New York Tourist Sights

New York City, a beacon for visitors from all over the globe, offers an array of tourist sites for everyone to enjoy. New York tourist sites cover the gamut of visitor interests from history, to art, theater, music, and the great outdoors. Check out this guide to tourist sites for a taste of what you’ll find in the Big Apple.

Major Sites

There are many major sites to see in NYC and a number of them have a great story to tell about the history of this metropolis. Two symbols of this city’s past stand higher than the rest, literally: the Empire State Building, once hailed as the tallest building in the world, and another New York City tourist site that provides one of the best birds eye views, the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French and symbol of freedom. 

Other sites that paint NYC on everyone’s minds are historical Grand Central Terminal with its long stretch of shops and restaurants; Times Square, home of morning and late night television and the famous New Years Eve crystal ball; Rockefeller Center, known for its Christmas tree and ice skating in the winter; and the Brooklyn Bridge, a gateway to NYC’s boroughs.

For lovers of the outdoors, a visit to the New York Botanical Gardens presents a softer side of this big city with 48 gardens, a conservatory and children’s adventure garden. While you’re outside enjoying the nice weather, visit the Unisphere of Flushing Meadows Park, where you’ll find the largest steel globe in the world, constructed for the World’s Fair in 1964.

Museums

New York City tourist sites also include an eclectic mix of museums for art, science and history aficionados.  If art is what you seek on this visit, stop by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for 2 million iconic works of art from all eras, or visit the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) for a taste of contemporary and modern art, sculpture, film, and architecture dating from 1929 until present day.

Two museums that provide a unique visit to the past, for all those who love history, are Ellis Island Immigration Museum and The Lower East Side Tenement Museum.  Both tell the story of immigrant families searching for a better life in New York City.  Look up relatives or enjoy a walking tour of restored apartments from various generations of immigrants living in the Lower East Side.

Kids are never left out on a visit to New York City.  Check out the American Museum of Natural History for a fun visit to the Rose Center Planetarium and interactive exhibits.

Parks

New York City is not just skyscrapers and city blocks; it also features a wide variety of parks with rolling meadows, gardens, sports fields and more. Central Park, famous for its appearance in films and TV shows, allows city dwellers a place to picnic, relax with a book or go for a run or paddle boat ride.  Other parks beloved by city locals and visitors are Bryant Park, an oasis in the city with gardens, promenades, outdoor game facilities, and an open-air library; and Prospect Park, a 585-acre park with ball fields, a carousel, and playgrounds for kids, the Kensington horse stables and a zoo amongst other highlights.  For a place to stroll along the river or bask in the sun, visit Riverside Park, a 4 mile waterfront park along the Hudson River with gardens, monuments, a skate park and a port for boats sailing on the river.  The last park to round out this list, but certainly not the last word on NYC parks, is the NYU undeclared quad of Washington Square Park, where you’ll often times find students hanging out or reading for class along side dog walkers.

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