To visit Manhattan is to discover one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world. Between the effervescence of the very modern districts of the heart of New York, the world-famous museums, the huge skyscrapers and the tranquility of Central Park, you will surely not be bored in this borough!
I’ll take you with me to visit Manhattan, to discover the must-see places of interest. Are you ready ?
Manhattan Neighborhoods
From north to south, Manhattan Island is divided into a large number of neighborhoods, which are mostly grouped into 5 large areas.
Upper Manhattan
This neighborhood stretches from Harlem to the southern limits of Central Park. It consists, on each side of the park, of two upscale neighborhoods: the Upper East Side , and the Upper West Side , and to the northwest is Morningside Heights, which is notably home to Columbia University .
Midtown Manhattan
This is the central part of the Borough: it is truly the heart of New York, where the tallest buildings , Times Square , and many other sites of interest are located .
Lower Manhattan
Located in the very south of the island, it is here that the business district and many official buildings are located. It is also home to many shops, museums and historical monuments.
Washington-heights
Often referred to simply as ” The Heights ”, this is the northernmost neighborhood in the borough. It takes its name from Fort Washington, which was used during the Revolutionary War and seized by British troops in 1776. four former cloisters from different European countries, in which large collections of medieval objects are exhibited.
Harlem
Located between 96th Street and Washington Heights, Harlem , which has played a big role in the history of New York City, was for a time a veritable ghetto. But in recent years, it has turned into a very lively and popular place, which houses a rich heritage both historically and culturally. While there, I highly recommend attending a Gospel Mass in Harlem . It is a simply amazing experience!
If you don’t yet know what to do in New York , you won’t have time to get bored! Between guided tours, the various museums of New York , the unmissable buildings and sensational activities such as a helicopter flight in New York , you will clearly find something to do during your stay! I advise you to book in advance so as not to miss anything!
Manhattan’s Must-see Sites
In Manhattan, you can experience an indescribable atmosphere, where time seems to flow faster than anywhere else. You will have the opportunity to admire some of the most impressive buildings in the world, to visit internationally renowned museums, and to stroll through neighborhoods with a unique atmosphere.
The Empire State Building
One of the most important steps, and perhaps even the first thing to do during your stay in Manhattan, will be to climb to the top of one of the most famous buildings on the planet: the Empire State Building .
This skyscraper which is located in the Midtown district is one of the symbols of the city. Here you can find two observatories, on the 86th and 102nd floors, from which you can enjoy one of the best views of the city. On the 80th floor, you can also discover Dare to Dream, an exhibition that traces the history of the Empire State Building.
Since this is one of New York City’s top attractions, I can only encourage you to buy your tickets before your stay, if you have the possibility. As for the majority of monuments open to tourists, there are very regularly people on site, which implies a substantial queue. It often happens that the maximum quota is reached, which will prevent you from climbing at the desired time!
By taking your ticket in advance, you will secure your arrival and your access for D-Day, and you will reduce your waiting time thanks to the skip-the-line access included in the reserved ticket.
The Rockefeller Center
If you want to be able to enjoy another unique vantage point of Manhattan, you can head to Rockefeller Center , and specifically the Top of the Rock Observatory . It is from here that you can access the most beautiful view of Central Park – a view that will be even more impressive at night. And on the other side, you will have the impressive Empire State Building in your field of vision.
Apart from its observatory, Rockefeller Center is also a huge shopping complex made up of about twenty buildings, and you will find many shops in the shopping malls; but you will also have the opportunity to admire very famous works of art, such as the statue of Prometheus , and the Atlas carrying the world .
It is also on the central esplanade of Rockefeller Center that the largest Christmas tree in the city as well as one of the most popular ice rinks of New Yorkers, are installed every winter.
As with the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock platform is in high demand throughout the year, so I recommend that you take your tickets as soon as possible. The view from the platform is definitely worth it, whatever the time of year and time of day: day or night, summer or winter, draped in white snow. You won’t regret went there!
One World Trade Center
Since its completion in 2014, the One World Trade Center has become the tallest building in New York, at 541 meters high. Not counting its antenna, the building measures 417 meters, exactly the size of the former north tower of the World Trade Center (WTC).
This 108-storey tower is mainly occupied by offices. Between the 100th and 102nd floors, you can access the One World Observatory and benefit from an impressive panoramic view of the city and the bay of New York.
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At the place where the twin towers were located, there is now a memorial dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It is formed by two very large basins, which occupy precisely the sites of the old towers.
In the basement, you can visit the9/11 Museum , where many of the personal items found in the rubble are on display. A very large wall covered with photos pays tribute to the 2,983 victims of the attacks.
Tourist passes to discover New York
During your stay in New York, you will surely want to discover as many places and sites as possible. If you take each entry separately, the steps and the price may be substantial. Did you know that there are different tourist passes to discover New York City? Among them, we find the New York City Pass which will give you many advantages throughout your stay, including access to 5 main tourist sites.
Times Square And Broadway
Here is another of the Big Apple symbols . Located on 7th Avenue, between 42nd and 47th Streets, Times Square is truly the heart of New York. More than 25 million tourists come each year to discover this mythical little district, where the facades of the tall buildings are almost entirely covered with giant screens.
