Quiz: Will You Love New York?

Since I founded cnewyork.net in 1999, I have never seen anyone disappointed by New York. That’s the magical and universal appeal of the city! But there’s always a first time. So if you’re planning a trip to New York soon, or if you’re still on the fence, take the test below: if you answer “yes” to even one of the following questions, New York will definitely appeal to you, and you can dive right in!

1/ Are you an architecture fan?

• New York is the city of skyscrapers. While the first tall buildings appeared in Chicago in the late 19th century, they reached new heights in New York. Prepare for some serious neck strain! In New York, you can climb to the top of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the United States at 541 m (1,776 ft) to the tip of its antenna. The views from One World Observatory are spectacular.
• Don’t miss the observation deck of the Empire State Building or a close look at the stunning Art Deco Chrysler Building. Also explore the newest observation decks: the breathtaking Summit One Vanderbilt and The Edge, with its glass platform suspended over the city. And check out the new One Times Square with its glass walkways overlooking Times Square.
• Another must-see: the elegant Flatiron Building, opened in 1902 and famous for its distinctive iron-shaped form. Also plan to walk through TriBeCa to admire its cast-iron buildings, massive structures with ornate iron frameworks.
• In Greenwich Village and Brooklyn, you’ll find the timeless charm of brownstones, beautiful townhouses that look straight out of an American TV series.
• Learn more about the main buildings to see in our guide to New York landmarks and monuments.

2/ Are you passionate about history?

• Whether you love historical trivia or History with a capital H, New York has what you need! Start your historical journey at the southern tip of Manhattan, in Wall Street, where New Amsterdam was founded in 1625.
• Then travel back in time along Broadway, following commemorative plaques that tell the story of great historical parades, including those honoring General de Gaulle and astronauts returning from the Moon.
• You can also explore Franco-American relations on the island of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French people. Nearby, Ellis Island welcomed millions of European immigrants between 1892 and 1954.
• Contemporary history awaits at the former Ground Zero site, with the moving National September 11 Memorial & Museum. This vast museum tells the story of the attacks that devastated America and changed the world.
• For a historical overview, visit our page on the history of New York.

3/ Do you love museums?

• If you loved the Louvre in Paris and the British Museum in London, then New York is for you! The Big Apple is home to several world-renowned museums, starting with the vast Metropolitan Museum of Art, often called New York’s Louvre. Tip: don’t try to see everything in one visit—you’d need years.
• New York also hosts the prestigious Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, which displays some of Andy Warhol’s most famous works. If you love pop art, follow your MoMA visit with the Whitney Museum, which also features major American works.
• Let me tell you about my favorite, the Guggenheim Museum. It’s worth visiting both for its incredible spiral architecture and its fascinating private collection.
• If you love science, head to the American Museum of Natural History, an extraordinary natural history museum. You can touch real meteorite fragments and see lifelike taxidermied animals.
• For something more interactive, board the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, New York’s air and space museum. The museum is housed in a decommissioned aircraft carrier docked on a Midtown pier—quite an experience!
• For family fun, visit the wax museum Madame Tussauds New York. Another quirky option: the Ice Cream Museum, dedicated to ice cream.
• Find more information in our guide to New York museums.

4/ Do you love movies?

• If you love film and TV, you absolutely must visit New York! Why? Because you’ll step right into the action. From Spider-Man to Once Upon a Time in America, Taxi Driver, Independence Day, Wall Street, I Am Legend, Manhattan, Superman, Gangs of New York, The Godfather, The Thomas Crown Affair and many more, countless films have been shot in New York.
• Around every corner, you’ll feel like you’re walking into a movie! It’s a strange sensation to discover a place you’ve already seen on screen.
• Visit TriBeCa to see the firehouse from Ghostbusters, SoHo to photograph the Friends apartment building, or Midtown to walk through the New York Public Library, central to the plot of The Day After Tomorrow.
• To go deeper, I recommend our guided tour on cinema locations. Our guides will bring iconic movie scenes to life, iPad in hand. You can even put on a Superman cape!

5/ Do you love shopping?

• Clothing, cameras, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, decorative objects, art supplies… Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it in New York! The Big Apple has an incredible number of stores, from massive department stores like Macy’s to small independent boutiques.
• Browse the aisles of Macy’s, which calls itself the world’s largest store. Try the jeans at Dave’s, New York’s denim reference. Step into Tip Top Shoes with its rainbow of Converse sneakers. Channel your inner chef at Bowery Kitchen. I can’t possibly list every New York boutique here. To prepare your trip, explore our New York shopping guide.

6/ Do you love music?

• New York is the birthplace of jazz, gospel, and hip-hop—three essential music styles. For jazz, head to the clubs in Greenwich Village.
• For gospel, go to Harlem, in the far north of Manhattan. Gospel music accompanies Sunday services, the famous gospel masses in Harlem. If you’re not in New York on a Sunday, you can attend a gospel concert on Wednesday, though seats are very limited.
• For hip-hop, head even further north to the Bronx. While waiting for the Hip Hop Museum to open, you can learn basic moves at a hip-hop workshop in the Bronx.

What do you think of New York?

Why do you love New York? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or on our Destination New York Facebook group!