Without a doubt, the best way to explore New York is on foot. No matter what neighborhood you’re headed to, you’ll get a better sense of it by wandering around; you can check out the architecture, pop into cool-looking shops and cafés, and observe the walk-and-talk of the locals. Our easy grid pattern makes it hard to get lost for more than a few blocks—and if you do, you’ll find New Yorkers are surprisingly helpful with directions.

The days when New York’s subways were dangerous are long gone. Now, the city’s network of underground trains is the most efficient way to get around. (City buses are equally cheap, but can take forever to navigate through traffic, especially crosstown.) The subway is by no means flawless: good luck understanding loudspeaker announcements on all but the newest trains; the floors are sticky; stations are sweltering in the summer; and platforms are grimy year-round. In other words, it’s quite obvious that the subway is over 100 years old. Still, $2 gets you to almost any neighborhood in Manhattan or the outer boroughs, and lines that service the most popular destinations are generally clean, with maps and signs that clearly state where you’re going. It gets crowded during rush hours, when you’ll likely find that all the subway car seats are taken—and have to join your fellow riders in the particular New York sport of “strap-hanging.”

If you’ve got a long way to go and would rather be comfortable than thrifty, hail one of the ubiquitous yellow cabs that troll New York’s streets around the clock. A December 2006 hike in taxi fares means that a 20-minute ride can now set you back more than $10. But you’ll get to look at the scenery as you go and talk to the driver (who might be from as far away as Bangladesh or Ukraine). Avoid trying to hail a cab between 4 and 4:30 PM, unless you want to do a lot of futile street-side arm waving; it’s when the drivers change shifts.

Top Attractions

Metropolitan Museum of Art
The largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere, the Met is—naturally—a mecca for art lovers of all stripes. Treasures from all over the world and every era of human creativity comprise its expansive collection. It’s easy to get dizzy circling all the Dutch master canvases, bronze Rodins, and ancient Greek artifacts—but if you need a breather, you can always retire to the Temple of Dendur or the rooftop café.

Times Square
Times Square is the most frenetic part of New York City: a cacophony of flashing lights, honking horns, and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that many New Yorkers studiously avoid. But if you like sensory overload, the chaotic mix of huge underwear billboards, flashing digital displays, on-location television broadcasts, and outré street performers it will give you your fix. If you’re a quieter sort, it will almost certainly give you a headache.

Empire State Building
From the 86th-floor observatory, which towers 1,050 feet above the city, you can see up to 80 mi away on a clear day (and it’s heated and air-conditioned, unlike the deck 16 stories farther up). The views at night are equally stunning, with the glittering city lights French architect Le Corbusier once called “a Milky Way come down to earth.” If you’re afraid of heights, gazing at the building from afar will still deliver a dose of dazzle—especially after dark, when it’s illuminated by colored lights that correspond to different holidays and events.

Museum of Modern Art
Described as a “modernist dream world” after its $425 million face-lift in 2004, MoMA has since become as famous for its architecture as for its collections. Yoshio Taniguchi, the Japanese architect responsible for the redesign, created newly spacious, soaring-ceilinged galleries suffused with natural light, where masterpieces like Monet’s Water Lilies, Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, and van Gogh’s Starry Night can get the oohs and aahs they deserve. The museum’s restaurant next door is nearly as breathtaking.

Brooklyn Bridge
“A drive-through cathedral” is how the critic James Wolcott describes one of New York’s noblest and most recognized landmarks. Spanning the East River, the bridge connects Manhattan island to the borough of Brooklyn (once an independent city, and still worth a visit in its own right). A leisurely hour’s stroll on the pedestrian walkway (which you’ll share with bicyclists and rollerbladers) is an essential New York experience. Traffic is beneath you, and the views along the East River and of Manhattan’s Financial District are some of the best anywhere.

Statue of Liberty
Presented to the United States in 1886 as a gift from France, Lady Liberty is a near-universal symbol of freedom and democracy, standing 152 feet high atop an 89-foot pedestal on Liberty Island. You can get a taste of the thrill millions of immigrants must have experienced as you approach Liberty Island on the ferry from Battery Park.

American Museum of Natural History
The towering, spectacularly reassembled dinosaur skeletons that greet you when you enter this museum are practically worth the (suggested) price of admission. But there’s tons more, including exhibits of ancient civilizations, animals both stuffed and living (don’t miss the live Butterfly Conservatory October-May), a hall of oceanic creatures overlooked by a 94-foot model of a blue whale, and space shows at the adjoining Rose Center for Earth and Space.

Central Park
The literal and spiritual center of Manhattan, Central Park has 843 acres of meandering paths, tranquil lakes, ponds, and open meadows. For equestrians, softball and soccer players, strollers, ice- and roller skaters, rock climbers, bird-watchers, boaters, picnickers, and outdoor performers, it’s an oasis of fresh air and greenery that lets them forget—at least for a little while—the hustle and congestion of the city.

