New York City
New York City is the United States' largest city and a global center for finance, culture, and media. Five boroughs — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island — meet across rivers and bays, connected by bridges and a 24-hour subway system. The city works well for a first-time visitor: its most famous sights sit close together in Manhattan, and even a few days give a strong sense of the place.
Expect constant contrast: quiet museum galleries a few blocks from Times Square's crowds, historic rowhouses beside soaring skyscrapers, and food from nearly every country on earth. The poet Walt Whitman spent much of his life here and wrote often about the city's energy — a description that still fits.
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When to visit
Spring (April–June) and fall (September–October) bring mild, comfortable weather and are the best time to visit. Summer (July–August) turns hot and humid. Winter (December–March) is cold, sometimes snowy, though the city is festively decorated.
Plan around the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, held on the fourth Thursday of November. Giant balloons and marching bands pass Central Park on their way to Herald Square — one of the most famous annual events in the country.
Best time to visit New York City: May, June, September, October
Top sights
Statue of Liberty has welcomed visitors to New York Harbor since 1886, a gift from France marking American independence. A ferry also stops at Ellis Island Immigration Museum, where millions of immigrants were processed on arrival.
Central Park is an 843-acre green space in the middle of Manhattan, with lakes, woodland paths, and open lawns for a break from the streets.
Empire State Building was the world's tallest building when it opened in 1931, and its observation decks still give sweeping views over Manhattan.
Times Square is the city's neon-lit crossroads, ringed by Broadway theatres and huge digital billboards.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds one of the world's largest art collections, spanning 5,000 years and every continent.
National September 11 Memorial & Museum marks the site of the 2001 attacks with two reflecting pools, next to One World Trade Center, whose observation deck is the tallest in the Western Hemisphere.
Brooklyn Bridge has linked Manhattan and Brooklyn since 1883; walking its wooden promenade gives some of the best skyline views in the city.
Grand Central Terminal is a working train station and a landmark in its own right, with a vaulted ceiling painted like a star-studded sky.
Explore New York City
New York City Essentials
New York City’s landmark landscape spans from the Art Deco heights of the Empire State Building to the neo-Gothic towers of the Brooklyn Bridge. This selection highlights premier cultural institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, alongside the immersive Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Within Central Park, the Victorian-style Belvedere Castle and Bow Bridge offer historic charm, while the National September 11 Memorial provides a site for reflection. From the Statue of Liberty to the neon-lit hub of Times Square, these sites represent the city’s architectural diversity and historical significance.
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Editor's Choice
This curated selection highlights New York’s architectural diversity and specialized cultural institutions. It features historic sites like the Victorian Gothic Jefferson Market Library and the Renwick Smallpox Hospital ruins. Visitors can explore immigration history at the Tenement Museum or browse the quirky Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. The collection spans from the Art Deco Daily News Building to the modern steel lattices of the Vessel. Recreational highlights include Central Park’s lakeside Loeb Boathouse, the bioluminescent-inspired Sea Glass Carousel, and the historic Greenmarket at Union Square Park.
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Hidden Gems of NYC
Explore New York City's unconventional landmarks, from the Hess Triangle, the city's smallest piece of private property, to the New York Earth Room, an interior sculpture consisting of 280,000 pounds of soil. This collection includes a 25-foot waterfall in Greenacre Park, a tiny museum housed in a freight elevator, and a speakeasy accessed via a vintage phone booth. Discover intricate mosaics on a Brooklyn brownstone and whimsical bronze sculptures hidden within the subway system.
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Best Museums in New York
New York City’s museum landscape spans centuries of human achievement, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s encyclopedic collections to the specialized German and Austrian works at the Neue Galerie. Visitors can explore natural history at the American Museum of Natural History, modern masterpieces at MoMA, and American design at the Cooper-Hewitt. Significant historical sites like the Tenement Museum and Ellis Island document the immigrant experience, while the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and the New York Transit Museum showcase technological evolution through decommissioned vessels and vintage subway cars.
