New York is one of the most popular cities for people to visit in the world. It truly is a staple of America, and is filled with endless activities for anyone! As expected, spending a week in New York can be super expensive and is definitely not a budget location!
Here we have compiled the best activities to see in the city to make the most out of the time; plus some important factors to consider when travelling to the City.
When travelling to New York (and even the whole of America), they are very strict at airports so make sure to research and check what visas you will require/documentation to get into the country! You will also need to provide the location of where you will be staying and the reason for your visit when landing. Make sure to pack efficiently for your trip. If you are from America then this won’t apply to you but you will need an American plug head for visiting as they aren’t the same as Europe or the rest of the world. Also, the weather is vastly different depending on the time of year you go so it’s important to pack accordingly.
Below, we have provided a list of activities that we would recommend to all visitors of New York so you can make the most of your trip!
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Statue of Liberty
A trip to New York wouldn’t be complete without stopping to see Lady Liberty. You can easily see her from afar if you head down to south Manhattan on the bank or look across from Brooklyn Bridge! Here you can get some really cool footage on a clear day, but you are rather far away so you can’t take it in fully.
We would opt for people to go on the boat tour to Liberty Island, but wouldn’t recommend going into the Statue of Liberty! The island is small, and the boat travels around the island to give you good views of the statue, with Manhattan in the background. The statue inside requires you to climb a spiral staircase to the top and once you reach the summit, it is cramped and you are limited in time due to a long queue! Check out an awesome Statue of Liberty cruise here.
You may be standing waiting in the statue for 20-30 minutes just to get to the top. Jack – as a 6ft tall man – had to bow his head due to the lack of room at the top. It’s not suitable for anyone 6 ft above and can be awkward to navigate. Also, when you are at the top you can look out the windows which are tinted green and dirty leaving for a subpar view outside. It’s definitely worth seeing as it’s so popular and a cool statue off the busy streets of Manhattan but we don’t think its worth going inside, and enduring a long wait for a very average and limited viewing.
Top of the Rocks viewing deck
Now, everyone talks about how every trip to New York should include a trip to the top of the Empire State Building and it’s probably something we would recommend too! However, we would always choose to visit the Top of the Rocks viewing deck first as it is further north to the Empire State building and gives you a better view of the whole Manhattan including the Empire State building.
The Empire State building is located further south and is built within alongside the other high-rises leading to a lesser view in our opinion! However, it is still a great view and can provide a great activity for an hour or two.
We would recommend that people are to visit the Top of the Rocks viewing deck early in the morning or late at night. The early morning views are spectacular and you can even get a sunrise over central park or the south of Manhattan over the Empire State which gives a perfect start to your morning. However, the night-time visit is spectacular as you see all the buildings across the city light-up! The views are amazing and it really is a view you can admire for a few hours. You can find tickets to the Empire State Building here.
When visiting New York, this was one of our favourite memories and one that we think visitors cannot miss out on!
Maddison Square Gardens
Maddison Square Gardens is a beautiful stadium located in the heart of Manhattan and hosts some of the top sports in the country! When we visited New York it was during the sport breaks and unfortunately we were unable to watch a game but had a tour and would definitely go back to experience it! The stadium is enclosed which will create a great atmosphere and is a place many celebrities go to enjoy their favourite sport.
Here they do a whole host of sports so that no matter your interests you can find something you will enjoy. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon/evening and experience something that you will truly enjoy!
New York Pizza Slice
Now this may sound a little crazy but this is a must!! New York is known for their pizza slices and we would recommend anyone who visits to experience it once! It’s a great budget friendly meal and who doesn’t love pizza! The slices are so large that 2/3 slices are enough as a dinner for one!
There’s a range of topping that you can go for but we would recommend a standard mushroom or pepperoni as it’s simple but super tasty! It’s such a staple for New York and one we could definitely eat often! We have found a really great pizza walking tour here, where you get to try three different New York pizza chains!
Visit Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge is a popular location for people visiting New York and an area you can get some really good views of the city and also see the Statue of Liberty from afar. It also allows you to venture over into Brooklyn to visit a different borough of the New York state.
The bridge is a place a bridge full of padlocks that couples have placed to symbolise their love be we would not recommend doing this and if you are found to do this you might be given a hefty fine!
Central Park
Central Park is a beautiful park located towards the northside of Manhattan and has a totally different environment compared to the hustle and bustle of the busy streets.
There are beautiful walks and cycle trails perfect for exploring and getting in some exercise. It has some amazing views of the city and has little bodies of water dotted within the park. A great way to wander and spend a few hours exploring the park and the many statues that are on show.
Museum of Natural History
This museum is one of the most popular and well-known museums across the globe. When visiting, it has a relatively low entrance fee and has many exhibitions on show that you can wander and learn about for hours. There are also some additional exhibitions that are private and offer specific learning for those interested in that topic. These are very informative and a great way to spend your time in the museum.
They have a canteen which offers decent foods and we would probably recommend for people to spend at least half a day in the museum as there is so much to see! You can find admission tickets here.
Theatre Show
I think this should be a staple when visiting such a large city like New York! There are options for amazing plays like Lion King, King Kong as well as many Broadway shows. There’s many options for people to choose from no matter the interests and is a great way to spend your evening!
You can get dressed up, go out for a lovely meal then spend a few hours watching a perfectly choreographed play and spend the evening in luxury!
Some great picks are Wicked, The Lion King, and Disney’s Aladdin.
Shopping on 34th street
If you are an avid shopper, then this is a place for you! Across 34th street there are many shops including the infamous Macy’s which offers some of the top brands in the world. These buildings covers multiple floors and are packed with different individual shops like Fred Perry, Superdry and more!! It’s the perfect place to find your favourite brands and maybe go on a little shopping spree as after all.. you are on holiday so why not!!
Here they also have some really cool promotions that may not be offered elsewhere so would be a great place to look for some cool clothing and merchandise! If you LOVE shopping then you could easily spend a day wandering in shops and finding your favourite brands!
Grand Central Station
Grand Central Station is a beautiful station that has such amazing architecture and statues dotted in and around the building. We personally would visit just to see the station and the beauty it has but you can also use it as a fast and easy way to move across the city and into neighbouring boroughs!
What many people may not know is they have an Apple shop located in the station which is great to wander around and even has a little market full of cakes and other sweet treats which can be a great place to grab food or have a wander!
Time Square
This is definitely a place you must visit! There is so much going on and it’s a place that is like no other! You will see street performers, musicians, souvenir shops, food stalls, a sky of marketing and so much more! While you are here we would recommend to visit The Hard Rock Café located on Times Square but if you are excited to go, make sure you make a reservation as it is a very popular place to eat!
You can visit the famous Bubba Shrimp or maybe just sit on the steps of Time Square and just watch the world go by. It is a rather busy area and will be tough to move at times but is definitely a place we would recommend to see and admire even if it’s just to walk through Time Square.
New York is such a busy place and has so much to do that it’s hard to do everything. Even when we visited there were things missed off of our list we were unable to do! We would set aside 5/7 days to do New York sufficiently depending on how busy you want to be, and if you like walking. Any longer will make the trip very expensive as it’s certainly not a cheap place to visit and stay!
We hope this Itinerary helps plan your once in a lifetime New York trip so you can get the most of your time there!
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