And it’s after dark that Times Square becomes even more impressive: with its illuminated signs and noisy crowd, you’ll understand why New York is nicknamed “the city that never sleeps”.
Discovering Times Square will also be the perfect opportunity to attend a show on Broadway . You will have the choice between Cirque du Soleil shows and the many Broadway musicals, to spend an unforgettable evening.
The Met, Manhattan’s Largest Museum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the greatest museums in the world. Located on 5th Avenue on the edge of Central Park, it brings together an extraordinary collection of more than 2 million paintings, sculptures and works of art dating from antiquity to modern times, of which nearly 250,000 are constantly exposed.
It is one of the biggestNew York museums ! A whole day will clearly not be too much to visit this huge museum which covers approximately 180,000 m² and has 270 rooms . Among the masterpieces that you will be able to see in the galleries of the MET, I could cite Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat , by Vincent Van Gogh , and the Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints , by Raphael .
The Moma, To Discover If You Come To Visit Manhattan
The MOMA , Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located between Times Square and Central Park. Along with the MET, it is arguably Manhattan’s most popular museum. If you appreciate contemporary art, you can discover thousands of paintings, sculptures, engravings, photos and drawings from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Cézanne, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Matisse… works by the greatest artists of the modern era are exhibited there. I advise you to arrive quite early in the morning (the doors open at 9:30 am), if you want to be able to avoid the crowds and make the most of your visit.
Central Park, The Lungs Of Manhattan
As you probably already know, Central Park is Manhattan’s largest green space. Located in the heart of the island, it is often nicknamed the “green lung of New York”. With an area of almost 3.5km², Central Park is where New Yorkers go to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, do some sports or simply relax in nature.
Whatever the season, you will always find a good reason to go for a walk in Central Park. For example, you can take a nice bike ride and have a picnic in spring and summer, admire nature in autumn, and enjoy the snow and the ice rink during winter.
I can advise you torent a bike in Central Park to discover the park at your own pace and enjoy the calm and nature. And it will also allow you to see a larger part of the park, which you will not necessarily have time to discover on foot, it is so vast!
Greenwich Village, An Authentic Neighborhood In Manhattan
Outside of Central Park, if you fancy getting away from Manhattan’s more hectic neighborhoods, I recommend visiting Greenwich Village . This historic district is a quiet and chic place, where you can discover another side of New York. “The Village” is a residential, charming and bohemian place, where many painters, musicians and writers have settled since the second half of the 20th century.
Although many elements will remind you that you are still right in the center of one of the largest megalopolises in the world, Greenwich Village retains a more relaxed and liberated atmosphere, which really makes it a neighborhood to discover during a stay in Manhattan. .
Cupcake being a specialty of this neighborhood and of New York, you will be able to discover Greenwich Village in an unusual format: take a guided walking tour of the neighborhood, stopping at pastry shops to taste different and delicious cupcakes. It will make your taste buds bloom, I can guarantee it, and you can take the opportunity to bring back some for yourself and for your loved ones
The memories of this trip will be original this time!
Chinatown And Little Italy
Around 1870, Chinese workers who no longer had work on the railroads began to settle en masse in this district of New York. A century and a half later, more than 200,000 people from China live here, forming one of the largest Asian communities in the United States. Chinatown is truly a city inside New York. If you want to visit one of the most exotic places in Manhattan, and taste delicious Asian specialties, you will not regret your visit to Chinatown.
Just north of Chinatown, you’ll find Little Italy . This district, which is shrinking as Chinatown grows, is now mainly home to cafes, restaurants and bakeries, where you will have plenty of time to taste typical Italian specialties.
There is a guided tour that will allow you to discover different authentic districts of New York such as SoHo, Little Italy or Chinatown, in the space of 2 hours.
The main advantage of this guided tour is that you will be accompanied by a local guide, who will share and pass on their knowledge of the various areas of the city. You will quickly be able to realize the different atmospheres that reign in each district, and make the link with their experience and their history, which the guide will have transmitted to you.
The program being rather complete and the duration of the visit not being too long, you can only take full advantage of it! Following the visit, your guide will share their latest tips and tricks for the remaining days of your stay. It’s always good to take when it comes from a local person.
And you can also deepen the discovery of a district if you fell in love with it, or quite simply spend more time there if you feel good there.
Grand Central Station
Grand Central Station (or Grand Central Terminal) is not only one of the busiest stations in the city, but also a popular tourist spot.
Even if you don’t have any trains to catch, I really recommend that you take the time to enter the Main Concourse , the great hall of this legendary Midtown station, to discover its ceiling. This large vault located more than 35 meters above the ground is decorated with more than 2,500 paintings by Paul César Helleu, which form a starry sky. You can also admire the famous 4-sided clock , estimated at around twenty million dollars.
Downstairs, you’ll find lots of little shops and restaurants perfect for grabbing a quick bite, as well as the Grand Central Market , one of the best places to find fresh produce in Manhattan.
This mythical station hides a few secrets, which you can only discover with the help of a guide. A rumor says that there would be a tennis court hidden inside the Grand Central