If you've been wondering whether the Big Apple deserves your attention, get this:
New York is worth visiting for its diverse museums and galleries, top-notch restaurants, and non-stop entertainment. Architecture fans will love the iconic Empire State Building; sports lovers – the New York City Marathon; culture vultures – MoMA; and nature admirers – the sprawling Central Park.
In this article, we'll tell you the top 33 reasons to visit New York City. By the time you've finished reading, you'll know why you should travel to the largest city in the United States.
Buckle up and let's explore, shall we?
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Visit New York for Its World-Class Attractions
New York is worth visiting for its fantastic attractions, such as the stunning Statue of Liberty
Colossal sculptures, verdant parks, and heart-stopping skyscrapers await to spellbind you in Gotham. These gorgeous landmarks are just a few of the reasons to visit New York City. Discover them in the section below.
Statue of Liberty. The massive, neoclassical sculpture awaits your attraction-thirsty eyes on Liberty Island. One of the most interesting facts about New York is that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the U.S. Gustave Eiffel, the person who designed the Eiffel Tower, was the genius behind the Statue of Liberty as well. The copper statue represents Libertas – the Roman Goddess of Liberty.
The Empire State Building. Until the 1970s, the Empire State Building was the world's tallest building. Then, the World Trade Center took the first spot. A namesake for the state of New York, the gorgeous edifice is one of the Big Apple's most iconic symbols. The skyscraper has two observatories – on the 86th and the 102nd floors – which offer staggering views of NYC's skyline.
One World Trade Center. Formerly known as Freedom Tower, One World Trade Center is the main building of the reconstructed World Trade Center, which terrorists attacked in 2001. The tower's 1,792 ft. (546.2 m) make One WTC the tallest edifice in both the United States and the Western Hemisphere.
Central Park. The "Green Lungs of Manhattan", as locals call Central Park, is the fifth-biggest park in New York after Pelham Bay Park, Greenbelt, Van Cortlandt Park, and the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. But that fact doesn't make it any less impressive. On the contrary, Central Park prides itself on several records. The green space is the world's most filmed location and the most visited urban park in America. In 2016, over 42 million strolled its meandering alleys.
Visiting New York's Central Park is a must for nature lovers
The Rockefeller Center. The epicenter of everything New York is the towering Rockefeller Center. The massive complex is among the best reasons to visit NYC. The center consists of 19 commercial buildings that cover 22 acres between 48th and 51st Streets in Midtown Manhattan. Don't miss marveling at the city from the Top of the Rock observatory. The ice-skating rink in front of the center in winter time is worth visiting, too.
Times Square. The iconic Times Square is where the city's real hustle and bustle happens. Visitors flock there 24/7, so one of our best New York City travel tips is to avoid dining in the area because restaurants are crazily overpriced. Also, keep a close eye on your possessions. Times Square teems with pickpockets.
Wall Street. The Financial District in NYC is a busy area in Lower Manhattan. It's home to the New York Stock Exchange, as well as Wall Street – an 8-block-long thoroughfare where financial deals occur every second. The neighborhood has been home to some of the largest brokerages and investment banks in the U.S.
Brooklyn Bridge. When local authorities finished the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, it was the world's longest suspension bridge. Connecting the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan, the bridge has been designated as a National Historic Landmark since its inception. You can discover it closely because the bridge has a bike lane and a pedestrian walkway. Strolling the bridge at night is one of the coolest things to do in New York.
Travel to New York for the Amazing Museums
Culture vultures will love visiting New York for its excellent museums and galleries, such as MoMA
U.S.'s largest city houses some of the world's most popular exhibition halls. In the following section, we'll show you the museums New York is famous for.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The biggest art museum in the United States goes by the name of "The Met". The Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection consists of the mind-boggling 2 million works of art that span across 17 curational departments. Book your guided, "skip the line" tour via this link.
American Museum of Natural History. Would you like to explore the known universe, discover the natural world, and admire some of the best scientific collections in the world all at the same time? Then, you should head to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Must-see spots are the dinosaur exhibition and Lucy – the first human. We highly suggest you reserve your tickets in advance online as entry is timed.
The Museum of Modern Art. Getting inspiration, igniting your mind, and fueling your creative juices is all possible at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The exhibition will walk you around pieces of film, design, prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures, electronic media, and architecture. Skip the lines by grabbing your ticket here.
The fantastic Guggenheim Museum is one of the top reasons to visit NYC
Madame Tussauds New York. Over 220 life-like wax figures of celebrities, politicians, and other iconic folks from the present and the past expect you at Madame Tussauds New York. If you're a daredevil, don't miss the museum's live-actor-filled attraction – SCREAM. Click this link to get your online ticket in advance.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Inside The Guggenheim, you can marvel at Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Early Modern, as well as Contemporary art collections. Even if art exhibitions don't tickle your fancy, check out Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum's exterior – a true architectural masterwork. Book your online tickets through this website.
Tenement Museum. New York City is chock-full of museums. Among the most interesting ones is the Tenement Museum. The exhibition hall showcases historically restored tenement buildings. Inside the museum, you can also read about more than 15,000 immigrants from 20+ countries who lived in the building between 1863 and 2011. Grab your tickets online through this link.
Go to New York for the Quintessential Cuisine
You should visit New York for its iconic Hot Dogs, among others
Much like New York City is a melting pot of nations and cultures, its dishes are a melting pot of various cuisines. In the following section, you'll discover the foods for which New York is worth visiting.
New York-style pizza. The New York-style pizza is thick but has a crispy crust along the edges. Under the toppings, it's soft, thin, and pliable enough, so you can fold it into half. New Yorkers base it on the Italian Naples-style pizza.
