New York City is full of historical monuments, buildings that literally reach into the sky, and art that will blow your mind. The streets are packed with locals and tourists alike. There is absolutely any type of food you could imagine! And the lights!!! Oh, the lights are brighter than any star in the sky. It is a crowded, muggy, kind of smelly (especially on the subway!), but oh so wonderful and magical city! I could spend a whole year there and probably still not see every inch of NYC that I wanted to explore.

 

Given that we only had 5 days and an entire world to explore, we had to choose wisely what was most important for us to see. The hardest part was pleasing both Tyrell and I. While we normally have pretty similar taste in activities, our ideas of important historical content are completely different. So after much deliberation and some help from New York Sightseeing Pass, we chose 8 major attractions, 3 parks, 2 bridges, and of course a Broadway show! Plus we added a few additional stops that once we got there we couldn’t pass up! And while I think you should see absolutely everything your heart desires while in this beautiful place, I am going to tell you about the 7 things that I personally think you HAVE to do while in NYC for your first time!

 

1. Ride the sightseeing bus

When you first get there, jump on the bus! Do all three of them, the uptown, downtown, and Brooklyn tours. This is just a great way to see the city and learn your way around. It will set you up for the next few days so that you at least know which part of the city each attraction is located! And it is fun and you get great historic information. If possible request Allan France as your tour guide! He was by far my favorite!!

 

2. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island

I don’t think I knew what to expect when standing in front of the Statue of Liberty. But all I can say is that it exceeded any expectations that I had. It was something that I could just stand and look at for hours. Looking at a symbol so iconic and one that represents your country and its relationship with the world was by far one of the coolest things I have ever done. It is definitely something that everyone should experience at least once. Also, you should know that if you want to talk all the way up to the crown you need to plan in advance!! We would have loved to do that but the reservations were at least 6 months out and we didn’t start looking until a couple months before our trip. Maybe next time!

 

Once you have taken in the beauty that is Lady Liberty, you get back on the ferry and  head to Ellis Island. Now I have a personal connection with Ellis Island because many of my family members went through there when coming to America. And I even found my uncle’s name engraved on their wall!! But regardless of your personal connection, Ellis Island is something every single person should experience. You can just feel the history buzzing from the walls and reading all of the stories of these immigrants floods you with waves of emotions. I highly recommend planning 3 or 4 hours at Ellis Island if not longer. There is so much to take in that you could really spend all day there!

 

**When planning your trip to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island plan to go on the first ferry in the morning!! The lines get so long, even on week days, and you will want as much time there as possible!

 

 

3. Top of the Rock

Okay, so I have to start this out by saying that we did both Top of the Rock and the 102^nd floor of the Empire State Building. Both of them were fascinating but at the end of the day both of these attractions are tall buildings that give you killer views of the city. And while the Empire State Building has a great deal of historical content, I preferred Top of the Rock. First of all, the roof of the Rockefeller Building is so open and it has glass walls so you can see everything in every direction! The Empire State Building gets very crowded and it is hard to find a good viewing spot with all of the people there.

 

Top of the Rock limits how many tickets they sell per half hour so I definitely think that helps keep them less crowded and is a better viewing experience! Regardless of which one you choose, make sure to check a few days before on visibility. Also, buy your tickets early because they will sell out!  We did Empire State at sunset which was an awesome experience and I would highly recommend going at that time of day. You can see it go from light, to sunset, to dark and watch all of the city lights turn on! But we did Top of the Rock in the morning and it was bright and sunny and just as beautiful. So it is really your preference on when you go!

 

 

4. Central Park

Obviously Central Park is not an attraction but I had to add it to this list because it was even more amazing that my wildest dreams. If we are being honest, I wish we would have planned a full day just to spend in Central Park. It is HUGE!! I knew it was big but I didn’t expect all of the different paths and hidden gems you can find if you start exploring. And maybe Central Park holds a special place in my heart because that is where Tyrell and I got engaged but it is somewhere I will visit every single time I am in NYC and I will probably never see every inch of it!

 

5. Broadway Show

My family has always loved going to plays and shows but even the best production I have ever seen was nothing in comparison to Broadway. We of course chose to see the Lion King because as 90s babies we both loved that cartoon as kids. Also, it is literally the talk of the country right now and rightfully so!!! Holy smokes and hakunna matata; that show was FANTASTIC! Hands down the most seamless set transitions I have ever seen. Everything was so magical and theatrical and the actors were amazing! I cannot ever put into words how truly mesmerizing this play was and I think everyone should see it.

 

But no matter what show you decide to see, I can promise you it will be amazing. Going to Broadway just sets you up to be amazed. You go down to Times Square, walk around in the city lights, then find your theater and you go into this grand building that is decorated depending on the show. You are surround by hundreds of people equally as excited as you and the energy is incredible. And then afterwards you walk out into the night still buzzing from the excitement of the evening and there are diners on every corner, including the Stardust Diner! So turn it into a full night on the town and eat breakfast ad midnight and then catch a cab home. Nothing gets better than a Broadway night in NYC.

 

6. 9/11 Memorial Museum

This is something I probably feel strongly about because I lived through it. We lived through it. But your kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews probably didn’t. Future generations won’t know, or I hope they won’t know, what it is like to wake up one morning and realize that the whole world just changed. This is something that affected every single person in America and many worldwide. We stood at the waterfalls where the Twin Towers once stood and I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with emotion.

Then as we were walking through the museum it was like reliving that day over and over again with so much additional information that maybe I never knew or maybe I have forgotten pieces over the years. It reignites that patriotic fire in your soul and I think everyone who goes to NYC should at least go to the waterfalls and pay your respect to the thousands of victims that we all lost that day.

 

7. MoMA – Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art is some place that I have always wanted to go to. You see it on TV in movies and TV shows and I learned a great deal about it in college. So although it took some arm twisting to talk Tyrell into it, we both enjoyed it quite a bit. One of the featured artist while we were there was Adrian Piper and I was thrilled. Her work speaks to those of past generations and future generations. As a black female who’s skin was never dark enough for people to realize she found her true identity in a sheet of LSD, her art, and her alternate male identity. She is a hero in my eyes and it was an honor to view her work.

 

MoMA exhibitions are always changing. They are also home to some of the most famous paintings to ever grace our world. And as I stood in front of the original Vincent van Gogh The Starry Night painting I couldn’t help but tear up. After seeing this painting thousands of times on TV, reproductions, and pretty much any art reference ever, there it was. Right in front of me in pristine condition. And there were many other original paintings from Van Gogh, Monet, and Warhol. It was amazing and I am so thankful that we hold art into such a high regard in the world because it should be protected and on display for everyone to see. So please trust me that it is worth your time to walk through his museum and experience the art that we are lucky enough to have access to.

 

 

That’s all folks!

Those were my favorite places that we went to but I am sure there are so many more wonderful places to see and I can’t wait to head back! What are your favorite places in NYC? I’d love to start planning my next trip and want your help!

 

Some other places we saw that didn’t make this list were:

 

Brooklyn Bridge

 

China Town & Little Italy

 

American Museum of Natural History

 

Prospect Park

 

South Side Seaport

 

Times Square

 

Tiffany & Co and the Blue Box Café