How long to spend visiting each attraction in New York?

How long should you spend visiting New York’s top sights?

If you’ve never been to New York, it’s hard to know how long to spend at the Statue of Liberty or how much time to set aside for Central Park. That’s why I’ve put together this guide with suggested visit times for New York’s main attractions and landmarks.
Of course, it all depends on your interests and preferences. For each site, I’ve included two timeframes:

• Minimum time: the time you need to see the essentials. This accounts for entry and getting around.
• Ideal time: how long to spend if you want to see everything at a comfortable pace, with time to take photos and really enjoy the experience.

Feel free to leave a comment below with your own experience and tips! You can also check out my sample itinerary for a New York trip to see how these times fit together.

Visit times for New York’s main attractions

Visit time for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

• Minimum time: 2 hours.
• Ideal time: half a day. Plan for a morning visit with lunch on Ellis Island and return to Manhattan around 2 pm.
• More info? Read the guides to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Visit time for Brooklyn Bridge

• Minimum time: 1 hour to enjoy the views from Brooklyn, take photos, and walk across the bridge.
• Ideal time: half a day. Start at Brooklyn Heights Promenade, explore the Dumbo neighborhood, spend time at Brooklyn Bridge Park, then walk across the bridge to have lunch on the Manhattan side.
• More info? Read the guide to Brooklyn Bridge.

Visit time for Wall Street and the Financial District

• Minimum time: 1 hour.
• Ideal time: half a day. Walk the streets starting with the Wall Street Bull, explore South Street Seaport at the end of Wall Street, and have lunch in the area. You can then continue to One World Trade Center. Visit on a weekday to experience the neighborhood’s business atmosphere. You can also combine a visit with a helicopter tour of New York—the heliport is just steps from Wall Street.
• More info? Read the guides to Wall Street and the Financial District.

Visit time for One World Trade Center and One World Observatory

• Minimum time: 1 hour to see the base of the tower and visit the 9/11 Memorial.
• Ideal time: half a day to explore the World Financial Center, the Oculus transit hub, the 9/11 Memorial, and go up to One World Observatory. For the observatory alone, allow 2 hours. I recommend visiting in the afternoon so you have sunlight on One World Trade Center from the memorial, then sunset views of Manhattan from the observatory.
• More info? Read the guides to One World Trade Center and One World Observatory.

Visit time for Empire State Building

• Minimum time: 1 hour.
• Ideal time: 3 hours. Go up in late afternoon and stay until sunset.
• More info? Read the guide to Empire State Building.

Visit time for Summit One Vanderbilt Observatory

• Minimum time: 1 hour.
• Ideal time: 2 hours to enjoy each floor and the different artworks.
• More info? Read the guide to Summit One Vanderbilt.

Visit time for The Edge Observatory

• Minimum time: 1 hour.
• Ideal time: 2 hours to take photos on the glass floor and enjoy a drink at the bar with views over New York.
• More info? Read the guide to The Edge.

Visit time for Chrysler Building

• Minimum time: 3 minutes to walk past. The Chrysler Building is not open for tours.
• Ideal time: 30 minutes to admire the building from different angles and step into the lobby to see the interior and elevators. For a fuller experience, spend half a day exploring Midtown East. Walk along 42nd Street (where the Chrysler Building stands), stop at Bryant Park, the Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, the UN headquarters, and enjoy views over the East River.
• More info? Read the guides to Chrysler Building and Midtown.

Visit time for Grand Central Terminal

• Minimum time: 15 minutes to see the main hall and move on.
• Ideal time: 1 hour to enjoy the main hall, explore the tracks, and try the famous whispering gallery. You can grab lunch at the Dining Concourse if you like.
• More info? Read the guide to Grand Central Terminal.

Visit time for Times Square

• Minimum time: 1 hour.
• Ideal time: an evening. Grab dinner at Times Square and soak in the energy of the place.
• More info? Read the guide to Times Square.

Visit time for Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock

• Minimum time: 2 hours, including the Top of the Rock observatory.
• Ideal time: a morning. Spend 2 hours at the top of Top of the Rock, then explore Rockefeller Center. Afterward, visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral and do some shopping on Fifth Avenue.
• More info? Read the guides to Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock.

Visit time for Flatiron Building

• Minimum time: 30 minutes to walk past, take photos, and check out Madison Square Park.
• Ideal time: 2 to 3 hours. Step into the Flatiron lobby, spend time at Madison Square Park, have lunch, and browse nearby shops like the Lego Store. I recommend going in the morning so the sun hits the building.
• More info? Read the guide to Flatiron Building.

Visit time for Greenwich Village

• Minimum time: 1 hour to see Washington Square Park and a few streets.
• Ideal time: 3 hours. Enjoy Washington Square Park and wander the neighborhood’s streets. Why not have lunch here?
• More info? Read the guide to Greenwich Village.

