See & Do NY
Landmarks, museums, parks and neighborhoods across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.
See things to do »New York City, Borough by Borough
New York City is five boroughs joined by bridges, tunnels, ferries and one of the largest subway systems in the world. Manhattan, the long, narrow island most people picture, holds the skyline, Central Park, Times Square and the great museums. Brooklyn, across the East River, is the most populous borough and has its own beaches, parks and food scene. Queens is one of the most ethnically diverse places on earth, the Bronx has the city's zoo, botanical garden and Yankee Stadium, and Staten Island, reached by a free ferry, is the quietest of the five.
First-time visitors usually start in Midtown. Times Square is at its brightest after dark, the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock look out over the whole city, and Grand Central Terminal, the Museum of Modern Art and the New York Public Library are all within a short walk. To the west, the High Line, a park built on an old freight rail line, leads down to the Meatpacking District, and Hudson Yards has the Edge observation deck.
Lower Manhattan is where the city began. Boats leave Battery Park for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, where the immigration museum tells the story of the millions who arrived through it. The 9/11 Memorial pools fill the footprints of the twin towers next to One World Trade Center, and from the tip of the island the Staten Island Ferry offers a free ride past the statue. Walk north and you reach Chinatown, the Lower East Side, SoHo and Greenwich Village, each with its own character and food. Downtown is also where the subway is densest, so it is easy to combine a morning on the harbor with an afternoon in the Village.
Uptown, Central Park runs for 51 blocks between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West, with lakes, meadows and paths that fill on weekends. The Metropolitan Museum of Art faces the park on the east side and the American Museum of Natural History on the west, and the Guggenheim and the Frick are close by. Farther north, Harlem has the Apollo Theater, soul food restaurants and Sunday gospel services. Across the river, walk the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park, or take the subway to Coney Island, the Bronx Zoo or Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
This guide gives each part of the city its own page with highlights and bookable tours ranked by traveler reviews, along with a dining guide that runs from century-old delis to tasting menus and a list of the parades, festivals and holiday traditions that come back every year. For Broadway, see our theater trip planner, and for the rest of the state, from the Hudson Valley to Niagara Falls, see our Upstate New York guide.
Explore New York City by Area
Top-Rated Things to Do in New York City
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 28, 2026. See & Do NY may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
Where to Eat in New York City
A Lower East Side deli carving pastrami since 1888, a Chinatown tea parlor from 1920, an oyster bar under Grand Central, a Harlem soul food landmark, a Williamsburg steakhouse from 1887 and a Staten Island pizzeria from 1937: our dining guide covers all five boroughs.
Festivals and Events in New York City
March brings the St. Patrick's Day Parade up Fifth Avenue, summer has free Shakespeare in Central Park and fireworks on the rivers, fall has the US Open, the marathon and the Halloween parade, and the year ends with the Thanksgiving parade, the Rockefeller Center tree and the ball drop.
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New York City — FAQ
How many days do I need in New York City?
Four or five days covers Midtown, Lower Manhattan, Central Park, a major museum or two and an evening in Brooklyn. A week lets you add the outer boroughs and a few neighborhoods at a slower pace.
What is the best way to get around?
The subway and walking. Subways run around the clock, and you can pay by tapping a contactless card or phone at the turnstile. Taxis and ride shares are useful late at night, but driving and parking in Manhattan are slow and expensive.
When is the best time to visit?
Late April to June and September to early November have the most comfortable weather. The holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year's is festive but crowded and expensive, and January and February are the quietest months.
Which airports serve New York City?
John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia in Queens, and Newark Liberty in New Jersey. AirTrain links JFK to the subway and the Long Island Rail Road and Newark to NJ Transit trains into Penn Station; LaGuardia is served by buses and taxis.
Does this guide cover Upstate New York?
No. This site covers the five boroughs of New York City. Our sister site Best in Upstate NY covers the Hudson Valley, the Catskills, the Adirondacks, the Finger Lakes and Niagara Falls.