I have been asked the question, "What should I do first when I get there?" so many times. It never gets any easier to answer. The city is constantly changing, never staying the same. The changes depend on the season, the holiday, the weather; New York City during Christmas was NOTHING like New York City during July! What you should do while you're there can also be dependent on who you're with and how long you're staying. I have tried to come up with a list of "Must See/Do" sites below, but keep in mind that I am a history-buff and not a shopaholic. You might quickly tire of my love-of-the-past-view-in-the-present places and want to stop off at the nearest Loft or at Saks; do it. Make NYC the place you want it to be. It is so many different places to so many different people. My recommendations below are just to get you started, and will hopefully help you to love this amazing city as much as I do.
Tour Bus
It may sound like a cliche activity, but for me it was so helpful. I rode both loops, Uptown and Downtown. The ride gave me a tiny feeling of familiarity on my first visit. It allowed me to see things while not being part of the hustle and bustle. Once I had a guide who was a retired college history professor, and he was awesome! You can not always be guaranteed to have the best guide, but the ride itself will not disappoint. (On a much later trip I also did the Brooklyn Loop which was fun too.)
You can make reservations online ahead of time, but I have found it to be much easier to just purchase a ticket from someone wearing a red vest. The one I have always used is the Grayline Tour Co. They have many different options available, so even if you choose not to buy your ticket online, look at all the options online first so that you have a plan when you talk to the ticket rep. Otherwise, they might sell you much more than you want! Grayline Tour Company
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
This is a must! Seeing the Statue of Liberty upclose and personal is a New York rite of passage. The Ellis Island experience cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world. Admission to the islands and the museum are free, but the fairy that you have to ride out there is not. The ferry ride itself is a great experience! This is one activity that I would reserve ahead of time, especially in the summer. You have to stand in a security line similar to the airport, and if you wait to purchase your ticket there, that's another line you have to wait in. The museum on Ellis Island and the walkways around the statue are finally back in mint condition after Hurricane Sandy; these two islands took a hard hit in that storm. (If you are a history-nut like I am, Ellis Island even offers a Hard Hat Tour which is a fee, but is SO worth it.) Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry
Empire State Building
This is cliche, but who goes to NYC without making it to the top of the Empire State Building?? (Even if you haven't seen Sleepless in Seattle or An Affair to Remember) It is not my favorite thing to do, but I have done it twice. I think that going at night is better than daytime viewing. The lines can be ridiculous, and you get to the top and "oooh" and "aaah" with everyone else. Still, it kind of has to be done. I actually prefer Top of the Rock. The difference in height is about 30 floors. The difference in price is about $14. The biggest draw for the Top of the Rock in my opinion is that while you are waiting in line, you get to watch an informative movie/slideshow which is so interesting AND makes the waiting less tedious.
Empire State Building Tickets Top of the Rock Tickets
Central Park
Central Park is awesome! There is more to see and do there than can be done in a day, but be sure to put aside at least 4 hours to experience part of it on your first visit to New York City. The park is like a city in itself. There are countless paths to wander down, many types of animal life to observe, waterfalls, tunnels, a castle, a zoo... I see and experience something new there every time I visit. It is not the easiest place to find your way around in, as the paths curve and meander, but you can get an app for your phone that is a map of Central Park. Also, I learned on my last visit ( I love learning new things each time I go!) that lampposts in the park have labels which will help you locate where you are in relation to streets outside the park. (See picture below.) There are restaurants in the park, countless food carts, a gift shop at the conservatory, and ice-skating in the winter. I have done one organized park tour, but found that it wasn't really worth the money.
The top number is the nearest cross street.
Roosevelt Island Tram
This is a surprise experience! It only costs the swipe of your Metrocard each way, and is worth way more. This is a sky tram that takes you across traffic and across the East River to Roosevelt Island. The island itself is mostly residential with apartment buildings, stores, schools. The tram is the attraction. I love riding it at night when you can see all the lights and during the day when you can watch all the people and traffic below you. When you disembark on the island, you can loop around and get right back on or take a walk around. There is also a free shuttle that makes a circle of the island and returns to the tram station. The apartment building nearest to the station has a restaurant on the ground floor which is tasty and not too expensive. This tram ride is one of my favorite New York City experiences. Once while waiting to board on the Manhattan side, I watched a traffic jam caused by the rollover of a food cart. It was all so big-city and interesting to me. I really get a kick out of watching the traffic cops anyway; it's neat to see them directing traffic in their white gloves. It's almost a kind of dance. (Yes, I saw Flashdance, and it is like the traffic cop scene from that movie.)
You can board the tram at 59th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.
911 Memorial and Museum
There are tons of museums in New York City, and I definitely have my favorites. (Another post will be devoted strictly to museums.) but this favorite of mine is a MUST SEE. No one who remembers September 11, 2001 should pass up the opportunity to spend time at the site. The fountains themselves are awesome. The fact that there are always hundreds of people around you, yet it is nearly silent is amazing. I have read so many books about that day, and it is kind of intense to see some of the names of people I've read about along the fountains' sides. The museum is remarkable. They have done an exceptional job of depicting what happened while still respecting the lives of the people involved. It is best to purchase tickets online, and those tickets are good for six months. The cost is $24, but for an extra $20 you can get a guided tour. I have not done the guided tour yet, but it is on my to-do list. I also recommend the new subway terminal, the Oculus, and the Freedom Tower if you're doing a 911 tour day. 911 Memorial and Museum
*This ends my must-see list, but there are so many more places that I can't wait to tell about! Even after seven visits, I have not seen or done all I want to see or do!
One final recommendation before your trip, get the NYC Subway app on your phone! It is invaluable. It includes a map of sorts that can help you find your way, but also gives a map of all subway trains and stations. A new function of the app is that it will use your location to show you the closest train to you and tells you which train you should ride to get to given locations. It's a MUST HAVE!!!
