The 10 best things to do in New York City
There is a reason they call New York City the city that never sleeps; regardless of the season, day of the week, or time of the day, there is a seemingly endless supply of things to do in New York, from pop-up restaurants to cultural parades to avant-garde live theatre. It’s no exaggeration to say that you could spend a lifetime here and still discover something new every day. Of course, most visitors to the Big Apple likely won’t have that much time; so how to narrow it down? Read on for our primer on some of the quintessential places, activities, and things to do in New York City.
Getty Images1. Head sky-high to seek out the best views
While on ground, New York City can be a bit overwhelming if you’re unfamiliar with its layout; from the air, the city reveals itself to be quite the beautiful mosaic of skyscrapers and parks. Apart from snapping pics while your plane is arriving, you can also peep some incredible views thanks to the city’s many towering observation decks. The most famous, of course, is The Empire State Building, an Art Deco landmark in Midtown with viewing platforms on the 86th and 102nd floors. But other more recent entries to the category include the 360-degree views at One World Observatory (the tallest point in the city); the highest outdoor skydeck in the Western Hemisphere at The Edge in Hudson Yards; and the art-filled immersive experience at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in Midtown East.
Getty Images2. Find a moment of zen in the city’s parks
A city as bustling and busy as New York can be overwhelming – so escaping to one of the surprising amounts of green spaces is always a blessing. Of course, Central Park is the most famous – 693 acres of greenery that carve a verdant hole in the grid of avenues and streets that make up Manhattan. There are man-made meadows, a theatre, a zoo, playgrounds, sculptures and fountains, a boating lake, bridges and more to explore (and most of it is free). Elsewhere in the city, the 10 acres that makeup Washington Square Park (downtown in Greenwich Village) are filled with musicians and performers seven days a week, while Bryant Park’s ice rink and Winter Village make it a holiday must-do. In Chelsea, Little Island at Pier 55 was opened in 2021 as part of the Hudson River Park regeneration program – the three acres here have been cleverly designed by Heatherwick Studio (also behind Coal Drops Yard in London’s King’s Cross) to create a community space that hosts free concerts, arts programs and more. And over the river in Brooklyn, Prospect Park rivals its sister Central Park with its 585 acres of baseball fields, birdwatching expanses, picnic spots, boating, and horseback riding.
Getty Images3. Be dazzled by a show on Broadway
The insane crowds of Times Square can be hard to navigate, but it’s worth it to catch some of the best live theatre in the country (and we won’t lie, it’s still a great photo op). Regardless of whom you’re travelling with, there’s certain to be a show that everyone in your party will love. Family-favorite The Lion King is a long-standing hit and still drawing enormous crowds, while Hamilton (if you can snag tickets) tells the tale of the birth of America in riveting fashion. If plays are more your speed, Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt is one of this season’s standouts, along with the West End transfer of August Wilson’s Death of a Salesman. And if you can’t get a ticket for the show you want? Head to Ellen’s Stardust Diner, where the immensely talented waitstaff belt out past and current hits of the Great White Way while you feast on towering stacks of pancakes or sip on classic, American-style milkshakes.
Frederick Stephenson / Alamy Stock Photo4. Get a culture hit at some of the country’s top museums
It’s hard to think of a city in America that’s more densely populated with museums than NYC, so visiting at least a few should be on everyone’s itinerary. The most famous, with good reason, is the storied Metropolitan Museum of Art (known as The Met), housed in a stunning neoclassical building just outside Central Park on the Upper East Side. The paintings and statues here veer more towards antiquity, but The Costume Institute is also a big draw; the current exhibit of Kimono Style features many pieces from its collection. Other major museums include the more modern and contemporary collections at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Guggenheim (don’t miss the Alex Katz show which is up until February). And over in Brooklyn, The Brooklyn Museum has the must-see Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech” which is an intimate look at the designer and artist’s impressive oeuvre before his untimely passing.
