New York is one of the most visited cities in the world, and has a wide variety of sights to see, such as parks, monuments, and entertainment venues, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and more. In addition to these, there are places that many tourists skip simply because they aren’t aware of their existence, only to go back home and discover them once it's too late. So if you plan on visiting the Big Apple soon, you should know the 10 most recommended attractions which will make your trip much more focused, enjoyable, and inclusive.
We all remember the tragic collapse of the Twin Towers that were part of the World Trade Center. Years after the rubble was cleared, the new World Trade Center, also known as the Liberty Tower, was built nearby. This huge building is the tallest building in the United States and symbolizes the triumph of the spirit of freedom.
The building is 1,776 feet tall and its construction cost is estimated at $3.8 billion. On floors 100-102 of the magnificent building there are 360-degree views, which are reached by speed elevators that make their way up in less than 60 seconds and from there you can look out over all of New York City. Before going to the observatory, make sure to purchase a pair of good quality binoculars, a camera and most importantly, tickets which can be bought in the lobby of the building or on their website - children up to the age of 5 enter for free.
The 9/11 museum was built as a memorial to the victims of the Twin Towers attack, which was inaugurated and opened exactly where the buildings stood a decade earlier. The memorial site consists of two giant pools surrounded by waterfalls, walled by bronze plates inscribed with the names of the victims of the terrorist attacks in 2001 and the six victims of the 1993 car bomb attack in the underground parking lot of the towers.
The memorial site was designed by an Israeli-American architect, Michael Arad, who was chosen from among more than five thousand contestants to design this stunning memorial. The museum serves as the main institution of the state to examine the implications of the event, and remnants of the building and its collapse can be seen in it, such as some of the building’s original stairs, metal parts of the building that were destroyed, and a damaged NY fire truck. Tickets to enter the museum can be bought on their site, and children 6 and under are free.
There are a number of wax museums around the world, but the most famous is Madame Tussauds, which is often associated with the city of London because its first branch was established there in the early 19th century. Over the years, however, the museum has expanded and additional branches have been opened in various parts of the world, including the city of New York. Madame Tussauds is located in the heart of Manhattan, right next to Times Square, and is considered one of the largest and best branches of the prestigious institution, and features impressive wax figures sculpted with the utmost precision and resemblances to the person they represent.
Among the sculptured figures you will find politicians and statesmen, singers, intellectuals and cultural figures, famous actors and characters from different films. You can get up close and personal with each wax figure and even take a picture with them. There are a host of other activities to enjoy in the complex, including a 3D movie, virtual reality games and more. Entrance to the museum is subject to a fee and the price varies depending on the different types of activities. It is recommended to purchase the tickets on the museum's website beforehand to enjoy discounted ticket prices and skip the lines at the front of the museum.
Even if you're not an avid sports enthusiast or a fan of concerts, you won’t want to miss a basketball game or a performance at Madison Square Garden while you are in New York. The huge and impressive structure familiar to most of us from countless TV shows such as ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Friends’ and a host of other films opened on February 11, 1968, and is probably the world's most famous theater. Concerts, NBA basketball games, hockey games, and boxing matches are all held at the venue. It is home to the New York Knicks and New York Liberty (WNBA), as well as the New York Rangers.
Many famous basketball players have played the Garden, such as Michael Jordan, Charles Berkeley, Reggie Miller and many others. Its stage has also seen great artists such as Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Lady Gaga and many others. It’s also seen some unforgettable moments like Muhammad Ali's boxing match against his rival Joe Fraser.
One of the most recognizable sites in the world is Times Square, and it also appears in many films and television series. The hallmarks of the complex are the advertisements displayed on the glowing neon signs that surround the square, and the variety of theaters scattered around it. About 330,000 people pass through the popular square, and it is undoubtedly one of the busiest and most intriguing intersections in the world. The huge square stretches from Seventh Avenue between west 42-47 and Broadway, which is known as the area where many great musicals were born. The place is suitable for the whole family and offers countless activities. There are shopping malls with international clothing chains, restaurants, street shows, and a huge Disney store that will certainly entertain your kids, and the kid in you, for a while.
Between Seventh and Fifth Avenue in New York, the Radio City Music Hall is located within Rockefeller Center and is a 10-minute walk from Times Square. The magnificent building of the Radio City Music Hall was established in 1932 and was considered the largest indoor auditorium in the world with sophisticated elevators to its stage, ahead of its time in those days.
Over the years, with the opening of other larger and more sophisticated halls, the Music Hall lost its title as the largest indoor auditorium in the world but did not lose its fame and fan base. The building has a cinema hall that is considered the largest in the world and has 5,933 seats. Its main stage is reserved for its many performances, including the traditional Christmas performance of the Rockets, who first performed in 1933. Among the famous artists who played the hall are Alanis Morissette, Frank Sinatra, and Carol King.
A walk through Central Park is one of the most known and recommended activities in New York since the park is considered the green lung of the city and covers a wide area of 842 acres. The park has a variety of sites, some more familiar and some less, including the Central Park Zoo located in the southeast corner of the park and is considered the most beautiful zoo in the city center.
In this zoo, you'll be able to see polar bears, sea lions and seals, penguins, parrots, reptiles and a host of other animals and special aquariums. In the zoo, you can watch 3D movies, exhibitions and a feeding show of some of the resident animals. Plan your arrival time to the zoo so as not to miss the entertaining feeding shows that are sure to put a smile on your face.
The New York Botanical Garden, located in the Bronx, is a museum of specialty plants, an educational institution, and a world-renowned research center for conservation. Founded in 1891 on the grounds of the Belmont Mansion in which there are 48 different botanical gardens, swamps, waterfalls and trees over 200 years old, they are the last remnant of the forest that covered the area where New York City is today before the arrival of European settlers in America.
In the Garden grounds, there is a 19th-century building that looks like a huge crystal ball, which is used as a greenhouse for growing plants, and a Japanese garden reminiscent of the gardens in Buddhist temples in Japan. In the botanical gardens, there are also exhibitions, trolley tours, an art gallery and a variety of special events worth catching up on. To purchase a ticket and find out about the exhibitions displayed in the Garden click here.
One of the most recommended attractions in New York City is a ferry ride from Manhattan to Staten Island. The ride is about half an hour long, during which you can take in some sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. This wonderful experience is free and operates 24 hours a day, and since the ferry is free you can do it more than once. In order to see the Statue of Liberty well, we recommend sitting on the right-hand side of the ferry while heading towards the island and sitting on the left-hand side on your way back. It is also recommended to take the ferry at sunset to see all the city lights coming on together. The ferry can hold about 1,000 people so don’t worry about not getting a spot!
