It's easy to get carried away when recommending the 'must-see' tourist attractions in NYC.
As local walking tour guides, we each have our favorites. Collectively, we've pretty much seen it all and done it all in the Big Apple!
Here's our long list of NYC tourist attractions including the best free as well as the top ones that charge admission.
We also list family-friendly, nighttime, and neighborhood-specific attractions, with a New York City tourist map pointing them out.
- Map of Top Attractions
- Free Attractions
- Kid-Friendly
- Open Late
- By Neighborhood
- Attraction Discount Passes
- Christmas Attractions
Below is a map listing many other free landmarks and points of interest as well as resources for even more free attractions (there are over 100).
We list additional attractions that are completely free of charge.
Click the free New York attractions map for an interactive version.
Click the free New York attractions map for an interactive version.
Be sure to check out our master post on free things to do in NYC as well as our post on free museums and attractions.
There you will find even more free attractions, including paid attractions that offer free days.
TOP PAID NYC TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
We wish it weren't the case, but not all the best things to see and do in NYC are free. In some cases, tickets and the cost of admission are a bit higher than we'd like.
Still, that hasn't stopped any one of our guides from enjoying these attractions.
In fact, some of us see Broadway shows, visit museums, and attend sports games several times a year.
Below are what we think are the top 10 must-do activities for tourists to NYC, and beneath that are more fantastic sites that charge admission.
But before we list them, there is a way you can visit many of them for free or at a discount (who doesn't love saving money!)
If you plan to visit at least 2 of the city's top paid attractions, then look into an all-inclusive tourist attraction discount pass.
With some good planning, you will save enough that it's the same as if you are getting 1 or 2 attractions for free each day on top of the ones you pay for.
Our post explaining and comparing the various attraction passes can help you decide if getting one is right for you.
We also share tips on how to maximize your savings with these passes.
Our Top 10 NYC Tourist Attractions
- Visit the top of the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Trade Center, Edge and SUMMIT
- Experience the 9/11 Museum
- Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
- See Broadway show
- Watch a major sports team play
- Take a tour of Yankee Stadium
- Admire masterpieces at the Museum of Modern Art
- Shop the day away at Woodbury Commons
- Take a tour of Rockefeller Center
EVEN MORE NYC TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Click on any of these attractions for details and information on how to visit them.
Be sure to check out our neighborhood, nighttime, and family-friendly sections for more ideas.
FREE ATTRACTIONS IN NEW YORK
Ahh, now to the good part. One reason so many of us live in NYC is because of all the amazing things you can do for free here.
At the top of this list are things we enjoy over and over again - because you can walk the Brooklyn Bridge dozens of times and it never gets boring.
Every visit to Central Park feels like the first time. Walking the High Line never gets old. Free museums? As many as we can get to!
You could fill up many, many days (and weeks) in NYC seeing these attractions and not spend a penny on them!
Our Top 10
- Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Discover Central Park
- Visit the 9/11 Memorial
- Ride the Staten Island Ferry
- Attend a Gospel Church Service
- Enjoy the Views from atop the High Line
- Wander Around Grand Central Terminal
- Be in the Audience of a TV Show Taping
- Visit a Free Museum
- Admire NYC's Best Street Art
Museums
- Federal Hall National Memorial
- New York City Public Library
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- Brooklyn Historical Society
- Museum of the City of New York
Memorials
- Wall Street Charging Bull
- Green-wood Historic Cemetery
- Castle Clinton
- African Burial Ground National Museum
- General Ulysses S. Grant National Memorial (Grant’s Tomb)
- Alexander Hamilton Grange National Memorial
- Irish Hunger Memorial
- Soldiers and Sailors Monument
- Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
Great Public Spaces
- Rockefeller Center
- Grand Central Station
- Strawberry Fields
- Times Square
- Brooklyn Heights Promenade
- Washington Square Park
- Wall Street
- Prospect Park
Famous Buildings
- Flatiron Building
- Chrysler Building
- City Hall
- Dakota Apartments
- The Friends Apartment
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- New York Stock Exchange
- Woolworth Building
- Trump Tower
- Trinity Church
Free Shows and Music
- Gospel Music Performances
- Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- Saturday Night Live
- Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Many of our walking tours stop at one or more of the above sights, like the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and the 9/11 Memorial.
Our tours are free to sign up for and operate on a pay-what-you-wish basis. That's why our guides strive hard to give you the best experience possible exploring the city with them.
Plus, we love to share our enthusiasm about NYC with others.
THE BEST ATTRACTIONS FOR KIDS
Here are activities your kids will love, just like many of us did when we were little (like the famous Blue Whale at the American Museum of Natural History).
This map includes our picks for the top 21 NYC attractions for children, tweens, and teens.
Click the family-friendly New York attractions map for an interactive version.
- The Bronx Zoo
- Top of the Rock
- Empire State Building
- One World Observatory
- Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
- Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- New York Aquarium
- New York Transit Museum
Our post on things to do with kids in New York City has loads more suggestions, while our 3-day kid-friendly NYC itinerary can help you organize your trip.
NYC ATTRACTIONS OPEN LATE
It may be a cliche, but it happens to be true that New York City is the city that never sleeps.
There is always something going on around town after dark.
These are the top 10 attractions with late-night hours, including free and kid-friendly attractions.
