New York CIty, the big apple. This is one of the most traveled places in the world. So much so that Queens is actually known as one of the most diverse places on the entire planet. New York has the reputation of being the epitome of the melting pot that America is so often compared to. While it might be one of the smaller states in actual size, it holds a massive population, and there is no shortage of things to do either. Whether you’re just rolling through for a long weekend, or you’re going to be there for a while, there’s so much to do in New York, deciding what it is you want to do on your visit can be difficult.
This is a list of popular and exciting things to do in New York during your stay in order to take some of the guesswork out of planning your itinerary, and to give you a few jumping off points. Afterall, who doesn’t want to make the most out of their time when they’re traveling?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
This museum is a staple of New York City. Locals affectionately call it, “The Met,” and anyone who lives in New York has almost certainly visited the iconic museum at least once. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 and is the proud home of over 5,000 years of art from all over the world. In part, it is this impressive collection that lends the Met such a high reputation. However, it’s more than just the art and the exhibits itself. It’s the way in which the Metropolitan Museum of Art interacts and engages with its community. It brings learning to the power of the visitor, and it creates an experience that is truly unforgettable.
In 2015 the trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art added a mission to their founding purpose. Their mission statement reads, “The Metropolitan Museum of Art collects, studies, conserves, and presents significant works of art across all times and cultures in order to connect people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas.”
This is evident in the way that they curate brilliant collections of artwork, and how they utilize their platform as a living library of art and artists in order to inspire the next generation of artists no matter where they may come from.
Central Park
Central park is one of the most beautiful places in all of New York City. It is truly a natural haven away from the cement jungle that composes the rest of the city landscape. Not only that, but it is one of the most visited urban parks in the United States. With over 40 million visitors in any given year, Central park offers a place for tourists and residents to commune with nature, spend time outdoors, and engage in any number of activities.
This is a notable feature of central park. This park offers its visitors a whole slew of activities in which they can partake. From tours, to bike rentals, to picnics, to yoga classes, concerts, and more. Central park is truly home to a wide variety of communities and offers a whole list of available events on the calendar that lives on their website.
This park is home to several bodies of water for people to enjoy, a zoo, a castle, two ice skating rinks, and an endless variety of attractions and activities.
Great Jones Distillery
The Great Jones distillery is another extremely exciting place to visit when traveling to New York. What makes this distillery special and unique is that it is the first whiskey distillery to open in Manhattan since prohibition. That makes this distillery rather historic in some sense of the word.
Not only can you go for a whiskey tasting in their tasting room, but the Great Jones Distillery has several event spaces including a speak-easy and a lounge. It is well worth the trip, and the whiskey is certainly something to write home about.
Shopping Shopping Shopping
If you’re coming through town and you want to do some shopping, there are plenty of Malls and shopping centers right within walking distance of Penn Station. This is excellent because you may not want to drag your luggage with you on your shopping spree. Thankfully, there is luggage storage in Penn Station that is available and convenient.
By grabbing a cheap place to securely store your luggage right in Penn Station, you can confidently take a quick shopping spree, without the hassle of dragging along your luggage.
A Few Final Thoughts
There are a ton of different things to do and see in New York City. It is one of the most magically unique places that exists, and no matter who you are or what you’re coming from, it has something for everyone.