New York City is an exciting and vibrant city and there are plenty of historic and famous attractions. Even if it’s just a short break, there is much that you can pack into your trip.
A guided tour is a good way to get a feel for the city. Taking part in a tour means that you can get an idea of which attractions you want to see more of.
There are plenty of tours that you can join in on, whether for general sightseeing or more specialist tours, for example, a gourmet tour. There are bus, boat, bike and walking tours available and even helicopter tours.
Another way to see the city is from the top of the Empire State Building. An iconic part of New York City, it is also a mecca for tourists, which unfortunately makes it crowded and you will normally have a long wait.
Alternatively, you could visit 30 Rockefeller Plaza. You can get great views from Top of the Rock, which is an observation deck at the top of this Art Deco skyscraper. It’s less well known but therefore less crowded and with timed tickets available to avoid queuing.
Central Park is another of a New York’s famous landmarks. From concerts to carousel rides, birdwatching to boat trips, there is plenty to do in the park’s 843 acres, or you could just take a picnic and relax.
Whether you are a serious shopper or just enjoy a little bit of window shopping, New York offers some serious opportunities for retail therapy. Try window shopping at Tiffany’s or check out New York’s famous Bloomingdale’s department store.
There are plenty of different types of museums in the city and if you want to get a feel for the history of the city, why not try the Lower East Side Tenement Museum? Entry is by guided tour and there are a range of types of tour available.
Ellis Island Immigration Museum offers another side to the history of the city. The ferry ride there gives you great views of the Statue of Liberty and the interactive museum has plenty of exhibits and displays.
If you don’t expect to see medieval art in New York City, then visit The Cloisters built from five pieces of European medieval cloisters in Fort Tyron Park, Upper Manhattan. The Cloisters houses over 1,200 pieces of medieval art, including the Unicorn tapestries.
More art is on view at The Frick Collection, housed in a mansion on Fifth Avenue once owned by Henry Clay Frick. The museum allows you to view not only the art in his collection, but also the impressive building itself.
Some of the other well known attractions in the city that most people will have heard of include the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as the World Trade Center Memorial. If you have a limited time to visit the city, you need to focus on the key things you want to see.
There are lots of different neighbourhoods in New York City and one of the best known is Greenwich Village. The area has a range of small, individual boutiques, delicatessens and cafes to explore.
Known as ‘the city that never sleeps’, there is so much night life that New York has to offer, from taking in a Broadway musical to seeing a contemporary dance performance. If you have your eye on something special, try and book in advance.
From top class restaurants to pizza parlours, bars and cafes, there is a huge choice of places to eat and no shortage of people telling you where to get the best pizza, burger etc in New York. Even if you are only in the city for a short time, then try and visit as many different places as possible.
So if you have a limited time for your trip to New York City, on a long weekend perhaps, a little planning will help you make the most of your time.
If you would like more information on what to do in New York, or just looking for prices on hotels, holidays or flights to New York, be sure to check online at travelsupermarket.com.
