New York City is known by many names, from the Big Apple to the City that Never Sleeps, but the one I feel is most fitting is The City of Dreams. It was always a lifelong dream of mine to visit, and finally traveling there was a dream come true—even in the middle of winter! It stands alone as a destination, or could be included in an East Coast American roadtrip.

I love so many things about New York City, from the food to the culture to the exciting attractions, but I managed to narrow it down to my top ten attractions and a few of my favorite restaurants. Here’s my NYC travel guide!

For more information on planning your trip to New York City, including flights to NYC, transportation, and hotels in the area, visit NYC’s official tourism website.

1. Central Park

Although New York City is an urban jungle, one of my favorite moments was spent enjoying the atmosphere at Central Park. From the street performers, to the “Strawberry Fields” Beatles tribute, to walking along the famous Bow Bridge, there is a lot to see and enjoy. It’s the perfect way to spend a morning walking through trees, forgetting you’re amidst some of the tallest buildings in the world. Navigate the massive park with this map.

2. Broadway

Don’t even think about visiting New York if you’re not going to visit the theater district and see a play on Broadway! I had the amazing opportunity to see both Wicked and Phantom of the Opera! I splurged on our tickets to Wicked because they were my birthday present, so I got really good seats. I had previously seen Wicked in Los Angeles, but this was my travel partner’s first time seeing it. We both were blown away and agreed that it was the best part of our trip!

I got our tickets for Phantom of the Opera at a TKTS booth the day of the performance, so we sat high up on a balcony, far from the stage. The performance was fantastic, but I wished we had better seats so we could feel more immersed in the story. There are dozens of show going on at any one time on Broadway, so you’re sure to find one to suit anyone’s taste.

3. 9/11 Memorial & Museum

I spent my rainy day in New York visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. This somber visit was enlightening and touching, with displays of victims’ names, as well as video footage of the events of 9/11 transpiring. I was humbled to be able to take the time to honor the victims and first responders of the 9/11 attacks and would recommend a visit to anyone going to New York.

4. Times Square

If you’re hoping to witness the hustle and bustle of New York City as seen in all the famous movies, then New York Times Square is the best place to visit. With street performers and people dressed as characters all over the place, there’s always something fun to see! There are also dozens of stores lining the street, from Hershey’s Chocolate World to the Disney Store. Everything will be fighting for your attention, from the enormous neon signs to video advertisements that fill every wall!

5. Top of the Rock

I knew I wanted to see New York City from above, so I booked tickets to go to the Top of the Rock, inside Rockefeller Center. I chose to visit this observation deck instead of the iconic and popular Empire State Building because I wanted views of the Empire State Building! It was an exhilarating elevator ride to the top and the views were incredible! The Top of the Rock remains my favorite tall building to climb, even compared to Paris’ Montparnasse Tower and New Zealand’s Sky Tower.

6. The Met

There are many New York museums, each featuring something unique. I chose to visit the largest and most popular—the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A $25 donation is suggested for entry, but you can enter for free if you want. I loved wandering around exploring art through the ages, but found there to be way too much to see in a day. My visit to the Louvre in Paris reminded me of The Met, both of which are expansive and worth several trips.

7. High Line

Above Manhattan’s far western shore, across the river from New Jersey, is a raised walkway that was once a railroad and has since been converted into a park. This neat area was really unique and I loved visiting just before sunset, watching the sun light up the skyline across the water just before it dipped behind the buildings. It is a great place to find some peace during your busy time in the City that Never Sleeps.

8. Exploring Neighborhoods

If you’re looking for free things to do in NYC, exploring the diverse neighborhoods of Manhattan is a great way to take in the sights. For a look into authentic New York life with cute apartment buildings everywhere, visit Chelsea or Upper Manhattan. To experience delicious cuisine and another culture, visit Chinatown and Little Italy. For some great window shopping, stroll along 5th Avenue (home of high end stores, such as Saks fifth Avenue and Versace) or Columbus Circle.

Wall Street is another exciting neighborhood, where you can see the NYSE building, the Charging Bull, and Battery Park, which offers views of the Statue of Liberty. Check out this New York neighborhood map to orient yourself to the layout of the city.

