Tourism and Sightseeing in New York City

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The Official NYC Information Center is located at Macy's Herald Square. It provides information on leisure activities, guided tours, public transportation and other questions of interest in English, French, Portuguese, German and Spanish. In addition, the tourist office offers the following services:

  • Guides, books, maps about New York City
  • Accommodation booking
  • The NYC Pass that offers free museum entrance and various discounts,
  • Tickets for local public transport as well as international bus connections
  • Tickets to various events from guided tours to concerts
  • Postcards, stamps, and envelopes
  • Free Wi-Fi

Official NYC Information Center at Macy's Herald Square
151 W. 34th St. (bet. Seventh Ave. and Broadway).
Subway: B, D, F, M, N, Q, R to 34th St.–Herald Sq.; 1, 2, 3, A, C, E to 34th St.–Penn
Station Hours: Mon.–Sat., 10am–10pm; Sun., 10am–9pm.
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Sightseeing in New York

New York City is, without any doubt, one of the greatest cities in the world. The city that never sleeps has world-famous landmarks at every turn and new activities every week. From Broadway shows to Michelin-star restaurants to top museums to sites like symbol of America, the Statue of Liberty.

Many of the most popular places to visit in New York are within walking distance in Manhattan.
Some of the most famous spots in NYC are:

  • Times Square: Named after the New York Times at the turn of the 20th century, the square is heavily trafficked any time of the year and is known as the site of the most famous New Year's Eve countdown in the world.
  • The Empire State Building : A National Historic Landmark that rises above the heart of Manhattan. The Observatory offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade.
  • The Statue of Liberty : Not just a landmark of New York City, but a symbol for America. This historic monument to freedom stands tall in the harbour on its own island. The Statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial in 1986.
  • Central Park: Created by public-minded members of the old merchant aristocracy in 1857, it is meant to maintain the beauty of the growing city. It is the first landscaped park in an American city. The park has many attractions:
    • Harlem Meer - 11 Acre Lake featuring two playgrounds.
    • Charles A. Dana Discovery Centre - Visitor centre featuring environmental exhibits and programs.
    • Lasker Rink and Pool - Public swimming pool that is transformed into an ice rink for the winter (Thanksgiving - March).
    • Conservatory Garden - Central Park's only formal garden. The Italian garden is the site of many wedding photography sessions.
    • North Meadow and Recreation Center - Indoor and outdoor recreational facility indoor climbing wall with fields for baseball, softball, and soccer.
    • Reservoir - A 106-acre water feature with a 1.5 mile running track surrounding it.
    • Great Lawn Park - Softball fields, soccer, basketball, and volleyball court.
    • Metropolitan Museum of Art - World-famous masterpieces are exhibited here.
    • Belvedere Castle - Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, this is a miniature Gothic castle. The Castle is home to the Henry Luce Nature Observatory.
  • Wall Street: The Financial District at the southern end of Manhattan includes Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, as well as the famed bull statue.
  • Grand Central Station: Opened in 1913, this is the site of many shops and restaurants. The 12,000 square foot Vanderbilt Hall hosts many public events and in the main terminal there is a spectacular ceiling mural painted by Paul Helleu.
  • The Rockefeller Center: Known for its Christmas tree and ice skating at Christmas, it also has the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Radio City Music Hall and numerous shopping and dining opportunities.
  • The Bronx Zoo: The largest metropolitan zoo in the United States. It spans 265 acres and it is home to over 6,000 animals.  
  • Coney Island: This beachfront was established in the 1870s as one of the earliest amusement grounds in the country.

These are just a few of the attractions of New York City as the list is practically endless. Time Out offers a complete guide of almost all attractions offered in New York, classified by borough, museums, price, and season.

Tours in New York City

New York City is full of classic tourist attractions and things to see, but what makes the city even more special is the ever-changing and trend-setting events. It is impossible to know about everything that is going in New York; you can just try to hang on for the ride.

Fortunately, guides can give you a better grasp of the city's history, culture, and events. No matter your interest, there is an art, architecture or food tour for you.

