840 Best Sights in New York, USA

The quiet green spaces of New York City are treasured by locals, and one of the best is Hudson River Park, a 5-mile path from Battery Place to 59th Street. This riverside stretch, incorporating the piers that jut out into the Hudson, has been renovated into a landscaped park with walking and cycling paths, a seasonal minigolf course, dog runs, and skate parks. The TriBeCa portion consists of Piers 25 and 26, and has picnic spaces, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, and an educational river-ecology area. The areas adjacent to the West Village (Piers 45 and 46) and near Chelsea (Piers 63 and 64) are equally attractive, with lots of spots for leisure and recreation. To the north, beginning at 72nd Street, is Riverside Park.

One of the finest art museums in the northeastern United States, the Hyde Collection encompasses some 2,800 pieces including paintings and works on paper by artists such as Josef Albers, Sandro Botticelli, Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Paul Cézanne, William Merritt Chase, Leonardo da Vinci, Edgar Degas, Thomas Eakins, El Greco, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso, Rembrandt, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Antiques, fine period furniture, and decorative arts are also displayed, as are temporary exhibits. Audio Tours are available.

The life and legacy of Jackie Robinson, the trailblazing Black baseball player who broke the color barrier when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, is the focus of this $42 million interactive museum on the western edge of SoHo. Besides memorabilia—Robinson’s Dodgers uniform, rookie contract, and Rookie of the Year award are among hundreds of archival major-league artifacts on display—Robinson’s Civil Rights legacy is given equal due. The intense racial discrimination the Hall of Famer endured both on and off the field is powerfully narrated through photos and videos, including one clip that vividly recounts the segregation he and his wife, Rachel, experienced en route to Florida spring training as the South was under Jim Crow laws.

Equal parts architectural marvel and children's plaything, this beautifully restored 1922 carousel twirls within a glass-walled waterfront pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize--winning French architect Jean Nouvel. Situated between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, near the northern reaches of 85-acre Brooklyn Bridge Park and directly across from Manhattan's skyline, the carousel's 48 horses and two chariots are off to the races year-round.

Housed in a circa-1908 French Gothic, chateau-style mansion that was once home to German-Jewish immigrant and businessman Felix Warburg, the Jewish Museum holds a collection of nearly 30,000 pieces of art and ceremonial objects that explore Jewish identity and culture for more than 4,000 years. The wide-ranging artifacts include almost 1,050 Hanukkah lamps, the world's largest collection; a 3rd-4th century Roman burial plaque, and a plaster model of George Segal's Holocaust sculpture, while works by artists such as Camille Pissarro, Deborah Kass, Lee Krasner, and Kehinde Wiley have appeared. It's suggested that visitors purchase timed admission tickets in advance. For hungry museumgoers, there's a new restaurant on-site: Lox at the Jewish Museum (closed weekends). Traditional Eastern European dishes are served; the Lox Five Ways entrée is a showstopper. The museum's gift shop carries Judaica, ceremonial objects, and suggested gifts, but it's closed on Saturday.

Eleven miles east of Long Beach, this 6½-mile-long expanse of white sand is one of the best-known and most popular of Long Island's beaches. The 2,500-acre park is loaded with facilities and activites to keep locals and visitors busy day and night. A 1½-mile-long boardwalk has deck games (fee), mini-golf, a pool, playgrounds, picnic areas, and two surf-casting areas (by permit), and hosts special summer events like live music at the bandshell. Lifeguards are on duty from late May to mid-September. The park can be reached from the Wantagh and Meadowbrook parkways (head south). Be prepared for crowds on weekends. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

As you watch the waters cascade 260 feet down the gray rock of this two-tiered waterfall, you'll see why this spot was so popular with Thomas Cole and other Hudson River School painters. To access the trail that leads to the bottom of the falls, park in the public lot on Route 23A, 3 miles east of Tannersville. To get to the trailhead, walk about ¼ mile east along the narrow shoulder of Route 23A. (This is a very busy road with hairpin turns, so you may find yourself hugging rocks as cars pass you.) Signs point the way to the path, which leads you past the delicate Bastion Falls. Although largely level, the moderately difficult trail does have a few steep sections. Altogether the hike is less than 1 mile long and shouldn't take a full hour. You may be tempted to climb to the top of the falls, but this is really risky: missteps on the slippery rocks here have resulted in many accidents—some fatal.

