The Best Sight in New York City, New York

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We've compiled the best of the best in New York City - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

The Battery

Financial District

Marking the southernmost point of Manhattan, the Battery is a respite from the hurried Financial District. Even if you don't plan to stay for long, carve out a few minutes to enjoy the view, which includes the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the harbor. The park's main structure is Castle Clinton National Monument, the gathering point for ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. This monument is a former fort erected during the War of 1812 to defend the city. (Its sister fort, Castle Williams, sits across the harbor on Governors Island.) From 1855 to 1890, Castle Clinton served as America's first official immigration center.

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The Battery is home to memorials, monuments, an urban garden, a playscape, and a labyrinth, as well as the lovely SeaGlass Carousel, where for $6 children and adults can ride \"inside\" luminescent fish and pretend to float magically underwater. To the east is the Staten Island Ferry Terminal; to the west is Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, with its tidy lawn and benches from which to view the harbor and summertime shows.