9. United Nations Headquarters

I’ve been fascinated with the United Nations for some time, so I decided to visit their headquarters while in New York. They have tours of the building, as well as a museum on the first floor and sculptures outside the building. When I went, the museum displayed a Holocaust exhibit, which had moving accounts from survivors of what they faced and how they have dealt with those memories throughout their lives. See their current exhibits here, which are focused mostly on human rights and developing a better world.

10. Iconic New York Buildings

As one of the biggest cultural hubs in the world, and the location of hundreds of movies and shows, New York City has become the home of many iconic buildings. I visited as many as I could. My favorites included Macy’s flagship store, the apartment building from Friends, Flatiron Building, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, New York Public Library, Grand Central Station, The Plaza Hotel, Chrysler Building, and Trinity Church.

Restaurants

Ess-a-Bagel

I would start every day off with a bagel from here if I could. (Honestly, New Yorkers are so spoiled.) I don’t even love bagels regularly, but these ones were fluffy and perfect and the cream cheese was flavorful and, well, creamy!

Black Tap Burgers

This place has become so popular, they now have locations throughout the world, including in Las Vegas and Downtown Disney. They are famous for their outlandish milkshakes (the kind with entire slices of cake on top or churros sticking out of them), but I also love the burger flavors—pizza burger, anyone?

Raclette

First impression? Smelly. But don’t worry, it’s just the smell of stinky cheese, which comes to the table in the form of a giant melty cheese wheel, where the cheese is then scraped off the wheel over your meal. I made sure it was part of every bite, paired with steak, asparagus, and potatoes. I’d say it’s one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to!

Ajisen Ramen

Tucked away in noisy Chinatown is a Japanese restaurant I just happened upon and loved! It was my first experience trying ramen from a restaurant (not the 25 cent kind from the grocery store) and it blew me away—truly life changing! They also gave me free ice cream for my birthday, so that was a bonus!

Levain Bakery

I count my lucky stars my New York hotel was near this bakery or I may have never tried it. In an unassuming tiny shop, I found cookies that are fat and gooey and simply delicious. I loved the chocolate chip and the peanut butter chocolate cookies!

Chelsea Market

After or before visiting the High Line, make sure to stop at Chelsea Market where Food Network stars allegedly buy their ingredients. You will also find a variety of restaurants, from pizza to burgers to deep fried Oreos (yeah, that’s why I went).

Things I Missed

It’s impossible to do everything there is to do in New York in one visit (or even in a lifetime), so here are some top NYC attractions I missed on my first visit that I’d love to see next time around!

Ellis Island & Liberty Island - Technically I did see the Statue of Liberty twice from a distance (from the High Line and from Battery Park), but I’d love to see it up close and even take a visit to Lady Liberty’s crown or explore what used to be the first piece of land many immigrants to America stepped on!

Madison Square Garden - Some of the most famous artists in the world perform here, so the next time I’m in town I’d love to book tickets to a concert here.

Museum of Modern Art - From Van Gogh to Ansel Adams to Andy Warhol and even Woody Allen, there’s a large variety of modern art to see here!

Guggenheim Museum - This is another art museum in New York, featuring diverse collections, set inside a modernly absurd building.

Radio City Music Hall - From music, to theater, to comedy, some of the biggest names have performed at this venue.

American Museum of Natural History - I loved learning about nature in D.C.’s Museum of Natural History, so I think this would be a fun place to visit, too.

Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum - After visiting a really neat maritime museum in New Zealand and a space museum in Washington, D.C., I am eager to see what this museum has to offer!

Staten Island Ferry - I’m a fan of ferry crossings (especially the one we took from New Zealand’s South Island to the North Island), so I’d love to take this ferry if for nothing but great views of the NYC skyline.

Yankee Stadium - Seeing a Yankees game would be an iconic New York experience and is at the top of my list for when I visit during baseball season!

New York weather can be unpredictable, so although I had several mild winter days, I experienced a winter storm my last night, which canceled my flight. It was as though New York didn’t want me to leave any more than I wanted to leave it. If you’re planning a trip to the most populated city in America, be prepared for surprises like that at any turn! After all, anything can happen in the City of Dreams.

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