New York-style hot dog. Folks in the Big Apple prepare the New York-style hot dog with sauerkraut, spicy mustard, sweet relish, and onion sauce. Quick and cheap, the famous buns turned into the first fast food in the U.S.
Eggs Benedict. This eggs-based dish gained fame in the 19th century in NYC. Eggs Benedict is common for both breakfast and brunch, and it includes two halves of an English muffin. Both are topped with poached egg, Canadian bacon, and sauce Hollandaise.
Manhattan clam chowder. Unlike the clam chowder in New England, the Manhattan clam chowder doesn't have any milk or cream. Instead, the dish includes a tomato broth, and it usually contains celery or carrots.
New York-style cheesecake. If you love traditional cheesecake, don't miss the New York-style cheesecake. The dessert is larger, richer, and more delicious than the regular cheesecake. The secret lies in the few extra egg yolks that add an ultra-rich, creamy taste.
Donuts. In the 19th century, Dutch settlers brought olykoek ("oily cake") to New York. That's where modern donuts stem from. The fillings and toppings are as many and as diverse as the people of New York.
Visit New York City for the Decadent Cocktails
You can trace the origins of several famous cocktails back to the bars of New York
Can you guess why tourists visit New York? Well, besides, the delicious dishes from all over the world, the Big Apple is famous for its cocktails. You can best indulge in signature drinks at one of the amazing rooftop restaurants in NYC while soaking in the jaw-dropping views.
Manhattan. This classic, iconic cocktail traces its origins to New York City. Legends tell the story of the original brewing process for the alcoholic drink for a party at the famous Manhattan Club. Since most celebrities absolutely loved the Manhattan cocktail, the top-notch hotel added the beverage to its menu in the early 1900s.
Cosmopolitan. Another staple in the cocktail scene of the Big Apple, Cosmopolitan earned its reputation from The Oden bar. This occurred at the end of the 1980s in Tribeca – one of the best areas to stay in New York for arts and culture.
Long Island Ice Tea. This traditional NYC cocktail might or might not come from Long Island – depending on whom you ask. However, in many ways, the Long Island Ice Tea combines the kick, energy, and diversity that characterize Long Island, and New York as a whole.
New York Lemonade. On a boiling-hot summer day in Central Park, there's nothing better than an ice-cold New York-style lemonade. Best way to drink the beverage? Combine its citrusy taste with grilled Hawaiian chicken kebabs and zucchini-corn salad.
New York Sour. If you prefer something that lifts your spirits up, substitute the New York Lemonade with its cousin for grownups – the New York Sour. The tongue-tingling cocktail combines the refreshing characteristics of a citrus summer drink with sweet red wine – Shiraz, Beaujolais, or red Zinfandel are all great.
The Brooklyn. Called after its namesake borough, The Brooklyn offers a palate-caressing combo of two spirits that don't usually go together: vermouth and rye whiskey. Top that with the cherry-flavored liquor that's an essential part of the beverage, and drink all your troubles away.
Explore NYC to Discover All the Crazy Facts About the Big Apple
New York City is worth visiting for the tallest skyline in the U.S.
In the section below, you'll find out the fun and interesting facts that make New York worth visiting. Let's dive right in.
The city has many monikers. The Big Apple, Gotham, Empire City, Fun City, The City of Dreams, The City That Never Sleeps, the Five Boroughs, and The City So Nice They Named It Twice. These are NYC's most famous nicknames. If you know any other, don't hesitate to share them in the comment section below.
NYC is the city with the most skyscrapers in the U.S. Chicago and Miami take the second and third places, respectively. In New York, you can marvel at 274 skyscrapers that tower over 492 ft. (150 m) in height. You'll find the majority of them in Manhattan.
The biggest marathon in the world happens in the Big Apple. The New York City Marathon took place for the first time in 1970. The race happens on the first Sunday of November, and the marathon course runs through each of the five boroughs of New York.
Gotham is the city with the most billionaires. 107 billionaires call New York home. Their combined net worth is over $600 billion. Michael Bloomberg is the richest resident whose estimated net worth is over $82 billion.
When in New York, don't forget to explore the villages
The city is full of villages. New York might be a gigantic city, but it's also home to many small villages. The most popular ones are East Village, Greenwich Village, and West Village. Each village takes great pride in its attractions and unique vibe.
The largest gold storage on the planet is in the Big Apple. New York City's Federal Reserve Bank is home to the world's biggest gold storage. The treasury houses over 7,000 tons of gold bars worth $350+ billion. The reserve sits cozily 80 ft. (24 m) below the ground.
Going topless in NYC is not illegal. New Yorkers still prefer promenading the streets with their clothes on. But if you'd like to show off your beautiful chest, you can do that in the Big Apple without getting into trouble.
Is New York City Worth Visiting? You Just Discovered the Answer
Now you know why you should travel to New York City
This wraps up our guide with the 33 best reasons to visit New York.
The Big Apple fascinates with its excellent museums, imposing high-risers, peculiar facts, and fantastic fusion of world cuisines.
On top of that, U.S.'s largest city is the perfect place to run a marathon, go topless, or try a new cocktail.
So, if you've been wondering why you should travel to New York, we bet our article has already answered that question.
Now, we'd like to ask you:
In your experience, is New York fun to visit?
Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Tags: Facts, New York, North America, USA
Svet has lived on three continents. He graduated from his Master's in Belgium, did a Work & Travel program in the USA, and in 2015, spent several months working, traveling, and exploring the Chinese culture. As a result, he found how challenging yet fun it is for a Westerner to live in China. Fun fact: Svet loves doing push-ups in public places and has a crush on tractors.
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