New York · best-of list
31 Top Things to Do in New York
All 31 things to do our route editors picked in New York, across 11 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect sights and experiences, with Museum Mile contributing the most (5).
Our curated picks
31 things to do in New York, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Museum Mile 5 picks
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Museum Mile · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Design museum in the Carnegie Mansion with interactive galleries and a quiet garden.
Tip: Use the digital pen at entry to save objects you like.
Photo: Bernardo Lopez Vicencio · Google
Museum of the City of New York
Museum Mile · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Concise story of how New York grew, with old maps, photos and film.
Tip: The film 'Timescapes' is a good 20-minute primer.
Photo: adrián · Google
Neue Galerie New York
Museum Mile · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Small museum of German and Austrian art, home to Klimt's gold portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.
Tip: No children under 12; book timed entry ahead.
Photo: Lic. Horus Ruiseco Jacobo · Google
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Museum Mile · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Frank Lloyd Wright's spiral ramp is the main exhibit; shows rotate along it.
Tip: Take the elevator up and walk the ramp down.
Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Museum Mile · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Five thousand years of art; the Temple of Dendur and the Roof Garden are standout stops.
Tip: Pick two wings max; the roof opens mid-April to October.
Photo: Hugo Schneider · CC BY-SA 2.0
Brooklyn 4 picks
Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
1883 suspension bridge with a raised pedestrian walkway and Manhattan skyline views.
Tip: Walk from Manhattan toward Brooklyn early to beat crowds.
Photo: Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0
Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Brooklyn · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Quiet esplanade above the BQE with a straight-on view of Lower Manhattan.
Tip: Wander Willow and Columbia Heights streets on the way.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Big encyclopedic museum strong on Egyptian art and Judy Chicago's 'The Dinner Party'.
Tip: Combine with the Botanic Garden next door.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 2.0
Washington Street, DUMBO
Brooklyn · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
The cobblestone street framing the Manhattan Bridge for the classic photo.
Tip: Stand at Washington and Water St; go early for empty streets.
Photo: Benhodgson · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hudson 4 picks
Art Omi
Hudson · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Sculpture and architecture park on open fields.
Photo: Graham Short · Google
Basilica Hudson
Hudson · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Former factory near the river hosting concerts, markets and art events.
Tip: Check the calendar; open for events only.
Photo: Lenevarez · CC BY-SA 3.0
Olana State Historic Site
Hudson · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Frederic Church's Persian-style home and planned landscape above the Hudson.
Tip: House tours by timed ticket; grounds are free.
Photo: Ɱ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Thomas Cole National Historic Site
Hudson · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Home and studio of the founder of the Hudson River School.
Tip: Walk the Hudson River Skywalk from Olana across the bridge.
Photo: Ɱ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Manhattan 4 picks
High Line
Manhattan · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Elevated rail-line park with plantings, public art and Hudson views from Gansevoort St to Hudson Yards.
Tip: Walk north from Gansevoort to end at Hudson Yards.
Photo: Ajay Suresh · CC BY 4.0
Museum of Modern Art
Manhattan · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol and a strong design collection across six floors in Midtown.
Tip: Book a timed ticket online; start on the 5th floor and work down.
Photo: hibino · CC BY 2.0
Times Square
Manhattan · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
The billboards and Broadway theaters are at their best after dark.
Tip: Check the TKTS booth for same-day discount Broadway tickets.
Photo: Epicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0
Top of the Rock
Manhattan · On our NYC Cultural Weekend route
Open-air decks atop Rockefeller Center with a clear view of the Empire State Building and Central Park.
Tip: Sunset slots sell out; book a day ahead.
Photo: Jakub Peller · Google
Midtown Manhattan 4 picks
Birdland
Midtown Manhattan · On our New York New Year's Eve route
Jazz club named for Charlie Parker, now on West 44th Street, with two or more sets a night.
Tip: Book the holiday-week shows ahead; New Year's Eve sets are ticketed separately.
