The 5 must-see places when you arrive in New York

To make the most of your first visit to New York and build anticipation for what you’ll discover, here are the 5 places I recommend visiting first, in a specific order.

1/ Times Square, your first taste of New York

• I rank Times Square first because this unique place will truly transport you to another world. After hours of flying and a transfer to your hotel, Times Square hits hard. You’ll discover this iconic location with its giant screens, neon signs, crowds, police officers ready for photos, and an electric, almost chaotic atmosphere.
• Visiting Times Square on your first evening has a major advantage: it keeps you awake and helps fight jet lag.
• For more information and photos, visit the dedicated page on Times Square.

2/ The Statue of Liberty: America’s icon

• Visit the Statue of Liberty the day after you arrive. Why? If you’re coming from Europe, jet lag means you’ll wake up very early your first morning. You can easily catch the first ferry at 8:30 am in summer (9:30 am in winter) and avoid the midday crowds.
• The Statue of Liberty is one of New York’s most iconic monuments and truly worth seeing early in your trip. Plus, the short cruise through New York Harbor gives you an immediate sense of Manhattan’s skyline.
• For more information and photos, visit the dedicated page on the Statue of Liberty.

3/ Brooklyn Bridge: an iconic walk

• Like the Statue of Liberty, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge will leave you speechless, which is why I recommend doing it early in your stay. Go in the morning from the Brooklyn side and walk toward Manhattan. You’ll have the skyline in front of you as the Financial District towers get closer with each step. Magical!
• Midway across, spot the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building to your right, and the Statue of Liberty to your left. Ahead, the Manhattan Bridge and the East River. By the way, Brooklyn Bridge is perfect for selfies!
• For more information and photos, visit the dedicated page on the Brooklyn Bridge. If you want to explore Brooklyn more deeply, consider joining our guided tour of the best of Brooklyn. The tour ends right at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.

4/ World Trade Center: all of New York at your feet

• Whether you’ve been to New York before or it’s your first time, visit the World Trade Center early in your stay. First, the neighborhood has transformed completely, and you’ll see how far it has come since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Second, you can experience the 541 m (1,776 ft) height of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in North America. Impressive!
• To reach the top and enjoy the view from the observation deck on the 100th floor, book in advance. It gets crowded up there!
• For more information, photos, and tickets, visit the dedicated page on One World Trade Center. For a complete overview of lower Manhattan, consider joining our guided tour of southern Manhattan.

5/ Top of the Rock: the best view

• Now that you’ve seen Times Square and lower Manhattan from two different angles, it’s time to gain height in Midtown with the Top of the Rock observation deck. This observatory overlooks Rockefeller Center and offers stunning views of Midtown and the Empire State Building, which you’ll see in its entirety from base to top. To the north, you’ll also see Central Park and its reservoir.
• The observation deck has 3 levels with pleasant, spacious outdoor terraces. Tip: take your time. You can stay at the top as long as you like.
• For more information, photos, and tickets, visit the dedicated page on Top of the Rock.

What else is there to see in New York?

Once you’ve visited these 5 places, you’ll have seen the highlights of New York. But your trip is just beginning, and New York has far more to offer than these first 5 stops. Head to the New York guide to discover everything else there is to see and do. Enjoy your stay!