Despite sitting in the shade of the Empire State Building and being just steps from Herald Square, Koreatown (or "K-Town," as it's locally known) is not a tourist destination. In fact, it's a bustling area, with traditional and trendy places to shop, eat, drink, and be merry right under the noses of millions of tourists. Technically, Koreatown runs from 31st to 36th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, though the main drag is 32nd Street between 5th and Broadway. Labeled Korea Way, this strip is home to Korean barbecue joints, karaoke bars, and grocery and beauty stores, all stacked next to each other. Find just about everything K-Pop-related at Koryo Books ( 35 W. 32nd St.), scope out a popular food hall at Food Gallery 32 ( 11 W. 32nd St.), or order desserts most worthy of an Instagram reel at Grace Street Coffee & Desserts ( 17 W 32nd St.). Fill up on kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage), kimbap (seaweed rice rolls), and red bean doughnuts (delicious); then top off your Koreatown experience by stepping into a jade-igloo sauna at Juvenex Spa ( 25 W. 32nd St.).

On a hill surrounded by gardens, stone terraces, and fountains sits the stunning classical-revival mansion that was home to four generations of Rockefellers, one of America's most famous families. From its regal position, Kykuit (pronounced "kie-cut"), which means "lookout" in Dutch, has breathtaking views of the Hudson River. Antiques, ceramics, and famous artworks fill the house, which was finished in 1913; sculptures by Alexander Calder, Constantin Brancusi, Louise Nevelson, and Pablo Picasso adorn the grounds, which encompass 87 acres. You must take a tour to see the estate, which is accessible only by shuttle bus from the visitor center at Philipsburg Manor.

Internationally renowned, this cultural destination attracts more than 6.5 million visitors annually to its massive, white-travertine-clad complex of buildings, including the homes of the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, the Juilliard School, the Film Center, a branch of the New York Public Library specializing in the performing arts, and the Damrosch Park outdoor performance space. All of this makes Lincoln Center one of the nation's most concentrated destinations for the performing arts. The16-acre campus, containing 30 venues in all, was designed by prolific New York architect Wallace Harrison and was built over the course of several years from 1962 to 1969. When David Geffen Hall reopened in fall 2022 after a two-year $550 million renovation, the acoustically superior venue—home to the New York Philharmonic, the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States—evoked and honored the vibrant Black and Puerto Rican neighborhood that had been razed to make way for the complex with a multimedia piece by the composer Etienne Charles called “San Juan Hill.” The opening included a commitment to making programming more accessible to all audiences: performances from within the Wu Tsai Theater are simulcast on the lobby’s Hauser Digital Wall for anyone to experience, and rotating visual artworks are also shown on the digital wall as well as on the facade on 65th Street at Broadway. You can also get a glimpse of artists working and rehearsing in the new Sidewalk Studio facing Broadway.

The Metropolitan Opera House, notable for its arched entrance, features immense chandeliers and Marc Chagall paintings, both of which can be seen from outside. Even the fountain in the central plaza puts on a show, with performances that include spouts of water 40 feet high. From mid-May to mid-August, Lincoln Center's "Summer for the City" presents hundreds of mostly free events. 

Guided tours (weekdays 2 pm and 3:45 pm) are 75 minutes and include backstage access to Geffen and Tully halls where visitors can enjoy a unique look behind the scenes at rehearsals, technical work, backstage areas, and theaters. Book tickets online or at Geffen Hall Box Offices.

Much like the High Line when it opened, Little Island was an instant hit with locals and visitors when the gates to this man-made isle in the middle of the Hudson River first swung open in May 2021. The 2.4-acre park is elevated on 132 tulip-looking concrete stilts and connected to Manhattan by two footbridges. Funded mostly by Barry Diller and Diane von Fürstenberg, the island park and its rolling stair-clad hills make for a fun wander. It also provides stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. There's a small outdoor food court and an ambient amphitheater for free concerts.

With touch tanks, a submarine simulator, sea lion kisses, swimming with the sharks, and a shark keeper program, this aquarium offers a truly interactive and hands-on experience for its visitors. Based on the theme of the Lost City of Atlantis, indoor and outdoor exhibits, such as a natural rockscape pool and salt marsh, offer a compelling glimpse of regional marine life. Educational programs and events for kids include "sleeping with the fish" overnight stays; for the adults, there are wine cruises. A "Behind the Scenes" tour is offered twice daily and provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the aquarium.

Nature and art blend seamlessly throughout the home, studio, and 75-acre grounds of mid-20th-century industrial designer Russel Wright. Boulders protrude through the ground floor of Dragon Rock, Wright's experimental home and a National Historic Landmark. It is built on a rock ledge and spans 11 levels; fist-size stones serve as door handles. Four miles of paths weave through a landscape that appears natural but is actually a studied design of native trees, rocks, mosses, and wildflowers. The 90-minute tours take in the buildings and woodlands; wear comfortable walking shoes.

