Stand at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street on a weekday morning and you will see the city doing what it does best: museum-goers, dog walkers and delivery cyclists all moving at once, with Central Park's tree line closing off the street ahead. New York rewards the traveller who picks a few things and does them properly rather than sprinting between all of them.
The city suits almost anyone, but it suits you best if you are comfortable on foot, happy to use the subway, and willing to shift your plan when a line is longer than the experience is worth. This guide covers the landmarks, museums, parks and viewpoints that are worth building a day around, with practical notes on timing and what to pair with what.
Top things to do in New York City
1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met holds collections that each rank among the finest in their category, from American art and period rooms to European paintings, Egyptian art, Islamic art, Asian art and antiquities. Its holdings are vast enough that seeing everything in a week would be impossible, so decide on two or three areas before you walk in.
It sits in Central Park on the Upper East Side, which makes it easy to combine with a walk through the park afterwards. Note that the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the biggest attraction not included in the GoCity passes, so budget for it separately. Many museums in the city close on Mondays, so check hours before you go.
2. Central Park
The park's lawns, trees and lakes make it the city's main space for recreation and concerts, and it anchors the Upper East Side and Midtown alike. It is the natural companion to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum, both of which sit on its edges.
Use it as breathing room between indoor sights rather than as a single destination. Because it is a park rather than a ticketed attraction, it works at any hour and costs nothing to enter.
3. Empire State Building
The Empire State Building looms over Midtown and is one of the city's defining landmarks. It is included in the New York CityPASS, which bundles it with several other major attractions.
The practical advantage here is timing: it is open late, until 2AM, and is much quieter then. If you would rather not spend your day on line, go late instead of at midday.
4. Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock is the observation deck at Rockefeller Plaza, home to NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall. In winter the plaza also holds the Christmas Tree and Skating Rink.
It appears in the GoCity pass lineup and is one of the two options, alongside the Guggenheim Museum, in the New York CityPASS. Pair it with a wander around Midtown rather than treating it as a standalone trip.
5. Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty stands on a small island in the harbor and is the most difficult major attraction to access, given the crowds and the long lines. Visitors can climb all the way up to the crown inside the statue.
Crown tickets are limited and should be reserved months in advance. If you would rather skip the line entirely, the source suggests the Staten Island Ferry as an alternative way to get out on the water.
6. 9/11 Memorial & Museum
The National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Site commemorates the victims of that day, and the museum is one of the two options, with the Intrepid Museum, in the New York CityPASS.
It sits in the Financial District, so it pairs naturally with Wall Street and the surrounding historic streets. Give it more time than you think you need.
7. One World Observatory
One World Observatory sits at One World Trade Center, the building colloquially known as the Freedom Tower, which replaced the towers lost on September 11. It is a viewpoint rather than a museum, and it is in the same complex as the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Because the two share a site, the sensible approach is to visit the memorial and museum first and go up for the view afterwards, when you have already covered the ground-level walking.
8. Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim is famed for its architecture as much as for the collection it hosts, with spiraling galleries that are ideal for exhibiting artworks. It sits near the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the Upper East Side.
It is one of the only museums open on Mondays, which makes it the exception to the city's Monday closures. It is also one of the two choices, with Top of the Rock, in the New York CityPASS.
9. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
MoMA holds the most comprehensive collection of modern art in the world, including Van Gogh's Starry Night and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, along with an extensive industrial design collection. It is large enough to require multiple visits to see everything on display.
It is in Midtown and is included in the GoCity pass attractions. Plan a single focused visit rather than trying to cover the whole building.
10. American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is one of the major museums on the Upper West Side and is included in the New York CityPASS.
It sits across Central Park from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so the two make a natural pairing if you are dividing your days by side of the park. As with most museums here, check hours before visiting, since many close on Mondays.
11. Circle Line
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises is one of the two options, with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry, in the New York CityPASS. It is also listed among the GoCity pass attractions.
A cruise is a useful way to see the harbor and the skyline without committing to the Statue of Liberty crowds. It works well as an afternoon anchor when your legs need a rest.
12. Intrepid Museum
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is the alternative to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in the New York CityPASS, giving you a choice between two very different experiences on the same ticket.
Decide which one suits your interests before you buy, since the pass commits you to one or the other.
13. New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden is one of the city's major green spaces and appears in the list of places worth naming for a visit.
It is a good counterweight to a museum-heavy itinerary, and it suits a half day rather than a quick stop.
14. Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is one of the city's two zoos, alongside the Central Park Zoo, and is a full outing in its own right.
Because it sits away from the Midtown cluster, treat it as a dedicated trip rather than something to squeeze between Manhattan sights.
15. BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building
The BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building is the arts centre in Brooklyn, and it gives you a reason to cross the river for an evening rather than staying in Manhattan.
Pair it with a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, which connects the Financial District to Downtown Brooklyn and offers views of both the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start downtown rather than Midtown, which is the opposite of what most visitors do and saves you the worst of the crowds. Begin at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, then continue to One World Observatory for the view over the harbor. If you want to be on the water instead, the Staten Island Ferry is the alternative to the Statue of Liberty line.
Afternoon: Head uptown to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and give it a focused two or three hours rather than trying to see everything. Follow it with a walk through Central Park, which sits right outside. If you have energy left, the Guggenheim Museum is nearby and is one of the few museums open on Mondays.
Evening: Finish in Midtown. Go up the Empire State Building late, when it is open until 2AM and much quieter, or choose Top of the Rock instead. If you would rather end on your feet, walk through the Theater District and Times Square, where the screens run around the clock.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit the Empire State Building?
Late. It is open until 2AM and is much quieter then, which lets you skip the daytime line entirely.
Which museums are open on Mondays?
Many museums and galleries in New York close on Mondays, and the Guggenheim Museum is one of the only museums open that day. Check hours before visiting anything else.
Is it worth buying a multi-attraction pass?
Several schemes give reduced prices and line-skipping privileges. The New York CityPASS covers six attractions within nine days of first use, including the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and a choice between Top of the Rock and the Guggenheim Museum, between the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, and between the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and the Intrepid Museum. The GoCity passes cover a different lineup, and the biggest attraction not included in them is the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
How should I plan around rush hour?
New York rush hour puts much of the city in gridlock, and all subway lines and roads are much busier from 4:30PM to 6:30PM. Buses are the slowest way to go crosstown in Midtown during peak hours, and taxis are not much better, so you are often better off on foot.
Pick your two or three priorities, check the opening hours before you commit, and start mapping out your days.