New York is a huge city, with many sightseeing opportunities. A great pleasure of sightseeing is also to go on an adventure. To do so, you’ll need to take strolls around the city, search for its originality, look at all the details, in short, look for the city’s personality. And this mission of yours as a visitor of New York will start outside. You’ll have to wander around the streets of the city to choose what to visit. We are here to help you start spotting the key elements you must not miss when going to NYC!
The icons
Times Square
Times Square is known for its huge bright billboards, displaying too many lights and images for your eyes and brain to catch. It is a central place of NYC, displayed in many movies and series, with vibrant and contagious social energy!
Central Park
Central Park is located at the heart of Manhattan: it is a beautiful and popular park that allows locals and visitors to escape the overstimulation of the city’s energy. It is accessible the whole year and includes several attractions like the Zoo, the Bethesda Fountain, or the Carousel.
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was gifted to the USA from France in 1886 as a symbol of democracy and freedom for welcoming immigrants to the United States.
When visiting, you can access the Statue and its pedestal by ferry from Manhattan or New Jersey. You’ll need to reserve the visit to the crown and pedestal in advance. The Museum is located on Liberty Island and displays a history of the statue’s construction and symbolism.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building might be one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world, and definitely the most popular in New York. It was completed in 1931 and was the tallest building in the world for forty years.
It is located in Manhattan and is visible from several parts of NYC: it is 443.2 meters tall. You can get on the buildings’ two observation terraces, on the 86th and 102nd floors, that offer panoramic views of NYC.
The art and culture
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Opened to the public in 1872, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as the Met, displays a collection of over 5,000 years of art history, from ancient Egyptian treasures to contemporary art.
With more than 2 million artworks, like paintings, sculptures, and artifacts from everywhere in the world, the Met regularly hosts special exhibitions and activities and applies a voluntary admission fee so all the visitors can enter and visit the 17 departments.
9/11 Museum and Memorial
The 9/11 is a museum to honor the memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in NYC. Located in Lower Manhattan, the site is dedicated to remembering the events and preserving the memory for future generations.
Located underground at the site of the World Trade Center, the museum exhibits artifacts, photos, information about victims, and media pieces. It is a solemn place, open to the public but centered around memory, so it has an etiquette to respect.
Museum of Modern Art
The NYC Museum of Modern Art, also known as the MoMA, was founded in 1929 and is today one of the world’s most famous museums of contemporary and modern art.
The MoMA’s collection includes for example Vincent van Gogh’s beautiful “Starry Night”, among over 200,000 pieces of art, such as paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, films and so on. It also offers art workshops and classes.
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930, focuses on exposing American art from the 20th and 21st centuries. It displays more than 25,000 iconic works of art like paintings, sculptures, photography, performance, etc.
Located in Manhattan, the Museum offers many resources for visitors, such as lectures, artist talks, film screenings, workshops, and an extensive online presence offering virtual tours, online exhibitions, and educational resources.
Public Art
When visiting NYC, remember to pay attention to public art: present in the city since the 19th century, this form of art can be sculptures, murals, installations and performances.
In the 60s, the city of NYC established a “Percent for Art” program, which required that part of the budget for new construction projects be dedicated to public art. Consequently, many large-scale and site-specific artworks were created in the city.
Some of the most iconic examples of public art in NYC include the Charging Bull sculpture on Wall Street or the “LOVE” sculpture in Midtown Manhattan.
The architecture
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic and historic suspended bridge, going over the East River and connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn since 1883. The bridge has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
The High Line
The High Line is a very original and unique park in NYC, located in the neighborhood of Chelsea in Manhattan. Originally, the High Line was a freight rail line in operation from the 30s until 1980.
After being abandoned for many years, it was preserved and transformed into a park. Nowadays, it includes many elements of the rail line’s industrial past, art works and a variety of native plants.
The High Line offers beautiful panoramic views of the city and of the Hudson River. Moreover, it allows visitors to dive into New York’s industrial path and question our modern relationship to technology.
The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library, founded in 1895, is one of the world’s largest public libraries. Located in Manhattan, it is a popular cultural institution in NYC, considered a Beaux-Arts masterpiece and National Historic Landmark.
The Library’s collection has over 53 million books, manuscripts, maps, photographs among others, and possesses jewels of the world’s culture, such as Gutenberg’s Bible.
Open and free for the public, the New York Public Library has 92 branches outside of Manhattan, in the Bronx, Staten Island and other districts. This way, it can offer many services and programs for local communities.
When visiting New York City, you’ll see that its streets are full of life, energy, and things to see and experience. We presented you with initial ideas of sights you might encounter and want to visit during your trip.
However, we highly encourage you to take the time to explore the city’s streets: you’ll find incredible architecture, history, art, community life, and also food! NYC has the potential to offer incredible and unique adventures to all the visitors.
If you liked our advice, we encourage you to take a look at Trazler’s website: it allows you to book your trip to NYC very easily. You can book your accommodation, travel tickets and car rentals all on the same webpage, with the best prices. We wish you an adventurous and magical time in New York City!