Bronx Zoo
One urban jungle deserves another. Only at the world’s largest urban zoo is there room for gorillas to lumber around a 6½-acre simulated rain forest, or tigers and lions to roam nearly 40 acres of open meadows.

SoHo
The elegant cast-iron buildings, cobblestone streets, art galleries, chic boutiques, and swanky hotels make this a wonderful area in which to shop, drink, and dream of a more glamorous life.

Sightseeing New York City

Taking a guided tour is a good idea, even if you generally prefer flying solo. For one thing, it will help you get your bearings in this sometimes overwhelming city; for another, it’s a great way to investigate out-of-the-way areas where you might not venture on your own, or learn about a particular facet of the city’s history, inhabitants, or architecture. Please visit Sightseeing Tours in New York for more information.

Getting Around

New York might be a big city, but it’s easily accessible for sightseeing visitors. There are many ways to get into and around New York, including on foot, by public transportation, and in one of the ubiquitous taxis. Here’s a primer on New York transportation:

From the Airport

New York is serviced by three airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens is 15 miles southeast of Manhattan, La Guardia Airport in Queens is 8 miles northeast of Manhattan, and Newark Liberty Airport is 16 miles southwest of Manhattan, across the Hudson River, in New Jersey. JFK Airport is generally the most congested of the three, and Newark is the least.

Car rental: Rental car options are available at all three airports. Each terminal’s arrival level (near the baggage carousel) has either a rental car counter or courtesy phone for the major car companies available. Courtesy transportation is available from each terminal to the rental car lots. Most New York visitors, however, don’t have to choose this option unless they’re planning extensive travel outside the major metropolitan area. Parking is expensive and difficult to find. Avoid any unnecessary headaches, and save money, by using mass transit or taxis. If, however, you must drive, it’s best to rent a car at the airport, where rates are lower than they are in the city.

Public transportation: Public transportation to and from all three airports is excellent. New York Airport Service offers frequent bus service to and from La Guardia and JFK. Olympia Trails of Coach USA offers frequent bus service to and from Newark. SuperShuttle offers door-to-door pick-up van service from homes and hotels to any of the three airports. The AirTrain JFK runs from Pennsylvania Station in Midtown to JFK.

Taxi: A taxi ride into Manhattan from La Guardia takes 20 to 30 minutes and costs about $25. The ride from JFK to Manhattan takes 30 to 45 minutes and costs a flat fare of $45, plus tolls (when going the opposite direction, from Manhattan to JFK, the trip is metered, but usually costs about the same). The 45-minute ride from Newark costs about $80. Cabs leave from well-marked stands staffed by dispatchers outside the flight arrival areas.

Driving In

Rush hour: Driving into and around in New York City is not for the faint of heart. Highways and streets are often very congested, street parking is limited, garage rates are exorbitant, and it’s easy to make a wrong turn that will take you far out of your way. New York’s excellent public transportation system also makes having a car in the city unnecessary. Most New Yorkers don’t own cars and many native New Yorkers don’t even know how to drive. To avoid the worst of rush hour traffic, don’t drive into the city between 7 am and 9 am or out of the city between 4 pm and 6 pm.

Public transportation/fares: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority includes subways and buses. The subways are the easier and quickest way to get around town. Service is frequent — at least in Manhattan — and the trains run all night.

To ride the subways, you’ll need a MetroCard, an electronic fare card that can be purchased in any station. The basic fare is $2 and the $20 card gets you two free rides. For most visitors, however, the best bargain is the unlimited-ride card, which allows for lots of stops in a short period of time: the one-day pass costs $7, the 7-day pass costs $24, and the 30-day pass costs $76.

Buses are slower than subways, but also run all night and are the best way to get cross-town, since most subway lines run north-south. East-west cross-town service can be found along 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, 65th/66th, 79th, 86th and 96th Streets. The fare is $2, payable with exact change or the MetroCard. Transfers are available between cross-town buses and uptown-downtown buses, meaning that you can go far for a $2 ride.

Taxis: Taxis, all painted bright yellow with lighted signs on their roofs, can be hailed from anywhere in Manhattan. Fares begin at $2.50 for the first quarter mile, surcharges are added between 4 pm and 6 am, and a 15 to 20 percent tip is the norm.

Walking is by far the best way to see the Big Apple. You’ll need about a minute to walk a north-south block and two minutes to walk an east-west block. Neighborhoods especially conducive to walking include the Financial District, Chinatown, SoHo, and the West Village.

As if the year-round attractions in New York aren’t enough to keep you busy, the city has countless special events that are worth experiencing. Keep reading to learn about New York’s special events and attractions.