Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is the most famous landmark of New York City. The Statue was a gift of France to the United States in 1886 and the iron frame was crafted by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, indeed the same man who created the Eiffel Tower.
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island just of the south tip of Manhattan. It is possible to visit Liberty Island and you can even go inside the Statue. There are various levels you can visit including the pedestal level and the Crown.
Liberty Island can be reached by ferry service from Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
Plan your trip carefully, especially if you also want to visit Ellis Island. If you want to visit both Liberty Island and Ellis Island the last boat leaving mainland you can take is at 1 pm. If you leave later you will only be able to visit one of the islands.
You need to make reservations to visit the Statue of Liberty. You can do that here : http://www.statuecruises.com/ferry-service/welcome.aspx
Address: Liberty Island
Ferries leave from Battery Park Manhattan and Liberty State Park in New Jersey
Empire State Building
Since the loss of the World Trade Center twin towers on 9-11, the Empire State building is the highest building of New York city again, measuring 381 meters/ 1,250 ft from the street till the top of its spire. The structure was built in the 1930’s in Art Deco style.
Perhaps you have seen black and white pictures of men working on dazzling heights seemingly without any fear of height while building this structure. Besides the Empire State Building obtained eternal fame from its appearance in the epic King Kong movie made in 1933. In this movie King Kong climbed the Empire State building in order to be alone and to protect its beloved.
It’s possible to ascend the tower by super fast elevators of even the upper deck outside. From there you’ll have stunning views over the entire city, including Central Park and the Chrysler building. The inside of the building is pretty as well. Especially nice is to see sundown from the top. Be prepared to spend some time queuing.
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue
Website: http://www.esbnyc.com/index2.cfm
The Rock (Rockefeller Center)
The Rock is part of the impressive Rockefeller complex, which was built in the 1930’s by oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller. Since a few years it is possible to go to the top floor of the 30 Rockefeller Plaza sky scraper. Although the building is not as tall the Empire State Building, the top deck arguably has even better views over the city. The 67th and 69th floor have outdoor terraces with fully transparent, safety glass. The top (70th) floor has a full open air terrace with 360 degrees panoramic views, of course also with protective safety fences. You can even see the Statue of Liberty. All together the Rock is a good alternative to the Empire State Building.
Address: 50th street between 5th and 6th avenue
Website: http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/welcome/default.aspx
Opening Times: 8 am till midnight (last elevator up at 11 pm)
Times Square
Times Square is the place where Broadway and 7th Avenue cross each other. This square has a dazzling number of neon advertisements, super-sized banners, advertisements for Broadway musicals, über sized flat screens and about anything that would grasp your attention, including the (semi-)naked cowboy playing his rock guitar. Both during the day, as during the night it is possible to take fantastic pictures of the square. Besides, it is possible to buy your Broadway musical tickets at discounts going up to 50% at the TKTS building in the middle of the square. It’s possible to buy tickets here from around 15:00 till 18:00. Be noted that the most popular shows sell out first.
There are several shops here, for example the enormous Virgin Flagship store with an endless collection of music and related articles. Since June 2009 the square has been made partially car-free during the day to make it safer and better accessible for visitors.
Special Note: Beware of pickpockets.
Address: Times Square
Website: http://timessquare.com/
Broadway Show
One experience not to miss while in New York is visiting a Musical Show on legendary Broadway. Broadway has been home to the world’s best musicals since the beginning of the 20th century. Nowadays you’ll find dozens of marvelous shows off and on Broadway around Times Square. The musicals performed are the best on earth featuring the best actors, dancers, singers, and musicians from all corners of the world. The offer of musicals is enormous and it’s up to you which one you choose. Some shows have been on display for years. All time classics are Les Miserables, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Hair, West Side Story. More recent hits are The Lion King, Hairspray, Mamma Mia and Chicago. Of course you could also opt for a more recent show. Choosing one may not be easy, but don’t worry, all shows are superior quality. Just choose a story that you like and you’ll have a great time.
Broadway shows are very popular among locals and visitors so some shows may sell out in advance. It’s possible to buy tickets online. Another option is to go to Times Square where you can buy your Broadway musical tickets at discounts going up to 50% at the ‘TKTS’ building in the middle of the square. It’s possible to buy tickets here from around 15:00 till 18:00 for shows on the same day. Be noted that the most popular shows sell out first.
You may be approached by touts on the street selling tickets, but we recommend you to buy your tickets in official ticket offices.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as “The Met” is the largest and most famous museum in New York. With its enormous and diverse collection it belongs to the most renown museums of the world. The museum is just enormous and you could easily spend an entire day in here, probably too much to handle in one go. We’d recommend you to take about half a day and choose a couple of sections that you like to see. You could come back another day to see more.
The museum possesses an imposing collection of Egyptian artifacts. Besides there is a huge collection of famous European paintings created by great masters such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt (18 paintings), Monet (37 paintings), Van Gogh, Vermeer, Duccio (Madonna & Child), Raphael, Boticelli, Dali, Velazquez, El Greco and Michelangelo and many more. Furthermore, there is a large collection of American and modern art, Roman and Greek, African, Asian and Islamic artworks. Moreover, there is a large collection of musical instruments, weapons and much much more.
The Met is a must for every culture enthusiast, but actually everyone who visits New York should see this museum.
The officially suggested entrance price is $20, but the Met has a policy that visitors can determine their own entrance fee. So basically you can pay whatever you find reasonable.
Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
Website: http://www.metmuseum.org/
Opening Times:
Monday: Closed (Except Holiday Mondays)
Tuesday–Thursday: 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Central Park
Central Park is a surprisingly peaceful green oasis in the heart of bustling Manhattan. New Yorkers absolutely adore Central Park, but also for visitors it’s the perfect place to relax after a day of sightseeing, shopping, etc. There are some enjoyable walking routes and ponds around the park. It’s a pretty big park so a couple of hours are easily spend in here.
World Trade Center and 9-11 Memorial
After the airplane attacks of 9-11 the site of the former World Trade Center is a memory of what once was the symbol of New York. At this square you’ll find a memorial for the thousands of people who perished during the attacks. Besides you’ll see the amazing size of the devastation that took place during the attacks. Just consider that the entire square was home to the 7 World Trade Center buildings including the Twin Towers which for a long time were the tallest buildings on earth. Pay your respects to the fallen ones and one of the greatest symbols of the Western world.
But it’s not all sadness. The re-construction of the 1 World Trade Center is ongoing at full pace and it’s a mighty sight to see the scale of construction and activity.
Address: Liberty Street and Church Street
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