7 Things to Do in New York City For First Time Visitors

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How do you pick seven things to do in New York City if you’re a first time visitor when there are roughly 700 attractions?

Manhatten skyline

You can do it by focusing on the quintessential activities that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet – and picking those that really strike a chord with you.

Here is my choice of seven things to do in New York City. They all struck a chord with me.

And before you go, don’t forget to research where to stay in New York so you end up in an area where you can easily see the sights of interest.

1. Visit Central Park. It is one of the most well known parks in the WORLD and  there is always lots going on. You’ll find lakes, forest, hills, formal gardens and lawn. Check out historic landmarks like Strawberry fields or the Imagine mosaic marking the spot where John Lennon was killed in 1980. Go for a skate at Wollman rink or ride the carousel. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride, walk, have lunch. The possibilities are endless. But go and allow at least a few hours.

Bow Bridge in Central Park

2. Catch a Broadway play. The choices are amazing as are the prices though you can buy discount tickets from TKTS at three locations including Times Square for up to 50% off on the day of a show. The caliber and sheer entertainment value of a Broadway Show is unrivaled. In four days I would happily have done four shows. If you happen to be walking through the Theater District check in at the box office of a show that interests you for last minute deals.

3. Take a boat tour – if possible late in the day so you can catch the Manhattan Skyline. Do this trip early on in your visit because you’ll get a real sense of the layout of Manhattan and New York City. Not only that but you see some of New York city’s best sights including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, Harlem and Battery Park.

4. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s one of the greatest museums in the world. Pick an area that interests you because you can’t possible see it all in a day. Study the website beforehand and be prepared for crowds if it’s a rainy day.

5. Enjoy the view from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at the Rockefeller Center. Lines are reportedly shorter than they are for the Empire State Building. Not only do you get a fabulous view but while at the Rockefeller Center you can also organize a tour of the NBC studios, go skating in season, dine and shop away.

6. Visit the High Line – a distressed railway line that’s been reclaimed as a public park in the Meatpacking District. The park is an aerial greenway, 1.4 miles long. The landscape design is fabulous with naturalized plantings – including over 200 species of hardy meadow plants and lots of clumping grasses. Enjoy views of the city and the Hudson River,  perhaps from one of the lounge chairs that have been formed from used railway track. Look for art installations too.

High Line Park

7. Take a walk through Greenwich Village. It’s such a cool, quirky part of New York with a European feel to the neighbourhood. It’s great for shopping and eating and it’s an amazing place to watch the world go by.

What would you include in the things to do in New York City list?

Photo credit: Manhattan skyline, Bow Bridge, High Line

This post has been made possible because of Only-Apartments.com.

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About Hike Bike Travel
Avid world traveler. Craves adventure - & the odd wildly epic day. Gardener. Reader. Wine lover. Next big project - a book on 100 Canadian outdoor adventures.
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