The best attractions in Manhattan in 2026 are the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Central Park, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. For views, choose the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock or Summit One Vanderbilt; the High Line, Grand Central, Times Square and the Intrepid Museum round out a first visit.
America's symbol of freedom and the gateway for 12 million immigrants.
Statue City Cruises ferries leave Battery Park for Liberty Island and Ellis Island; book pedestal or crown tickets well ahead.
Good to know: Take the first ferry of the day.
Battery Park, New York, NY 10004
843 acres of lawns, lakes and landmarks.
Walk from the Plaza to Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge and Strawberry Fields, or rent a rowboat at the Loeb Boathouse.
Good to know: Rent a bike to see more of the park in a morning.
A moving tribute at the site of the World Trade Center.
Twin reflecting pools mark the footprints of the Twin Towers; the museum below tells the story of September 11, 2001.
Good to know: The memorial plaza is free; book museum tickets ahead.
180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007
One of the world's greatest museums.
The Met spans 5,000 years of art, from the Temple of Dendur to Van Gogh; the summer roof garden adds Central Park views.
Good to know: Pick a few wings rather than trying to see it all.
1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Dinosaurs, the blue whale and the Hayden Planetarium.
The Natural History Museum is a favorite for families, with famous dinosaur halls, the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life and the Gilder Center.
Good to know: Enter from 79th Street or Columbus Avenue to avoid lines on Central Park West.
200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
A park on an old elevated rail line.
The High Line runs 1.45 miles above the West Side with gardens, art and city views, from Gansevoort Street to Hudson Yards.
Good to know: Start at Gansevoort Street and end at Hudson Yards and the Vessel.
The Art Deco icon with an open-air 86th-floor deck.
The Empire State Building's 86th- and 102nd-floor observatories offer classic views, with an excellent museum on the way up.
Good to know: Go late at night for the lights and fewer crowds.
20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
The best view of the Empire State Building and Central Park.
Top of the Rock's three-level deck has unobstructed views north over Central Park and south to the Empire State Building.
Good to know: Book a sunset slot.
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
Mirrored, immersive rooms 1,000 feet up.
Summit One Vanderbilt, beside Grand Central, has mirrored rooms, glass ledges and an outdoor terrace high above Midtown.
Good to know: Wear pants or shorts — the mirrored floors reflect everything.
45 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
A Beaux-Arts station with a celestial ceiling.
Grand Central's Main Concourse, Whispering Gallery and Oyster Bar make it a sight in itself — and it's free.
Good to know: Try the Whispering Gallery outside the Oyster Bar.
89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
The neon heart of New York and its theaters.
Times Square is the city at its brightest; the surrounding Theater District has more than 40 Broadway theaters.
Good to know: Buy same-day discounted show tickets at the TKTS booth.
Times Square, New York, NY 10036
An aircraft carrier, the space shuttle Enterprise and a submarine.
The Intrepid Museum, aboard a World War II aircraft carrier on the Hudson, displays fighter jets, the space shuttle Enterprise and the submarine Growler.
Good to know: Kids love climbing through the submarine.
Pier 86, W 46th St & 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036
If you plan to visit several paid attractions in a few days — an observation deck, a museum, a harbor cruise — a pass like the New York CityPASS or Go City can save money. Compare against what you will actually visit.
Central Park, the High Line, the 9/11 Memorial plaza, Grand Central, Times Square, the Staten Island Ferry and many galleries are free; see our guide to free things to do in NYC.