The park encompasses 21,000 acres in the Shawangunk Mountains. Much of the terrain is wooded and rocky, but you also come across trickling streams, gushing waterfalls, and spectacular valley views. Lake Minnewaska is its jewel; the park also includes Awosting Lake. A network of historic carriageways, now used by hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers, and other trails crisscross the land. Swimming is restricted to designated areas; scuba divers must be certified. Nonmotorized boating is allowed with a permit. Nature programs include walks and talks. The entrance to the Peter's Kill Escarpment, where you may rock climb, is 1 mile east of the main entrance. Visiting hours are subject to change, so it's best to call the park the day of your visit.

The institute is made up of a museum, an art school, and a performing-arts center. Its Museum of Art occupies two distinctly different buildings. The 1850 Italianate mansion, called Fountain Elms, has rooms of Victorian-era furnishings. The main gallery spaces are in the 1960 Philip Johnson structure, a rather austere building clad in polished granite. The holdings include 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century American paintings, sculptures, and photographs; 19th- and 20th-century European paintings; Asian prints; and pre-Columbian artifacts. A highlight here is the collection of Hudson River School paintings, which include the four-part "Voyage of Life" series by Thomas Cole as well as works by Asher B. Durand and Frederic Church.

What this small three-gallery museum in the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) lacks in size and effects it more than makes up for in substance and style. You might not find interactive mannequins, elaborate displays, or overcrowded galleries at the self-declared "most fashionable museum in New York City," but you will find carefully curated, fun, and interesting exhibits. The Fashion and Textile History Gallery, on the main floor, provides context with a rotating selection of historically and artistically significant objects from the museum’s permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories (exhibits change every six months). The real draws, though, are the special exhibitions in the lower-level gallery. Gallery FIT, also on the main floor, is dedicated to student and faculty exhibitions.

Although it's full of Hollywood and television memorabilia, this museum's core exhibition is Behind the Screen, which demonstrates how movies and TV shows are produced and shown and has stations where you can create your own short animation, experiment with sound effects, or view the behind-the-scenes editing process of a live Mets baseball game. The Jim Henson Exhibition tells the stories of Henson's film and TV works and has a build-a-muppet station. A wide range of films (more than 400), from classic Hollywood to avant-garde works to foreign-festival hits, is generally shown on weekend evenings and afternoons. Special programs include film retrospectives, lectures, and workshops, as well as daily short films in Tut's Fever Movie Palace, a fab Red Grooms-- and Lysiane Luong–designed installation.

The ball that Babe Ruth hit for his 500th home run and Shoeless Joe Jackson's shoes are among the memorabilia that help to make this shrine to America's favorite pastime so beloved. Plaques bearing the pictures and biographies of major-league notables line the walls in the actual hall of fame. The museum also has multimedia displays, exhibits geared to children, and a research library with photos, documents, and videos. New hall members are inducted during a ceremony held on the grounds of Clark's Sports Center. The event, which may be scheduled for any weekend between June and August, is free.

 Early-20th-century German and Austrian art and design are the focus here, with works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Egon Schiele, and designers from the Wiener Werkstätte. It's perhaps best known for having Gustav Klimt's portrait, Adele Bloch-Bauer I or Woman in Gold, a painting with a story almost as compelling as the art. The gallery sits Inside a 1914 mansion created by architects Carrère and Hastings, who also created the New York Public Library. Once the home of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, the Neue Galerie was founded by the late art dealer Serge Sabarsky and cosmetics heir and art collector Ronald S. Lauder. The first-floor Café Sabarsky is popular for its elegant Viennese coffeehouse setting and menu. If busy, try the lower-key and smaller Café Fledermaus, which has much the same offerings. 

This seven-story structure—a glimmering, metal-mesh-clad assemblage of off-center squares—caused a small neighborhood uproar when it was built in 2007, with some residents slow to accept the nontraditional building. It also caused a stir when it shut down in 2024 and reopened a year later with a Rem Koolhaas--designed extension that has nearly doubled its exhibition space. Not surprisingly, given the museum's name and the building, shows are all about contemporary art, often provocative and frequently with a video element. Free tours are offered; check the website for times.

Run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, one of the country's oldest continually operating aquariums is home to hundreds of aquatic species. At the Sea Cliffs, watch penguins, sea lions, sea otters, and seals frolic; the best action is at feeding time. The Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit holds a giant tank of sharks and rays—there's even a glass tunnel underneath you can walk through. The Playquarium, which features a Touch Pool of crabs, marine snails, and sea urchin, also invites children to imagine themselves as sharks, sardines, or whales amid a kelp forest, coral reef, and sandy shore. Purchase tickets online for discounted rates.

