15 Iconic Places in NYC You Absolutely Need to Visit

Last updated on July 2, 2025

Looking for the most iconic places in NYC to visit for your upcoming trip? You’ve come to the right place! My husband and I recently visited New York City for the first time. And like most first-time visitors, we were on a mission to check off as many bucket-list destinations as possible. We wanted to experience the New York we’d seen in movies and TV shows—the landmarks that define the city’s character and charm.

Yes, many of these destinations are touristy—something we usually try to avoid when we travel. But in a city like New York, some spots are famous for a reason. If you’re like us and on a mission to see the best of the city, this post will share 15 of the most iconic places in NYC you absolutely have to visit.

Things to Know About the Iconic Places in NYC

Before we dive into the 15 most iconic places in NYC to visit, let’s go over some basic but important stuff to know when planning a New York City vacation.

✈️ How to get there: Fly into one of the three international airports in New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
🛄 Cheap flights to NYC: New York City is one of the most accessible and affordable cities to fly into from North America and Europe. I normally use Google Flights to look for cheap flights on their fare calendar. However, Skyscanner is a great tool to help you find cheap flight deals!
🗓️ Best time to visit: There’s no bad time to visit New York City, but late spring and early fall are the best weather.
🏨 Where to stay: CitizensM Times Square if you want to be near Times Square in a modern hotel (great views from the rooms), OR Courtyard Midtown West to be well located but in a slightly less crowded/noisy area.
💳 Money: Most places accept debit or credit, however, some street carts and pizza spots are cash only, so always have $50 – $100 in smaller bills on you.
💲Recommended daily budget: Plan to spend $250 – $450 per day on food, transportation, and activities (not including accommodations). Accommodations usually range from $250 – $450+ per night.
🚶🏼‍♀️Getting around: Walk most places, use the metro, or take an Uber/taxi.

Now, when talking specifically about visiting the iconic places in NYC, it’s important to make reservations in advance when possible. Not all iconic places in NYC will require a reservation. For example, you don’t need tickets to go to Grand Central Station or the New York Library.

However, if you want to go to the Top of the Rock observation deck to see the breathtaking city skyline, you’ll need to book tickets several days to several weeks in advance. The same can be said for popular activities like Liberty and Ellis Island, and Broadway shows.

If you want to visit several iconic places in NYC from this list, I encourage you to compare entry costs with the New York City Pass. The pass allows you to bundle experiences into one pre-paid ticket and can save as much as $100 in entry fees, depending on where you are visiting. Learn what is included here and buy your pass below.

If you’re visiting in peak tourist season (June through August or December), you’ll want to plan at least three weeks ahead. We love booking our activities with GetYourGuide. They have a great selection of experiences, with early entry, skip-the-line tickets, and now, even exclusive activities.

Now, let’s dive into the 15 iconic places in NYC you absolutely need to visit on your next trip!

1. Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island

One of the most iconic places in NYC to visit is the Statue of Liberty. Lady Liberty is the symbol of America, representing independence, freedom, and justice for more than 120 years. Originally a gift from the French, this iron statue towers over Liberty Island and requires a ferry ride and a pre-booked ticket to explore.

We booked the ferry ride that drops you off at Liberty Island and Ellis Island so we could explore both on the same trip. We highly recommend getting the free audio guide at the front entrance. If preferred, you can book a guided tour, but we learned so much from the audio guide and enjoyed that we could go at our own pace and take pictures as we wanted.

If you want to go inside the Statue of Liberty (into her crown), book your tickets from this site weeks to months in advance. Tickets are timed entry and require you to go through security before entering. Just know, there is no elevator service and you will need to climb up 162 stairs to reach the crown!

This island can be very hot and has very little shade, so come prepared. There are bathrooms, a restaurant, a museum, a cafe, lockers, and gift shops on-site if you want souvenirs.

2. Ellis Island

Ellis Island is another one of those iconic places in NYC you just have to visit. As a third-generation Italian American, visiting Ellis Island was at the top of my New York City bucket list. I wanted to learn more about what it was like to immigrate to America from Europe, something my great-grandparents and grandfather did in the 1930s and 1940s.

Ellis Island was one of America’s busiest immigration hubs from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. The museum (which is truly fascinating) shares powerful stories of what it was like for the roughly 12 million immigrants who passed through its halls to relocate to America. It’s part of the National Park Service, so entry is free with an annual park pass. Without one, admission is $25.50 per adult and includes an audio guide.

