The ultimate New York bucket list for 2025. From the Statue of Liberty and Central Park to Broadway shows and Brooklyn Bridge walks — these are the 20 experiences you absolutely cannot miss on your NYC trip.
1. Visit the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
No trip to New York is complete without seeing Lady Liberty up close. Take the ferry from Battery Park to Liberty Island, where you can explore the grounds, visit the museum inside the pedestal, or climb to the crown for breathtaking harbor views (book crown tickets months in advance). Continue to Ellis Island to explore the Immigration Museum — the emotional gateway through which 12 million immigrants entered America. The entire experience takes 4-5 hours. Check the New York weather forecast for a clear day to maximize your views.
2. Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, is one of the most iconic structures in the world. Walking across the 1.8-kilometer span offers stunning views of the Manhattan skyline, the East River, and the Statue of Liberty in the distance. Start from the Brooklyn side (DUMBO) for the best views of Manhattan ahead of you. The walk takes about 30-40 minutes and is free. Sunset and early morning offer the best light for photography and the smallest crowds.
3. Explore Central Park
Central Park is an 843-acre masterpiece of landscape design in the heart of Manhattan. Highlights include Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, the Ramble, Strawberry Fields (the John Lennon memorial), Belvedere Castle, and the Central Park Zoo. Rent a rowboat on the Lake, watch street performers, or simply spread a blanket on the Great Lawn. The park is stunning in every season — cherry blossoms in spring, lush green in summer, spectacular foliage in autumn, and a snow-covered wonderland in winter.
4. See a Broadway Show
Broadway is the pinnacle of live theater worldwide. With over 40 theaters in the Theater District around Times Square, there is always something incredible playing — from long-running classics to exciting new productions. For discounted same-day tickets, visit the TKTS booth in Times Square or use the TodayTix app. Mid-week shows (Tuesday-Thursday) are easiest to book. Whether you choose a musical, drama, or comedy, a Broadway show is an unforgettable New York experience.
5. Experience Times Square at Night
Love it or roll your eyes at it, Times Square is a sensory explosion that every visitor should experience at least once. The massive LED billboards, the crowds, the street performers, the energy — it is New York at its most electric and overwhelming. Visit after dark when the lights are most impressive. While you would not want to eat here (restaurants are tourist traps), walking through the neon canyon is quintessentially NYC.
6. Visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met is one of the greatest museums on Earth, housing over two million works spanning 5,000 years of art from every corner of the globe. Highlights include the Egyptian Temple of Dendur, the European paintings galleries (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet), the American Wing, and the rooftop garden with Central Park views. You could spend days here and still not see everything. Admission is pay-what-you-wish for New York residents, with a suggested fee for visitors.
7. Walk the High Line
The High Line is a 2.3-kilometer elevated park built on a historic freight rail line on Manhattan's West Side. Running from the Meatpacking District through Chelsea to Hudson Yards, this innovative green space features beautiful landscaping, public art installations, stunning city views, and unique perspectives of the streets below. It is free, open daily, and connects several exciting neighborhoods. Combine it with a visit to Chelsea Market below for food and shopping.
8. Take in the View from Top of the Rock
The observation deck at Rockefeller Center offers what many consider the best panoramic view in New York — because unlike the Empire State Building, this view includes the Empire State Building in the frame. The 70th-floor outdoor deck provides 360-degree views of Central Park to the north and Downtown Manhattan to the south. Visit at sunset for the most dramatic experience. The Empire State Building's 86th-floor deck is the more classic choice, offering its own magnificent panorama.
9. Eat Your Way Through NYC
New York's food scene is legendary and diverse. Must-try experiences include a classic New York pizza slice (Joe's Pizza in Greenwich Village is iconic), a pastrami sandwich at Katz's Delicatessen, a bagel with lox and cream cheese from Russ & Daughters, dim sum in Chinatown, and a hot dog from a street cart. For foodies, Chelsea Market, Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, and the food halls at Urbanspace are essential stops. The city has over 27,000 restaurants — you will never run out of options.
