Things to Do in New York
Welcome to New York City - the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps, the Empire City.
A little history to being, New York City was founded in the 1600s by the Dutch around the beaver trade. New Amsterdam (as it was known then) was governed by Peter Stuyvesant, a peg-legged representative from the Dutch West India Company, The English subsequently took over New Amsterdam, renamed it New York, there was an American Revolution, and NYC was on its way - largely due to Alexander Hamilton - to being the economic hub of a young USA. Fast forward through years of Tammany Hall (City Hall) party politics, massive immigration influx, working labor strifes, the Beat movement in the Village, the rebirth of Wall Street in the 80s, the revitalization of Times Square in the 90s, 9/11, and we come to New York today. There won't be enough time to see everything, and that applies to residents too. Good luck!
Oh, and for navigation, Manhattan's on a grid system. It's surprisingly easy to travel North-South quickly, and surprisingly difficult to travel East-West (cross-town) quickly.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg on Sundays)
The Promenade - One of the most famous views of Manhattan
Smorgasborg (Weekly Food Festival)
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop
Bamontes (old school Italian)
Bronx
Arthur Avenue (Little Italy)
Bronx Zoo
The Met Cloisters
New York Botanical Garden
Yankee Stadium
Long Island
Coney Island (Get a Nathan's Famous, Ride the Cyclone, and Catch a Baseball Game)
While at Coney Island, grab pizza at Gargiulo's or Totonno's
If you're up to travel a bit further, check out L&B Spumoni Gardens, Roll n Roaster, Brennan & Carr, and Di Fara Pizza
Queens
Mets Game at Citi Field
Manhattan
Large Sites
9/11 Memorial, 9/11 Museum, One World Trade Center
Abandoned 6 Train Stration
Central Park (walk or get a row boat)
Chinatown
Circle Line Boat Tour
Empire State Building
Little Italy
Metropolitan Museum
MOMA
New York Historical Society
New York Public Library
Statue of Liberty
Times Square
Culture
Apollo Theater - Wednesday Nights in Harlem
Broadway (Go to a TKTS booth for discount tickets)
Caroline's on Broadway (Comedy)
Carnegie Hall
Comedy Cellar - Stand-up
Late Night Show taping
Lincoln Center
The Met
Off-Broadway
Sleep No More - Immersive Theater
Upright Citizens Brigade - Improv
Guilty-Pleasure TV Tourist
Tom's (Diner from Seinfeld)
Friends Apartment
Carrie Bradshaw's Brownstone
Foods
Bagels
- Russ & Daughters for smoked fish
- Black Seed for Montreal-style
Burger
- Paul's Da Burger Joint
- Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien Hotel (seriously, try Paul's first)
Deli's
- Katz's Deli for Pastrami or Corned Beef - home to the famous deli scene in When Harry Met Sally
- Russ & Daughters for smoked fish
Diner
- Tom's Restaurant - Seinfeld Diner
Dumplings
- Joe's Shanghai
Hot dog New York Style
- Nathan's Famous (Ideally in Coney Island)
- Gray's Papaya
- Crif Dogs
Indian
- Panna II Garden (touristy more than tasty)
Italian
- Rao's (Good luck getting in)
Pizza
- Rubirosa
- Juliana's (Previously the original Grimaldi's - Sinatra and SNL's go-to for pizza)
- Di Faras
- Johns
- Lombardis
- Roberta's
Ramen
- Ippudo Ramen
Steak
- Peter Luger
Tavern on the Green
Murray's Cheese Bar
Sweets
- Black Tap - amazingly intricate milkshakes
- Levain Bakery - walnut chocolate chip cookies
- Milk Bar Bakery - Crack Pie
- Four & Twenty Blackbirds - Pie
Bars
The Empire Hotel Rooftop at Sunset
King Cole Bar - Home of the original Bloody Mary
PJ Clarkes - 3rd and 55th - Frequented by Sinatra and Jackie Kennedy
Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Oldest
Fraunces Tavern - Oldest tavern since 1762, One of Washington's go-tos
Bridge Cafe - Since 1794
Ear Inn - Since 1812
McSorleys - Since 1854, Oldest Irish Pub, Only serves two types of beer: Light and Dark, Enjoy the wood shavings
Pete's Tavern - Since 1864, Was disguised as a flower shop during prohibition and was were O. Henry wrote Gift of the Magi
Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog - Another revolutionary stop over
Speakeasies
Angel's Share
The Back Room (The oldest speakeasy)
Death & Co (The original location)
Please Don't Tell
Christmas
5th Avenue Window Displays
Central Park Ice Skating
Dyker Height's Christmas Lighting Displays
Union Square Holiday Market
Rolf's
Radio City Music Hall
Rockefeller Center Tree
Summer
Bohemian Hall (Go to the Beer Garden in the Summer)
Coney Island
The High Line
Shakespeare in the Park
Boating in Central Park
US Open
Resident-Status
Abandoned 6 Train Station
Roosevelt Island
Transportation Museum in Brooklyn
Royal Palm Shuffle Club
Welcome to New York City - the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps, the Empire City.
