Places to Visit in New York

By Kirsten McCroskrie

New York is a vibrant and eclectic place with an incredibly diverse range of things to see and do - but there are a few attractions like no other. Here is our pick of the top New York must-sees (all of which you can visit with your New York Pass.

Ellis Island

Ellis Island is where it all began, and now with the New York Pass, you can visit it completely free. You will also receive a free ferry ride to the Island and the Statue of Liberty.

The Empire State Building Observatory

The Empire State Building Observatory - an icon of New York City since 1931 - has been featured in thousands of movies and welcomes visitors from all over the world.

9/11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located at the World Trade Center, honors the people killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Madame Tussauds New York

Get up close and personal with your favorite celebrities at Madame Tussauds New York, an interactive attraction containing over 225 incredibly lifelike wax figures.

Top of the Rock

Discover Top of the RockTM Observation Deck and experience breathtaking views of New York City and beyond.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine

Explore one of NYC’s unique attractions – the world’s largest cathedral.

Continue reading

Empire State Building: Anniversary

[caption id="attachment_1278" align="aligncenter" width="520"] Empire State Building | Photo by @javan[/caption] Empire State Building Around the world you’ll find monuments that perfectly embody the cities that they belong to. In Paris you have the Eiffel Tower and in Toronto you have the CN Tower that are globally recognized as buildings from these cities. The same is the case when you think of New York, as the Empire State Building automatically comes to mind. Along with structures like the Statue of Liberty and the Chrysler Building, the ESB is a solidified symbol of the “Empire State”. Anniversary On May 1st in 1931, the Empire State Building was dedicated and it began its long historic legacy. At one point in time it was the tallest building in the world and held that title for 40 years until the completion of the original World Trade Center in 1970. While being constructed, the gorgeous skyscraper designed by William F. Lamb was actually in a race with 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building to become just that. Despite not holding the title anymore, it’s still a staple in the image of the state and is often used as a voice in political and social climate. The iconic lighting atop the ESB was first used after just one year of the building’s completion. Since 1976 those lights have changed colors adding a beautiful element to New York’s skyline. We’ve seen the Empire State Building change the color of its lights to celebrate specific holidays throughout the year and also to represent solitude for different areas of the world if they ever experience hardship. The skyscraper makes for beautiful photos whether you’re standing on the other side of the city or on the inside of the building. Observation Deck One of New York’s treasured observation decks belongs to the Empire State Building. Along with Top of The Rock, the ESB observation deck is one of the most popular elevated areas for people in the city to take pictures and appreciate the skyline. This is a great place to catch views of the entire city from way above the ground. Another great thing about the ESB is that it’s open late, so you can also take night time photos of NYC until they close at 2 am. This is something to keep in mind if you’re building your itinerary. Thinking of visiting the Empire State Building? Entrance to the ESB is free with the New York Pass and allows you to enter within the operating hours: Monday-Sunday: 8am - 2am

Attraction of the Week - The Whitney

[caption id="attachment_566" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] The Whitney by Timothy Schenck[/caption] Overlooking the Hudson River, there stands one of New York’s true gems in the artistic sense. Having only moved to its new location in 2015, the Whitney Museum is somewhat of the “New kid on the block”. However, the museum has been in existence since the 1930’s and has continued to expand over the years. It’s nestled right next to the Southern entrance of High Line Park in the West Village and beautifully occupies about 200,000 square feet. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney had become a very successful art space creator with her Whitney Studio Club in 1918. She collected art from many artists around the world with the help of her assistant Juliana R. Force and at one point was going to donate pieces to the Met. After those pieces were rejected by the Met, Whitney decided to start her own Museum where she would showcase contemporary American art. The museum would struggle with space as their collection grew over the years as they held a small building located at 945 Madison Avenue. This led to the Whitney adding multiple branch locations to show off pieces that they couldn’t fit inside of the museum. The first additional Whitney branch opened in 1973 at 55 Water Street showcasing similar pieces to the main location but offering a smaller selection size for viewers. Multiple expansions followed including a 1981 exhibition space in Stamford, Connecticut and a lobby exhibition installed in the Philip Morris Park Avenue headquarters. While it’s great to expand and reach new audiences, what the Whitney really wanted to accomplish was getting a space big enough to hold their extensive collection which now features over 21,000 pieces. (Some big names listed in the collection include Larry Poons, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol). They finally decided enough was enough and left their old building on Madison Avenue which was then ironically leased by the Met (current). The Whitney settled into their new location at 99 Gansevoort street in 2015 and opened their doors on May 1st. The new location not only has far more room for the Whitney’s annual and biennial exhibitions but also has some amazing views of the city. Of course the museum is next door neighbors with High Line Park which offers an elevated view of NYC so not to be outdone, the museum offers several observation decks to their visitors. The Whitney is opened during the following hours: Monday: 10.30am - 6pm Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 10.30am - 6pm Thursday: 10.30am - 10pm Friday: 10.30am - 10pm Saturday: 10.30am - 10pm Sunday: 10.30am - 6pm

New York Virtual Experiences: Weekly Edit

You may be stuck indoors right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still soak up some culture. Many museums and top landmarks are looking to the future; digitising their experience to make them more accessible to modern audiences, worldwide. This means good things for travel enthusiasts everywhere who are looking for a remote sightseeing fix. Although these virtual experiences are no substitute for the real thing, they do allow you to explore the world beyond your four walls from the comfort of your sofa. Or your kitchen. Or wherever else you happen to be right now. We’re not here to judge. But we are here to spotlight some of the best virtual experiences New York has to offer, week-by-week, so you can get busy exploring again. Image courtesy of The Met 360° Project Attraction spotlight - The Met 360° Project Home to over 5,000 years of art, more than two million works and over 30 annual exhibits - The Met has more than earned its right to be a cultural epicentre in New York. And through its award-winning series of six short videos using spherical 360° technology, you can experience its collections in a uniquely immersive way. Viewed more than 11 million times, the magic of attending the gallery after-hours or flying above The Met Cloisters has captivated audiences worldwide. Explore The Met now as never before.

Suz Pathmanathan

Have a 5% discount, on us!

More savings? You're welcome. Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, vacation inspiration and much more.