10. Explore DUMBO & Brooklyn
DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) offers the most photographed view of Manhattan — the skyline framed perfectly through the Manhattan Bridge archway on Washington Street. This trendy Brooklyn neighborhood features cobblestone streets, converted warehouse galleries, waterfront parks (Brooklyn Bridge Park is spectacular), and Jane's Carousel. From here, explore further into Brooklyn — Williamsburg for hipster culture, Park Slope for brownstones, and Prospect Park for Brooklyn's answer to Central Park.
11. Visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
The September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site is a deeply moving tribute to those lost in the 2001 attacks. The twin reflecting pools occupying the footprints of the original towers are powerful in their simplicity. The underground museum tells the story through artifacts, testimonies, and exhibitions. One World Observatory atop the new One World Trade Center offers stunning 360-degree views from the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
12. Take a Ferry Ride
New York's waterways are an essential part of the city experience. The Staten Island Ferry is completely free and offers spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Lower Manhattan — it is one of the best free activities in the city. NYC Ferry also operates routes connecting Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx along scenic waterfront routes. Use the route planner to map ferry connections into your itinerary.
13. Discover World-Class Museums
Beyond The Met, New York's museum scene is unmatched. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is the world's premier modern art collection. The Guggenheim's Frank Lloyd Wright spiral building is an artwork itself. The American Museum of Natural History is a must for families. The Whitney Museum focuses on American art with Hudson River views. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on a decommissioned aircraft carrier is fascinating. Many museums offer free or pay-what-you-wish hours.
14. Stroll Through Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village is one of New York's most charming and historically rich neighborhoods. Wander tree-lined streets with beautiful townhouses, discover hidden jazz clubs (the Village Vanguard is legendary), browse independent bookshops, and people-watch in Washington Square Park beneath the iconic arch. The Village has been the heart of American bohemian culture, the folk music revival, the LGBTQ rights movement, and countless artistic movements.
15. Visit Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal is not just a train station — it is one of New York's most beautiful Beaux-Arts buildings. Look up at the famous celestial ceiling painted with zodiac constellations, visit the Whispering Gallery where acoustics let you hear whispers across the vaulted space, and explore the dining concourse below. The grand main concourse is one of the most photographed interiors in the world. Free guided tours are available.
16. Shop on Fifth Avenue & SoHo
Fifth Avenue between 49th and 59th Streets is the world's most famous shopping street, home to flagship stores of Tiffany, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, and Apple. For a different shopping experience, SoHo's cast-iron architecture district offers designer boutiques, independent stores, and art galleries on cobblestone streets. The Meatpacking District and Williamsburg in Brooklyn provide hipper, more avant-garde retail therapy.
17. Catch a Game at Yankee Stadium or MSG
New York is a sports city. Watch the Yankees play baseball at the iconic Yankee Stadium in the Bronx (April-October), catch the Knicks (basketball) or Rangers (hockey) at Madison Square Garden, or head to Citi Field in Queens for a Mets game. Even if you are not a sports fan, the atmosphere at a New York sporting event is an electrifying cultural experience unlike anything else.
18. Explore Chinatown & Little Italy
Manhattan's Chinatown is the largest in the Western Hemisphere and offers an immersive cultural experience — dim sum restaurants, herbal medicine shops, fish markets, and Buddhist temples. Adjacent Little Italy has shrunk over the decades but Mulberry Street still offers Italian restaurants, cafes, and the annual Feast of San Gennaro festival in September. Together they represent NYC's incredible immigrant history.
19. Relax in Bryant Park or Washington Square Park
New York's smaller parks are perfect for soaking up local atmosphere. Bryant Park in Midtown is a beautifully manicured oasis behind the New York Public Library, with free events, a reading room, and the famous winter holiday market and ice rink. Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village is a vibrant gathering spot with street musicians, chess players, and NYU students beneath the iconic marble arch.
20. Experience New York at Night
The city that never sleeps truly comes alive after dark. Rooftop bars offer stunning skyline views — 230 Fifth and Westlight are favorites. Jazz clubs in the Village, comedy shows at the Comedy Cellar, late-night dining in the East Village, and cocktail bars in the Lower East Side offer endless nightlife options. For a more serene evening, walk along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade for one of the most romantic views of Manhattan's glittering skyline reflected in the East River. Check the New York local time to plan your evening adventures and the weather forecast for rooftop-friendly nights.
