New York City attractions

Greenwich Village, known for its cobblestone streets and historical brownstones, is home to Bleecker Street, Washington Square Park, the Whitney Museum, and New York University. Once a hub for 1960s counterculture, the area has since transformed into a residential neighborhood dotted with cozy eateries, upscale shops, and Hudson River walkways.

One of the most instantly recognizable backdrops for movie montages over recent years, the Manhattan skyline is New York City's shining beacon, designed to impress and inspire. From historical fixtures like the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building to the One World Trade Center, this man-made masterpiece dazzles at any time of day and from any vantage point in the NYC area.

Synonymous with US financial markets, capitalism, and the history of early New York, Wall Street runs for eight blocks, from Broadway to South streets, through Lower Manhattan. It may be the financial heart of the city and bustling with traders most days of the week, but the area also offers plenty of historic interest to visitors.

Located at the heart of Manhattan, Grand Central Station (also known as Grand Central Terminal) welcomes 750,000 people daily who come to marvel at its spectacular architecture and murals, grab a bite to eat, or simply catch a commuter train home.

Home to 95,000 people, New York City’s Chinatown is one of the largest and oldest ethnic Chinese enclaves in the United States. The Manhattan neighborhood offers a heady blend of restaurants, cafés, sidewalk food stalls, street vendors, and traditional herbal medicine shops. Round out the Chinatown experience at its museums and temples.

Strawberry Fields is a 2.5-acre memorial garden within Central Park that is dedicated to the memory of musician John Lennon, the co-lead vocalist of the Beatles who later became a solo singer and a peace activist. Visit this beautiful spot to honor his memory and his work and to gather with fans from around the world.

One of the most esteemed institutes of higher learning in the United States, Columbia was established in 1754 as King’s College. Today, the Ivy League university continues to be celebrated for its academic reputation and striking architecture. And if the campus looks familiar, you may have seen it in a Hollywood blockbuster or two.

One of New York City's most recognizable and distinct skyscrapers, the Chrysler Building is considered a masterpiece of art deco architecture. The tallest building in the world when it debuted in 1930, it was soon surpassed by the Empire State Building. Today, however, the Chrysler Building remains the world's loftiest brick building.

One of North America’s most majestic natural wonders, Niagara Falls is made up of three waterfalls—American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls—which plunge dramatically over the Niagara River. The falls straddle the border between Canada and the US with viewpoints and falls-themed attractions on both sides.

Two stone lions guard the front of the main branch of the New York Public Library, an imposing Beaux Arts structure. Opulent interiors that feature carved oak, ceiling murals, and crystal chandeliers create a sumptuous setting for the millions of books and manuscripts that reside here.

While it’s surrounded by gleaming high-rises, Trinity Church Wall Street is one of the oldest churches in the country and a Manhattan historical highlight. The building that stands today dates to 1846, though its origins stretch back to 1698. The church is renowned for its architecture and for being the final resting place of Alexander Hamilton.

Little Italy, located in the heart of Lower Manhattan, was once the commercial and residential epicenter of New York’s Italian immigrant population. The area is now visited for its selection of nostalgic Italian eateries, historical mafia landmarks, and the annual Feast of San Gennaro street fair.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world’s most prestigious art collections and cultural hubs. Five million annual visitors stroll the Met’s 17 acres (6.9 hectares) of gallery space, gazing upon pieces representing 5,000 years of art and human history. From Egyptian tombs to American abstract expressionist paintings, the museum’s permanent collection has more than 2 million objects, so expect to stay awhile.

Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex is a marina and sports facility that flanks the Hudson River on Manhattan’s West Side. Originally built in the 1900s as a passenger ship terminal, the piers now house facilities for TV production, events, and over 30 sports activities, including gymnastics, soccer, rock climbing, and ice skating.

One of New York City’s most famous buildings, 30 Rockefeller Plaza boasts panoramic views from its sky-high observation deck, Top of the Rock. Visitors can access three levels for both indoor and outdoor glass-walled platforms offering unobstructed, 360-degree vistas of the sprawling metropolis. The skyscraper, which houses NBC headquarters, was formerly known as the GE Building and is now the Comcast Building.

