New York City is often considered the capital of the world and offers endless tourist attractions.

The city has an aura of its own that is unmatched by any other city in the world.  It is not just the melting pot of cultures due to its high number of immigrant population but also a centre of fashion, arts, movies, theatre, finance and commerce.  If you are planning a visit to the Big Apple then do not miss visiting these places.

Times Square

Songs have been written about this famous intersection of at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets.  The Times Square consists of the blocks between Sixth and Eighth Avenues from east to west, and West 40th and West 53rd Streets from south to north, making up the western part of the commercial area of Midtown Manhattan.  

One of the most memorable things about Times Square is the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop that has been going on since 1907.  The annual event brings millions of people from around the world and is currently hosted by Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

There are so many museums in New York to choose from, but the one that stands out the most has to be this one.  Known as “The Met” to its patrons, it can be found on the east side of Central Park, along what is known as the “Museum Mile”.  The Met holds one of the largest collections of art dating back to ancient times and offers modern collections, as well.  The Met was founded in 1870 and as of 2007 occupied more than 2 million square feet of space.  One of people’s favourite sections in the Met is the “arms and armour gallery”.  This collection holds more than 15,000 medieval pieces from England, France, Persia, Rome, Egypt, and Ancient Greece.  The Met could occupy a month of your time, just on its own.  It is, by far, a place not to miss.

The Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island

Technically, not a part of New York City, Liberty Island is actually a part of New Jersey, but don’t tell a native New Yorker.  The island sits out in New York harbour and is the home to one of the most famous statues in the world – the Stature of Liberty.  This was a gift from the people of France to celebrate the US Centennial, even though the statue was received in 1886.  It is 151 feet tall and covered in sheeted copper.  Up until people started trans-Atlantic flights, the Statue of Liberty was often the first sight people saw when coming to the United States before they came into Ellis Island.  This is the next stop on the journey if you take the Statue of Liberty ferry.  The tour of Ellis Island is very interesting.  Found at the mouth of the Hudson River, Ellis Island was the main facility for immigrants coming into the United States from Europe.  Through these gates, more than 12 million immigrants were tested for diseases and processed into the United States.  It was the final stop on the long journey to prosperity and freedom.

Rockefeller Center

The center is comprised of 19 buildings that cover 22 acres of land in downtown Manhattan between 48th and 51st Streets.  It was built by the Rockefeller family starting in 1930.  Originally, the plan was to have an opera house on the land, once owned by Columbia University, but the stock market crash of 1929 forced the withdrawal of the Met from the project.  Today, some of the most important buildings in New York City reside at Rockefeller Center.  Here you can find the GE Building (formally the RCA building), home of NBC, the Today Show, and Saturday Night Live.  Also, Radio City Music Hall is in Rockefeller Center where you can take in a show with the world famous Rockettes. More than 350 million people have taken in a movie or a show at Radio City, making it one of New York’s most famous buildings.  Another point of interest when visiting is “The Center”.  An area put aside for public art and statues.  This is where you can find tthe giant Christmas tree each December and the ice skating, as well.

And not to forget… Central Park.

The area is the heart of Manhattan and provides you with the essential breathing space. You can laze around; enjoy boating in the lake or watch public performances in the open air theatre.

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