities not to be missed for all tastes. See what you can't miss on your trip next.
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Statue of Liberty
The first tourist attraction in Manhattan could not be any other. The statue that represents the independence of the United States is the official symbol of New York. The monument was a "gift" from the government of France during the celebration of 100 years of the country's Declaration of Independence.
The statue is 93 meters high and is located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The journey there is made with a boat from Battery Park. You can climb to the crown or just to the pedestal of the monument - you must book tickets in advance.
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Central Park
Central Park is the largest park on the island, featuring over 4 kilometers of green areas - the equivalent of 50 blocks! It's the ideal place to walk, exercise outdoors, have a picnic, ride a bike, play with the kids and even the dogs, if you're travelling with the bugs.
In the midst of so many buildings in this great metropolis it is easy to consider the park as an oasis in the midst of urbanization. There you will find lakes, woods, waterfalls, the Bow Bridge, fountains, terraces, an ice skating rink, a castle and a carousel!
Besides, there is the Central Park Zoo, with several animals that will delight the children. Stay tuned, too, to the events taking place inside the park and enjoy a music show sitting on the grass.
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Empire State Building
The building of the iconic King Kong scene - when the gorilla hangs from the top of the building - is over 370 metres high on 102 floors that house shopping centres. It is possible to enter to observe different points of view of the city, always with incredible landscapes!
Tourists can access two observatories, on the 86th and 102nd floors. The first is the most visited and is outdoors, with protective fences, while the second has a glass structure around it.
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Times Square
We can define Times Square as an intersection, a square or just the meeting of 7th Avenue and Broadway. The fact is that this is one of the busiest and most photographed spots in Manhattan.
Like most of these tourist spots, the famous corner also made special participations in several film productions. The place has many billboards, famous brand stores, typical NY bars and restaurants and an intense traffic of cars - outstanding features that define New York as a whole.
Take advantage of the proximity to Broadway to watch some musical show; there is always a successful play in performance. In the same region you can visit Madame Tussaud's well-known museum, with wax statues of several celebrities.
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Rockefeller Center
Famous for its Christmas decoration, this commercial complex has options for food, shopping and leisure. At the end of the year you can still enjoy the skating rink to have fun with the whole family. The Top of the Rock observatory is on the top floors of the building, with one of the most beautiful views in NY.
There are many other special attractions in the Big Apple's largest district, such as the 9/11 Memorial, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), Fifth Avenue and Wall Street, for example.
Besides the tourist spots, the island also houses famous neighborhoods with specific activities, such as
- SoHo - for shopping in world known stores;
- Chinatown - where culture and oriental cuisine are concentrated;
- Little Italy - to live a bit of Italian culture (not to mention gastronomy!).
A good tip is to rent a bike to exercise while you know the streets of the district, mainly in areas with more quiet traffic and trees with fresh shade.
To get to know other places in the surroundings on the same trip, we recommend you rent a car in New York. This way, your experience will be more comfortable and practical!