We loved visiting this museum and feel it is a stop you can’t miss on a New York City vacation. Statue City Cruises is the only official boat to bring visitors here, so I recommend booking with them directly.

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3. Times Square

Aside from the Statue of Liberty, Times Square is probably one of the most iconic places in NYC. Seen on television across the globe on New Year’s Eve (and for my millennial friends, on MTV), it’s a tourist hub with hundreds of billboards and street performers to admire. It’s loud, it’s busy, and it’s extremely quirky.

We weren’t big fans of Times Square, but it’s still a must-see. From there, head over to Broadway for a show! There are so many incredible ones to choose from. We picked The Lion King, one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history, and it completely blew us away. Dennis had never been to a Broadway show and isn’t usually into musical theater, but he gave it a 10/10. And I (Liz) cried twice—it was that magical.

🎟️ Book tickets in advance. They will sell out! A few popular Broadway shows to go to:
– The Lion King
– The Book of Mormon
– Aladin
– Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
– Wicked (I’ve also seen this on Broadway and it’s 10/10)
– Hamilton

4. Central Park

Central Park is the largest park in New York City and another one of the iconic places in NYC you can’t miss. Home to miles of trails, you can meander this scenic park admiring its beautiful bridges, take a paddle boat ride on the lake, relax on the lawn, or a bench in the shade.

The park is massive, taking up roughly 843 acres. We walked around for about 3 hours and only saw a small portion of the park. If you want to maximize your time and learn about its history, take a pedicab ride. They last around 1 hour and take you to the most iconic spots in Central Park.

Top 3 hotels in New York City

• Luxury: Hotel Chelsea – It doesn’t get more iconic or luxurious than this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, 9.3 rating
• Mid-Range: CitizensM Times Square – Very central location in a modern hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐, 8.8 rating
• Budget: Nap York Central – Safe, clean and well-located hostel ⭐⭐⭐, 8.2 rating
  Explore all hotels >

5. Visit One of NYC’s Iconic Museums

While you’re in Central Park, you should visit one of New York City’s iconic museums. We went to the American Museum of Natural History per the recommendation of our local friends. They said this was their favorite museum in the city. It’s one of the most iconic places in NYC and was the setting for the Night at the Museum movies.

The museum was awesome! There’s truly something for everyone. We especially loved the dinosaur exhibits on the top floor, where you’ll find one of the few complete T. rex skulls on display in the world. The animal habitat dioramas were also a highlight. They are incredibly detailed, it felt like you were stepping into their habitat. Other museums in or near the park worth visiting:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, aka the “Met”
• The Museum of Modern Art, aka MoMA (this is not in the park, but a short walk away)
• American Museum of Natural History (from Night at the Museum)

6. 9/11 Memorial Museum

Next on our list of iconic places in NYC to visit is one some may want to skip—the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, were horrific and unforgettable for those who lived through them. Both Dennis and I remember that day vividly and how deeply it changed the world.

We visited the museum to learn more and pay tribute to the lives lost. It was incredibly heavy, and we both cried multiple times. If you’re sensitive to emotional content, be prepared or consider skipping it. But we’re grateful we went. It gave us a deeper appreciation for this city and what it’s overcome. Tickets are timed entry and require pre-booking. So, if you want to do this, make sure you book ahead.

If you don’t want to go inside the museum, you can visit the waterfall memorials placed where the Twin Towers once stood, etched with the names of the lives lost that day. It’s a beautiful memorial that looks up to the new One World Trade Center, which was built to replace the Twin Towers.

7. Wall Street and Lower Manhattan

Not far from the 9/11 Memorial Museum and the One World Trade Center is Wall Street and Lower Manhattan. Home to the iconic Bull of Wall Street, this is another one of the iconic places in NYC to visit as a first-time visitor.

The financial district of New York City has been featured in countless TV shows, movies, and news programs as the world tunes into the stock market and other financial happenings. You can take a guided tour of this area to learn more than on your own.

8. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

One of the best views of Manhattan’s towering skyline is from the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, and a destination in and of itself. We loved our short afternoon in Brooklyn and highly recommend exploring if you’re in New York City for a while.

However, if you’re short on time of some of the more iconic places in NYC to visit take priority, make sure you at least walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This Bridge was built over 20 years in the late 1800s and was state of the art. For a period, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world! It’s such an iconic spot and the scene from countless movies and shows.

