Things to see and do
They call New York the city that never sleeps, and for good reason, because you can find something to do at any time of day or night.

Popular attractions in New York

Empire State Building
Enjoy panoramic views of New York from the Top Deck
- Sightseeing
- Skyscraper
The Empire State Building has 2 observatories, both of which provide 360 degree views of New York City and beyond. Its open-air 86th floor observation deck has been featured in many movie and television scenes. The top deck is 12 floors above the former, and has panoramic views of landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Times Square.
Aside from the observatories, the Empire State Building houses a visitor's center and 2 permanent exhibitions. If you're looking for some eats, several restaurants, cafes, and pubs can be found within the building.
Hotel prices near Empire State Building
£135
£142
£234

Central Park
Explore Central Park Zoo, Belvedere Castle and Delacorte Theater
- Sightseeing
- Kid friendly
- Park
Central Park is the expansive swathe of green that's hard to miss in the center of Manhattan. The park contains over 20 playgrounds, manmade lakes and ponds, as well as extensive walking tracks. An icon for New York culture, it is one of the city's most popular venues for music festivals, comedy shows, and international concerts.
If you're not here for live entertainment, there are plenty of family-friendly activities to enjoy, such as Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, Delacorte Theater, and Belvedere Castle. There are 2 popular sit-down restaurants in Central Park and plenty of food stands found within the park grounds.

Times Square
Watch the latest Broadway production
- Sightseeing
- Square
Times Square, located in Midtown Manhattan, is where you can enjoy street performances, explore museums and galleries, as well as catch award-winning Broadway shows. One of the city's major gathering spots, this open square also offers unique sightseeing, like Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, and St. Mary the Virgin Church.
Dining options in the area range from burger joints and American fast food chains to authentic Korean restaurants and Japanese izakayas. If you're here in late December, you get to watch star-studded concerts and the iconic New Year's Eve ball drop.

Brooklyn Bridge
Ride a bicycle across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Sightseeing
- Bridge
- Top attractions
The Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River, connecting New York's Manhattan and Brooklyn boroughs. There are 2 pathways across the Brooklyn Bridge, one's reserved for cyclists and the other for pedestrians. The walkway gets notoriously crowded with tourists, but you'll be able to stop for photos of the East River, Lower Manhattan, Governors Island, and the Statue of Liberty.
After crossing the mile-long bridge, check out the many attractions in the surrounding area, like the Brooklyn Children's Museum and Brooklyn Bridge Park, as well as sports fields, playgrounds, bicycle rentals, restaurants, and piers.

Grand Central Terminal
See the astronomical ceiling mural in the grand main concourse
- Sightseeing
- Skyscraper
New York Grand Central Terminal Station is one of the city's busiest landmarks, serving as a daily transportation hub to thousands of New Yorkers. Located in Midtown, its exterior features Beaux-Arts sculptures and architecture, while 44 train platforms and numerous restaurants are located within the terminal.
The main concourse is where you'll find iconic features like the 4-sided clock, an astronomical ceiling mural, and a European-style gourmet food market. Even if you're not planning on catching a train, you can spend hours exploring hidden nooks within New York Grand Central Terminal Station.
Hotel prices near Grand Central Terminal
£126
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£342

National September 11 Memorial
Join the "Understanding 9/11" museum tour
- Sightseeing
- History museums
- Museums
The National September 11 Memorial was built to commemorate those who were killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. This somber monument is easy to find alongside the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan's Financial District. One of its most stunning features is the twin reflecting pools, symbolizing the fallen Twin Towers. You can also see the names of the deceased inscribed around the bronze edges of the pools.
There are 2 main exhibitions within the memorial that are fitted with interactive technology. One showcases the past, present, and aftermath of the event, while the other is a 270-degree panoramic media installation of the memorial.
Hotel prices near National September 11 Memorial
£126
£155
£215

Radio City Music Hall
Discover Radio City's legacy on the hour-long tour
- Sightseeing
- Theatre
- Theatres
Radio City Music Hall, an indoor theater in Midtown Manhattan, has hosted numerous sports events, stage shows, movies, music, and holiday events since 1929. The popular theater shares a space with other New York attractions, like Top of the Rock, NBC Studios, and the Rockefeller Center Channel Gardens.
If you're not catching a live performance, then join the 1-hour Stage Door Tour of Radio City Music Hall to learn about its history, and maybe even meet one of the members of renowned precision dance company, the Rockettes.
Hotel prices near Radio City Music Hall
£114
£181
£706

Top of the Rock
Visit all three observation decks at Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center is a good choice if you're planning on enjoying a bird's eye view of New York City. There are 3 observation decks to explore, the highest of which is located on the 70th floor. The open-air roof deck overlooks the entire city, where you get to spot iconic landmarks, like the Empire State building, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty.
You can join an hour-long tour of the Rockefeller Center with an expert historian. There are also several restaurants within the building, one of which is a fine dining lounge that offers live music and cocktails.

Whitney Museum of American Art
Discover modern American art at the Whitney
- Sightseeing
- Art museums
- Modern art museums
The Whitney Museum of American Art displays more than 22,000 paintings, photographs, sculptures, drawings, films, videos, and other artifacts produced between the 20th and 21st centuries. Also known as The Whitney, the gallery includes work by prominent American artists like Alexander Calder, Edward Hopper, and Jasper Johns.
Every two years, the museum hosts an international art show called the Whitney Biennial to showcase contemporary art pieces by emerging artists from across the United States. Workshops, tours, courses, performances, readings, and film screenings are also available for those who want to learn more about America's art scene.
Hotel prices near Whitney Museum of American Art
£112
£161
£225

American Museum of Natural History
See fossilized dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History
- Natural history museums
- Sightseeing
- Kid friendly
American Museum of Natural History occupies 28 interconnected buildings in Upper West Side, where you can visit a planetarium, an IMAX theater, a huge library, and 45 permanent exhibition halls with over 30 million specimens. Founded in 1869, one the museum's most popular features is the dinosaur fossil halls, housing fossilized remains of the T Rex, Wooly Mammoth, Allosaurus, and Deinonychus.
Don't forget to check out the human origins and culture halls to learn about the evolution of mankind. Located on the fourth floor, there are about 500,000 photos, artifacts, and documents of people from America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific Islands.
Hotel prices near American Museum of Natural History
£142
£167
£590