Top 10 Attractions with Late Hours
- Empire State Building
- One World Observatory
- Top of the Rock
- Edge
- SUMMIT
- Sporting Event Venues
- Broadway Theaters
- Museums Open Late
- Grand Central Terminal
- Neighborhoods
For even more ideas, see our in-depth post on things to do in NYC at night.
Free Attractions
In addition to what was mentioned in other sections, here are 5 more ideas.
- Visit the 9/11 Memorial
- Walk along the High Line
- Cross the Brooklyn Bridge
- Ride the Staten Island Ferry
- Get free Skyline Views
Our Things To Do For Free post has loads more budget-friendly ideas for night.
Kid-Friendly
Here are 4 more kid-friendly places in addition to those above in other sections of this post.
Be sure to see our things to do with kids post for more nighttime things to do with kids.
NYC ATTRACTIONS BY NEIGHBORHOOD
If you haven't yet discovered, NYC is made up of hundreds of unique neighborhoods, each with its own personality and attractions.
Our neighborhood posts go into what makes each of these neighborhoods special and the many things to see in each.
To see where these neighborhoods are in relation to one another, see the interactive map in our NYC neighborhoods post.
Attractions from Midtown to Harlem
- Midtown Manhattan
- Times Square
- Central Park
- Harlem
- The High Line and Meatpacking District
- The Flatiron District
- Gramercy Park
Lower Manhattan to the Financial District
- Wall Street + the Financial District
- Chinatown
- The Lower East Side
- Little Italy
- SoHo
- Greenwich Village
- East Village
Brooklyn Attractions
Be sure to also check out our post on things to do in Brooklyn.
TOURIST ATTRACTION DISCOUNT PASSES
We mentioned above that you can save quite a lot with a New York City tourist attraction discount pass.
Below we explain briefly how they work and what sets each of them apart.
For a greater explanation and comparison, click here.
Passes differ in what attractions are included, but there is a bit of overlap.
These are the top attractions available on all three major New York tourist passes.
- Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck
- Madame Tussauds
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- American Museum of Natural History
- Museum of Modern Art
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- Clipper City Sailing Cruise
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Inside Broadway Walking Tour
Note: We update this section every 6-months, so there could be discrepancies. Last updated in January 2024.
If you're looking for an attraction that isn't listed above, it may be included in one pass, but not the others.
Passes are one way to save money, but you should also take a look at Groupon and Living Social for other discounts they offer from time to time on some of the most popular activities in New York City.
New York Pass
The following attractions are not included with some of the other tourist passes in New York City.
- Empire State Building
- Rockefeller Center Tour
- Catacombs by Candlelight
- Fotografiska NYC
- LEGOLAND
- The Ride
Recommendation
If you are dead set on going to the Empire State Building, this pass may be right for you.
Plus, it includes other special experiences not found with the other passes.
New York Sightseeing Pass
These attractions may not be offered by other tourist passes.
- One World Observatory
- LOL Times Square Comedy Club
- New York Aquarium
- Central Park Zoo
- Bronx Zoo
Recommendation
This pass is an excellent option if you want to see many top attractions.
It is especially good for families with children since it includes the Central Park Zoo, the Bronx Zoo and the Aquarium.
This is available as either an all-inclusive pass or a set number of attractions pass.
The "Before You Buy" section of our New York tourist pass post explains the difference between these options.
Explorer Pass
This list includes only attractions that aren't offered by at least one of the other New York tourist passes.
- Empire State Building
- Rockefeller Center Tour
- Escape Virtuality VR
- LEGOLAND
- The TOUR
Recommendation
Many of these attractions are also included with the New York Sightseeing Pass.
The main difference between the two is that the Explorer Pass lets you pay one flat price for a certain number of activities.
This Explore Pass can be used at any time over the course of an entire month, affording you flexibility should you need it.
SPOTLIGHT ON THREE TOP NYC ATTRACTIONS
These three attractions are among the most popular with visitors to New York City -- and here's why.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
This national historic landmark is one of the most popular attractions in NYC with more than 3 million tourists every year, and for good reason.
The Statue of Liberty is recognizable by most Americans as the symbol of freedom.
Lady Liberty was a gift to the United States from France commemorating the alliance of these two countries during the American Revolution.
It was formally presented to the U.S. ambassador on July 4, 1884, in Paris.
Ellis Island is a destination for those looking to learn about the plight of immigrants coming to the United States.
Tens of millions of Americans can trace at least one ancestor as an immigrant who passed through Ellis Island.
If you can't make it out to the Statue of Liberty, you can get a good view of her and New York Harbor from Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan and also from the Staten Island Ferry.
Another famous landmark in New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge is not just an iconic structure, but also a significant part of NYC’s past.
When it was completed in 1883, it made it possible for people to cross the East River.
The free flow of people between Manhattan and Brooklyn resulted in the growth of New York City.
You can learn about the Brooklyn Bridge and its fascinating history on our pay-what-you-like Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights, and DUMBO Tour!
One of the best things to do on a trip to New York City is to visit the Freedom Tower (officially known as One World Observatory).
It’s the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the views are breathtaking!
Adjacent to the Freedom Tower is the 9/11 Museum and Memorial.
The museum offers in-depth insight into the victims and heroes of the tragic events of 9/11.
The Memorial, which is free to visit, is a solemn, peaceful site.
The two massive waterfalls are the largest man-made fountains in North America in the footprint of where the Twin Towers stood.
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