New York City is truly a place like no other. It’s loud, busy, gritty, and intimidating. It’s charming, beautiful, ugly, and magical. NYC is one of those places that will leave you wanting more, and it’s a place you’ll always find yourself discovering something new.
I’ve had my fair share of NYC experiences. My very first time visiting, I was only 11 years old. And I knew deep down inside that I would live there one day. I traveled there frequently during my teen years and early twenties. And when I was 22 I finally made the move. Getting to live in NYC in my early twenties was one of the best experiences of my life. And although I no longer live there, I don’t look forward to anything more than my next visit.
Hopefully, you found this article because you’ve never actually been to NYC before! And you’re excited about getting to experience this amazing place for the first time. You could spend a decade in NYC and not get to everything the city has to offer. But regardless of how you chose to spend your time, there are some things you must do when visiting this place for the very first time.
1. Eat a NYC Bagel
NYC is famous for many things, and one of the first that comes to mind- NYC bagels! The bagels in New York are known for their crunchy-yet-chewy texture and they are always fresh and delicious! There are two key things that make a NYC bagel so amazing and unforgettable.
One: New York water- The water in NY is very soft and has a low concentration of minerals, which makes a huge difference in the taste of the bagels.
Two: The way they’re cooked- Before being baked, the bagels are boiled, which locks the liquid inside of the dough.
You can find an incredible NYC bagel on almost every corner, but if you want some suggestions, you can’t go wrong with these places:
2. Visit Another Borough Besides Manhattan
In my personal opinion, one of the biggest mistakes people make when visiting NYC for the first time is going to Manhattan and staying in Manhattan. There are four other boroughs that makeup NYC and they are all wonderful and unique. Now, I’m not expecting anyone to explore them all in a single trip, but do yourself a favor and spend at least one day in a borough besides Manhattan. My suggestion would be Brooklyn. I am biased as Brooklyn is where I called home for three years and I still deem it the “coolest place on the planet,” but in all seriousness, it is amazing.
Brooklyn is filled with rich history, unique little neighborhoods, unbelievable street art, fascinating museums, and some of the most incredible restaurants. It’s also really cool getting to see the view of Manhattan from Brooklyn! If you take my advice and decide to spend a day in Brooklyn, here are some awesome things to do:
- Ride the rides at Coney Island
- Explore Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Shop at Brooklyn Flea
- Take a stroll down Bedford Ave
- Surround yourself in beauty at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
3. See Views From Above
One thing NYC isn’t short of is incredible views. Just walking down any street or avenue in this city, something will be sure to catch your eye. However, there’s nothing quite like seeing NYC from above. It’s a breathtaking experience that you can only have from visiting one of the tallest skyscrapers. And thankfully, there are quite a few to choose from. Here are some of my personal favorites that I’ve visited over the years. Be sure to check out their website and reserve tickets ahead of time.
4. Visit the 9/11 Memorial
One of the darkest days in our country’s recent history took place in NYC. September 11th is an event that we will always remember and the people that tragically lost their lives that day will never be forgotten. Visiting the 9/11 Memorial is a beautiful way to honor them and something that I believe everyone should experience. It’s very sombering, to say the least.
The 9/11 Memorial was designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker. Their design was chosen from over 5,000 submissions. The 9/11 memorial was officially opened on September 11, 2011- exactly ten years after the attack.
If you’re up for it, I would also strongly suggest visiting the 9/11 museum as well. It’s an extremely complex, heavy experience that will most likely bring tears to your eyes. But it’s such an important part of history that you will definitely appreciate learning more about. Visiting the memorial is free of charge, however, if you’d like to visit the museum as well, you must buy tickets in advance, here.
5. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is by far one of the most iconic locations in NYC. It took nearly 14 years to build and cost $15 million- which would be more than $320 million today! During the construction at least two dozen people died, including the original designer. Today the Brooklyn Bridge is more than 125 years old and carries roughly 150,000 vehicles and pedestrians every day!
The walk over the bridge is just a little over a mile and takes roughly an hour. I’d recommend starting in Manhattan and ending in Brooklyn. You’ll witness really cool views of the skyscrapers and you start to make your way over and once you get to the other side, you’ll be in Downtown Brooklyn, also known as DUMBO. Here you’ll find great shops, restaurants, and great views of Manhattan.
One thing to take note of, the Brooklyn Bridge has very heavy pedestrian traffic most times of the day. The earlier you can make the walk the better if you want to avoid some of the crowds. And if you’d like to check out some beautiful view points of the Brooklyn Bridge, check out my blog post, here.
6. Explore Central Park
Located almost in the middle of crazy, hectic, concrete jungle Manhattan is the beautiful, peaceful, nature oasis, Central Park. Covering 840 acres, Central Park is the largest and most important park in NYC. And it is one of those places that you absolutely have to visit! There is so much to do and see throughout the park, but you can honestly go without a plan, walk around and just simply enjoy your surroundings. If you want to visit Central Park and see some of the more iconic spots within the park, be sure to put these places on your list:
- Belvedere Castle
- Central Park Zoo
- Sheep Meadow
- Alice in Wonderland
- The Carousel
- The Mall
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir
- Bow Bridge
- Bethesda Terrace
- Strawberry Fields
7. Go To At Least One Museum
No matter what your interests are, NYC has a museum for you (even if museums aren’t really your thing.) Whether you’re into art, history, photography, sex, or even ice cream! That’s right, NYC has a Museum of Ice cream. And a NYC experience just isn’t quite complete without experiencing at least one. Here are some suggestions you can’t go wrong with:
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- American Museum of Natural History
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- Brooklyn Museum
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- MoMa
8. Get Lost!
This one might happen whether you like it or not. Until you get to know it, NYC can be a little tricky to navigate. But it’s one of those places you can really just get lost in and stumble upon something amazing that you may not have stumbled upon otherwise. Just go with the flow, don’t stress if you make a wrong turn or get on the wrong train, and see where you end up! Obviously, just always be careful walking around at night, and be aware of your surroundings, especially if you’re not sure where you are.
This wraps up my list of things everyone should do on their first NYC trip. I hope you found this helpful and gave you some inspiration. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below, and as always, happy travels!
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