Photo: Ajay Suresh · CC BY 4.0
Central Park Midnight Run fireworks
Midtown Manhattan · On our New York New Year's Eve route
Fireworks over Central Park at midnight start the New York Road Runners' four-mile Midnight Run.
Tip: Watch from Bethesda Terrace or the edge of Sheep Meadow; the show was canceled in 2024 because of drought, so check the year's plans.
Photo: Julian Lupyan · CC0
Grand Army Plaza fireworks
Midtown Manhattan · On our New York New Year's Eve route
Brooklyn's free New Year's Eve party, with live music from about 10 p.m. and fireworks over Prospect Park at midnight.
Tip: Stand along Prospect Park West near the arch for the clearest view.
Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0
Times Square Ball Drop
Midtown Manhattan · On our New York New Year's Eve route
The ball atop One Times Square drops at 11:59 p.m., followed by confetti and fireworks over a crowd of about a million.
Tip: Arrive by mid-afternoon, dress in layers and bring snacks; once you leave a pen you can't get back in.
Photo: Alex Lozupone · CC BY 4.0
Beacon 3 picks
Bannerman Castle
Beacon · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Guided tours of a ruined arsenal on Pollepel Island in the Hudson.
Tip: Tours by boat from Beacon dock, seasonal; book ahead.
Photo: Bannerman Castle · Google
Dia Beacon
Beacon · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Minimalist and conceptual art in a former Nabisco box factory near the station.
Tip: Walkable from Beacon station; closed Tue–Wed most of the year.
Photo: Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Storm King Art Center
Beacon · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
500-acre sculpture park with large-scale works across fields and hills.
Tip: Timed tickets required; rent a bike to cover the grounds.
Photo: Ɱ · CC BY-SA 4.0
DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights 2 picks
Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge
DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights · On our New York New Year's Eve route
The Polar Bear Club's New Year's Day swim at Stillwell Avenue, held for over 120 years; thousands go in.
Tip: Register online to plunge; spectators can watch from the boardwalk for free.
Photo: Invertzoo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jane's Carousel
DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights · On our New York New Year's Eve route
Restored 1922 carousel in a glass pavilion by Jean Nouvel, on the water between the two bridges.
Tip: Winter hours are shorter, so check before you go.
Photo: Cubie King · CC BY-SA 3.0
New York City 2 picks
Grand Central Terminal
New York City · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Beaux-Arts station with the celestial ceiling; Hudson Line trains to Beacon leave here.
Tip: Check the Whispering Gallery outside the Oyster Bar.
Photo: Fcb981 ; Eric Baetscher (attribution required) · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Met Cloisters
New York City · On our Hudson Valley by Rail route
Medieval art in reassembled monastery cloisters above the Hudson.
Tip: Same Met ticket covers both sites within three days.
Photo: Sebas Inchauspe · Google
Ithaca 1 pick
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art
Ithaca · On our Finger Lakes Wine Trail route
Free I.M. Pei-designed art museum with a 5th-floor view over Cayuga Lake.
Photo: Dmadeo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Keuka Lake 1 pick
Glenn H. Curtiss Museum
Keuka Lake · On our Finger Lakes Wine Trail route
Aviation and motorcycle museum for the Hammondsport pioneer who rivaled the Wright brothers.
Photo: Carey Williams · Google
Seneca Lake 1 pick
Belhurst Castle
Seneca Lake · On our Finger Lakes Wine Trail route
1880s red-stone castle on the lake with a winery tasting room and dining.
Photo: RochesterNY · Public domain
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in New York?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 31 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of New York has the most things to do on this list?
Museum Mile has the most (5 of 31), followed by Brooklyn (4) and Hudson (4).
Are any of these free?
11 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Brooklyn Bridge, High Line, Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge, Grand Central Terminal, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for New York
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Museum Mile 5 on this list
- Brooklyn 4 on this list
- Hudson 4 on this list
- Manhattan 4 on this list
- Midtown Manhattan 4 on this list
- Beacon 3 on this list
- DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights 2 on this list
- New York City 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.