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New York Architecture
New York City’s skyline showcases over a century of design, from the Art Deco spires of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings to the modern glass geometry of One World Trade Center. This collection spans historic landmarks like the neo-Gothic Brooklyn Bridge and the Beaux-Arts Grand Central Terminal alongside mid-century icons like Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiral Guggenheim Museum. It also features contemporary engineering feats such as Santiago Calatrava’s Oculus and the residential heights of 432 Park Avenue, illustrating the city's transition from stone and steel to glass and light.
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New York Art & Statues
New York’s art landscape spans from the encyclopedic collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to contemporary installations at MoMA PS1 and the Whitney. Public spaces feature iconic bronze works like the Charging Bull and the Bethesda Fountain, alongside modern steel structures such as the Vessel and Robert Indiana’s Hope sculpture. The selection includes historic tributes like the Strawberry Fields memorial and the Statue of Liberty, as well as the High Line’s rotating outdoor exhibits and the versatile performing arts space at The Shed.
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New York City Parks & Gardens
New York City’s green spaces range from the expansive, Olmsted-designed landscapes of Central Park and Prospect Park to innovative urban redevelopments like The High Line's elevated rail trail. This selection features historic sites such as Bowling Green—the city's oldest park—and Washington Square Park with its iconic marble arch. Visitors can explore the 52-acre Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the waterfront promenades of Gantry Plaza and Hudson River Park, or quiet pocket retreats like Paley Park. These locations highlight the city's blend of horticultural variety, historic monuments, and scenic East River views.
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Historic Religious Sites
New York City’s religious landscape spans centuries of architectural history and cultural diversity. This collection features landmark sites ranging from the 1766 Georgian-style Saint Paul’s Chapel to the modern Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at the World Trade Center. Highlights include the massive Neo-Gothic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, the historic Trinity Church containing Alexander Hamilton’s burial site, and the Victorian-era Museum at Eldridge Street. The list also encompasses the first Reform Jewish congregation at Temple Emanu-El, the global headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in Brooklyn, and the Islamic Cultural Center’s striking mosque in East Harlem.
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New York Theatre & Cinema
New York City's performing arts landscape includes historic Broadway houses like the 1,933-seat Gershwin Theatre and Art Deco landmarks like Radio City Music Hall. This collection features the Metropolitan Opera House and David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, the open-air Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village. It also highlights specialized venues such as the MoMA cinema for film screenings and the Ed Sullivan Theater, a historic site for major television broadcasts and live late-night recordings.
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Iconic NYC Food & Drink
New York City’s culinary landscape is defined by historic landmarks and modern innovators. This selection features Lombardi’s, the nation’s first pizzeria established in 1905, alongside the three-Michelin-starred French seafood of Le Bernardin. Experience the 1950s nostalgia of Ellen’s Stardust Diner with its singing waitstaff, or sample the world-famous banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery. From 24-hour Jewish delis like Sarge’s to the coal-fired ovens of Grimaldi’s and the inventive pastries of Dominique Ansel, these institutions represent the city's diverse and enduring food culture.
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Iconic Markets & Stores
New York City’s retail landscape spans from historic 19th-century department stores like Macy’s Herald Square to specialized gourmet hubs. This collection features luxury fashion destinations on Fifth Avenue, such as Saks and Bergdorf Goodman, alongside historic industrial spaces repurposed as food halls like Chelsea Market. It also includes the city’s significant open-air markets, including the Union Square Greenmarket, established in 1976, and the budget-friendly street commerce of Canal Street. These locations represent the evolution of Manhattan's commercial history through fashion, artisanal goods, and international cuisine.
14 placesWhat to experience
A few things capture how New Yorkers actually use their city.
- Ice skate outdoors at Rockefeller Center in winter, beneath the tree and gilded statue.
- Ride the free Staten Island Ferry past Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline — best at sunset.
- Walk the elevated The High Line, a former freight rail line turned park with art installations along the way.
