100 Things to Do in New York City, a Bucket List City

Top Things To Do In New York City

FOMO is real! Do you worry about overlooking something incredible when travel planning? If so, then you’re in luck because this curated list of 100 things to do in New York City will ensure you create an unforgettable and personalized vacation. This is the city that doesn’t sleep. It is loud. It is overwhelming. It is amazing! You will find a world-famous skyline, Central Park, Broadway Shows, cupcakes, amazing museums, food, boutiques, galleries and so much more! Browse the list of landmarks, attractions, museums, outdoor activities, where to eat and shop, and where to get the perfect photos for lasting memories. Don’t skip the Plan Your Trip section for when to go, how long to stay, what to pack, how much to budget, where to stay and how to get around. It’s all here, keep reading for 100 Things to Do in New York City. Enjoy your time out of the office!

Read Things to Do in New York City at Christmas

100 Unforgettable Things to do in New York City

Top 5 Things to Do in New York City

• See the Statue of Liberty on a ferry cruise to Liberty Island.
• Visit Times Square and take in the chaos.
• See the city from the Empire State Building from its observation deck on the 86th floor.
• Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Watch a Broadway show.

Must Do Attractions and Activities in New York City

• Visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
• Try out the Whispering Gallery and see the constellations on the ceiling of Grand Central Station.
• Ride a subway, hail a cab, grab a paper from a stand.
• Climb the Vessel.
• Walk the Coney Island Boardwalk and watch the sideshow.
• Visit the Bronx Zoo.
• Watch a movie in Bryant Park or Central Park.
• Check out the street performers at South Street Seaport.
• Take a helicopter ride above the city.
• Take a ferry to Staten Island and enjoy views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.
• Check out the stained-glass windows of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Tour Popular TV and Movie Filming Locations

• Take the Sopranos city tour.
• Check out Firehouse Hook and Ladder 8 featured in Ghostbusters.
• Take a Superhero Tour of the city.
• See Carrie Bradshaw’s house on the Sex and the City Tour.
• Take the Gossip Girl sites tour.
• See the Friends House in Greenwich.
• Take the NBC Studio Tour.
• Take the Real Kramer Tour and relive your favorite Seinfeld moments.
• Tour the Dark Side of New York City with NYPD Guide.

Best Museums in New York City

• Visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to pay tribute to the victims of the World Trade Center attacks.
• Learn about the immigrant experience between 1863 and 1935 at The Tenement Museum.
• Check out the historic artifacts at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
• Take the Harry Potter tour of the Met.
• See the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History.
• View the works of Van Gogh, Picasso, and Marc at the Guggenheim.
• Browse modern and contemporary American art at the Whitney Museum.
• Check out the avant-garde works at the MoMA.
• Explore the Morgan Library and Museum.
• View the featured contemporary artist at The New Museum.
• See Klimt’s The Lady in Gold at the Neue Galerie.
• See the military vessels at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
• Browse the European art collection at The Frick Collection.
• Learn about New York City’s history at the Museum of the City of New York or the New York Historical Society Museum.
• Learn about subway history and see vintage subway cars at the New York Transit Museum.
• Tour the gold vault of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
• Browse the Chelsea Art Galleries.
• Check out the Bushwick Collective murals and 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center graffiti in Queens.
• Wander the artist’s galleries on the Lower East Side.
• Take a guided tour of the United Nations Headquarters to learn about global diplomacy.

See a Performance

• See a Broadway Show.
• Watch a dress rehearsal of Saturday Night Live.
• Attend the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center.
• See the Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall.
• Go to Amateur Night at the Apollo and eat at Silvia’s after the show.
• Watch a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, or take the tour.
• Attend a Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, or take the tour.
• Listen to a concert at Carnegie Hall, or take the tour.
• Laugh out loud at the Comedy Cellar or the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

Outdoor Activities in New York City

• Explore Central Park.
• Walk the High Line, an elevated park built on a historic freight rail line.
• Grab some sun at Little Island.
• Ride a bike along the Hudson River.
• Go kayaking at Pier 26.
• Walk the Brooklyn Bridge or the Manhattan Bridge.
• Bike the Williamsburg Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan.
• Take a bike ride on Governors Island.
• Have a picnic in Bryant Park.

Where to Eat in New York City

• Grab a hot dog from a street vendor.
• Have lunch in Little Italy.
• Enjoy high tea at the Plaza.
• Eat a Magnolia cupcake in the West Village, then wander the boutiques.
• Eat a piece of Junior’s cheesecake.
• Enjoy a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity III.
• Eat a bagel and lox breakfast at a classic NYC deli.
• Have dinner in Hell’s Kitchen.
• Eat dumplings and dim sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor in Chinatown.
• Take a cupcake tour through the city.
• Enjoy a pastrami sandwiches at Katz’s Delicatessen, an iconic Jewish deli since 1888.
• Grab international street food for dinner at the Queens Night Market.
• Have lunch and check out of the shops in Chelsea Market.
• Enjoy New York-style pizza from Di Fara Pizza or Grimaldi’s.
• Splurge on dinner at renowned restaurants like Le Bernardin or Eleven Madison Park.

New York City Nightlife: Pubs, Cocktails and Nightclubs

• Stop for a cocktail on Stone Street
• Enjoy a cocktail with a view at Rockefeller Center’s Rainbow Room or 50 Bowery Hotel
• Bar hop in the Meatpacking District, East Village, Brooklyn
• Dance the night away at Output, Marquee, or Webster Hall.
• Listen to live jazz at Blue Note or Village Vanguard.

