THE BIGGEST ATTRACTIONS

A location with so much to see and do, it is nearly impossible to plan to see everything in just one visit to New York City. Keeping that in mind, you must pick and choose those items that are just essential to capturing the full New York City experience. Some of those things are included in the list below.

The Empire State Building THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING – A true New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, is one of New York’s main tourist attractions. It towers more than a quarter mile over the city and offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and open air promenade on the 86th floor. Open 365 days a year, rain or shine, night or day, you can view the city from indoor or outdoor observatories from 1,050 feet to 1,250 feet above Manhattan.

Statue of Liberty THE STATUE OF LIBERTY – Another one of the most historic landmarks located in NYC is of course the Statue of Liberty. She is located on Liberty Island, a 12 acre island at the entrance to the New York Harbor. She was a gift from France as a symbol of freedom and democracy. At this point tours have been indefinitely suspended to enter Lady Liberty however the ground can be toured at this National Monument.

Grand Central Station GRAND CENTRAL STATION – Originally opened in 1913, Grand Central Station is still a main terminal for the NYC department of transit. Recently renovated, it has become quite the New York hot spot. It is home to five fine restaurants, twenty casual restaurants, and about fifty unique specialty shops. Whether you decide to take a self tour or a guided one, be sure to check out the ceiling mural in the main terminal painted by Paul Helleu. It is truly a spectacular site.

Times Square TIMES SQUARE – At the turn of the century, when the New York Times erected this building on the corner of 43rd Street, who would have realized that it would forever become known as Times Square? Most infamously known for its outrageous New Years eve event, this is must see corner for the visiting tourist. Home to many super sized billboards, and incredible advertising and big screen TV’s it is my preference to see this one at night if at all possible.

Rockefeller Center ROCKEFELLER CENTER – Rockefeller Center is a fascinating combination of the futuristic and the classical. Always, a most wonderful treat to visit around the holidays, Rockefeller Center, with its exceptionally decorated Christmas tree and ice skating rink around it is a must see location. It makes winter the most wonderful time of year to take in this corner of the city. Although, if you visit in the off season, this is still an incredibly interesting shopping area filled with soaring buildings and underground tunnels.

Central Park CENTRAL PARK – It is hard to believe but at the center of all the hustle and bustle is a large park, complete with a zoo, playgrounds, skate rinks and other sporting activities. A great site for a morning jog, or a romantic carriage ride in the evening, Central Park is a must see for all tourists.