# The 35 Best Things to Do in New York
New York City delivers endless variety for every type of traveler, from observation decks piercing the Manhattan skyline to niche museums hiding in unexpected neighborhoods.
The city's viewpoints dominate many visitor itineraries. The Empire State Building remains iconic, though the One World Observatory at One World Trade Center offers newer competition with floor-to-ceiling windows on the 100th to 102nd floors. The Edge at Hudson Yards, currently the Western Hemisphere's highest outdoor observation deck at 1,131 feet, has drawn crowds since opening. For budget-conscious visitors, the TKTS booth in Times Square provides cheap Broadway tickets alongside free views of the illuminated square itself.
Museums extend far beyond the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, and Museum of Modern Art. Offbeat options include the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side, which explores immigrant history through preserved apartments, and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, where visitors board a decommissioned aircraft carrier. The Museum of Ice Cream offers interactive installations for Instagram-savvy travelers willing to pay admission.
Neighborhoods each carry distinct character. Greenwich Village attracts literary pilgrims and brownstone strollers. Brooklyn's DUMBO district draws photographers to its cobblestone streets and Manhattan-framing brick walls. The High Line, a converted elevated railroad running along the West Side, combines walking, public art installations, and river views in a 1.45-mile ribbon of green.
Food culture rivals any global capital. Michelin-starred restaurants cluster in Midtown and the Upper West Side, while street vendors dispense authentic options at lower costs. Chinatown's dumpling shops and Brooklyn's artisanal bakeries deliver memorable meals without reservations.
Theater, concerts, and nightlife sustain the city