Things to Do in Manhattan, New York: 25 Top Picks

What should you see in Manhattan, and where do you even start? There are so many attractions in New York's main borough that a first-time visitor can easily feel overwhelmed.

The most recognizable places in New York are in Manhattan, so it's a good idea to start your trip here and then venture out to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (if you want a quick look at the big attractions outside Manhattan, take the contrasts tour).

Places to see in Manhattan

With so much to see in Manhattan, here we'll focus on the must-see attractions.

If you need more help figuring out how much time you'll need at each attraction and the distances between them, take a look at the day-by-day itineraries we put together for you.

1. The Statue of Liberty

Visiting the Statue of Liberty is without a doubt one of the first things you should do when you get to New York.

It's worth seeing for its symbolic value and for the fantastic view you'll get of Lower Manhattan.

If you want to go up to the crown, you need to buy your ticket well in advance. Read all the details for planning your visit here.

2. The Empire State

The Empire State, with its 102 floors, was New York's tallest building for many years.

It has since been topped, but it's still the most famous and the most recognizable in popular culture, so be ready for long lines when you visit.

3. One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center has become one of the biggest attractions to see in Manhattan. It's the symbol of a city that doesn't give up and gets back on its feet. You have to visit!

It's currently New York's tallest skyscraper and it has a high-tech observation deck where you can take in the views of Lower Manhattan.

There's plenty to see in the rebuilt World Trade Center complex. In our WTC guide we walk you through every point of interest so you don't miss a thing, including the 9/11 Memorial and the 9/11 Museum.

4. Times Square

Walking through Times Square at night and seeing all that neon is a can't-miss outing for anyone visiting the city.

Just know that it's always packed. To round out this very New York experience, you should see a Broadway show (at that link I explain how to find good seats at better prices).

5. Central Park

Central Park is another undisputed New York icon. Along with the subway, it's something every New Yorker uses and loves.

It's an enormous park with dozens of points of interest: meadows, ponds, bridges and arches, sculptures. In our Central Park guide we cover every one of them.

Go visit, and go often!

6. The Brooklyn Bridge

The magnificent Brooklyn Bridge connects Manhattan with Brooklyn.

One of the best free things to do in New York is walking across the Brooklyn Bridge on its wide pedestrian walkway.

You'll feel the wind over the East River and get terrific views of Manhattan.

7. Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal is one of the largest train stations in the world, and one of the most beautiful.

With our Grand Central guide you can explore every corner and uncover the secrets of this New York architectural gem.

 8. Wall Street

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

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

It's one of the places to see in Manhattan that tourists love most, so if you want a photo next to the famous Charging Bull, get there first thing in the morning.

9. Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is a classic Manhattan complex of offices, shops, theaters and TV studios, right on Fifth Avenue.

Among its highlights is Top of the Rock, the observation deck that rivals the Empire State in popularity.

And if I tell you this is where they light the giant Christmas tree, with New York's most famous ice skating rink at its feet, you'll understand just how big a deal this place is.

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

10. Manhattan museums

Manhattan is home to several of the world's most important museums, including MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Met and the American Museum of Natural History with its impressive dinosaurs.

But there are many more. Check out our list of New York museums to get to know them.

11. Washington Square

Perched atop the arch at Washington Square, the heart of the Village, Marcel Duchamp and his friends proclaimed in 1917 the founding of «The Independent Republic of Greenwich Village», a utopian republic devoted only to art, aesthetics, love and cigarettes.

It's a place you have to set foot in if you love history, literature and the fight for civil rights. It buzzes with life because it sits in the middle of the university district, with several NYU buildings all around it.

12. The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is one of the city's best-loved buildings. It's one of my favorites because it plays a starring role in the cult classic Ghostbusters.

You can visit its reading rooms for free (grab an audio guide at the entrance), and posing for a photo with the lions on the front steps is a classic.

Right next to the library is Bryant Park, small but a big deal for New York: at Christmas it has one of the prettiest and cheapest ice skating rinks in the city, and throughout the year it hosts events like outdoor movie screenings and Broadway performances in summer.

13. High Line Park

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

Walking its 1.5 miles, you'll pass houses, apartment buildings and old factories in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea. Don't miss it!

14. Roosevelt Island

Did you know there's an aerial tram in Manhattan? It's the Roosevelt Island Tram, which crosses from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island, a Manhattan neighborhood on a sliver of land in the middle of the East River.

Once you're on the island, a short walk takes you to Four Freedoms Park, one of New York's most modern parks, where you'll look straight at the UN and, across the river, at the sleek Queens neighborhood of Long Island City.

It's a great outing, and all it costs you is a subway fare 😉

15. United Nations Headquarters

Visiting the UN is worth it for the symbolism, but also for the architecture. The building was designed collaboratively by a group of renowned architects, among them Brazil's Oscar Niemeyer.

They run guided tours that take you through the most important chambers of the United Nations.

More attractions to see in Manhattan

We could keep this list of New York attractions going for a long while, because there are so many things to see in Manhattan.

If you browse the pages we've written about each of the Manhattan neighborhoods, you'll keep finding new places to explore.

And once you've done Manhattan, venture out to wonderful Brooklyn and multicultural Queens.

A first trip always leaves you wanting more, as anyone who has been to New York can tell you. So don't worry if you can't see it all, because you'll definitely be back!