New York is one of the most attractive tourist metropolises in the USA, and it has a lot to offer. Let’s suppose you end up on a two-day trip to New York City; you will have to go around and make the most of your trip. There are many tourist attractions in New York City, and there are many things to do in new york for first-timers that will make you not have a boring trip there. In order to save time, we have decided to put together a list of the 15 best things to do in New York.
15 Best Things to Do In New York For First-timers
1. Central Park
Central Park is a beautiful oasis of nature in the concrete jungle of New York, which can be a perfect escape for you on a short business trip that will be sure to tire you. It can be a perfect break from the board rooms, meetings, and the corporate settings. Maybe take a stroll or read a book in Central Park and make the most of your trip to New York. This is one of the best things to do in New York for free. In addition, being so spacious, it’s a great place to go for a stroll. Why not take your two-year old on a stroller? It’s a great thing to do in NYC with toddlers.
2. China Town
China Town is one of the most laid-back, oriental cultural communities in New York. It is full of small antique shops, Chinese takeout places, and small Chinese grocery stores, which can captivate your interest. It can be one of the unique things to do in New York. It’s one place where you can expect fun things to do in NYC this weekend.
Anyone visiting Chinatown will benefit from it, regardless of whether they spend half a day shopping for produce, eating out, and visiting the Museum of Chinese in America, or spend an hour indulging in a box of roast pork or duck from the street-style Wah Fung No. 1 before having to go elsewhere.
3. Yankee Stadium
Are you a fan of baseball? Then you’re gonna love Yankee Stadium! Yankee Stadium is one of the adventurous things to do in New York. Yankee Stadium holds a great place in New York’s history and has become a landmark.
It is conveniently accessible from Manhattan, taking about 30 minutes by subway from Penn Station and roughly 20 minutes from Grand Central Terminal. One of the most expensive stadiums in the world, it was built for $1.5 billion and replaced the original stadium from 1923 to 2009.
4. Broadway
Need a pleasant and entertaining break from your busy schedule? How about you catch a Broadway show! It can be one of the bucket list things to do in New York for art lovers. The stories, songs, sets, and costumes of a Broadway production are a thing of dreams. With so many shows, song premieres, watching these shows happens got to be one of the excillerating and crazy things to do in NYC.
Anticipated plays Spamalot (a parody of Monty Python and the Holy Grail) and Harmony (a true story about the Comedian Harmonists) will be presented in November.
5. New York Botanical Garden
New York Botanical Garden can be one of the freshest escapes that you can partake in in New York. The New York Botanical Garden boasts immaculate greenhouses, lush fields, meandering hikes, and expertly maintained flower gardens. While informational, walking around nature always sounds a bit romantic. So it can also be a fun activity in NYC for couples.
There are large expanses where it’s difficult to believe you’re still in the Bronx, and there are areas that feel incredibly intimate as if you’re truly separated from the outside world. You can either spend a while strolling through the garden or plan a small picnic there.
6. Grand Central Terminal
One of the fun things to do in New York at Night is to view or visit the Grand Central Terminal around the time of the last call. The hustle and bustle of the rush hour had quieted down by then, and you could admire the architecture and the beauty of the station itself. It is one of the most iconic landmarks of New York City.
7. 9/11 Memorial Museum
9/11 was indeed the most tragic incident that took place in New York, which claimed hundreds of lives. To honor the memory of the people who were affected by the attacks, they have built a museum. You enter the museum and are immediately transported from street level to bedrock, the former Twin Towers’ foundation.
This places you in a contemplative state and compels you to remember where you were that fateful day. The museum itself is an exquisite balance of grandeur, contemplation in design, and personalization in execution. It honors the magnitude of the loss—both material and immaterial.
8. Apollo Theater
Visiting the Apollo Theater can be on the list of romantic things to do in NYC. This renowned, historic Harlem theater has shaped countless careers and produced a host of famous people, including Diana Ross, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald.
The venue has been in operation for 88 years, hosting swing, blues, jazz, R&B, and comedy acts. It was once a white-only burlesque destination, but under new ownership, it welcomed and became a hub for the Black community in 1934.
9. Coney Island
Coney Island has to be one of the things to do in NYC with kids or teens. If you are on a visit and your family is accompanying you, a trip to Coney Island can be just a tourist, circus-themed retreat that you might need. It is not just the activities and the scenery; it is also the food that keeps people occupied and entertained. The food and beverages, especially Totonno’s Pizza, Gargiulo’s, and Coney Island Brewery will undoubtedly impress you.