It took more than 30 years to complete this grand building (1867–99), which incorporates elaborate carvings, interesting architectural elements, and eclectic styles. The 45-minute guided tour highlights the ornate Great Western Staircase (aka the Million Dollar Staircase)—which took 13 years and 600 stone carvers to complete—and, right over it, a 3,000-square-foot skylight that had been covered from World War II until 2002. Amid the carved faces adorning the staircase pillars are several famous visages. You can visit the legislative chambers and, when open, the governor's ceremonial offices. Tours begin at the visitor center on the concourse level of Empire State Plaza.

History buffs, train geeks, and playful children will all appreciate this unique museum inside an underground, decommissioned 1930s subway station. Exhibitions include timelines of the transit system's construction and evolution over the decades, but the true highlight is the subway platform two levels down, featuring train cars of different eras of the subway, dating back over a century ago. Adults and kids alike can wander these cars, each a time capsule of vintage aesthetics and advertising, or sit behind the driving wheel of a replica MTA bus. There are also old turnstiles and other transit memorabilia. The gift shop carries subway-line socks, decorative tile reproductions, and other fun souvenirs.

New York City's oldest (and perhaps most under-the-radar) museum, founded in 1804, has an extensive research library in addition to sleek interactive technology, a children's museum, and inventive exhibitions that shed light on America's history, art, and architecture. The eclectic permanent collection includes more than 14 million pieces of art, literature, prints, photographs, and memorabilia, and special exhibitions showcase the museum's unique voice and ability to provide fresh insight on all things related to New York and the nation. The Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture includes 100 dazzling Tiffany lamps on display and historic treasures that tell the American story in a novel way. Also part of the Luce Center is the Center for Women's History, examining the untold stories of women who have impacted and continue to shape the American experience. The DiMenna Children's History Museum on the lower level invites children to become "history detectives" and explore New York's past through interactive displays, hands-on activities, and the stories of notable New York children through the centuries. The gift shop offers excellent New York--specific gifts and souvenirs.

In late 2023, the museum began construction of its Democracy Wing, scheduled to open in 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The new wing will include expanded space for educational programs, state-of-the-art preservation facilities, a new exhibition gallery, a courtyard, and rooftop garden terraces. The museum will remain open during construction.

North American Indians called it Onguiaahram, or Thundering Waters. For hundreds of years, visitors to Niagara Falls have marveled at the sheer immensity of the surging walls of water. Its awe-inspiring views today are enhanced by misty early mornings, sun-streaked rainbows, and grand after-dark illumination with spotlights that penetrate the night sky.

Part of the longest unfortified border in the world, Niagara Falls is actually three cataracts: the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, in New York, and the Horseshoe Falls, in Ontario. American Falls is the highest (70–110 feet tall), but not by much, and it's about half as wide as the Canadian cascade (950 feet long). Bridal Veil is the smallest of the three. Several small islands dot the river here. Goat Island, part of Niagara Falls State Park, separates Horseshoe Falls from the U.S. falls and offers spectacular vantage points of both sides. Little Luna Island sits between the two U.S. cascades, between Goat Island and the mainland.

This park hugs the Niagara River bordering the Horseshoe and American and Bridal Veil falls. It includes several islands: Goat Island—with several attractions—Luna Island, and Three Sisters Islands. Established in 1885 to protect the public's access to the land surrounding the falls, this is the oldest state park in the country. It was designed by noted landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York City's Central Park.

Hours of operation for all park attractions change according to weather and season. It's best to call ahead to make sure your timing is right.

In the 1870s, Hudson River School artist Frederic Church built this 37-room Moorish-style castle atop a hill with panoramic valley and river vistas. Architect Calvert Vaux came up with the design of the house, to which the artist applied his own eclectic touches. The interior is an extravaganza of tile and stone, carved screens, Persian rugs, and paintings, including some by Church. The house, about 4 miles south of Hudson, is open for guided tours, which run about 45 minutes; reservations are strongly suggested.

Re-creating a pre–Civil War farming community, this living-history museum sits on 200 pastoral acres with soft hills and lovely meadows. The 45 historic buildings were moved to this spot from other parts of Long Island and include two general stores, nine homes, a schoolhouse, a tavern, a church, and a working farm with animals. The guides, dressed in period costume, love sharing their knowledge of local history. Special events and seasonal celebrations are held throughout the year.