Top 10 Things to Do in New York City

MoMA holds one of the world's most important collections of modern and contemporary art, including Van Gogh's Starry Night, Monet's Water Lilies, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, and Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans — all in a single extraordinary building on 53rd Street. Adult admission is $30 (free on Friday evenings 5:30–9pm). The fifth-floor permanent collection galleries are the essential visit, and the sculpture garden is a peaceful escape from Midtown's pace.

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is one of New York's essential free experiences. The 1.8km walk offers uninterrupted views of the Manhattan skyline and New York Harbour. Walk it in the morning heading toward Brooklyn to keep the sun behind you for photography. DUMBO's cobblestone streets, Jane's Carousel, and Brooklyn Bridge Park make the Brooklyn end as rewarding as the journey. Total time: about 45 minutes at a comfortable pace.

Smorgasburg is America's largest weekly open-air food market, held every Saturday in Williamsburg and Sunday in Prospect Park from April through October. Over 100 local food vendors serve everything from Japanese milk bread soft-serve to jerk chicken to ramen burgers — most dishes run $10–16. The Williamsburg location has Manhattan Bridge views; the Prospect Park location is more relaxed and family-friendly. Arrive by noon to avoid long lines at the most popular stalls.

The High Line is a 2.3km elevated park built on a disused freight railway on Manhattan's West Side, running from the Meatpacking District through Chelsea to Hudson Yards. It's planted with meadow grasses, wildflowers, and art installations, and offers excellent Hudson River views and a ground-level perspective on the city's architecture. Free to enter, open daily 7am–10pm. The surrounding Chelsea gallery district and Hudson Yards' The Vessel observation structure are excellent extensions to the walk.

The AMNH on Central Park West is New York's greatest family museum — 45 permanent halls covering dinosaurs, ocean life, human origins, gems, and space. The Rose Center for Earth and Space houses a spectacular Hayden Planetarium (extra ticket required). The blue whale suspended in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life is one of the most awe-inspiring museum moments in the world. Suggested admission is $28 for adults, $16 for children. Allow a full day.

The Top of the Rock observation deck atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza offers what many photographers consider New York's finest 360-degree skyline view — including an unobstructed look at the Empire State Building (which the ESB's own deck can't show). Tickets are $40 (sunset slots sell out quickly). The indoor-outdoor three-level deck is less crowded than One World Observatory. Christmas season, when the Rockefeller Center tree is lit, is unforgettably atmospheric.

The Village is New York at its most literary and atmospheric — Dylan Thomas drank at the White Horse Tavern, Bob Dylan busked on Bleecker Street, and the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street is a National Monument marking the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Washington Square Park is a spontaneous street performance arena. The West Village's quieter townhouse-lined blocks hide some of the city's best restaurants, including L'Artusi and Via Carota.

Coney Island is New York's great working-class seaside pleasure ground — a 4km boardwalk, the original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand (since 1916), the Luna Park amusement area with the historic Cyclone wooden roller coaster, the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel, and an actual beach a subway ride from Midtown. The New York Aquarium adjoins the boardwalk. Best visited on weekdays in summer to avoid weekend crowds. Combine with a Smorgasburg visit in nearby Williamsburg on the way back.

The Met is one of the world's greatest art museums — 2 million objects across 17 curatorial departments, from Egyptian mummies and Greek antiquities to Impressionist paintings and contemporary photography. The rooftop garden (open May–October) offers a Central Park panorama. Suggested admission is $30 for adults. The Temple of Dendur, transported block by block from Egypt, is alone worth the visit. Allow at least 3–4 hours; many visitors return multiple times.

MoMA holds one of the world's most important collections of modern and contemporary art, including Van Gogh's Starry Night, Monet's Water Lilies, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, and Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans — all in a single extraordinary building on 53rd Street. Adult admission is $30 (free on Friday evenings 5:30–9pm). The fifth-floor permanent collection galleries are the essential visit, and the sculpture garden is a peaceful escape from Midtown's pace.

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is one of New York's essential free experiences. The 1.8km walk offers uninterrupted views of the Manhattan skyline and New York Harbour. Walk it in the morning heading toward Brooklyn to keep the sun behind you for photography. DUMBO's cobblestone streets, Jane's Carousel, and Brooklyn Bridge Park make the Brooklyn end as rewarding as the journey. Total time: about 45 minutes at a comfortable pace.

Smorgasburg is America's largest weekly open-air food market, held every Saturday in Williamsburg and Sunday in Prospect Park from April through October. Over 100 local food vendors serve everything from Japanese milk bread soft-serve to jerk chicken to ramen burgers — most dishes run $10–16. The Williamsburg location has Manhattan Bridge views; the Prospect Park location is more relaxed and family-friendly. Arrive by noon to avoid long lines at the most popular stalls.

The High Line is a 2.3km elevated park built on a disused freight railway on Manhattan's West Side, running from the Meatpacking District through Chelsea to Hudson Yards. It's planted with meadow grasses, wildflowers, and art installations, and offers excellent Hudson River views and a ground-level perspective on the city's architecture. Free to enter, open daily 7am–10pm. The surrounding Chelsea gallery district and Hudson Yards' The Vessel observation structure are excellent extensions to the walk.

The AMNH on Central Park West is New York's greatest family museum — 45 permanent halls covering dinosaurs, ocean life, human origins, gems, and space. The Rose Center for Earth and Space houses a spectacular Hayden Planetarium (extra ticket required). The blue whale suspended in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life is one of the most awe-inspiring museum moments in the world. Suggested admission is $28 for adults, $16 for children. Allow a full day.

The Top of the Rock observation deck atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza offers what many photographers consider New York's finest 360-degree skyline view — including an unobstructed look at the Empire State Building (which the ESB's own deck can't show). Tickets are $40 (sunset slots sell out quickly). The indoor-outdoor three-level deck is less crowded than One World Observatory. Christmas season, when the Rockefeller Center tree is lit, is unforgettably atmospheric.

The Village is New York at its most literary and atmospheric — Dylan Thomas drank at the White Horse Tavern, Bob Dylan busked on Bleecker Street, and the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street is a National Monument marking the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Washington Square Park is a spontaneous street performance arena. The West Village's quieter townhouse-lined blocks hide some of the city's best restaurants, including L'Artusi and Via Carota.

Coney Island is New York's great working-class seaside pleasure ground — a 4km boardwalk, the original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand (since 1916), the Luna Park amusement area with the historic Cyclone wooden roller coaster, the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel, and an actual beach a subway ride from Midtown. The New York Aquarium adjoins the boardwalk. Best visited on weekdays in summer to avoid weekend crowds. Combine with a Smorgasburg visit in nearby Williamsburg on the way back.

The Met is one of the world's greatest art museums — 2 million objects across 17 curatorial departments, from Egyptian mummies and Greek antiquities to Impressionist paintings and contemporary photography. The rooftop garden (open May–October) offers a Central Park panorama. Suggested admission is $30 for adults. The Temple of Dendur, transported block by block from Egypt, is alone worth the visit. Allow at least 3–4 hours; many visitors return multiple times.