- Rent a rowboat on the lake at Loeb Boathouse in Central Park.
- Spend a day on the boardwalk and rides at Coney Island, Brooklyn's old-school seaside amusement district.
- Catch a Broadway show in the Theater District, a New York tradition since the early 1900s.
Tours & Activities
Map of New York City
Day trips
New York makes a good base for day trips into the wider region, from historic river towns to beaches and another major city.
- Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown — ≈45 min by Metro-North train. Washington Irving's ghost-story village and the Rockefeller family estate at Kykuit sit on the Hudson River.
- Jones Beach State Park — ≈1 hr 45 min by train and bus. A long Atlantic beach and boardwalk, popular for a summer day out.
- Philadelphia — ≈1.5 hr by train. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the birthplace of the United States.
- The Hamptons — ≈2–2.5 hr by train. Long Island's beach towns, popular with New Yorkers all summer.
Getting there
- By air: Three airports serve the city. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is the main international gateway, about 25 km from Manhattan; the AirTrain connects to the subway and Long Island Rail Road, roughly 45–60 minutes to Manhattan. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is closer, about 13 km out and mainly domestic, with bus connections to the subway. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), in New Jersey, is about 26 km away, reached by AirTrain plus NJ Transit train, roughly 30–45 minutes to Penn Station.
- By train: Penn Station is the hub for Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, with frequent service to Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Grand Central Terminal serves Metro-North commuter trains to the northern suburbs and Connecticut.
- By bus: The Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown handles long-distance coach services from across the Northeast and beyond.
Getting around
- Public transit: The subway runs 24 hours across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Staten Island connects to Manhattan by the free Staten Island Ferry and its own separate Staten Island Railway. Pay with a contactless bank card or phone directly at the turnstile via OMNY, the city's tap-to-pay system — no need to buy a paper ticket. MTA
- Taxi: Yellow cabs have been part of the city since the early 1900s and can be hailed on the street throughout Manhattan.
- On foot / cycling: Manhattan's grid makes walking easy, and Citi Bike docking stations are common for short rides.
Driving
- Is a car worth it?: No — a car is a liability in Manhattan; the subway and walking cover the main sights far more easily than driving.
- Parking: Garages in Manhattan often charge $40–60 a day; metered street parking is scarce and tightly enforced.
- Restrictions: A congestion charge applies to most vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street.
Food & drink
New York's food scene reflects generations of immigrants, and dishes from nearly every country are easy to find. Bagels with lox, New York-style pizza slices, and pastrami sandwiches are the local classics worth seeking out.
For a famous sandwich, Katz's Delicatessen has been slicing pastrami since 1888. Otherwise, follow the neighborhoods: Chinatown for dumplings and noodle shops, or the food halls scattered through Chelsea and the Lower East Side for a sampler of everything at once.
Safety & health
New York is generally safe for tourists, and violent crime is rare in the areas visitors spend time in. The most common issues are pickpocketing in crowded spots like Times Square and the subway, and unlicensed street vendors or costumed characters pushing for tips in exchange for photos — politely decline and keep walking.
History
New York began as a Dutch trading post called New Amsterdam in 1624, renamed New York when England took control in 1664. Its deep, ice-free harbor made it a natural hub for trade and, later, immigration.
Between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island Immigration Museum processed more than 12 million immigrants, many of whom stayed in the city and shaped its neighborhoods. Nearby, Wall Street grew from a colonial-era boundary wall into the country's financial center; Federal Hall National Memorial marks the spot where George Washington took the first presidential oath in 1789.
The 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center are remembered at National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and the rebuilt One World Trade Center now stands on the site.
Country facts
Quick practical facts for the United States at a glance:
- Currency
- US Dollar USD $ · Card payments · Widely accepted
- Emergency numbers
- 911 Police · Ambulance · Fire brigade
- Electricity
- 120 V · 60 HzType A / Type B
- Languages
- English
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +1
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