Top 10 Things to Do in New York City on a First Visit, USA

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The colossal copper structure, its great verdigris arm and symbolic torch punctuating the cloudy sky, looms large ahead of our tour boat.

It is Miss Liberty herself, welcoming us to the city that never sleeps. And the reason New York never gets any shut eye is simple: there’s so much to see, do, and experience!

For that reason, good time management is crucial on a first visit to the Big Apple (an early 20th century horse racing colloquialism and absolutely nothing to do with apples). Every itinerary choice must be carefully assessed. ‘If I decide to walk the entire length of the High Line, will that still give me enough time for brunch in the village, a semi-circle cruise on the Circle Line and an afternoon visit to the Met before my front row seats to Annie? Hmmm, that’s probably pushing it.’ But with steely determination, you do it anyway. You have to. This is New York, and the pace never lets up. You can take a holiday from your holiday when you get home!

To help you narrow down the choices somewhat, here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in New York on a first visit.

Watch our video of ten top things to do on a USA East Coast road trip:

10 Amazing Things to Do on a USA East Coast Road Trip | New York City to Williamsburg (VA)

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1. Go to a gallery

New York is home to some of the greatest art collections in the world. If you only have the time to visit one gallery, take your pick from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), The Frick Collection, and the Guggenheim. MoMA has enough Monets, Warhols, and Picassos to keep visitors ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’ for hours.

2. See a show

Like its artistic credentials, NYC’s standing as a centre for the performing arts is virtually unrivalled anywhere on the planet. If you arrive in the city without having pre-booked show seats, don’t worry. Unsold tickets on the day of performance for Broadway and off-Broadway musicals and theatre productions are offered at hugely discounted prices from the official TKTS ticket booths. The main one is in Times Square and you need to get there early to take advantage of the best deals.

3. Circle the city on a cruise

One of the best ways to see the New York City skyline is from the water. Circle Line Cruises offers a complete circular cruise around Manhattan Island, which affords great views of the Statue of Liberty and other key landmarks. You can also take the free Staten Island Ferry across New York Harbour for fabulous views of the city and Miss Liberty. Who said there’s no such thing as a free ride?

4. Eat lunch at a traditional deli

Famously featured in the 1989 romantic comedy flick When Harry Met Sally, the traditional ‘pastrami on rye’ sandwich served at delis and diners across New York is second to none in terms of size — and one between two diners will generally suffice. The city’s monumental sandwich tradition has its roots in Italian and Jewish migration. Head for iconic Katz’s Delicatessen or the equally renowned Carnegie Deli and get ready to rumble.

5. Learn about the past

New York’s history is written large in dozens of heritage enclaves across the city, including Greenwich Village, Brooklyn Heights, Tribeca, Harlem, Little Italy and SoHo, and seminal structures like the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral hark back to various eras. The Museum of the City of New York’s informative displays reveal more of that backstory, while the Lower East Side Tenement Museum is a fascinating look back at the humble beginnings of what are now million dollar apartments!

Guided walking tours are another great way to learn about the past. New York Historical Tours offers specialist itineraries like the Gilded Age Tour and Jazz Age Tour. You can even request to do a tour tailored to your interests.

6. Head up to one of the Decks

There are no less than five observation decks in New York, including at the uber famous Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center in Midtown. You may not have the time, money, or inclination to do them all, so choose wisely. The Empire State Building is a cherished New York landmark and deservedly so. However, we recommend opting for the Top of the Rock (at the Rockefeller Center). There are three levels, the crowds are handled far more efficiently, and the views are just as spectacular — including straight down Central Park (which you don’t get at the Empire State Building).

7. Tour locations featured in TV, film and gaming

New York is one of the world’s defining millieus for movies, TV series, and these days, gaming, and there are various ways to immerse yourself in the references from popular culture that can be found on almost every street. A guided tour is one way to see the city’s most famous filming locations, including those that have featured in The Sopranos, Friends, Seinfeld, Spiderman, and many other productions. Alternatively, DIY by doing research online, then setting off to walk in the footsteps of your favourite stars.

New York’s vast forest of skyscrapers and endless array of recognisable landmarks have also provided the perfect setting for epic gaming experiences for more than two decades. Marvel’s Spider Man, Grand Theft Auto 4, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, The Godfather, and Ghostbusters have all been set in this city. Gaming is hugely fun in New York, but consider using an VPN for online games to protect your privacy.

8. Explore Central Park

It may surprise you to learn that 14 percent of this dense urban jungle is parkland. Central Park — New York’s backyard — encompasses everything from meadows, woods, and lakes, to a zoo, heritage carousel, and seasonal activities like rowing and ice-skating. The park is best explored on a guided bike tour, which will see you covering quite a bit of ground in a couple of hours. See Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Fields, Belvedere Castle, Cleopatra’s Needle, and the Sheep Meadow.

9. Walk the High Line

Another of NYC’s most memorable green spaces is the just-over-two-kilometre-long High Line — an elevated decommissioned railway line, which was transformed into a public recreational asset in sections from 2009. Largely funded by donations and managed by the not-for-profit Friends of the High Line, it’s a wonderful spot for a sunny stroll.

10. Shop up a storm

Shopping is one of the great joys of travelling to New York, but it can be pricey for those paying with the humble Aussie dollar. Don’t let that curtail your retail fun — sign up for an international visitor’s discount card at major department stores such as Macy’s, Saks, and Bloomingdale’s to get 10% off your purchases. Note: You’ll need to have your passport with you.

This post was published thanks to Surf Shark.

For more travel inspiration, visit www.nyctourism.com.

Browse our range of New York tours and experiences here.

Do you have any tips to add to our list of top things to do in New York City on a first visit? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

It’s legal to use a VPN in most countries to protect your privacy on unsecured Wi-Fi networks, but check with the jurisdiction you’re travelling to beforehand just to be sure. Bypassing the geo-blocked boundaries of television or streaming services may contravene their terms of service, which we don’t recommend. 

Additional images: Depositphotos, Bigstock, and Envato

 

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