Top NYC Tours:

  • New York City Onboard: Offers tour buses around the city with guides that hop on & hop off with them.
  • City Sights New York: 60 hop-on/hop-off buses with top-deck-only seating to provide you with the best possible views of New York City's attractions, neighbourhoods and places of interest.
  • Gray Line New York: One of the biggest travel providers and offers a variety of bus tours and destination transportation, both inside and outside NYC. For example, you can also reach the Niagara Falls with them.
  • SANDEMANs Free Tour: Superb guides provide daily tours of points of interest in Manhattan on a donation-basis. There are also specialized paid tours of Central Park, Midtown, and various boroughs.
  • Central Park Bike Tours: Allows customers to rent bikes and discover NYC on their own or participate in group tours of lovely central park.
  • Harlem Heritage Tours: Offers a unique set of products and services that serve to highlight the rich history of this New York neighbourhood and its many contributions to American culture.
  • Sex in the City Hotspots: Tkes followers in the footsteps of Carrie & Co. as they conquer New York City! Drink where they drink, shop where they shop, and gossip where they gossip.

Festivals in New York

There are numerous annual events worth knowing about before you move to or visit New York.
The year in New York finishes and starts with a massive and exciting celebration in Times Square: New Year's Eve party. Yet the Chinese New Year celebrations in February are also colourful and vibrant.

Both St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) and Puerto Rican day (June 9th) come complete with a parade down straight Fifth Avenue.

Central Park is a beehive of activities and events in the summer with various free dance, music, theatre, and art happenings. Gay Pride Marches in June are a huge event that draws a crowd - gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight. The parade is the culmination of an entire week of pride activities.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a long-standing tradition with large balloons pulled through the streets of Manhattan. It is televised nationally and a beloved event among many Americans.

Other relevant events taking place in the city are:

  • Westminster Kennel Club Show: For over a 100 years this has drawn dog lovers from across the nation into Madison Square Gardens in mid-February.
  • The NYC Matathon: Together with the marathons in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, London and Chicago, the NYC Marathon is one of the World Marathon Major and a challenge for all runners.
  • New York Fashion Week (Fall/Winter): The world's top designers show their collections on the Meatpacking District runway.
  • Mets and Yankees Season Openers: Enjoy watching the two biggest teams start their competition seasons.
  • Tribeca Film Festival: This festival, created by Robert De Niro's, screens more than 100 films from all over the world and also offers free outdoor screenings.
  • Shakespeare in the Park (through August): This festival was created back in 1962 in first celebrated in Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Up until now, more than 5 million people attended its plays, where theatre fans can enjoy free outdoor productions of the Bard's plays, usually performed by well-known actors. 

Up-to-date information about upcoming events can always be found on The New York city Official Guide

Discounts in New York

NY City Pass and New York Pass are the two major tourist city passes. They are your ticket into over 100 attractions in NYC, saving you time and money and removing the hassle of carrying around spare change and queuing up to buy attraction tickets. With these passes you won't have to stand in line to get into the attraction. Step straight inside with any of your pass and enjoy the simplicity of your sightseeing experience.

If you are still unsure on what suit you best for your trip to NY, visit Loving-newyork.com blog, where you will find a complete comparison between both city passes, and some additional ones.

ISIC Discount Card

A youth card or student card can offer you a lot of advantages abroad and it recognises your student status. These international cards will give you discounts abroad and are essential for those taking a gap year or going backpacking:

ISE Card (International Student Exchange Card) - An internationally recognized identification card with thousands of discounts in over 80 countries. It is valid for one year from date of issue.
Students of ANY age are eligible, as well as faculty members, children and young adults from 12-25. The price is 25 USD and you can purchase it online.

ISIC (International Student Identity Card) - Issued in over 130 countries, the ISIC card serves as an internationally recognized student card. It is issued for full-time students over the age of 12.
The ISIC card can be purchased online or at a local ISIC issuer. You will need a proof of your student status, an ID document, and a passport sized photo.
To find businesses that give discounts for ISIC card owners see the discounts worldwide.

The ISIC offers two additional cards that offer many of the same benefits and discounts and can be obtained either online or at a local issuing office:

What the card offers:

  • Valuable discounts on air, travel, bus and ferry transport as well as accommodation (gap year backpacking discounts)
  • Access to over 33,000 discounts in over 100 countries
  • Reduced admission to museums, galleries and historic sites
  • Access to student travel organisations in over 90 countries
  • 24 hour emergency, legal and medical help line services
  • Basic sickness and accident travel insurance

Update 13/02/2020


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