Manhattan is nothing but a concrete jungle, but you still need to visit the Big Apple once in your life. And if you’re going to go all that way, don’t miss out on these top ten sights!
The Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Housed in a former public library and with over two million square feet and more than 2,000 galleries spread over five floors, there’s nowhere else like it. With enough paintings to make Van Gogh cry, antiquities from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and an entire wing dedicated to medieval armor – not even the Louvre can beat this museum for size! Some experts say it has the largest collection of art anywhere in the world.
Times Square
All roads lead to the Crossroads of the World, where Broadway intersects with Seventh Avenue and 45th Street. It’s here that you’ll find everything from movie premieres to spectacular light shows (the world-famous New Year’s Eve Ball Drop is right here) and TKTS, which offers tickets for theater shows at a discount.
Fifth Avenue
This street stretches 5 km (3 miles) through Manhattan, beginning at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village up to Central Park, passing along famous department stores like Saks, Tiffany & Co., Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, and Lord & Taylor en route…which means there’s nothing but designer shopping all the way!
Grand Central Station
The world’s largest train station, with 44 platforms for 26 tracks and 67 miles of track in total – if you’re taking a train with Amtrak, Metro-North, or the Long Island Rail Road, your train will probably leave from here. It also houses Commodore Lounge, an upscale bar that offers drinks at food-court prices all day.
The Brooklyn Bridge
A 5,989 ft (1825 m) suspension bridge designed by John Roebling to connect Manhattan to Brooklyn over the East River. Constructed in less than 14 years, it took its first passengers on May 24, 1883, with horses pulling carts up and down the span until 1917 when motor vehicles were permitted; today it sees nearly 15,000 cars and over 1,100 pedestrians cross it every day.
The Statue of Liberty
An enormous copper female figure towering 305 ft (93 m) above a 25-acre island in the Upper Bay, built as a monument to freedom by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and given to America by France on October 28, 1886. It’s one of New York’s most famous landmarks – you can take a ferry from Battery Park, which lands at nearby Ellis Island, from where many immigrants first set foot on American soil.
Famous for its 30 Rockefeller Plaza skyscraper (the highest in Midtown Manhattan ), where both NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall are located; also home to the National Broadcasting Company and the Museum of Modern Art. It’s also worth checking out some of the other buildings on display here, including 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Time-Life Building, and the art deco Associated Press Building (home of Fox 5 News ).
The Bronx Zoo
Spread over 265 acres of parkland, this is one of the largest metropolitan zoos in the world. It features more than 4,000 different animals living in more than 500 species spread across 400 acres – there are gorillas, lions, hippos, and even an outdoor theater showing bird shows all year round.
Yankee Stadium
The home stadium for baseball team New York Yankees. This 50,000 capacity stadium has been open since 1923 and is now one of the most famous stadiums in America – fans flock from all over to watch Luis Severino, Greg Bird, and co. take on, opponents.
Ground Zero & The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center
A site marking a major terrorist attack, commemorating those who died during the events of September 11, 2001. Visitors can see two large reflecting pools surrounded by trees and bronze panels inscribed with names of victims; they are often visited by families seeking closure or remembrance. You can also visit One World Observatory, which offers 360-degree views 60 floors above ground level, up to 1,250 feet above street level!
When you are in Manhattan, every corner you turn brings new and wonderful things to discover. But if you’ve only got a short time to explore, leave it up to your smartphone or digital camera to save the day – these might be the 10 best sights in Manhattan, but they’re certainly not the only ones!
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