Things to Do in New York - Planning a Trip to NYC

One of the most popular things to do in New York is to take a guided New York sightseeing tour. A great way to start your visit with a comprehensive city overview tour, like the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tours. These include stops at all the top sights and landmarks throughout the city and feature live narration on every bus.

Once you have a feel for the city layout, you’ll be in good shape to start exploring the sights and visiting attractions.

More specific tours offer a way to get to know New York and learn about topics or certain neighborhoods that interest you.

Popular guided tours include the Food on Foot Tours which bring you to some of the best authentic New York food spots, the Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours – a lovely thing to do in Central Park, and the Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour in Williamsburg which showcases the trendy areas of the Brooklyn borough and more.

New York City is known for its museum-going culture, so make sure you visit a few of the most popular New York museums. 

Pay tribute to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and see the impressive and moving memorial built in the locations of the original World Trade Center towers. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the lives of all those lost during the attacks by poignantly reflecting on the events of the attack. The museum sensitively chronicles the efforts made by service members and volunteers in the aftermath and displays the results of the recovery and restoration efforts.

One thing that many tourists in New York City are always on the lookout for is a celebrity sighting. For a guaranteed celeb-spotting, head to Madame Tussauds New York in Times Square where you can get up close to and interact with all of your favorite celebrities under one roof.

New York is home to one of the world’s largest Natural History Museums, the American Museum of Natural History, where you can explore fascinating exhibitions that explore animal and plant life from around the globe.

Whether you’re a fan of the fine arts or not, be sure to visit at least one art museum while you’re in the city - many are conveniently located along the "Museum Mile". Some popular choices with visitors and locals alike include the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Guggenheim, or the Metropolitan Museum You're bound to learn something new.

One of the quintessential things to do in New York City is shopping (window shopping counts!) Poke around the shops that line Fifth and Madison Avenues, where you can find high-end designer labels and check out the seasonal, museum-worthy window displays.

Other popular things to do include catching a Broadway show, lounging in or going for a stroll through Central Park, scouting out colorful murals and street art, and of course, sampling an authentic New York City slice, bagels, the latest foodie trends, and other local cuisines.

Of all the things to do in New York, one of the most thrilling is seeking out the best views of the city skyline. Head to the Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building (or both so you can compare the views!)

Both attractions include exhibits that explore New York City’s rich history before you board an elevator to get sky-high views. Download an app or look at the exhibits to identify buildings and landmarks in your line of vision.

Tip: Save these attractions for the end of your trip if you want to get a whole new perspective on some of the places you’ve visited. You might be able to identify some of the sights on your own based on your experiences.

Make the most of your time and your New York Pass by visiting attractions in neighborhoods you want to spend time strolling around and exploring.

• Things to do in Lower Manhattan: also known as “Downtown,” Lower Manhattan consists of everything below 14th Street and includes the New York Harbor waterfront area, The Battery, and New York’s financial district.
• Things to do in Midtown Manhattan: consisting of everything between 60th Street and 14th Street, Midtown is home to Times Square and lots of iconic NYC landmarks.
• Things to do in Uptown Manhattan: everything above 60th Street is considered part of Upper Manhattan. Uptown is home to Central Park, the Museum Mile, and Harlem.

• When planning a trip to New York make a list of all of the attractions, landmarks, and sights you want to see as well as any activities you want to do in the city.
   
• Your designated New York trip planner needs to prioritize the list by “must-sees” and “nice-to-sees.”
   
• Look up attraction hours of operation and make a note of them.
   
• Download a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour map to help you visualize where each attraction is in the city. Remember to add any from your list of attractions you want to visit if they’re not included on the map.
   
• Create a blank itinerary that lets you plan each day by the hour (tip: in a spreadsheet, put the days you’ll be in New York in the top row and the hours of the day in the first column.)
   
• To make the most of your time, visit attractions by neighborhood; this will reduce transportation time and costs. Lots of popular attractions are within walking distance of each other.
   
• Add any reservations and travel information to your itinerary, including order confirmation numbers for quick reference.
   
• Plot out when you’ll visit each attraction starting with your “must-sees” first and factor in how long you think you’ll spend at each location (be sure to allow time for any security checks or ticket lines.)
   
• Build out some time for meals throughout your day.

Budgets and time constraints can be tricky to work around, but with a little research and work, it’s easy to plan a trip to New York City. Even if it won’t be the last time you visit the city, make the most of it and have fun.