Stefano Politi Markovina / Alamy Stock Photo5. Splurge at NYC’s famed department stores and boutiques
Trying to cram all of New York’s best shopping spots into a paragraph is like attempting to list every place to have afternoon tea in London, but we’ll give it a shot. Our best advice is to pick the area you want to explore and then meander through the blocks; shopping surprises are the best kind. Some of our favourite quarters include: Fifth and Madison Avenues from the Upper East Side down to Midtown for a mix of super high-end designer boutiques and famed department stores like Bergdorf Goodman; Bleecker Street in the West Village for charming boutiques like the feminine dresses at LoveShackFancy and cheeky embroidered cashmere at Lingua Franca; basically all of Soho (Broadway has larger chains, while the side streets have smaller, boutique stores); and in Williamsburg, Bedford Street and its surrounding blocks for hipper-than-hip clothing, home decor, and vintage pieces.
Getty Images6. Try a tipple at one of the best rooftop bars
New Yorkers love a rooftop cocktail; and post-lockdown, bars are extending their outdoor seasons to, seemingly, the entire year. The newest and most glittering kid on the block, however, is certainly Nubeluz, chef Jose Andre’s sultry bar on the 50th floor of the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad. Another top contender is Overstory, which opened in 2021 on the 60th floor of 70 Pine Street; the wraparound terrace boasts 360-degree views of the skyscrapers of downtown. And outside of Manhattan, we’re big fans of the stunning skyline views from the Panorama Room at Roosevelt Island’s Graduate Hotel; and the excellent cocktails and people-watching at Westlight inside Williamsburg’s The William Vale Hotel.
7. Eat your way through the five boroughs
Similar to shopping, it’s basically impossible to detail all the incredible food options in this city. From sidewalk hot dog stands to three-star Michelin dining, New York fires on all cylinders when it comes to gastronomical pursuits. So, rather than point you in the direction of specific neighbourhoods (every enclave here has something delicious to eat), we think you’re best off trying some of the dishes that have put NYC on the culinary map. First off, the slice joint: we’ll venture to say that no one does pizza better than New York. Joe’s Pizza is worth the line, as is Bleecker Street Pizza just down the road; we also love the cheffy touches at L’Industrie Pizzeria in Williamsburg. Bagel-wise, your best bet is to head north towards the Upper West or Upper East Sides, where classic spots like H&H Bagels and Tal Bagels draw lines every morning for their pillowy creations. And no visit would be complete without a slice of New York-style cheesecake. While Junior’s Cheesecake is the most famous in town for its Original NY Plain variety, we also love the Heavenly Cheesecake (with your choice of graham cracker or chocolate crust) at beloved bakery Mah-Ze-Dahr.
Getty Images8. Pound the streets (and master the subway)
New Yorkers pride themselves on their walking endurance; you’ll never find a local hopping into a cab for a 10-block ride. And when rush hour hits, you’re generally better off walking or taking the subway than dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic snarls in Midtown. Plus, New York City is made for pedestrians; one of the most fun ways to learn the city’s sometimes-labyrinthine ways (we’re looking at you, West Village) is to strap on a pair of comfy kicks and just wander. And when you do need to get from Lincoln Center to Tribeca in a flash, that’s when express subway lines become your best friend.
Julien Capmeil9. Laugh ‘til you cry at a comedy club
NYC is the home of Saturday Night Live, and more improv and acting schools than we could possibly count, both of which contribute to a thriving comedy scene. Many of the world’s biggest comedians actually try out their material at the city’s premiere comedy clubs, which means you may have a front-row seat to routines that will end up on Netflix a few months later. Some of our favorite spots include the famed Carolines on Broadway (fun fact: Idris Elba is a former bouncer), Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village, the old-school appeal of the Upper East Side’s Comic Strip Live, and Jerry Seinfeld’s favorite, Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea.
Ron Bennett / Alamy Stock Photo10. Pick a New York team to root for, then watch them live
The New York area is blessed with a preponderance of sports teams, so virtually anytime you visit, you should be able to catch a match of some sort. Americana fans will probably want to catch a baseball game: Yankees Stadium is in the Bronx, while their rivals The New York Mets play in Queens at Citi Field (there’s better food here, if that tips the scales). For excitement, nothing beats a hockey game and the New York Rangers are one of the most fun teams to watch live. For basketball, you also have a pick of two teams: The New York Knicks, who play at the famed Madison Square Garden, or the Brooklyn Nets, who play at the swank Barclay’s Center in downtown Brooklyn. And of course, you can’t forget football when you’re in America. New York is home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets, both of whom play at MetLife stadium, which is, confusingly, in New Jersey.