11 Places To Explore in New York City

Hello, fellow travelers! There’s no place quite like New York City on this earth. With thousands of places to explore, NYC is a city lover’s haven. Here’s the itinerary of what I did while there.

About New York City

NYC is the most populous city in the United States and is located on the southern tip of New York State. With its strategic position, NYC is a global economic hub and is home to several international organizations such as the United Nations. 800 languages are spoken in the city, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world. There are five boroughs in NYC:

• Manhattan, arguably the most famous one, is the most densely populated borough. The megalopolis and the entirety of the New York City metropolitan area is located in this borough.
• Queens is the most diverse borough in the city, with 47% of its residents being foreign-born.
• Brooklyn is located on the southernmost end of Long Island and is connected to the rest of the city via the Brooklyn Bridge. Coney Island is located in this borough.
• The Bronx is the only borough not located on an island and is home to the poorest congressional district in the states. However, it is also very diverse.
• Staten Island is the least densely populated and also the most suburban borough out of all the boroughs in NYC.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is the largest and one of the oldest police municipalities in the states. The New York City Fire Department (NYFD) is the largest fire department in North America, and is the second largest in the world, after Tokyo’s Fire Department.

Places to Visit

The September 11 Memorial

The September 11 memorial is located in Lower Manhattan and was created to commemorate those lost in the September 11 terrorist attacks and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The memorial is located at the former site of the Twin Towers, both of which were destroyed during the terrorist attack. The memorial at the former site of the North Tower commemorates all the civilians lost during the attack, and the former site of the South Tower commemorates all first responders who died during the attack.

The memorial offers a stunning view of the new World Trade Center, which measures exactly 1,776 feet high. This number is special because 1776 is the year the United States was founded.

Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market is a multi-use building located in the Chelsea borough of Manhattan. It was originally the site of the Nabisco factory (Nabisco is the parent company of food items such as Oreos).

The High Line

The High Line is an elevated linear park located just a short walk from Chelsea Market. It was created on a former New York Central Railroad spur which had been abandoned. The High Line offers a stunning view of the Meat Packing district. There is a pedestrian bridge between 15th and 16th street which goes to the second floor of Chelsea Market.

Conservatory Garden

The Conservatory Garden is located in the northeastern corner of Central Park. It is accessible at the Vanderbilt Gate at the corner of 5th Ave and 105th street, a relic of the Cornelius Vanderbilt II house.

Times Square

Times Square is quite obviously the largest tourist attraction in the city. Millions of people gather here every New Year’s Eve, and it’s home to the famous crystal ball. Times Square is often very packed with people, making it an easy spot for pickpockets to snipe your bag and items. I would also wear a mask when in Times Square, because when I came back from NYC, I got sick with Covid which was very disappointing for me.

Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings between 48th and 51st street in Midtown Manhattan.

I loved the little Ralph Lauren coffee popup van. I thought it was super cute with the teddy bear in the driver’s seat.

Statue of Mario in the Nintendo Store.

5th Avenue

Arguably the highlight of my trip, I loved 5th Avenue. 5th Avenue is the most expensive shopping street in the world, as it’s full of designer stores. Walking down this street made me feel like I was in the show Gossip Girl.

St Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America.

The Cartier store

The Versace store

Saks 5th Avenue

The first Macy’s store

The Wyndham New Yorker hotel with the Empire State Building in the background

Radio City Music Hall, home of the Rockettes

Bryant Park

Bryant Park is a privately managed park located between 5th and 6th Avenues. The New York Public Library is close by, and they have a restaurant with a beautiful exterior. The Bryant Park Hotel is also located nearby.

Statue of William Cullen Bryant, the namesake of the park.

The New York Public Library, a short distance from Bryant Park.

Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market

The Malcom Shabazz Harlem Market is a small market selling African goods in Harlem. The wares at the market are beautiful, ranging from drums to beads, and clothing.

Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal is a must for every tourist visiting NYC. Contrary to popular belief, Grand Central Terminal is not a train station, but rather a terminal, as it is the start and end of train routes heading to Albany, the capital of New York State, Connecticut (Hartford, Danbury, Waterbury, Stamford, and New Haven), and Boston all the way in Massachusetts.

Circle Line Cruise

One definite must-do tourist activity in NYC is to go on a Circle Line Cruise. These are small tour boats which gives tours of NYC while sailing on the Hudson. I liked the Circle Line Cruise, as we got to see various different parts of the city, including all 3 bridges (Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge), and our tour guide also showed us where the Miracle on the Hudson happened (in 2009, US Airways flight 1549 was forced to land in the Hudson River after hitting a flock of geese shortly after takeoff. The incident caused the aircraft to lose engine power, hence the ditching). We also got to see the Statue of Liberty.

The Brooklyn Bridge

The Manhattan Bridge

Another view of the Manhattan Bridge

Another view of the Brooklyn Bridge

The George Washington Bridge.

The Colgate Clock in Jersey City

The Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal located in Jersey City

The famous Statue of Liberty.

View of the skyline

Have you ever been to NYC before?

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