Shopping in New York City

• Window shop along 5th Ave.
• Explore Toys R Us, M&M, and Hershey Stores.
• Stop in FAO Schwarz and have Zoltan tell your fortune.
• Browse through rare books at Strand Bookstore, a haven for book lovers.
• Photograph Doyers Street and buy something ‘shady’ from a backroom in Chinatown.
• Browse the flea market in Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea.
• Stop in Dylan’s Candy Bar, a massive candy store with a whimsical atmosphere.
• Wander the boutiques in SoHo.
• Shop ’til you drop at the iconic department stores of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.

Spend a Day in Brooklyn/DUMBO

• Walk across the Brooklyn bridge.
• Photograph the Manhattan Bridge from Water Street & Washington Street.
• Photograph the Brooklyn Bridge from Pebble Beach and Empire Fulton Ferry Park.
• Stop by Jacques Torres Chocolate for a chocolate treat and grab a few souvenirs.
• Stop for a cocktail at the Time Out Market outdoor terrace.
• Go for a ride on Jane’s Carousel.
• Eat a slice of Juliana’s or Grimaldi’s Pizza.
• Browse the Brooklyn Flea Market.
• Tour the Brooklyn Brewery.

Photos, View Points and Selfies

• The Flat Iron Building, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and Met Life Tower.
• Patience the Lion and the Rose Reading Room at the New York City Public Library.
• Manhattanhenge at sunset from 57th, 42nd, 34th, 23rd or 14th Street.
• Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry and One World Observatory.
• Oculus at the World Trade Center.
• A piece of the Berlin Wall at Battery Park.
• View of Times Square from above at the Marriott.
• The Naked Cowboy in Times Square.
• A selfie with the NYPD officer or FDNY firefighter.
• View from the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, the Edge, the rooftop of the Met.
• From the tram to Roosevelt Island.
• The Washington Square Park Arch and fountain.
• The National Debt Clock (scary).
• The peacocks at the Cathedral of St John the Divine.
• The mosaic lampposts in the East Village.
• The Charging Bull on Wall Street.
• Trinity Church from Wall Street.
• Dakota, where John Lennon was killed.
• NYCs narrowest house at 75 ½ Bedford St in the West Village.
• The tiny glass circles of the hollow sidewalks in SoHo.
• Brownstones in Greenwich Village, stop to listen to jazz while there.
• Barthman’s Sidewalk Clock on Maiden and Broadway.
• Barney’s white spiral staircase and Macy’s wooden escalator.
• The Staple Street Skybridge in Tribeca.
• Marilyn Monroe’s subway gate at Lexington and 52nd St.
• Library Way’s street plaques on E 41st St.
• The Graybar Rats on the Graybar Electric Building.
• Selfies at the Museum of Ice Cream.
• The “Here” sculptures on Broadway between 38th and 41st Streets.
• The Hippo Ballerina in Pershing Square Plaza West.

New York City Festivals and Special Events

Be sure to check the New York City Office of Tourism website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.

Plan Your Trip to New York City

Why Visit New York City

New York City had over 50 million visitors last year. top tourist cities in the USA. People are drawn to New York City by its iconic landmarks: the skyline, Times Square, and Statue of Liberty. New York City is also full of history, museums, entertainment, great shopping, and amazing food.

How Many Days in New York City is Enough

3 days in New York City is enough to experience the city. Add another day if you plan to attend a special event or wish to take a day trip.

Is New York City Safe for Solo Travelers

According to Travel Safe Abroad, the overall risk of travel in New York City is medium. The risk of being scammed or mugged is medium but the risk of being pickpocketed is high. There is also a high risk of a terrorist attack. Check their website for more information.

Best Time to Visit New York City

Fall is the best time to visit NYC. The crowds have thinned and the weather is mild. Summer is the high season; it is hot and crowded. Spring is shoulder season but rain is common. Winter is the low season; prices drop in January and it is cold.

How to Get to New York City

You will likely fly into John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The least expensive way to get into the city is by AirTrain and subway.  The easiest way into the city is by taxi, expect to pay $70 one way. In most cases, a taxi is less expensive than Uber for airport transportation. Once in the city, the subway will be the best way to explore. Download a copy of a subway map to your phone and consider purchasing a 7-day card.

Where to Stay in New York City

Accommodation in New York City is expensive. Look at Hotel 57, Pod 39, or Club Quarters Hotel, Grand Central.

What Should I Budget for New York City

NYC is an expensive city. According to Budget My Trip, the daily cost of travel is $316 per person per day. As always, the cost is based on your travel style. Check their website for more information.

Romantic Things to Do in New York City for Couples

Consider renting a rowboat on the lake in Central Park, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, or enjoying champagne brunch at Balthazar or The Smith.

Things to Do in New York City with Kids

Families with young children will enjoy the Central Park Zoo, the giant piano keyboard at FAO Schwarz, buying treats at Dylan’s Candy Bar, or a child-friendly Broadway show like “The Lion King” or “Aladdin.”

Things to do in New York City with Teens

Teens will be interested in Times Square, seeing the city view from the Top of the Rock, Coney Island, and visiting one of the city’s Virtual Reality Arcades.

Things to do in New York City for Free

The good news, many of the listed items are free! The Staten Island Ferry, Governors Island Ferry, and the Vessel are free. Admission to The Met and The Museum of Natural History is by suggested donation.

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Plan Your New York City Itinerary

New York City Travel Guide

Pick up a New York City Travel Guide from Amazon.com to browse on the plane.

Book Your Accommodation in New York City Now

Spending the night? Search Booking.com and VRBO in one place to find the perfect property!

New York City Attractions and Day Tours

The best attractions sell out! Don’t chance it, get your tickets now and relax when you arrive.

Travel Essentials

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Have a great vacation!