Visit time for East Village

• Minimum time: 1 hour to walk through Astor Place and St Marks Place.
• Ideal time: 3 hours to wander and soak in the neighborhood’s vibe. Explore Tompkins Square Park, the main green space in East Village, and do some shopping.
• More info? Read the guide to East Village.

Visit time for Chinatown and Little Italy

• Minimum time: 1 hour to walk Canal Street and see the atmosphere in Little Italy.
• Ideal time: 3 hours to explore Chinese pharmacies and temples, see the murals in Little Italy, and have lunch in the area.
• More info? Read about Doyers Street.

Visit time for Central Park

• Minimum time: 2 hours for a quick visit and overview.
• Ideal time: half a day to really enjoy the park and discover the 10 things to see in Central Park.
• More info? Read the guide to Central Park.

Visit time for the High Line

• Minimum time: 1 hour. Without stopping, it takes about 30 minutes to walk the entire High Line, this beautiful elevated park that connects the Meatpacking District to Chelsea.
• Ideal time: 2 hours to enjoy the neighborhood and different views. You can also add lunch at Chelsea Market.
• More info? Read the guide to the High Line.

Visit time for Governors Island

• Minimum time: 2 hours. Take the ferry, head south to climb the hills, return to see the forts, and catch the ferry back. It’s tight, but doable if you’re short on time. That said, if you’re going to Governors Island, I’d recommend the ideal time instead.
• Ideal time: an afternoon. Explore the different forts and walk around the island to enjoy spectacular views of New York Harbor. Climb the hills and consider renting a bike to explore the paths.
• More info? Read the guide to Governors Island.

Visit time for the Staten Island Ferry

• Minimum time: 1 hour. Board at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, cross to Staten Island, disembark, and catch the next ferry back to Manhattan. A quick round trip just for the views!
• Ideal time: 2 hours. Get off in Staten Island and enjoy the waterfront. You can visit the 9/11 memorial near the St. George terminal. If you want to explore Staten Island further, allow half a day to see the beaches and southern part of the island.
• More info? Read the guide to the Staten Island Ferry.

Major museums

Visit time for the Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Minimum time: 2 hours for a quick overview of the collections.
• Ideal time: 4 hours. Allow about 40 minutes for Greek and Roman antiquities, the same for the Egyptian section. Spend 40 minutes to an hour on the medieval galleries and a quick look at other sections. Then allow a good hour for the paintings, especially the French masters. Finally, spend about 30 minutes enjoying the views from the Met’s rooftop terrace.
• More info? Read the guide to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Visit time for the Museum of Modern Art

• Minimum time: 1.5 hours for a quick look at the collections.
• Ideal time: 3 hours to really enjoy each gallery and temporary exhibitions. Don’t miss the museum shop, which is full of great items!
• More info? Read the guide to the Museum of Modern Art.

Visit time for the Guggenheim Museum

• Minimum time: 1.5 hours to walk the spiral and see a few works.
• Ideal time: 3 hours to explore each exhibition gallery at your own pace, then enjoy the spiral and atrium.
• More info? Read the guide to the Guggenheim Museum.

Visit time for the American Museum of Natural History

• Minimum time: 2 hours for a basic overview of the different collections.
• Ideal time: half a day. New York’s Natural History Museum is packed with treasures. If you’re passionate about the subject, you could easily spend a morning or afternoon here. Avoid weekends—they’re much more crowded.
• More info? Read the guide to the American Museum of Natural History.

Visit time for the Whitney Museum of American Art

• Minimum time: 1.5 hours. Take the elevator to the top floor and work your way down through the outdoor terraces, floor by floor. You’ll cover the main galleries in 1.5 hours.
• Ideal time: 3 hours to look at each work carefully, enjoy the Hudson River views, and spend time on each floor’s outdoor terraces.
• More info? Read the guide to the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Visit time for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

• Minimum time: 2 hours to see the Foundation Hall and main exhibition, then quickly review the section with photos of the victims.
• Ideal time: 4 hours. If you’re interested in New York’s history, this museum deserves your time to understand this tragedy. The exhibition is full of information, artifacts, testimonies, and photographs.
• More info? Read the guide to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Visit time for the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

• Minimum time: 1.5 hours to walk the flight deck and explore the corridors of the aircraft carrier, including the bridge.
• Ideal time: 3 hours if you’re interested in aviation and want to see the Concorde and submarine as well.
• More info? Read the guide to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Visit time for Madame Tussauds

• Minimum time: 1.5 hours to follow the route and take photos with the wax figures you like.
• Ideal time: 2.5 hours to see every figure and enjoy each section. You could even spend an evening here—the museum is open until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.
• More info? Read the guide to Madame Tussauds.

Discover the Destination New York guide

Want to make sure you don’t miss anything in New York? Check out my Destination New York guidebook. It features 248 practical, lively, full-color pages with everything you need to know and see in New York. The latest edition also includes a large subway map and a bus map of central Manhattan on the back. An essential guide!