Our definitive guide to the best New York attractions is a great place to start whether you're visitingentertaining out-of-town guests or simply want to channel your inner tourist. How do we know? Because we've been to every single spot on the listtesting it out to see if it truly makes the cut.
The list is a compilation of our favorite sights and spots in the cityincluding everything from great parks and art museumsto food markets and historical venues. The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are obviously must-see attractionsbut we’ve also highlighted a few of our favorite hidden gemssuch as one of NYC's greatest flea marketsfoodie haven Smorgasburg and some more obscure museums.
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Locals and visitors alike flock to see Manhattan’s "floating" greenspace. Open from 6am dailythe park is filled with open lawnscolorful shrubs and trees and a secret garden.
For those feeling peckishthere are affordable food and drink options offered by Union Square Events. The park’s amphitheatersThe Glade and The Amphoffer a spectacular view of the Hudson Riverwith a majority of the events being free throughout the summer.
While they haven’t been as successful as their Bronx rivals in recent yearsthe Mets can certainly be happy about their stellar stadium. With great sight linesfun activities for kids and a prodigious selection of food and booze (including Shake Shack and Prince Street Pizza outposts)even those with the barest interest in the game will enjoy themselves at the parkwhich in recent years has also doubled as a concert venue with appearances by mega-stars like Post MaloneGreen Day and Pink.
Let the world believe the Empire State Building has the best view of New York City—it keeps the crowds slightly more manageable at 30 Rockefeller Center’s spectacular open air observation deck. The bird’s eye view of Gotham from 70 stories up allows visitors to not only see other landmark skyscrapers around midtown—including the aforementioned Empire State building—but also to see the full sprawl of Central Park.
For those who don't want to wait in linethere's a VIP ticket that gives guests the chance to skip lines and get priority elevator access.
This massive attraction is the largest metropolitan zoo in the country. Spanning 265 acresit has numerous exhibitsforestsoutdoor activities and restaurants. Ohand don’t forget about the 5,000-plus animals! There are lions and tigers and bears (both grizzly and polar)all residing in naturalistic exhibits.
You can easily spend hours walking the tree-shrouded trails past exhibits named after continents (African Plains) or taxonomic class (World of Reptiles). The zoo also has premium exhibits for an additional feesuch as the Wild Asia Monorail and the Bug Carouselbut the sea lion feeding is completely free and highly recommended.