New York City's Fifth Avenue runs from Washington Square Park, in Greenwich Village, all the way to 142nd Street in Harlem. This expansive stretch includes a little of everything that's great about New York. From high-end shops and museums to Central Park and Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue is absolutely worth a visit—the sights are too numerous to list.

With more than 30 million specimens and artifacts and almost 50 exhibits, the American Museum of Natural History is one of the largest scientific and cultural museums in the world. Displays highlight the wonders of our planet and the wider universe, spotlighting everything from dinosaurs to human origins to the solar system.

This uptown New York City neighborhood caught the public’s attention in the 1920s with the Harlem Renaissance—an explosion of African-American art, literature, and music. Though it has been subject to gentrification, the district remains a cultural powerhouse with jazz clubs, theaters, and soul food restaurants tucked away among old brownstones.

Located in Lower Manhattan, the historic Seaport District was New York’s original commercial hub. A vibrant mix of old and new, today Seaport District NYC is a dynamic cultural, culinary, fashion, and entertainment district, featuring some of the oldest architecture in the city, as well as stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the iconic city skyline.

The focal point of Bethesda Terrace, this large, towering fountain is known for its statue of a winged angel, which has been a Central Park landmark for almost 150 years and has appeared in countless movies and television shows ranging fromOne Fine Day toHome Alone 2.

Bryant Park, off bustling 42nd Street in Manhattan, encompasses nearly 10 acres (four hectares) of green space in the middle of the city. Visitors will find historic monuments, benches, blooming flowers, and kiosks with vendors offering coffee and snacks. Whether you play a game of chess or nap on the grass, Bryant Park is a relaxing stop in Midtown.

A gift to New York from the Rockefellers, Radio City Music Hall is a glitzy landmark that has been entertaining the masses since the Rockettes dancing troop first kicked up their heels here in the early 1930s. The 6,000-seat theater still hosts nightly shows, with performers ranging from stand-up comedians to chart-topping musical artists.

Hailed as an urban renewal triumph following its opening in 2009, New York City’s High Line—an abandoned elevated railway track converted into a park—has since spawned a series of copycats, including Chicago’s 606 and Sydney’s Goods Line. Stretching over the formerly industrial west side of Lower Manhattan, the lengthy public park serves as an escape hatch for New Yorkers who want to rise above the hubbub at street level, and is a must-see for out-of-towners for its Hudson River views, ample greenery, artisanal food stands, public art, and some of the best people-watching perches in town.

With its easily recognizable spire, One World Trade Center is an icon of the New York City skyline. Opened in 2014, the silver mirrored skyscraper towers some 1,776 feet (541 meters) high, making it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Observation decks at One World Observatory afford incredible views.

Known as the Great White Way because the theater lights burned so brightly in the early days of electricity, New York City's Broadway has been the home of the New York theater district for almost 150 years. The history-drenched street is one of Manhattan's most famous thoroughfares, and many consider seeing a blockbuster Broadway show an essential New York City experience.

Just 800 yards (732 meters) from Lower Manhattan, Governors Island has long been an important historical landmark in New York Harbor. Home to two major military landmarks—Fort Jay and Castle Williams—it was used in defensive campaigns beginning in the 18th century. Today, it’s a popular summer retreat and easily accessible by ferry.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is a driving force of the US economy and a landmark American institution. The exchange isn't open to the public, but stopping by and walking the city's Financial District ranks as a top NYC experience. Find several iconic sights nearby, including the Charging Bull statue and Trinity Church.

Madison Square Park is a bustling, leafy square that's packed with benches and tucked into New York's Flatiron District. Offices, trendy restaurants, and an architectural landmark—the Flatiron Building—surround Madison Square, situated at Broadway at 23rd Street. Stop for a rest in the park on a busy day exploring Manhattan.

St. Paul’s Chapel is the oldest surviving church in Manhattan. The chapel earned the nickname The Little Chapel that Stood after it survived the collapse of the World Trade Center, less than 100 yards away, in the 9/11 attacks without sustaining damage.

Washington Square Park is a bona fide New York City gem filled with leafy, bench-lined walkways, a stone-rimmed fountain, and a miniature Arc de Triomphe. The Greenwich Village park is surrounded by New York University’s historical buildings, and draws students, local denizens, tourists, and street performers to its vibrant urban space.