Both residents and visitors hang out on the promenade, eat ice cream cones on the beach, and wait in line to ride the popular Cyclone roller coaster. All year round, there are boardwalks and beaches, as well as establishments like Nathan’s. Being such a fun location there are number of great activities to hangout. So there are a lot of things to do here in NYC for teens.
10. Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center has to be one of the most popular, politically affiliated places in NYC. A wide variety of music, dance, theater, and film are presented here. The New York Film Festival, operas such as La Boheme and The Life and Times of Malcolm X, and ballets such as The Nutcracker are some of the highlights of the upcoming schedule.
Witnessing an artist in action at Lincoln Center will never fail to make a truly elegant and unforgettable night out; whether you’re on a special date or visiting old friends, it can be one of the unusual things to do in NYC.
11. The Metropolitan Museum of Art:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or MET Museum, is one of the most iconic landscapes of New York, given the recent fame it has garnered thanks to the annual MET Gala, which is attended by notable figures from all over the world. It has a lot of artistic and heritage work on display and never fails to amaze its spectators on any visit.
Thanks to innovative exhibitions and a sizable permanent collection, the Met has been New York City’s cultural hub for almost 150 years. The building is impressive due to its Gothic-Revival style, recognizable tiered steps, and location in Central Park.
12. Rockefeller Center:
Rockefeller Center is one of the most iconic buildings in the New York City Skyline. It is not just a building but rather an iconic structure tied to the history of New York. Located in the center of midtown Manhattan, historically and culturally, Rockefeller Center holds a significant position in the city’s legends and traditions.
You’re in for a legendary, family-friendly experience whether you want to see a show on the plaza outside the set of the TODAY show, visit the Christmas tree, or try out your best moves on the ice skating rink.
13. American Museum of Natural History:
This museum is one of the most iconic museums in NYC. Yes, it is the museum that was featured in the blockbuster ‘ Night at the Museum’ series starring Ben Stellar. Visiting the museum might be a thing to do in New York at Night, as you see it come to life. Located directly across from Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History occupies four city blocks and is regarded as one of the greatest natural history museums in the world.
This place showcases every facet of the natural world, ranging from an extensive array of taxidermy mammals to portrayals of Native American tribes’ daily lives and an entire hall devoted to marine life, which includes a life-sized blue whale model.
14. Brox Zoo:
Although zoos are slowly becoming obsolete and redundant, they can be fun to do with kids in NYC. The Bronx Zoo, especially if you’re going with kids, is a terrific place to spend a day away from Manhattan. Paired with the fact that the entry tickets only cost a couple of bucks, it’s stands in our fun and cheap things to do in NYC list. In addition, if your kids likes animals, you could always make a trip there for there birthday. It could be a fun thing to do in NYC for birthdays.
Aside from the flamingos in the water’s bird aviary, the house of reptiles, the Congo gorilla forest, the giraffe building, and the sea lions, who are always entertaining, are not to be missed. There’s nothing better to blow the minds of a group of kids than this.
15. Go On a Food Tour:
Food is the epicenter of this bustling city. Being the center of the multicultural and diverse country it’s no surprise that you can find practically anything to eat. From bodegas to hotdog stands, your stomach will be in for a treat. How food-motivated are you? If you are looking for unique foods, New York is just the place for you. From bagels to delis to famous New York Style Pizza, you can find just about anything in this city.
Kat’s Deli is one of the most iconic places that people from all over the world visit to get a bite of their famous sandwiches. Besides this, New York is also home to breweries that have their own signature artisanal wines and beers, along with cheese and meats. If you have a big appetite that taking a food tour could be your thing. Although it’s not every day that you hear about food tours and you can place it in the weird things to do in NYC, it’s one thing that you should try if it’s your first time in the big apple.
Conclusion:
There you have it! Top 15 best things to do in New York. Now, you can pick and choose as per your preference, depending upon the time and liberty you have while still in town. New York has got it all, from historic landmarks to the upbeat nightlife. Decide what you want, and New York will fill your cup!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important thing in New York City?
The most important things in New York are the cultural and historical landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Rockefeller Center, the Lincoln Center, etc. There are many other places in New York, but these are the most famous and important ones on the list of hundreds.
What is the best way to see New York attractions?
The best way to see New York Attraction is using the New York Pass. The best sightseeing pass is the New York Pass. Get free entry to more than 100 sites, including the Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Museum, the Empire State Building, and more.
What is the coolest thing about New York?
The coolest thing in New York is the nightlife, which has numerous options to do whatever one wants. There are museums, parks, nightclubs, retreats, and themed cafes, everything that can keep natives and tourists entertained. New York offers a great deal of options to residents and expats for their daily activities, making each day a unique experience.