9. Walk the High Line

The High Line might not be one of the iconic places in NYC that you would instantly recognize from movies and television shows, but it’s quickly making a name for itself as one of the must-do activities in New York City. This urban park transformed an abandoned railroad in the Chelsea Neighborhood, turning it into an outdoor area for recreation.

You can walk the path to admire super modern apartment buildings, old tenement buildings, gardens, and eventually end up in the Hudson Yards—a fantastic spot for shopping and home to the Vessel. One of NYC’s most unique buildings.

10. Visit 30 Rockefeller Plaza: NBC Studios

Midtown Manhattan is where iconic places in NYC to visit are located. Places like Radio City Hall, the Empire State Building, Macy’s department store, Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, and the Rockefeller Center.

The Rockefeller Center is home to the famous ice skating rink and NBC Studios, where SNL, 30 Rock, and The Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon are filmed. You can tour NBC studios, buy tickets for a show (like The Late Night Show or SNL), walk around the plaza for free, or go 850 feet above street level on the 70th floor of Rockefeller Center to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck.

We loved this viewpoint because we could see the iconic Empire State Building in the skyline, and we got to learn about the history of Rockefeller Center. It’s ideal at “golden hour” or just before sunset, so I highly recommend booking your tickets for that if possible. If you prefer to visit one of the other viewpoints, I’ll talk more about that in the Empire State Building section.

This is one of the several observation decks you can visit throughout New York City to get breathtaking views of the skyline. Tickets must be purchased in advance and have timed entry. When we visited, slots were booking weeks out, so don’t wait to book. NYC observation decks you can visit:

• Top of the Rock Observation Deck
• One World Observatory
• Empire State Building
• Summit One Vanderbilt
• Edge NYC

11. Visit the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is a few blocks from 30 Rockefeller Center, and another iconic place to visit in New York City. Most people go up to the observatory deck in the Empire State Building, but we opted to walk inside and see the grand reception area shown in movies like Sleepless in Seattle and Elf. Built in 1931, it was once the tallest building in the world until the Twin Towers were completed in the 1970s.

12. Grand Central Terminal

About a fifteen-minute walk from the Empire State Building is Grand Central Terminal. Once the busiest train terminal in the world, this historic Beaux-Arts building has become one of the top iconic places in NYC to visit. It’s been featured in countless movies like The Avengers and Men in Black, but is most commonly visited today to admire its beautiful architecture and tiled roof that shows the constellations on it.

13. Walk inside the New York Public Library

Another classic stop in Midtown Manhattan is the New York Public Library. The iconic lion statues out front have appeared in countless films, including Ghostbusters. Inside, the building is as stunning as its exterior—and many visitors are shocked to discover it’s a functioning public library.

While the main study areas are reserved for local residents with ID or reservations, visitors can still explore parts of the library, including the ornate Rose Main Reading Room, during public hours. Free 15-minute tours are offered Monday through Saturday at 11:20 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m., and on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Be sure to pre-register at the desk. It feels like a mix of Hogwarts and an Ivy League reading hall—easily one of the most incredible study spaces in the city.

14. See the Ghostbusters Building

Okay, this may be the most touristy stop on our list of 15 iconic places in NYC to visit. But it’s iconic for a reason. If you’re a movie lover, an ’80s kid, or into pop culture at all, there’s a good chance Ghostbusters is one of the first movies you think of when you think of NYC.

This historic fire station was the set of the iconic movie and is a practicing fire station today. You can stop by the building to take a picture or two before exploring more of Tribeca. This is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in New York City and is home to many celebrities.

15. Visit Chinatown and Little Italy

Last up for the iconic places in NYC you need to visit is Little Italy and Chinatown. These two neighborhoods join together, creating a multi-cultural melting pot for immigrant communities. Little Italy, famously, housed Italian immigrants and remains an authentic spot for delicious Italian-American food and interesting history relating to the Mafia.

Chinatown was once the largest Chinese community outside of China, and is still a working-class neighborhood for many Asian-Americans from various countries. This is a fun neighborhood to get delicious Asian dumplings, Chinese food, boba, and countless other things. You can book a walking history and food tour of both neighborhoods here or you can do a walking history tour only.

There you have it—15 of the most iconic places in NYC to visit on your next trip. This is hardly all of the incredible things to do in New York City. This mega city has so much more to discover beyond these mostly touristic stops. However, this is a great starting place for your first or even second visit to New York City. If you found this post helpful, let me know in the comments below and check out this post to plan your food stops during your vacation.

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