Best Tourist Attractions in New York: 15 You Can’t Miss

Discover the most important attractions in New York. In this guide to exploring the Big Apple, I'll tell you which classic spots to see in New York and which of the newer NYC attractions you shouldn't miss.

Whether it's your first trip or you're a repeat visitor like me, this is the right place to plan your route through one of the most amazing cities in the world.

First, a few tips:

1. NYC is packed with tourist sights, and you'll have to choose. Seeing every attraction in New York in a single trip is impossible, so just assume you'll be back 😉
2. There's a lot of New York outside Manhattan. Several iconic sights are in Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx (that's where the contrasts tour helps).
3. If you're short on time, I put together these day-by-day itineraries. They're a good starting point for organizing your trip.
4. Tickets to attractions and museums are expensive, so if you want to see as much as possible, the tourist discount passes will help.

The most important attractions in New York

You have to start somewhere, right? So let's get straight to our list of the 15 most important attractions in New York:

1. the Statue of Liberty

Visiting the Statue of Liberty is a must, not only for what it symbolizes for the city and the world, but for the fantastic view of Manhattan you get.

To go up to the crown, you need to buy your ticket well in advance. There are only a few slots and they sell out fast. In our guide to the Statue of Liberty you'll find all the details for your visit.

2. Empire State

The Empire State is another of the most important places to see in New York.

This 102-story skyscraper was the tallest building in New York for many years. Others have since passed it in height, but it's still the most famous, so get ready for long lines (read our guide to visiting the Empire State, where we explain how to skip them).

3. Central Park

Along with the New York subway, Central Park is the other great equalizer among New Yorkers. Everyone uses it and everyone loves it.

There are meadows, ponds, bridges and arches, sculptures. Don't miss it, and go back more than once!

It's huge, so you won't cover all of it in one go. Read our Central Park guide to decide which spots to hit.

4. Times Square

Coming to Times Square at night and seeing the neon lights is a must-do for anyone visiting the city for the first time.

Just know it's always packed, so bring some patience. Read up on everything you can see and do in Times Square.

5. Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is made up of some of New York's most iconic buildings and spaces. Among them, 30 Rock and its Top of the Rock observation deck, which rivals the Empire State in popularity.

The NBC Studios (where Saturday Night Live is taped) and Radio City Music Hall are also part of this complex.

You'll probably recognize it from the giant Christmas tree lit up every year at Rockefeller Plaza, with New York's most famous ice skating rink at its feet.

It's full of sculptures, underground passageways and New York stories. Read our Rockefeller Center guide so you don't miss any of them.

6. World Trade Center

Visiting the World Trade Center is a must for anyone coming to New York. Even if you've been before, go again, because this is a shifting space that keeps growing.

You should visit the 1WTC observatory, the tallest and most high-tech in the city, the Museum and the 9/11 Memorial, plus the Oculus, the bright new transit station that replaced the one destroyed on 9/11.

As you can see, there's a lot to take in, so it's worth planning your visit with our World Trade Center guide.

7. the Brooklyn Bridge

The magnificent Brooklyn Bridge connects that borough with Manhattan. Walking across it is one of the most rewarding free things to do in New York.

It has a wide pedestrian walkway where you can take your time, feeling the wind over the East River and hearing the sounds of Manhattan.

8. Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal is an architectural gem of New York. It's one of the largest train stations in the world and certainly one of the most beautiful.

With our Grand Central Terminal guide you won't miss a single corner, and you'll uncover several of its secrets (there are a few!).

9. MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art holds the most important collection of modern and contemporary art in the world.

Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and Salvador Dalí's The Persistence of Memory are here, just to give you an idea.

It's very big and one of the most visited places to see in New York, so it's a good idea to plan your route with our MoMA guide.

10. High Line Park

The one-of-a-kind High Line Park is a park built on abandoned train tracks.

Walking its 1.5 miles, you'll pass houses, buildings and old factories in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea. Unmissable and free!

11. the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most important museums in the world.

It displays more than two million pieces from all over the world. Don't miss the Egyptian art collection, where you'll see an entire temple!

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12. Coney Island

Coney Island is a special neighborhood for the nostalgic, full of places and corners of a New York frozen in time.

A wooden boardwalk along the Atlantic, Luna Park (an early 20th century amusement park) with fortune tellers, little people and bearded ladies, plus the New York Aquarium.

Read our guide to visiting Coney Island, and know that the hour-plus subway ride is worth every minute.

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13. The Guggenheim

Just seeing the outside of the Guggenheim will surprise you, a masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright.

It holds one of the world's most important collections of modern and contemporary art. A must-see museum in New York if contemporary art is your thing.

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14. Wall Street

Wall Street is home to New York's biggest financial institutions.

Visiting on a weekday means diving into a whirlwind of suits, heels, ties, a whole lot of coffee, tablets and cell phones.

If you want a photo with the famous Charging Bull, you'll have to get there early or fight for your spot. It's one of the most visited sights in Manhattan.

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15. New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a fascinating place you can tour for free (ask for the audio guide at the entrance).

We love it because it's where the Ghostbusters saga began (remember those wonderful scenes?).

You have to walk through its grand reading rooms and get a photo with the lions on the front steps. Otherwise, did you even go to New York?

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Top places to see

Below you'll find the top attractions organized by type, so you can put together a more personalized list of what you want to visit:

1. Neighborhoods
2. Museums
3. Landmarks
4. Skyscrapers
5. Parks
6. Bridges
7. Beaches

1. New York Neighborhoods

New York is a puzzle of nationalities spread across its 5 boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. You have to see them all! Each borough adds more places, making this list of New York attractions so long that I promise you can keep coming back and always find something you hadn't seen before 🙂

The New York contrasts tour will take you through them quickly.

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2. New York Museums

New York has hundreds of museums (several with free admission). The famous MoMA, the Met, the American Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim, but also oddities like Louis Armstrong's house or the Museum of Sex.

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3. Landmarks in New York

Besides Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty, you'll find other iconic NYC landmarks, like St. Patrick's Cathedral and the 9/11 Memorial, which honors those lost in the World Trade Center tragedy.

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4. Manhattan Skyscrapers

New York is where the art of building skyscrapers was perfected, and they still amaze the world.

There are the classics, the Empire State and the Chrysler Building, plus the newer One World Trade Center and many more!

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5. New York Parks

New York is a tug of war between concrete and nature. From tiny private gardens to the enormous Central Park, the heart of Manhattan.

If you're traveling in spring, visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and if you want views of the Hudson River, climb to the top of Fort Tryon Park.

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6. New York Bridges

New York's bridges are the backbone of this city made of pieces. They're what turned the 5 boroughs of New York into the metropolis it is today.

In our list of bridges you'll learn to tell them apart and discover there's a lot more than just the Brooklyn Bridge.

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7. NYC Urban Beaches

Since New York is surrounded by water, it has urban beaches you can reach by subway, like Coney Island and Rockaway Beach.

Others are a little farther out, but all within the city, so when the heat hits you can take a dip after exploring some interesting neighborhoods.

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New York attractions with kids

Big cities like New York, Paris or London have plenty of interesting places to visit with kids. Here are several activities to enjoy with the little ones.

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A first visit always leaves you wanting more, and anyone who has been to New York can vouch for that. Don't worry if you can't see it all, you'll definitely be back!