A little history to being, New York City was founded in the 1600s by the Dutch around the beaver trade. New Amsterdam (as it was known then) was governed by Peter Stuyvesant, a peg-legged representative from the Dutch West India Company, The English subsequently took over New Amsterdam, renamed it New York, there was an American Revolution, and NYC was on its way - largely due to Alexander Hamilton - to being the economic hub of a young USA. Fast forward through years of Tammany Hall (City Hall) party politics, massive immigration influx, working labor strifes, the Beat movement in the Village, the rebirth of Wall Street in the 80s, the revitalization of Times Square in the 90s, 9/11, and we come to New York today. There won't be enough time to see everything, and that applies to residents too. Good luck!
Oh, and for navigation, Manhattan's on a grid system. It's surprisingly easy to travel North-South quickly, and surprisingly difficult to travel East-West (cross-town) quickly.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Brewery
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg on Sundays)
The Promenade - One of the most famous views of Manhattan
Smorgasborg (Weekly Food Festival)
Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop
Bamontes (old school Italian)
Bronx
Arthur Avenue (Little Italy)
Bronx Zoo
The Met Cloisters
New York Botanical Garden
Yankee Stadium
Long Island
Coney Island (Get a Nathan's Famous, Ride the Cyclone, and Catch a Baseball Game)
While at Coney Island, grab pizza at Gargiulo's or Totonno's
If you're up to travel a bit further, check out L&B Spumoni Gardens, Roll n Roaster, Brennan & Carr, and Di Fara Pizza
Queens
Mets Game at Citi Field
Manhattan
Large Sites
9/11 Memorial, 9/11 Museum, One World Trade Center
Abandoned 6 Train Stration
Central Park (walk or get a row boat)
Chinatown
Circle Line Boat Tour
Empire State Building
Little Italy
Metropolitan Museum
MOMA
New York Historical Society
New York Public Library
Statue of Liberty
Times Square
Culture
Apollo Theater - Wednesday Nights in Harlem
Broadway (Go to a TKTS booth for discount tickets)
Caroline's on Broadway (Comedy)
Carnegie Hall
Comedy Cellar - Stand-up
Late Night Show taping
Lincoln Center
The Met
Off-Broadway
Sleep No More - Immersive Theater
Upright Citizens Brigade - Improv
Guilty-Pleasure TV Tourist
Tom's (Diner from Seinfeld)
Friends Apartment
Carrie Bradshaw's Brownstone
Foods
Bagels
- Russ & Daughters for smoked fish
- Black Seed for Montreal-style
Burger
- Paul's Da Burger Joint
- Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien Hotel (seriously, try Paul's first)
Deli's
- Katz's Deli for Pastrami or Corned Beef - home to the famous deli scene in When Harry Met Sally
- Russ & Daughters for smoked fish
Diner
- Tom's Restaurant - Seinfeld Diner
Dumplings
- Joe's Shanghai
Hot dog New York Style
- Nathan's Famous (Ideally in Coney Island)
- Gray's Papaya
- Crif Dogs
Indian
- Panna II Garden (touristy more than tasty)
Italian
- Rao's (Good luck getting in)
Pizza
- Rubirosa
- Juliana's (Previously the original Grimaldi's - Sinatra and SNL's go-to for pizza)
- Di Faras
- Johns
- Lombardis
- Roberta's
Ramen
- Ippudo Ramen
Steak
- Peter Luger
Tavern on the Green
Murray's Cheese Bar
Sweets
- Black Tap - amazingly intricate milkshakes
- Levain Bakery - walnut chocolate chip cookies
- Milk Bar Bakery - Crack Pie
- Four & Twenty Blackbirds - Pie
Bars
The Empire Hotel Rooftop at Sunset
King Cole Bar - Home of the original Bloody Mary
PJ Clarkes - 3rd and 55th - Frequented by Sinatra and Jackie Kennedy
Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Oldest
Fraunces Tavern - Oldest tavern since 1762, One of Washington's go-tos
Bridge Cafe - Since 1794
Ear Inn - Since 1812
McSorleys - Since 1854, Oldest Irish Pub, Only serves two types of beer: Light and Dark, Enjoy the wood shavings
Pete's Tavern - Since 1864, Was disguised as a flower shop during prohibition and was were O. Henry wrote Gift of the Magi
Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog - Another revolutionary stop over
Speakeasies
Angel's Share
The Back Room (The oldest speakeasy)
Death & Co (The original location)
Please Don't Tell
Christmas
5th Avenue Window Displays
Central Park Ice Skating
Dyker Height's Christmas Lighting Displays
Union Square Holiday Market
Rolf's
Radio City Music Hall
Rockefeller Center Tree
Summer
Bohemian Hall (Go to the Beer Garden in the Summer)
Coney Island
The High Line
Shakespeare in the Park
Boating in Central Park
US Open
Resident-Status
Abandoned 6 Train Station
Roosevelt Island
Transportation Museum in Brooklyn
Royal Palm Shuffle Club
